2020 Planning & Trends Report
Looking back
Before jumping into the tactics and trends ahead, it is always important to look back, take stock of where you are and think about where you will be this time next year.
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Do this by reviewing your previous year's marketing plan, assessing recent competitor activity and gathering as much information as possible about the direction of the business in the next 1-5 years.
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Sometimes this intel will be readily available in a business strategy document, but if there isn’t anything formal, pore over departmental operating plans or set up a couple of interviews with those leading the direction of your organisation.
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Agree a on simple format to sum up your research and share this with your team and peers.
2020 Strategy on a page
Different businesses have different requirements for the marketing planning process.
Some of you will be used to a multi-month, multi-stage review programme, and some will laugh at the very word ‘process’.
Either way, you should be able to sum up your 2020 strategy on a page, for yourself, your team and the wider business.
For an example template, click here.
Trend #1: Customer empathy and experience
If you want your customer to keep you front of mind, be sure to do the same for them. That means prioritising your ideal customers, empathising with their challenges and delivering a consistent, differentiated experience.
To learn about buyer personas, good customer segmentation and how to build an outstanding client experience (CX) strategy, check out this blog.
Trend #2: Technology and data
Technology and data can help you achieve your objectives more easily and more cost- and time-effectively but only 47% of marketers say they have a unified view of their consumer data.
In 2020 it is vital to take control of all this data and leverage MarTech (the intersection of marketing and technology) to harness its real power.
Learn about how to do this and the latest tech trends such as Omnichannel Marketing and Voice Search in the technology trends blog.
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Trend #3: Circles of influence
Influencer marketing is the process of promoting and selling products or services through individuals capable of driving action from your target audience – and it is a trend that has been growing across B2B and B2C in the past few years with the rise of social media.
The 2019 Content Preferences Survey from DGR reports that 95% of respondents favour credible content from industry influencers as a top preference, a 30% increase compared year over year.
For a walk through of how to identify and work with influencers, check out my example-rich influencer blog.
Trend #4: Agile resourcing
Time to stretch out and get agile! Did you know that independent contractors added $1tn+ to the US economy last year?
Assembling an agile workforce will position you well to deliver your marketing goals, and 2020 offers lots of choice for businesses looking to make a splash.
To see new Pink Mingo research and an evaluation of options to expand your team during busy periods, read my blog on how best to resource and deliver your 2020 marketing plan.
Thanks for reading the 2020 Planning & Trends series. I hope you feel well equipped to tackle the challenges and dive into 2020 and all its possibilities.
If you are between Marketing Directors or looking for some robust, short-term support, Pink Mingo can step into the breach. To give your business an injection of passion, energy and marketing expertise: get in touch.