If you’re focused solely on traditional media it is time to join the next wave of marketing. Technology is allowing marketers to craft experiences around the individual for huge returns.
But today’s winning approach is tomorrow’s antique. In order to stay ahead of the future of marketing, professionals need to look ahead 5 years.
You need to know what tools can help grow your business while keeping your happy.
Here are the systems and processes that will change the way we buy things:
1. AI
Artificial intelligence will help in more ways than anticipating buying patterns. AI will also allow companies to couple their delivery and retention systems to the needs of each individual.
AI also works with similar technology to create content, integrate with augmented reality, and turns environments into opportunities to connect with consumers.
2. Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is already a part of digital marketing. Through smartphone apps, consumers can track key items in an augmented landscape.
The success of games like Pokemon Go ushered in a new phase for marketing possibilities. Consumers can be marketed to based on location, action, and preference.
What’s more is that augmented reality allows users to be interactive with the buying experience. Marketing information is incorporated into goals and past preferences.
With continual integration with AI and IoT, augmented reality will be a standard part of life. Up-to-the-minute information and communications can be integrated into augmented reality programs.
Anyone familiar with the tools and trends on Instagram or Snap knows that the future of augmented reality is now.
3. Tailored Content
Digital transformation tools are set to change media as we know it. Content will be crafted to the desires of each user in real time.
This level of customization moves beyond the user answering questions or an algorithm predicting choices.
Sensors will track each user’s reaction to scenes, content, and marketing. This allows marketing professionals to create seamless programming that incorporates product placement for each viewer.
4. Social Media and Live Streams
Live streaming has created an immediacy for content. It also allows marketers to capitalize on new, unique, and limited time experiences.
Appealing to the need for experiences, rather than things, marketing with live streams as unique content will continue to grow.
5. Integrated Inbound Marketing
The future of digital marketing is now. But even if you are making the most of digital tools like SEO, content marketing, and PPC you still may be missing the mark.
Here’s more info on the key elements of your inbound strategy.
But none of these tools is as effective unless they are part of an integrated strategy.
Plus, your integrated strategy should move beyond the connections within your digital marketing plan. A truly integrated strategy will inform and even dictate your operations plan.
Too many businesses let their SEO or keyword approach exist in a vacuum. If you aren’t using all of that digital marketing power as market and customer research you are ignoring one of your biggest assets.
6. An Old Idea Becomes New?
Like all industries, some of the newest ideas are recycled from the past when it comes to marketing.
Door-to-door sales have seen a minor revival in recent years. And this trend is far from a guerilla marketing tactic employed by anxious startups.
Media giants like AT&T have used door-to-door sales to augment their newer marketing strategies.
Door-to-door sales aren’t just for throwback TV shows and vacuum cleaner salespeople any longer.
7. Smart Glasses
Augmented reality and embedded content aren’t reserved for smartphones and gaming. Smart glasses offer marketing professionals additional information and integration capabilities.
Smart glasses can create an immersive experience for the wearer. But they also allow marketers to know when, how, and why users look at things.
One of the greatest challenges for marketing professionals over the years has been how to swim above the noise. Smart glasses help marketers get in front of the noise.
8. Wearable or Embedded Devices
Marketing professionals can already make use of wearable devices to customize plans for their potential and existing customers. Many people use devices like Fitbit to track fitness progress and measure goals.
Targeted marketing programs integrated with the software for wearables helps companies anticipate the needs of customers and provide targeted ads.
Embedded devices are the next step. If you think embedded devices seem too farfetched to gain any real traction among consumers, guess again.
In Sweden, thousands of users have already embedded microchips under their skin. The devices help users speed up daily routines.
This level of access will allow marketers to learn more about customers and tailor the buying experience to their needs.
9. Where Your Customers Live
The IoT is set to change how people interact with their home and appliances. Everything from a vacuum cleaner to a refrigerator will be connected.
This level of connectivity allows marketers to research into how people live and spend their time in the home. Integrated marketing and operations strategies in this domain will have product development and tailored service customized to the needs of the individual.
10. Deploy The Chatbots
Chatbots are an essential part of any marketing strategy that focuses on the customer experience. As AI and IoT technology evolves chatbots will be even more effective at working with your customer base to solve their needs in real time.
One of the best ways to is to offer them incomparable service. Chatbots are anywhere and anytime and one of the only ways to keep up with the increasing demands of a customer base.
Moving Beyond The Future of Marketing
There’s an old adage in the business world — if you aren’t growing, you’re dying.
But growing as a company means more than just keeping track of dollars and cents. A business can see significant revenues but be stuck in a cycle of depending on old processes to get new results.
For your business to last you need to embrace the future of marketing as well as process improvement across every operational function. If you aren’t working to make your operations more efficient, rest assured your competition will perform the task for you.
So how can you move beyond tried and true processes for something better? We can help.
Come use our to help your company today.
