Okay, so I blinked and 2011 is almost over. Maybe it's just part of growing older, but every year seems to go by faster. Especially in this industry. The world of marketing is constantly evolving and all of us in the game are trying to stay two steps ahead. Just like five years ago, the marketing landscape was completely different and the marketing goals of many companies were focused on sales or sales. Then came the recession of 2008.
Today's current state of marketing is an interesting one. There is an increased push by many companies who pulled back their efforts to return to some kind of marketing normalcy focused more on customer retention versus sales and acquisition while also responding to the rapid growth of new marketing technologies and trends by executing new tactics. Then there's also learning how to deal with new customer behavior -- customers are in control and we as marketers need to look at our marketing efforts through their eyes. We need to target them where they want to be targeted and with the information they want to receive, versus what we want them to receive.
Recovery from a shaky economy is well underway. While marketing budgets are back, most often these budgets are a little leaner than pre-recession days and come attached with HUGE expectations, accountability and ROI -- all of which is good. There is much more focus on strategic marketing plans versus one-off projects, which is the way we like it.
So as 2011 comes to a close, we at Rhythm wish you the happiest of holidays and hope for a more stable and a little less daunting 2012 filled with good health, prosperity and lots of laughter.
We hope you find this issue of The Source insightful and, as always, we welcome your feedback. We plan to change up our monthly e-newsletter a bit and are asking our subscribers to take a quick survey to provide us with insight that will help us model our communication efforts. Please take a little 2 minute survey (seriously) to answer a few questions. For your time, you'll be entered to win an iPad accessory package from Targus including a Stylus, an iPad stand and an external iPad battery. Thanks in advance!
Kristin Bush
The Source Editor-in-Chief
2011 Marketing Milestones and Headlines
What were the most popular marketing trends for 2011? Here’s a high-level view of what strategies and tactics shaped the marketing landscape in 2011 and some of the bigger marketing and technology headlines from 2011.
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Rhythm’s 2012 Digital Marketing Forecast
2012 is just around the corner and it’s that time of year when we reflect on what has transpired over the past year and attempt to predict what the future has in store for us. Here are some predictions for 2012.
Read the ArticleOh, How Far We Have Come
I guess it’s typical at this time of the year, when there are only a handful of days left before the new year begins, for businesses to look back over the last 12 months to evaluate their accomplishments and progress. At Rhythm Interactive, we too take this opportunity to review what has worked and what hasn’t. This year however, we’re going to look back over the past 10 years to share just how far we’ve come as a company.
Read the ArticleTrendwatch: The Future of Email Marketing
Don’t believe those that say that email marketing is a thing of the past. Email still plays a role in the marketing mix, but marketers must get rid of the one-size-fits-all approach and cater to specific customer needs and wants. Here we explore some email marketing trends and provide some tips to consider when putting together your 2012 emarketing campaigns.
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