5 Marketing Resolutions For 2011

Make Data Analysis the Foundation of Your Marketing.

The concept of collecting data isn’t new, but using it effectively is. With around 600 Tweets, 34,000 Google searches, and 700 Facebook posts per second (source: search engine land Feb 23, 2010), marketers are no longer in full control of their brands. These new challenges shouldn’t mean marketers have to accept defeat and succumb to each new distraction. By streamlining data processes and making data analysis the foundation of any marketing program, marketers can meet their customers where they’re at with relevant content. Read “Super Crunchers” by Ian Ayres.

Marketing to Individuals, not Groups.

Not only should your customers call the shots, but by honoring each of their unique preferences, your marketing messages should provide more impact and value—rather than the standard interruption style “one size fits all” ads. This allows you to better target your website users and convert site visitors at a higher rate.

This year, effectively marketing to your customers should be more about the level of customer service you provide—not necessarily the creativity of your advertising.

Focus your marketing on what makes your product a “must have” versus a “nice to have”.

Identifying key customer concerns and how your product solves the problem in a simple value proposition is the first step. There are sometimes events that “trigger” these concerns and cause the consumer to begin the buying process. Discover those trigger events in 2011 and cause your product to convert from a “nice to have” to a “must have” for customers.

Make Social Media a Part of your Marketing Mix If and When Appropriate.

For many, 2010 marked the year that social media marketing became a reality instead of just a trend for marketers to watch out for. Understand the medium, listen, participate, add value – don’t directly sell product. Social icons now appear on web pages, emails, blogs, newsletters and articles, inviting consumers to join the conversation about your product or service – but it’s not enough; make messages even more shareable in order to motivate customers to want to share the information.

Save Time And Better Meet Your Customers Needs. Marketing budgets aren’t getting bigger.

Marketers must find a way to work smarter, not harder. Trying to manage the conversation about their brand while monitoring up to 60 marketing channels can make the volume of data almost unusable, especially when utilizing the social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.). Research ways of automating your online marketing processes, and spend some quality time on customer needs.