Marketing Trends for 2010…and Beyond

The month of December can always be counted on for the same holiday goodies every year: the endless parade of parties and television specials; the flood of incoming greeting cards in the mail (and the dash to send them out!); the last-minute shopping rush (crush?) to buy gifts for loved ones; the festive decorations at home, in the office, and around town; and wishing for peace and goodwill for all mankind. And I just scratched the surface of the many sights, sounds, and traditions of the holidays, all of which are too numerous to list here.

Source: nwdrizzle.com; November, 2005.

And so it goes in the marketing discipline. Beginning just after Thanksgiving, we begin to see many well-known publications and blogs issue their respective predictions for the coming year. Not surprisingly, many of these lists spell doom and gloom for the profession; after all, these negative forecasts often generate the most buzz, with the more outrageous predictions attracting the greatest number of readers (or Web site visitors). Other predictions are much more realistic, or simply not as bold, particularly since it looks as if the U.S. economy is beginning to show signs of recovery.

Here is just a small sampling of outlets which have issued predictions thus far:

Adweek: Consumers to Stay Thrifty in 2010
CNN Tech: 2010 Web Trends To Watch
iMedia Connection: 9 Digital Trends to Watch in 2010
iMedia Connection: 5 Digital Media Trends NOT To Focus On in 2010
MediaPost’s MarketingDaily: UNpredictions for 2010
MediaPost’s Research Brief: Marketing Spend for Email and Social Media Top Plans for 2010
SEOmozBlog: 8 Predictions for SEO in 2010

After reading all this stuff, the key questions that come to my mind are: 1.) Which predictions should I believe/trust the most?; and 2.) Which trends are most likely to impact my business, if at all?

The answers are actually pretty simple. With respect to Question #1, you have to take these lists with a grain of salt, which is why I never place much stock in any one forecast, even if the source is highly credible. Essentially, I read a bunch of articles about a singular trend, such as consumer spending at retail, and then I begin to form a fairly detailed perspective based on many stories and data from multiple sources.

To answer Question #2, it’s always best, no matter what time of year it is, to be aware of trends that can impact your business, and to have plans in place that leverage or mitigate these circumstances. But let’s face it: some of these trends may never come to fruition, and the doom-and-gloom orientation of some predictions mean that they’re never really viable in the first place. For me, I select 4-6 trends which I feel are most critical and relevant, and I make it a point to follow what’s going on in those areas over the next several months. If there is much movement in these sectors, then I am fully up to speed, and I can use that information to help my business. If nothing happens, and those few predictions turn out to be just hot air, then I’m also fine. Either way, I’m constantly monitoring my environment to stay on top of what is going on, and to evaluate ways it may impact my firm. That’s smart business.

This time of year, predictions are a dime a dozen, and not all are created equal or meant to be gospel. So be smart when you read this material, and identify a core set of trends to monitor over the next several months so you’re not caught flatfooted. With this approach, you’re sure to start off 2010 on the right note.