As 2023 comes to a close, it is a good time to reflect on your marketing and communication efforts throughout the year and make plans for 2024. After all, failing to plan is planning to fail. So, how do we do that effectively and improve your brand marketing strategy?
Here are three tips, keeping in mind the predictions for marketing and communication for 2024:
Research and Move Forward
Before you can strategically move forward, you need to know where you’re starting from. Get a baseline of what worked and what didn’t. Ask yourself, “What would you do differently?” Review performance data from your efforts in 2023. Identify which channels (advertising, email, social, etc.) and which campaigns performed best – and worst. Use that valuable audience feedback to inform future ideas – they told you what they want and are interested in; capitalize on that.
Put AI to Work
In 2024, leverage AI to reduce, not replace. AI has advanced drastically in 2023. The implementation of this technology in marketing and communication has expanded as well, and it’s only expected to continue to grow. Leverage its advantages to reduce manpower or time requirements for remedial or repetitive tasks. But don’t look at this as a quick fix to reduce labor costs… A real-life person has feelings and emotions, something AI technology doesn’t have yet.
Additionally, your staff can use discretion, while AI technology cannot. Knowing your company’s stance on issues, tone of voice, and business practices is something your staff can do that AI cannot, which needs to be considered when implementing AI.
Be sure to run the content through a human to ensure it makes sense and has the tonality and brand voice suitable for your company. Additionally, AI tends to take content from the internet. To avoid unintentional plagiarism, be sure to run the AI-developed content through a plagiarism program to ensure your content is unique.
Pinpoint and Connect With Your Target Audience
In 2024, use the saved time by AI to get to know your audience at a new level, enrich your content with personalization, and undertake meaningful engagement. It will be time well spent.
Audiences crave personalization and engagement, so use that saved time to better engage your audience with real touch points that prove a robot isn’t running the show. Spend some time with your audience – remember, these are the people that determine the success or failure of your business. The goal is to become an irreplaceable resource to your target audience.
Stay on top of trends they’re engaging in and join the conversation. Ask about problems they’re currently facing and solve them. If you can make their lives better or easier, they will become your best marketing. These “brand advocates” will begin to tell your story without you doing a thing, and the credibility of a non-paid spokesperson singing your praises is invaluable.
Put It All Together
You can make 2024 the best year for your brand by leveraging these three tips. Capitalize what has worked for you in the past (and implement new concepts that stem from that), embrace AI and connect with your people (your target audience).Don’t forget to test and measure along the way so you can see the difference your efforts are making.
Make your marketing work for you in 2024 by fully embracing change, technology, and your audiences. We look forward to your success.
Samantha Scott, APR, is the President of Pushing the Envelope, Inc., a strategic marketing communication firm based in Fort Myers, Florida, servicing clients regionally and nationally. If you need help with your marketing, Pushing the Envelope is here for you. We can be reached at www.getpushing.com.
