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2016 Marketing Trends: The Focus Forecast

It’s getting to be that time of year again! When the Internet is full of “best of” lists, gift ideas, year-end retrospectives, and trend forecasts. Since we love a bandwagon as much as the next group, we thought now would be a great time to address one of our FAQs: what are the “next big things” in marketing? A few quick spoilers: 1) There is no silver bullet that will solve all of your marketing challenges and help you meet your sales goals. 2) There is no way to “trick the market” into buying your product. BUT, that doesn’t mean that you can use the technology and know-how available today to give your company the best shot at success. So here are our thoughts on what you should expect for 2016 marketing trends and how to use them to your advantage.marketing trends 2016

Marketing Trends: Business Owner, Know Thyself

  • Branding, branding, branding. We can’t really stress this one enough. It’s not a new concept, but with the proliferation of small businesses and myriad avenues for marketing, having a very solid brand is the number one thing that will set you apart from the competition in 2016. If you continue to waver back and forth, presenting your brand in different ways depending on who you’re talking to or where you’re sharing information, no marketing effort is going to work in the long run. So know your brand! And stick to it like glue.
  • Along those same lines, know your target audience inside and out too. We think marketing success in 2016 is going to depend a lot of finding niche markets. So the next few months are a great time to think about how you can simplify, target, and hone in on what you do best. You can’t be all things to all people, so don’t waste time and money figuring out how to do that. Marketing is so much easier (and more successful) when you can “Focus” (hehe) on what you do best.

Marketing Trends: Time to Embrace Online Marketing

  • Though the use of printed marketing materials has been decreasing for years, 2016 will see even fewer printed materials. For smaller companies, printed materials will continue to be cost prohibitive, and we honestly think they are rarely more effective than online marketing. Be honest–would you rather see an ad on Facebook or have a flyer shoved under your door? And there’s a clear answer on which option is better for the environment!
  • Mobile marketing will be even more important in 2016. Most people view emails and social media sites on their phones, so it is paramount that your website and email marketing campaigns are mobile friendly. Make it easy on your potential customers by meeting them where they are most likely to be!
  • Google is king! If you have been avoiding getting set up to do Google Ad Words campaigns, stop procrastinating. Google isn’t going anywhere, and you need to play the Google game if you want to be successful online.

We hope these tips and insights will be helpful to you as your build your 2016 marketing plan. If you want additional insights on marketing trends or need help getting your online marketing efforts started, please contact Niki at [email protected].

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