An Introduction to Digital, Traditional and Interactive Marketing Trends for 2014 "Business has only two functions - marketing and innovation." This quote by Peter Drucker, a worldrenowned expert in business management still applies today. In order to grow and compete, innovation at some level must take place. It may be the development of a new product or service. It may be a unique way of servicing or selling. It may be innovative operations. Once you innovate, how do people know you have innovated? This is where marketing comes in. Marketing is the action or business of promoting and selling products or services. There is only value in an innovation when the customer understands it and wants to pay for it. Marketing is the messaging and process to help the customer see this value. Too many marketing tools! Today, there are so many marketing vehicles at your disposal. Vehicles such as TV, radio, events, print and billboards have been around for a long time. Even web marketing, email and other forms of digital marketing are well-established and widely used. Now, the hot topics are content marketing and social media. Deciding on what marketing tool to use, what message to communicate, and when to communicate can be challenging. It is even more challenging when "what works today" is different than "what worked yesterday". 2014 Marketing Trends. Over the next couple of months, we will be sharing our thoughts and education on several key marketing tools and how the use of those tools is evolving as we all look to achieve our business goals in 2014. These will be shared through a short, weekly email over the next seven weeks. If you would not like to receive these articles, please feel free to unsubscribe below. We won't be offended. However, we hope that these brief insights will help you better understand these important marketing tools and how they are being used today so that you can achieve your growth goals. Topics include: Digital Marketing 1. Digital Marketing and the impact of the proliferation of digital devices 2. Websites and the focus on interactive content and multimedia integration 3. Social Media Marketing and the impact of new social networks and video Traditional Marketing 1. Print Marketing and its continued importance in breaking through the clutter 2. Promotional Products and their innovation and creativity in both function and form Interactive Marketing 1. Tradeshow Marketing and the use of technology to improve the attendee experience 2. Content Marketing and its ability to drive meaningful interactions
Content Marketing should drive more meaningful interactions and a call to action Content marketing is the hottest topic in marketing today. Some have declared 2014 The Year of Content Marketing. This is partly due to Google s change in search engine algorithms making interesting and relevant content more important in driving web traffic and improving search engine rankings. Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience with the objective of driving profitable customer action. To be effective, small businesses must learn to use content marketing to tell their story. Creating meaningful content on a regular basis is much more important than tooting one s own horn or direct selling your prospects. Nonprofits, especially smaller ones, usually do not have someone dedicated to producing content. This needs to be a priority for small nonprofits. Producing content for social media and web will allow the nonprofit to communicate more effectively with donors, volunteers, and interested parties. What can we expect in 2014? A big trend moving forward is structured content marketing with a specific goal in mind, whether it is driving traffic to your website, encouraging opt-ins to a newsletter, or engaging visitors through your social media outlets. Whatever the goal is, here are three tips to capitalize on the content marketing craze: 1. Get visitors to stay on your pages and interact with you. Engage the visitor with images, infographics and polls. Use a Q&A approach in your content to engage the reader and improve search engine results. 2. Embrace hashtags. Hashtags (e.g., #contentmarketing) are not just for Twitter. They are all over the web and Google will recognize them before other keywords. 3. Create a call-to-action. Include opt-in opportunities for additional content or landing pages that drive leads to the beginning of the sales process. Today, Content Marketing is a key tactic for most businesses. In 2013, 93% of companies used some form of content marketing. This doesn t mean that companies are good at it - only 42% of companies say they are effective at content marketing. Effective content marketing must drive meaningful interactions and a call to action to achieve the underlying goal of acquiring new customers.
Print Marketing can both complement a digital marketing strategy and help break through the digital clutter One big misconception is that print marketing is a dinosaur tactic. Print marketing is a tactic that utilizes printed pieces including postcards, brochures, flyers, and other tangible pieces to reach a target market with content that can be held in one s hand. With the popularity and cost-effectiveness of other marketing tactics, primarily digital marketing and social media marketing, print marketing s share of a company s marketing wallet has been on the decline. However, if done right, print marketing is still one of the most effective marketing methods around. For example, small businesses that execute a well-structured direct mail campaign can achieve a positive return from print. A well-structured campaign requires three things: 1) A welldesigned marketing piece with great content, 2) a solid list with correct contact information for prospects 3) a method to evaluate campaign results. Nonprofit organizations can benefit from print marketing s built-in creative aspect. A printed piece can be very visual and provide a call to action for potential donors and volunteers. What can we expect in 2014? Breaking through the digital clutter! Print marketing will continue to grow in importance. This is because a wellthought-out direct mail campaign, a quality printed newsletter, or other tangible get-noticed pieces hold massive potential. The mailbox is typically less competitive than an email box and it is much easier to click delete on an email than it is to throw out a printed material before viewing the piece. Complementing a digital marketing strategy. In particular, a direct mail postcard will continue to be one of the best ways to bridge the gap between inbound and outbound marketing. With no envelope to open, it is easier to capture attention and direct the reader to a landing page. Most people will take a second to scan the card to see if it peaks their interest this is why content and design is important. Even younger generations still prefer print to electronic marketing. Studies have indicated that a majority of Americans aged 18 to 24 prefer to read communications in print rather than on screen. As your organization builds its marketing strategies, it is important to look at how print marketing can be an important part of your mix of tactics.
