While individuals brainstorm their New Year’s Resolutions, we’re busy dreaming up how to make businesses better in 2013. Perhaps your company has a great product line but little marketing to spread the word. On the other hand, maybe you need to work on your relationships with customers.
Whatever changes you sense are due for your business in 2013, adapting to the projected marketing trends for the New Year can make you more competitive. Keep reading for a few suggestions on 2013’s top marketing trends and how to make them work for your business.
At Your Service
Consumers are becoming more and more independent and capable. The ability to voice complaints about major brands on social media or price shop online, demonstrates that consumers now have more power than ever. Instead of dealing with minor or major annoyances about the brands they do business with, consumers can simply move on to another provider.
Make sure that customers never abandon you for something your business can control. Customer service is your chance to develop long-term relationships with loyal customers. Provide extraordinary customer service and your customers will be far less likely to leave you.
Treat customer care as an afterthought, however, and you’ll soon be one too.
Pleased and Pandering
You don’t have to pander to your prospects to persuade them with your marketing. However, in 2013 developing technologies make personalized marketing a must instead of a bonus. Set your company apart with marketing materials that show prospects they’re worth the extra investment.
Develop direct mail pieces that take advantage of customer data. Subtly show that your business and your prospects are perfect for one another by using their personalized information and content that emphasizes what you have in common. You should pick your target audience for your marketing campaign very specifically, because the needs and wants you’ll be addressing for each of these target customers will be drastically different.
Upward Mobility
Social media drives sales—mostly it gives happy customers a mouthpiece to recommend their favorite brands to friends. We saw that trend play out this past year.
However, 2013 will be the year of mobile commerce. The amount of money consumers spend via their smartphones will absolutely skyrocket in 2013, and predictions point to continued unprecedented growth for the next five years!. Take advantage with an upwardly mobile marketing plan.
Create marketing materials that reach prospects at multiple points, and then drive them to your mobile optimized website. Print QR codes on your mail pieces, any signs where pedestrians will have access to them and even your business cards.
You don’t have to be a trendy business to develop marketing that’s on-trend in 2013. If you need assistance, we can help you prep now—before your competitors do—so that 2013 will be as profitable as December is merry!