Personalization is becoming a strategic marketing imperative. Marketing personalization uses data to deliver customized brand messages to individual prospects and customers. Unlike traditional marketing, which casts a wide net, personalized marketing delivers the most relevant message at the ideal time through the right channel.
When it comes to marketers, there are two basic groups of professionals. The first, considered the “old guard” takes a traditional approach with marketing values, tapping into the subconscious of their target audiences, digging deep into buying motives and psyche. The newer generation of marketers was raised with the internet and has been trained in a digital-first era. But what would happen if we could combine both skill sets?
Business leaders have discussed the differences and similarities between sales and marketing for years. Too often, the conversation ends there, without any clear and actionable takeaways. Yet, there are many insights to be gained that can lead to better sales results, deeper understandings of one another’s needs, and more camaraderie, collaboration and engagement. This process is known as sales enablement.
Most companies understand the importance of the marketing planning process. They create plans that include quantifiable goals, activities to engage in, assignment of responsibilities and a budget to fund the plan. That process, however, overlooks one key element: a strategic approach to marketing. When it comes to marketing, strategy should be the foundation or cornerstone of the marketing plan.
In 2020, we faced significant challenges in the way we communicated, engaged and conducted business. From a marketing perspective, trade shows, conferences and other events were among the traditional initiatives that suffered the greatest losses. Cancelations due to the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected revenue and profits for hotels, convention centers, restaurants, transportation, travel and others that sell at these venues or support events on a global scale. To compensate, event marketers needed to adapt quickly. And one of the solutions that evolved was the shift from in-person to virtual events.
There are four categories of media that help shape and define multichannel marketing—an essential strategy to use to expand marketing outreach. While 95 percent of marketers say they know how important multichannel marketing is for reaching their target audiences, only 73 percent say they have a multichannel program in place.
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as, “a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.” While a brand is about distinction, it’s not just differences in products or services. Instead, a brand is about the unique perceptions and experiences you want to be known for in the marketplace.
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that nearly 40 percent of Americans believe the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected their mental health. While recognizing the need to encourage good mental health in the workplace is not new, it has become more complex.
Since the introduction of the first public relations agency more than 100 years ago, public relations (PR) has evolved significantly. Our communications channels shape and reshape public relations. These channels include traditional mediums such as newspapers, radios and television. Newer channels used by PR include the internet and digital communications.
Four Types of Target Marketing Before you can dive into the details of target marketing, consider these common marketing approaches to identify the best communications strategy for your audiences. Mass marketing (or undifferentiated marketing) is the most encompassing marketing technique and essentially ignores segmentation. In mass marketing, the organization sells to the largest audience possible
While event marketing looks different in 2020 (and perhaps into the future), it doesn’t mean it is any less powerful. If anything, buyers and sellers are looking for more effective and efficient ways to connect. For organizations whose lifeblood is event marketing, consider some of these alternative methods in our new normal environment.
Companies invest a lot on marketing communications. In the United States alone, in 2019 businesses spent more than $197 billion on marketing. In B2B companies, marketing grabs an average of 11.5 percent of the total budget. But is all that money well spent? And more fundamentally, does marketing actually work? A marketing ROI analysis can help answer those questions.
It’s an understatement to say that 2020 has been a challenging year. And to make matters worse, the dust hasn’t settled yet. When it comes to global health crises, social upheaval, major job losses and business closures, the resulting social challenge and economic hardships are overwhelming. “We’re all in this together” is the common refrain. Yet, knowing that we aren’t alone in these struggles is not particularly comforting.
A reputable and robust brand is essential to any company’s marketing arsenal. However, a brand is much more than an eye-catching logo and color scheme (although those are important too.) A brand represents the totality of who the company is as an organization. It captures and communicates the values it holds and shares with its stakeholders.
Multicultural consumers represent approximately 40 percent of the population, yet only five percent of marketing spending is multiculturally oriented. When executed well, multicultural marketing—the targeting and reflection of different ethnicities and cultures within a brand’s overall audience—can unite people, empower groups and capitalize on culturally connected populations. When executed poorly, it can lead to backlash and a potentially devastating brand image.
The business-to-business marketplace is built differently than its business-to-consumer counterpart. B2C sells products or services directly to individuals. B2B targets organizations where the sales process can be longer and more complex. This reality makes the B2B marketplace more resistant to the sometimes whimsical, flashy or ostentatious marketing tactics used in the B2C space.
Similar to other marketing outreach initiatives, LinkedIn is not a one-and-done tactic. To get the most from it requires constant time, attention and learning to keep up to date with its newest features, algorithms and technologies. Here are some recent LinkedIn engagement changes that will give you more and better ways to take advantage of this powerful platform.
Imagine if you could see into the minds of your target audiences and uncover their needs, values, concerns and desires. Fortunately, behavioral marketing allows us to explore those characteristics and the actions that are innate to human nature. This helps marketers develop better targeted and more effective messaging that resonates with your audiences.
Advertising can be one of the most effective channels for building brand awareness, generating leads and making more sales. That said, it also can be one of the most expensive tactics and is often a challenge to get right. At the core, B2B marketers are faced with the task of balancing brand and transparency with concise and attention-grabbing calls to action. Before starting your next advertising campaign, here’s a six-step guide to help you maximize your advertising effectiveness.
Between KPIs, ROIs and CRMs, the acronyms we use in marketing seem to be endless. One acronym you may not consider right away in marketing is SCM, or supply chain management. And yet, SCM’s connection to marketing is more pivotal than first meets the eye.
Marketing’s role has expanded in recent years. Not only does it encompass addressing a company’s vision, brand, and strategies but also the content a company creates and distributes along with its interactions with prospects, customers and stakeholders on all levels. As marketing evolves and its practices become more diverse, the areas within it grow more specialized. There are experts in niches such as social media, public relations, SEO, trade shows, media outreach, influencer marketing, print advertising and digital marketing. However, technical know-how only accounts for a portion of the necessary marketing skills to become a good marketer.
Contrary to popular belief, strategy is not the same as planning. Ideally, planning involves the identification of growth strategies based on goals, but does not ensure it. On the other hand, a strategic approach starts with a collaborative dialogue and decision-making process about “how” the company will achieve its goals.
Savvy marketing professionals are lifelong learners. They know the trends, technologies and advancements in their industry. They don’t want to part of the crowd; they seek to be two steps ahead, ready to anticipate changing marketplace needs. In addition to reading, attending tradeshows, engaging in meaningful dialogues with peers and others, participating in marketing webinars is a valuable tool for staying at the forefront of innovation.
In the past, traditional advertising outlets were limited to radio, TV, print publications and outdoor signage. With the new economy, however, savvy marketers add digital outlets to the mix. As a result of the multitude of advertising platforms available today, it’s important to know which ones to choose based on the likelihood of attracting the greatest response from prospects and customers.
