We asked noted author and iContact marketing strategist, John Hayes, to look in his marketing crystal ball for 2016. Not surprisingly, he sees some interesting opportunities ahead.
With
2016 just around the corner, it’s that time of the year when marketing
pundits like me take an educated guess at what will — and won’t — be hot
in the online marketing arena over the next 12 months or so. While
prophecy is at best an inexact science, at iContact we are blessed with
the kind of insight that only comes from meeting the needs of more than
50,000 ambitious, savvy and forward thinking clients, not to mention our
roster of cutting edge technology partners. You might say that these
predictions are crowdsourced and I’m happy with this assumption. We work
with some pretty smart marketers (you are one of them) and I’m proud to
admit, I learn from them daily. Disclaimer: I’m risk averse. I won’t be betting the farm on some emerging or untested technology. While it’s recommended you keep half-an-eye on the future and test some new platforms, I believe that savvy marketers should invest the majority of their time, effort, and money in proven strategies like email. However, having a degree of understanding into how these tested channels will react to unfolding business and marketing trends will give you an opportunity to test and optimize your future campaigns.
Email Marketing – Mobile Must Be Your #1 Priority
Email marketing is here to stay – it’s still the #1 driver of revenues, delivering a higher ROI than any other marketing channel. This won’t change in 2016 and because of this, you can expect to see a surplus of lazy headlines on marketing blogs and in the trade press (yawn) at the start of the year stating: “Email marketing is not dead.” However, email is evolving in many areas. Email’s environment is increasingly becoming mobile and this is expected to continue at record pace into 2016. While you might be happy with the status quo and continue to market like it’s 2006 BiP (before iPhone), email marketing will only deliver optimum results if you embrace mobile across your entire digital strategy.Remember, it’s not just email that’s making the move to the mobile environment. The world is increasingly looking to their smart phones and tablet devices for products and services that were once delivered by much larger screens, or in the offline environment. If your business doesn’t have a mobile strategy you should be aware that your competitors and, perhaps more dangerously, even organizations you haven’t heard of yet, will be working on something today that could significantly change your entire business landscape tomorrow.
Note: Mobile is also evolving. Keep a close eye on wearable technologies and be ready adapt your strategies when they make an impact within your target market.
IMPORTANT: Mobile is not merely something that needs to be on your to-do list for 2016. It needs to be at the very top of your list. Failure to act on this ASAP will result in failure – you have been warned!
There’s an App for That – Prepare to Disrupt or be Disrupted
Way back in 2014, I wrote a post on this blog titled: Comfortable, Middle Class, Professional: There Is an App for That. My crystal ball was working well back then, because this prediction is now becoming a reality for many businesses. Digital disruption will continue to impact the entire business landscape. It doesn’t matter what industry you work in, the potential for disruption is there. Not convinced? Just, consider how the taxi industry or the short-term vacation rental industry (both traditional service industries) have been disrupted and redefined by Uber and AirBnB.Such is the nature of the digital revolution, that a whole new raft of industries likely stand to be disrupted in 2016. The best advice is to expect change and be ready to innovate. If technology does disrupt your business in 2016, agility and the desire to change will be vital if you want to survive. Better still, why not set aside a few hours of your working week and set-out to be the disrupting factor yourself? Remember, it’s better to focus on a bright future — even if this means making substantial changes in your business — than a glorious past.
Note: Because we like to challenge ourselves at iContact, we actually think disruption is a good thing. With products like iContact Pro (see below) we are proud to be disruptors in our own area of email and social media marketing expertise, bringing affordable, smarter marketing to any business.
Marketing Automation – Get Smarter
Your clients are sophisticated, savvy consumers, don’t they deserve equally savvy and sophisticated marketing campaigns? Marketing automation helps you deliver the right message to the right person at the right time, ensuring greater engagement and driving more sales – but it hasn’t always been available to marketers operating on smaller budgets. We’re going to see 2016 level the email marketing playing field as small and medium-sized businesses begin to go big with marketing automation. iContact is proud to be at the forefront of the marketing automation revolution thanks to iContact Pro – an affordable, powerful, and smarter marketing technology. Make it your New Year’s resolution to become a smarter marketer and test drive iContact Pro today.Social Media – Increasingly Making Businesses More Human
Because people buy from people they like and trust, social media continues to dismantle the walls between businesses and their customers. Businesses that fail to listen and engage with their audience on a human level via social media, will increasingly appear disconnected and even arrogant. While tracking social media ROI remains an elusive challenge for many businesses, it is not impossible. Social media is no longer a novelty investment based on the perceived threat that “everyone else is doing it.”Social media is a legitimate technology; if planned and executed carefully, it can enhance almost every aspect of your business, from customer services and PR/marketing, to product development and competitive analysis. Social media technologies like Twitter’s live video broadcasting service, Periscope, will increasingly put your employees, senior management, and paid brand ambassadors in front of your customers. Setting clear boundaries and building an open environment based on trust is vital if your organization is to succeed in the social age.
Note: I personally believe technologies like Periscope will change the way businesses present ideas and engage in conversations with their target audiences. Live video broadcasting has the opportunity to disrupt the webinar and online meeting industry. It’s more convenient, less expensive, more agile and fits in perfectly with your mobile/social media strategies. Will Periscope be big news in 2016?
I like to think so.
2016 – A Time for Fun
Get up from your desk and speak to colleagues and clients, read more and seek inspiration away from your office or immediate environment. It’s a great time to work in marketing. We have the technology and tools to ensure our efforts are successful and appreciated. Knowing you are good at your job is key to enjoying your professional life. So let’s look to find the perfect balance between knowledge, creativity and technology and kick start 2016 the right way. With so much great stuff going on, how can you not be having fun?
What does 2016 have in store for your marketing? Share your comments below.
