As we inch closer to the new year, we realize that it takes time and creativity to outline marketing plans for the weeks and months ahead. Worn out cliches such as “New Year, New Me” aren’t quite going to cut it when it comes to grabbing the attention of your customers. If you’re finding yourself coming up short in terms of time and creativity, we have you covered!

This year’s challenges have shown marketers and consumers alike the power of originality and the value in utilizing new, fresh advertising channels and mediums. Last week, we outlined the first six of some of our favorite marketing strategies that have led our clients to success in 2020 and will assist in kicking off 2021 on a high note.

Check out part two of our holly jolly strategies below and cheers to you on a job well done through one of the most challenging years in recent memory!

7. The Best Way to Spread Holiday Cheer, Is to… Create Podcasts for All to Hear

According to recent data released by Edison Research, there are over 1.5 million podcast shows and more than 34 million episodes available to download (as of October 2020).

The power of podcasts has been growing steadily over the course of the past few years. The strategy is extremely versatile and above all, educational. Podcasts allow brands to communicate their message and mission directly to consumers in an engaging, easily digestible manner.

So, what are kinds of podcasts are people listening to? Currently, the most popular podcast genre in the United States is comedy. Statista found that 22% of their survey respondents were very interested in podcasts that made them laugh.

Looking to reach a younger audience? Podcasts may be for you. Check out a few stats below:

Age of monthly podcast listeners versus US population:

• 12-34: 48% (vs 37%)
• 35-54: 32% (vs 40%)
• 55+: 20% (vs 23%)

If you’ve been on the fence about using podcasts as a

n advertising method for your brand, talk to us today to help ease some of your concerns!

8. Looking to Add Some Elves to Your Shop? This is a Great Time of Year to Attract Top Talent!

Without a talented workforce, continuing to move your business forward in a challenging landscape becomes much more difficult.

To prepare for the future, experienced businesses are turning their attention to recruitment marketing plans and fine-tuning their employee value proposition in order to engage and attract top talent. According to Monster, January is the busiest month for job searches, with eight of the top ten days for job searches occurring in the month.

If you have been hesitant to begin recruiting due to fear of the unknown or concern over changing day-to-day operations of your company, tackling these worries head on by attracting a talented workforce can bring new insights into the confines of your business. Through strategic marketing and branding efforts, engaging ideal candidates in a high-stakes business landscape has become more effective than ever.

There are a range of channels available to a company that reach target audiences in slightly different ways while delivering a common message. Are you unsure of your organization’s ability to create effective marketing collateral? The Times Union Media Group can help. Our Recruitment Advertising Department is a trusted partner to organizations looking to hire top talent.

9. There’s Room for Everybody on the Nice List – Promote Acts of Gratitude

It’s been a long year, and everyone has been affected in some way.

As budgets have become more inflexible, the value in shopping has morphed. The gesture of giving a gift demonstrates that the recipient is seen and prized. As such, businesses can do the same by exemplifying how a good or service meets a customer’s needs, not the company’s needs.

If you can make life a bit easier this year and into next year, don’t be afraid to show and tell the community. Educating your target audience will help your company stay top of mind as they remember your assistance in getting them exactly what they wanted or exactly where they wanted to go. Not to mention the fact that educating is a very empathic move.

10. Santa’s Sleigh is Leaving.. Create a Sense of Urgency!

We can’t be the only ones who get serious FOMO. More businesses are inciting the fear of missing out than ever before. Why? Because it has been proven to be an extremely effective marketing tactic. And while creating urgency isn’t exactly a new idea, the channels in which urgency can be created are multiplying.

On the flip side, you can also use a FOMO campaign to lure people into your brand’s content web. A great example of this is asking them to subscribe to emails or download your app so they will never miss out on a deal. While you may not have something ultra-enticing for them to jump on now, you’ll create an air of mystery around future deals.

11. It’s Cool to Use More than One Kind of Wrapping Paper – Blend Your Marketing Channels

In an environment where people are surfing the web, watching television and checking their social media page on three different devices at the same time, creating a marketing campaign that can efficiently insert itself into this overstimulation is more important than ever.

What content format has the ability to be on all three of a consumer’s active screens? Video. Video has become the format to educate, entertain, engage, share news and drive sales. Oftentimes, these five elements appear in a single 10 or 15-second video (or in Facebook’s case, a mere 6 seconds).

12. Check Your (Marketing) List Twice – Revisit to Better Target 

While third-party data has been the foundation of tailored and targeted marketing approaches for many years now, consumers have begun to sour on the fact that advertisers know more about them than they had originally bargained for. As a result, major regulatory changes have been made and are continuing to be made to third-party data policies – namely restricting the data that can be collected.

However, the Times Union has seen the value in collecting first-party data for some time now. We have meticulously collected and categorized first-party data that has helped to build over 700 custom audiences for our clients. We have a proprietary set of products at our fingertips in order to help our partners reach their target customers.

The Times Union has you covered at each stage of the buying cycle. Through our owned and operated channels, we can leverage first-party data to reach your audience no matter where they are in the sales funnel.

Businesses that prepare now for a cookie-less future will reap greater benefits in the years ahead and will have the chance to form stronger relationships with their local consumer base.

Wrap Up

Formulating a cohesive marketing effort to retain or earn market share is crucial in the coming weeks and months. For many businesses within many industries, competition is steep. However, there are ways to creatively and effectively separate your organization from the crowd.

The Times Union Media Groups crafts turn-key digital marketing solutions to reach & engage today’s consumer. We’re a data-driven digital marketing and advertising agency with full-service capabilities. We partner with organizations from a multitude of industries to increase brand authority, earn trust and drive more sales. We leverage marketing tactics with your business goals and priorities as the focal point.

Want to learn what we can do specifically for you? Let us know today!

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