5 Marketing Trends for 2021

• DateDecember 30, 2020
• AuthorLeah Swearingen
• Categories
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2020 has been like having the strictest, meanest teacher in school. She was brutal, but we learned a lot.

Hard times can also sharpen our focus. Such as, confirming what we already suspected about effective marketing. In 2021, I believe successful marketing will be built around these five core elements:

1. Purpose: Flourishing businesses know why they exist and who they are built to serve. What’s more, companies that know their “why” are far better positioned to navigate unprecedented change.
2. Agility: Successful marketers willingly adapt. 2020 demanded a major reset in marketing. In-person seminars and events were scrapped. New tactics were identified and executed. This pandemic, and its aftermath, will continue to reward imagination, innovation, and commitment.
3. Human connections: Making authentic connections is more important than ever. And if you have to choose, authenticity trumps speed or efficiency.
4. Trust: Trust arises when what’s promised is delivered. Messaging should be transparent. Delivering on those messages should be consistent and reliable.
5. Participation: Client engagement at a deeper level is key to long lasting relationships. Client engagement will vary depending on industry, but it’s those client actions and behaviors that signal their transition from passive to positive interactions.

If I had to name one go-to marketing tactic for 2021, it would be content marketing. Centered around the five elements above.

There are those who say: “There’s so much noise out there! How can we break through?” My response is, you have three choices: give up; advertise your way to growth; or commit to the long-term strategic return-on-investment of content marketing.

Here’s to a more purposeful, agile, and connected 2021. Happy New Year!