Staying In the Game: How Marketers Can Stay On Trend without Losing Their Roots

Sandy is a marketing consultant. She’s worked independently, helping brands grow their businesses with effective marketing strategy, for over 25 years. Sandy has had to evolve and grow as marketing trends come and go, and sometimes she still admits that she gets a bit “old school” with her strategy.

Not every marketing professional can say they’ve held the same career for as long as Sandy has. What has caused Sandy to have ongoing success? A willingness to grow and adapt, but without forgetting to evaluate each trend for its worth and not just jumping on every bandwagon that passes by. This can be a challenge for marketers, who are constantly being marketed to with new ideas, new viral videos, new ways of selling value.

It’s tempting to go with every trend, to read every forecast article for what’s coming next. And, to a point, it’s smart to be informed. After all, marketing is an ever-changing environment. But how does one determine what new technique to adopt and what to ignore? This answer will be different for everyone.

First, take a look at the clientele that you’re serving. Depending on this client list, it may not be necessary to take on new trends simply because the clients already have a method that works well. Others may require a fresh breath of air, so a new trend may be just the ticket.

Second, take into account what is next for the clients on your list. For example, smart speakers are becoming very popular, and marketing articles are forecasting advertorial and marketing opportunities with these speakers to be coming on strong, and social media PR firms are pitching influencer marketing.

So, perhaps it makes sense to introduce this idea to clients who hope to reach more consumers in-home than before. On the flip side, if you have primarily business to business clients, perhaps this avenue may not be suitable.

It’s important to truly know the client and the goals of their marketing before deciding to tackle something new. After all, trends come and go, but good marketing is universal.

As a marketer, a great way to stay in the game is education. This doesn’t mean that every trend in every article will be a good fit, but it’s still advisable to be aware of what’s happening in the industry. Knowledge is power, and a marketer who is constantly seeking more education will always be better equipped to determine the best move for a client or for a marketing strategy to succeed.

Set aside some time for education and development each week. Read up on what’s trendy, what’s on its way out, and what’s coming down the pipe. The more you know, the more you’ll be able to steer your clients and their marketing in the right direction.

Marketing can be tricky because it is constantly evolving. Unlike some fields, where a college degree is sufficient, continuing education is almost more valuable than anything taught in a textbook.

Marketing professionals who want to stay in the game would do well to be aware of, but not be hasty to jump on to, every trend that comes up. In an industry that always requires quick, fresh, thinking, the only way to stay in it is to evolve with it.

Just ask Sandy.

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5W, a leading NY PR Agency.  Read all his writings on Everything-PR here.