How do you leverage trends in strategic marketing to take your business to the next level in 2021? This has been a challenging year for many businesses. Many of my smaller clients and family businesses have struggled. Many businesses had to change their go to market strategies to maintain and increase sales.
I’m reporting from the Reuter’s Events Strategic Marketing USA conference next week on November 5 and 6. You can still get tickets for this event. I’m hosting two panels. I’ll share what I learn over the following weeks in November.
Five trends in strategic marketing
This event has given me an opportunity to uncover the biggest trends in strategic marketing. These trends are going to help you take charge of your business and growth in 2021 and beyond. Today I’ll share the five trends. Over the next several weeks I’ll share what I learn.
You know I always put together a plan before attend events. I share my reasons for attending on the Reuters Events blog. I’m certain they align with the marketing planning process your team is going through right now.
Influencer marketing evolving
The first trend in strategic marketing is that the role of digital and social influencers is evolving. With many people working remotely, people are looking for more ways connect with their favorite brands safely. I attended a panel discussion on Thursday October 29, that shared how different brands are changing their influencer marketing for a post-COVID19 world.
How do you get the most out of your influencer marketing in 2021? I’ll share the panel video when it becomes available.
Strategic marketing excellence
The second trend in strategic marketing is brands are having to change to meet these new market conditions. How have the world’s best brands adapted to the new normal? What lessons can we learn from many of the world’s most influential products and services.
How can we apply what they’ve learned to create trust and stewardship in our own organizations, customers, and partners? Gartner has addressed ways to jump start your thinking with five ways marketers need to use to drive value in 2021.
Agile and inspired content creation
The third trend in strategic marketing is increasingly agile and inspired content creation. What does your brand stand for? More than 53% of consumers agree that every brand has a responsibility to get involved in at least one social issue that does not directly impact its business.
How does your brand’s voice change over the coming year? What causes do your choose to embrace that match up to your beliefs and purpose? Does this help or hurt you with your many stakeholders? Use the article Marketing in the Age of Resistance spark discussions with your marketing team.
New partnerships build community
Consider developing stronger relationships with nonprofits to help you engage more actively in your communities. With all that is going on, they could use your help. Many of my best clients work with nonprofits in their different markets. It has worked out well for their communities and many stakeholders. Look before you leap though by knowing what you should ask before entering partnerships.
Purpose driven businesses are not new to serving leaders. What is new is the opportunity to reignite and share out mission, vision, and values to the next generation of our many stakeholders.
The future of strategic marketing leadership
The fourth trend in strategic marketing is how well we prepare our organization’s future leaders. Marketing leadership is changing. Many entrepreneurs and executives feel not having the right people on the team could limit growth of their organizations.
Accelerated learning systems including mentoring and coaching are required as boomers continue to retire and millenials step into leadership roles in your organization. How prepared is your organization to take on this talent related challenge?
Convergence between technology and marketing
The fifth trend in strategic marketing is the convergence between marketing and technologies. CMOs in many organizations have larger technology budgets than their organization’s CIO.
The next generation of CMO and marketing leadership need additional skills to align sales and marketing to obtain results. Technology can be an accelerator but only when it has a clear direction and team to drive results. When you add data scientists to your team, how does it ultimately impact your creative?
The CMO of the future
The role of the CMO is changing significantly. But how has it changed? What should you be looking for in the next CMO?
A final bonus trend concerns the fact that many CMOs are moving into the succession plan for CEO. This means that many more women in executive leadership roles have the potential to transform your culture. The CMO is also the most diverse role on your leadership team.
The other executive role that seems to have a large community of women in executive leadership roles are the Chief Data Officer (CDO) role. If data driven organizations are the future, then how does the CDO impact your marketing strategy.
We have an exciting week planned for next week. The Strategic Marketing USA conference isn’t until November 5 and 6, next week so you still have time to decide if you’re going to attend.
Drop me a line to connect after the event. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you heard and saw. You might even get a mention in a follow up article!
See you in two weeks.
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