Trendspotting — What's happening in marketing for 2021

I’ve been working in marketing for ... longer than I’d like to admit! With all that time spent both in the corporate sphere and the entrepreneur world, I’ve seen marketing trends come and go. And, even in this incredibly unusual time, I’m still seeing some familiar swings.

That’s why I wanted to start this year off by doing a little trendspotting, walking you through the four big marketing shifts I’m seeing right now.

Digital for days

There is, obviously, a much heavier reliance on digital across all business spaces than ever before. Businesses were starting to move that way, but they were kind of half-in, half-out on the whole thing. COVID shifted that though, and forced everyone into the deep end. We saw lots of businesses scrambling last year; this year, I think we’ll still see some scrambling, but we’ll also see people start to find their feet.

Better online events

On a similar note, we’re seeing a lot more businesses start to rely on online events, which is great, because that means they’re also starting to become higher quality. I think this will only continue, which is a huge opportunity –– because if you can figure out how to deliver a high-quality experience long-distance, you’ll be well ahead of the pack. Things like VR, sending out real life gifts to use during the event, and personalized communication will make a world of difference.

Wearing your values on your sleeve

The online conversation is becoming ever-more complex, and organizations can no longer remain silent. It’s really important to show that your organization is conscious of what’s happening in the world; tone-deaf marketing is playing really badly. Think of ways you can communicate the difference your organization is making (whether that’s diversifying your employees, supporting a charity, standing by Black Lives Matter, etc.) The more you can wear your values on your sleeve, the better.

Relationship-building

The biggest difference in B2B work and B2C work is the level of relationship-building involved, and that’s only increasing in the B2B world. People want to feel like you care about them and understand their problems. When the rest of the world feels so frightening and dehumanizing, anything you can do to make your customers feel less like numbers on a spreadsheet is going to work in your favor.

An invitation...

It’s obvious that a lot of things are shifting as we move ever-further into 2021. So I’d invite you to take this time to re-evaluate your marketing efforts, especially in light of these four trends. After all, one of the keys of good marketing is working in reality, and these realities aren’t going anywhere.

And, as always, if you’d like some help with this, reach out! Now more than ever, it’s critical that businesses tackle a 360-degree marketing plan that leverages data from your marketing and sales results to cultivate a customized, strategic approach that brings in revenue and builds relationships with your current clients.