Marketing Beyond 2020
As the euphoria of the Trends in 2020 weaned and my eyes and brain got fatigue of reading what’s HOT and what’s NOT in 2020, I sat down and reflected on what is beyond trend, fad. What permeates the psyche of successful brand and marketing irrespective of the plethora of jargons, tools, concepts.
Human experiences are timeless. A recent study on Meaningful Brands shows that “a staggering 77% of brands could disappear and no-one would care”. When brands create experiences for their customers, that’s when they become meaningful and timeless.
We are in that age of marketing, where consumers crave for meaningful interactions with a brand before and even after purchase. Customers want to be fan of brands not just buyers, how are marketers enabling that?
1. AI for UX & Hyper-personalization (Make sure there is nothing artificial about it)
Despite all the scepticism associated with Artificial Intelligence just being another buzzword, it has grown to a stage where it has now become the gateway to smart user experiences. It is the UX and Hyper-personalization that sets a brand apart, not the products or services it offers.
AI-driven UX is no longer just another intelligent interface; it has become the virtual spokesperson for companies, redefining the user experience.
But here is the catch. If you get into it unprepared, you will alienate consumers, irritate them and lose them. My own experience with many ecommerce brands is precisely that. I ended up uninstalling the app, unfollowing them and so much so stopped buying from them.
2. Data is rubbish if it isn’t right.
Marketing in today’s day and age is driven by data and customer information that can be captured at every stage in the buying process. We no longer need to guess what people want; we just need to know where to look.
By simply knowing the user’s behaviour, goals, challenges and pain points, we are now able to develop marketing campaigns that see to their specific requirements. All of these comes down to one key thing: having the right data to know what to create and where to deliver it, reducing both time and cost.
Heading into the new decade, which will be dictated by business strategies based on AI & ML, having accurate data becomes a paramount for success.
3. There is no more B2C or B2B; it’s H2H: Human to Human.
“Customers are ready to move on unless they have one thing — an undying relationship with a person or people at your brand who made them feel uniquely special.” — Bryan Kramer
With the world changing rapidly, Marketing is not just about making a sale anymore. It is about connecting with your customer on a human level. It’s no longer B2B or B2C, it’s H2H. It’s about time businesses start celebrating their customers as individuals.
4. Give up on all the C’s and P’s of marketing. Just keep it simple.
Well we marketers love our jargons, acronyms, C’s and P’s. However there is one brand that taught me to keep things simple, “Google”. When it comes to brand experiences nothing impresses more than simple experiences that are contextual and personal. Behind all that simplicity can be voluminous, complex technologies but consumer experience has to be kept simple.
5. If you want to be everything to everyone then be God or Elvis.
Mojo Nixon in one of his songs said, “Elvis is everywhere, Elvis is everything, Elvis is everybody”.
There is one fundamental rule in marketing, which is undeniably true: You can’t be everything to everyone.
Focusing on a specific niche can help any business thrive. To better position your solutions and cement your brand identity within your field, it is necessary to specialize in your core competency and value proposition. Identifying your core customers and prioritizing their desires and needs will help you stand apart from the crowd. As the saying goes, “Riches are for Niches”.