Promotional Products continue to be at the forefront of innovation and creativity Promotional product marketing continues to evolve with newer products hitting the market and innovative programs utilizing promotional items to achieve important marketing goals. Promotional products are articles of merchandise (often branded with a logo) used in marketing and communication programs. They are given away to promote a company, corporate image, brand, or event. These items are usually imprinted with a company's name, logo, slogan and/or contact information and given away at trade shows, conferences, and as part of guerrilla marketing campaigns. For small businesses, promotional products can make a great impression on customers for a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. The average promotional item is kept for over 6 months with over 55% of promotional products being kept at least a year. For nonprofits, promotional products or awareness items offer a unique opportunity to build awareness and raise funds. They can also be used to engage corporate sponsors to support fundraising efforts. In many cases, corporate sponsors will donate or subsidize an awareness item in return for branding opportunities. This can allow nonprofits to enhance fundraising events and build more awareness for a fraction of the cost. What can we expect in 2014? Product manufacturers have been focused on innovation to ensure that their products are attractive to promotional marketers and their customers. Existing social trends are leading to eco-friendly and tech-themed items being the most popular areas for new products. Marketing uses for promotional items are continuing to evolve beyond the event and tradeshow arenas. Corporate incentive and wellness programs are utilizing promotional items to show appreciation and build brand employee morale. In addition, products are being used in conjunction with direct mail or digital marketing campaigns to increase response rates. If your organization plans to utilize promotional items, it is important to have a strategy around how the items will be used and to engage an expert that can help identify innovative solutions to achieve growth goals.
Tradeshow Marketing should utilize the interactive qualities of technology to improve the experience A tradeshow is typically an exhibition for companies to showcase and demonstrate their new offerings and drive qualified leads through a more personal approach. Tradeshow Marketing can be timeconsuming and expensive. Not only do you typically need to pay a fee to exhibit at a tradeshow, you also need to secure materials for your exhibitor booth, and have staff to capture and follow up on leads. Those companies that 1) develop goals, 2) create a plan, 3) set up an appealing booth, and 4) effectively capture and follow up on leads typically find the investment worthwhile. Having a Tradeshow Checklist of activities to do before, during and after the tradeshow can be extremely helpful in making the most of a tradeshow. What can we expect in 2014? Going forward, several practices that made exhibitors extremely unique at a tradeshow will become commonplace for all exhibitors looking to stand out. 1. More and more exhibitor booths will be utilizing technology to garner more attention and create a more interactive experience. Leveraging the power of tablets such as an ipad can allow the exhibitor show video, run through a quick presentation, and capture information. It also creates an opportunity to streamline the visual appeal of a booth while also creating a more dynamic experience for the visitor. 2. For those exhibitors with larger budgets, high end displays that include plasma TVs, interactive computers, and interesting video content will not only draw more attention to the booth but also create more opportunities to have meaningful conversations and qualify leads. 3. Leveraging social media can also make the tradeshow impact last beyond the event day and extend the reach beyond the actual tradeshow attendees. This can be done by taking video and pictures of product demonstrations or customer testimonials at a tradeshow and then posting them on social media channels. Tradeshows continue to be a significant marketing tool for many organizations, especially for B2B companies. The ability to meet face to face with a large number of potential buyers makes a tradeshow extremely appealing. While technology is helping to evolve how companies exhibit at tradeshows, it has never been more important for companies to develop a plan to maximize the return on investment.
