Marketing Trends for 2012: 5 Things to Keep in Mind

The New Year is upon us. And just like every other time we turn the page on the calendar year, it’s time to look back on what just happened so we can anticipate what’s going to happen. Here are five things to keep in mind for 2012:

1) The point of sale is changing. Instead of spending time in stores, many customers are taking their business online. Reports from Black Friday 2011 even mentioned customers who changed their minds and purchased from a competing store while physically standing in a checkout line to buy the exact same item.

Ah… the power of Internet access. And this trend will only continue for both B2C and B2B, so it’s vital to make sure your web presence is as polished as it can possibly be.

2) Even if the economy drastically improves, budgets will remain tight. Business owners will continue to scrutinize every dollar spent for maximum return on investment. And hiring will most likely remain stagnant.

Make sure you’re getting the most out of your employees by maximizing their efficiency. Utilize internal communications to maintain your human resources, and take advantage of contract employees when they can deliver ROI that your full-time staff cannot.

3) Target audiences are shrinking. As more and more businesses take advantage of web traffic analytics, they will focus on smaller, more precise segments of their target audiences. Social media advertising is also allowing marketers to narrow audiences by demographics, location, and other identifying factors.

Regardless of how small a target audience becomes, it is just as important to think about what motivates them, devise a plan to influence them, and then execute the plan.

4) Build relationships. Ironically, in times when we’re more and more isolated from each other because of relationships maintained via social media, email, and Skype, the notion of personal, face-to-face interaction holds even more potential. And when we can’t personally meet with all of our customers, it’s important to develop a relationship with our branding and our marketing collateral.

People like businesses that are personable and have nice stories. Make sure you’re effective when you communicate yours.

5) Information is king. Content marketing will continue to grow as a meaningful and effective way for businesses to become thought leaders, and ultimately increase profits. Companies are continuing to move away from the traditional sales pitch in favor of providing relevant information. And with social media marketing also continuing to increase, people will need valuable content to share.

From blogs to case studies and from white papers to editorials, the supply of useful information is almost endless. It seems like everyone has something to say about pretty much everything. So if everyone else is influencing buyers with relevant information, shouldn’t you be, too?

By Chad Stamm