Working with clients can sometimes be overwhelming; the pace and scale of work to be done can make you lose sight of the wood for all the trees. As an account manager or director, you are in the perfect position to help your client take a step back, review the previous year and target what they want to accomplish in the next 12 months.
Encouraging clients to have a clear marketing strategy in place for 2023 is beneficial for both parties. It will help outline clear expectations about what they want to accomplish, and also how you as their agency will help them to achieve the goals they have set. They need an integrated plan that supports digital transformation and business growth to engage their audiences effectively. Here are some of the trends we’re seeing emerge so far in the marketing strategies of 2023:
1. Turn the spotlight to business objectives and brand identity
Make sure your clients really bring who they are, and who they are targeting into the strategic plan this year. They could focus on some, or all, of the following points:
- Building up proper messaging frameworks around new product launches for 2023
- Targeting clear buyer personas for these new product launches year-round
- Bringing a clear brand identity & tone of voice for consistency in all written content
- Putting an emphasis on social responsibility, diversity & inclusion (D&I)
- Improving brand reputation
2. Leveraging automation & AI
Instead of directing people to lead capture forms and waiting for a response, conversational marketing uses targeted messaging and AI automation to engage with people when they’re on your client’s website. Also consider how your client could be using marketing automation tools, chatbots and other solutions to give their customers tailored content and help faster than ever before.
3. Include employees and customers in the plan
It’s not enough just to have a marketing plan that focuses only on a company’s potential customers. In 2023 it will be more important than ever to address two areas that seriously require more attention: employee engagement and existing customer satisfaction. By making employees more engaged, they will become brand ambassadors for the business, and by ensuring customers are happy, your client can upsell or cross-sell plus prevent them from leaving in favour of the competition.
4. Prioritize live streaming and video content
Video has been important for some years now, but many business-to-business clients are still reluctant to invest in video content. There’s a huge range of video-based content types that can be leveraged for marketing purposes, including tutorials, case studies, live broadcasts and webinars. These should be considered as part of the strategic plan if it’s what customers might need or expect from your client. At NMC, we not only provide video, photography and podcasting services, but we can also give your clients media training to ensure they are comfortable and confident in interviews.
5. Set SMART goals and KPIs
Every strategic plan should have goals and objectives, but you can really ensure their success by making the goals SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound). When you use the SMART framework, you can not only create clear goals, but also develop the motivation and support needed to achieve them.
Putting together a strategic marketing plan for the year is no easy task, and one that clients often shy away from because it is so challenging. It is something that you as their agency could potentially get involved with, and make money from as part of your services. Having a clear plan, especially one that reflects the latest trends and practices in marketing, means everyone has a big picture to work towards.
At NMC, we have a tried-and-tested approach towards strategic planning and would be happy to help you with delivering an amazing plan that will make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction. Read more about our approach to messaging and strategy here.