Websites should be interactive and take into account performance and usability over appearance Almost every business has a website. In fact, according to a study conducted by Constant Contact, 98% of small businesses use their website as a primary marketing tool. Designing an effective website requires a comprehensive approach. Common elements include a needs assessment, a webpage layout, content development, and graphic design. It is important for small businesses to have a well-crafted, professional website. An effective website will be informative, organized, and have next-steps and contact information available for prospective clients. Small businesses can use the web to broaden their footprint and offerings and reach clients regardless of geographic location. Nonprofits utilize their websites for fundraising and awareness efforts. A website provides an opportunity to keep donors and prospective donors informed of current events as well as upcoming opportunities to get involved. What can we expect in 2014? Historically, websites have been designed with a one-sided communication model. They tell the visitor something about the company and its offerings. Effective web design is now moving towards more interactive content. This means creating a website that allows the visitor to communicate with you. This could be via blog comments, a contact form, social media integration, customer ratings, etc 2014 will also bring more social media and video content integrated into sites. Mobile compatibility is a must as well, as more and more people are using smartphones and tablets to access websites. In many cases, a website is the first impression made by a company to its consumer. Every website should be attractive to the eye. However, in order for a website to be an effective marketing tool, greater focus should be placed on making a site interactive and interesting.
Digital Marketing efforts should consider the proliferation of digital devices and platforms It wasn t that long ago when computers were the primary electronic device used to search the web and access information. This all changed about seven years ago, when the iphone was introduced to the market. Since then, smartphones and tablets have become a staple in households across the country. The portability and ability to access these devices 24/7 make them a go-to device for many Americans. Because Americans are utilizing multiple devices to access information and content, digital marketing efforts must evolve to take into account not only what message is being delivered, but also how and when the consumer might be receiving the information. Digital marketing is marketing that makes use of electronic devices (computers) such as personal computers, smartphones, cellphones, tablets and game consoles to engage with stakeholders. What can we expect in 2014? One of the big trends moving forward for digital marketing is the shift from selfpromotion toward customer-centric information that is helpful to a target market. This means providing valuable content through the right platforms that allows the consumer to receive the information whenever they want to receive it. As 2014 moves forward, there are several trends that will drive digital marketing success. 1. Integrating multiple digital platforms into a campaign increases response rates by 158%. Utilizing video and pictures is also becoming increasingly popular and effective (as the popularity of Instagram and Pinterest would indicate). 2. Google+ has become the second most visit social network behind Facebook and will have an impact on Google SEO results. 3. Mobile marketing continues to increase in popularity. In 2013, mobile users made up 15% of all global internet traffic, up from 10% in 2012 and 6% in 2011. Also, 43% of all emails are now opened via smartphones and tablets. These trends are expected to continue into the future. 4. Email marketing continues to be one of the most popular digital marketing methods with 65% of B2C and 71% of B2B companies using the tactic. Digital marketing tactics have become vital components to a well-executed marketing strategy. Email marketing alone accounts for ~20% of a typical company s marketing budget, with the share of marketing dollars expected to increase in 2014. Proliferation of digital marketing is going hand-in-hand with the proliferation of devices and platforms. This means that breaking through the digital clutter is critical. Digital marketing that provides great, customerfocused content that is consistent and accessible on multiple devices are key elements to a successful outcome.
Social Media Marketing continues to evolve with newer social networks and tools Gaining a large audience on social media and making an impact in terms of growth and new customers can be very challenging. It can also be daunting, especially for those that aren t experts in the craft. Social media marketing uses forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content. Social media marketing is an extremely powerful tactic to sell your products/ services without sounding like a salesman. Increased use of social media by almost every business combined with an increase in social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, and so on) is creating a very competitive and complex market for followers. Most companies have many questions when it comes to social media What tools should I be using? What content should I have? How often should I provide content? What am I trying to accomplish with social media? How can I measure results of my investment in social media? A well-built marketing strategy should help you determine how to leverage social media. Small businesses are creating communities using social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and having those communities broadcast their business via word-of-mouth. Businesses using content marketing strategies instead of direct promotion are reaping more benefits. For nonprofits, social media marketing is a great opportunity to build awareness for their causes and keep followers engaged through positive stories, volunteer opportunities and fundraising events. Ultimately, having an active social media community can lead to greater donations and volunteers for the nonprofit. What can we expect in 2014? While Facebook has appeared to reach maximum market penetration, particularly in the US, Twitter and Google+ continue to increase in popularity. Micro-videos are also up-and-coming, as evidence by Instagram s video sharing and the 6-second service Vine. User-generated content, such as allowing consumers to post a picture of themselves using your product is continuing to grow. It is more cost-effective and engaging since the customer is posting the content for you. Social media marketing has been around for some time. However, it seems like every day there is a new network or new tool to use. Understanding what tools work for you and where your target consumers will engage with you is critical to making an impact.