When being trendy is not your style

Chris Scott

To get – and stay – ahead of the curve, 63 percent of businesses are bumping up marketing spend in 2008, according to a recent article in B2B Magazine.

What will they spend it on? Well, trends indicate that online everything is going to be big this year, along with neurological market research and continued outreach to younger targets. And because it’s a trend it must be true, right? Not necessarily. Businesses would do well to consider carefully whether (or not) the trendy action they want to take would really advance their business objectives.

A few “trends” I’ve run across lately that have thrown up a red flag:

• Social Marketing – Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and other buzzworthy concepts are spreading in popularity among marketers faster than the Bird Flu. Social marketing can be very effective when used appropriately. But some businesses lend themselves to this approach – and some don’t. Before implementing any tactic, it’s critical to know your audience and how best to reach them.
• “Recession-proofing” – When dark economic winds begin to blow, conventional wisdom says that marketing and promotion budgets should be the first thing to go. Actually, economic uncertainty should be a cue to spend more to promote your business. While your competitors are reeling it in, you have a golden opportunity to reach out to prospects and demonstrate that you innovate even during tough times.
• All Digital, All the Time – Cyberspace has changed the way many of us live, shop and communicate, but it also means we’re constantly inundated with electronic messages of all kinds. Don’t forget the power of the human touch; sometimes organizing an event that puts your business face-to-face with potential clients can be even more effective.

The moral of the story? All trends have one thing in common: None are very satisfying unless they really fit.