Marketing Trends for 2011

The right marketing campaign can give your company the edge it needs. Do you aim for a concept that merely stands out, or one that can literally stop traffic? While many have a grasp on the main ideas behind effective marketing, thinking beyond color schemes and email blasts can take your brand from getting a glance to a double-take.

“Stay consistent with the company mission and philosophy,” Miriam Quart, president of virtual agency Madison Avenue Consortium, tells PINK. This helps ensure trust in your brand so you can keep existing customers while engaging new ones.

Considering the impact of your campaign, the benefit you’re giving the customer, 

and offering a discount or coupon to sweeten the deal will help, says marketing guide Laura Lake.

Quart warns against wordy messages. “We are time-starved – we need to be able to process the information [as quickly as] a text message.” She adds that considering too many financial commitments can cloud decision-making. 

Want more?

Think outside the box and brainstorm often – then lay out innovative, achievable goals, focus on a key message and test it with a focus group before everything is finalized, suggests Marketing M.O.

Cause marketing was a big trend for 2010 and continues to grow this year. Companies like Pepsi, American Express, Procter & Gamble and Target used campaigns to inspire customers, promote charitable organizations and help fund worthwhile independent projects.

Bonus PINK Link: Interrelated marketing focuses on purchasers, people and the planet. Find out if it’s right for your business.

By Caroline Cox

“The things we fear most in organizations – fluctuations, disturbances,
imbalances – are the primary sources of creativity.” Margaret J. Wheatley