In 2018, expect new trends that will change the way you market your products or services…. creating amazing new opportunities for profits and growth.
Here are 18 advertising and marketing strategies/infographics – a virtual checklist – of what you should be testing and perfecting in 2018…all to create more profitability, leads, and sales.
All 18 can be applied for B to C or B to B marketing.
 

1. An Integrated Approach Will Transform the Way You Advertise—and Help You to Dominate the Market

 

 
An integrated, multichannel marketing strategy means that your marketing efforts across all platforms go to the same names.
Integrated marketing continues to become more targeted and efficient with advanced data modeling. Our creative team at my ad agency CDMG has perfected this powerful response boosting strategy now for over two years. The results are higher and there is no waste on marketing to a wrong or inactive prospect.
 

2. Look-a-Like Audiences Dramatically Expand Your Prospect Base

 

Look-a-like audiences are a powerful strategy to reaching prospects who look and behave like your best prospects. Look-a-like audiences can be built on:

  • Amazon
  • Direct mail
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • AdRoll Prospecting
  • Bing
  • Pre-Roll
  • Private Companies

The most powerful look-a-like audiences are built on transactional data, as shown in the graphic above. Data modeling creates “the perfect prospect” to target an audience of prospects who are most likely to purchase from you.
 
 

3. Use Custom Lists for Targeting Domination


 
Using a custom list, you can reach a highly targeted universe of prospects with your own contact list of past buyers, your buyer file, or prospect list.
Custom lists can be used to create look-a-like audiences, target specific audiences across multiple platforms, and remarket your offer. It’s a powerful strategy.

 

4. Using the Right Strategies, Facebook Can Be Powerful


 
Facebook can be extremely effective in increasing leads and response…or it can fall flat.
It’s critical that you use the right strategies to market successfully on Facebook. Use your custom list and create look-a-like audiences for a targeted Facebook strategy. Use video on Facebook to get a higher response, and remarket your offer to the same prospects who have responded to marketing efforts on other platforms.
 
 

5. Informed Delivery is a Powerful New Tool to Use with Direct Mail


Informed delivery is where the USPS digitally images the front of your mailpieces. Then they are emailed to the recipient to see what they are getting in the mail that day.
This is a powerful new tool that increases open rates. Make sure to use teaser copy on your front envelopes to create anticipation and excitement for your direct mail piece.
 
 

6. Direct mail Remarketing Boosts Response—and Profits


 
 
One powerful direct mail strategy is to remarket your product or service to the same names or contacts that have seen your ads online.
For example, prospects who respond to your banner ads then receive a direct mail piece with the same offer. This increases response and powerfully enhances your overall marketing strategy.
 
 

7. Enhance your Direct Mail Strategy


 
Direct mail isn’t dead.
There’s been a huge resurgence in direct mail in recent years.
Understanding how to use direct mail is critical to your success. Use powerful transactional data and targeted mailing lists to reach targeted prospects.
Take a look at the graphic above to see how a brief brochure and long letter in envelope gets a better response than shorter formats.
 
 

8. Newsalogs are A Unique Mail Format that Can Dramatically Boost Response


Newsalogs look like a newspaper and feel like a newspaper, but they are actually direct mail pieces.
Newspapers may be in decline, but in direct marketing, they are making a comeback. With the right direct response copy, they bring in huge response. This unique mail format could transform your marketing in 2018.
 
 

9. Digital Video Explosion in 2018


Video is powerful. And it’s critical to your marketing success.
Create a powerful video for your landing page that you can also use on Facebook, banner ads, and other platforms.
 
 

10. Use Banner Ads for Powerful Marketing and Remarketing

 

 
Banner ads can be great response-boosters, and can be a powerful part of your retargeting strategy when used with the right strategies.
Use custom lists and lookalike audiences to target banner ads to the right prospects. You can also use banner ads as a part of a retargeting or remarketing strategy to remind prospects to return to your landing page and respond to your offer.
Two keys to creating successful banner ads are 1) use video, and 2) use editorial-style copy to increase response. We’ve found that these two approaches significantly increase response.
 
 

11. Follow the “New” Rules of Email


 
Email rules are changing.
The average email recipient can receive up to 100+ emails every day. That’s why your subject line is critical. Be relevant, build your reputation, and make emails rewarding to open…in other words, offer prospects and customers something of value in every email.
When integrated with direct mail, Facebook, Amazon, banner ads, and pre-roll videos, email can be very powerful.
A conversion series is also effective for lead generation and increasing response. Send a 2,3,4, or 6 part series following up prospects who have visited your landing page, or abandoned your shopping cart.
 
 

12. Optimize Your Marketing for Mobile

 
Over 60% of people use their mobile phones to shop online now. Your landing page, emails, and ads must be mobile-optimized to ensure you don’t lose valuable leads and customers.
Keep your copy short and concise, so that prospects know what you’re about to show them. For example, “5 Powerful Things You Need to Know About Multivitamins.” Use infographics and structured lists to make information easy to scan and understand.
 
 

13. Stay Informed About E-commerce and Retail Trends

 

 
The distinction between shopping online and shopping in a store has faded. New trends in geotargeting, the integration of beacons and Bluetooth, and even mergers like the Amazon purchase of Whole Foods have changed the game for online retailers and store retailers.
In 2018, geotargeting will be a powerful strategy to use in your marketing. Geotargeting allows you to target prospects who shop in specific stores. For example, if you sell electronics you might want to target customers who shop at Best Buy. Geotargeting allows you to reach these prospects with your offer, significantly increasing your response.
 
 

14. Use Copy that Sells


 
Editorial copy and journalistic copy won’t work to sell your product or service.
You must use direct response copy.
Direct response copy highlights the unique benefits of your product or service. Take a look at the example above to see what a unique benefit of investment software could be.

 

15. Optimize Your Shopping Cart to Decrease Shopping Cart Abandonment

 

70% of those who visit your shopping cart abandon it.
To cut down on shopping cart abandonment, optimize your shopping cart with a simple checkout process and direct response copy.

  • Avoid navigation distractions, which only lead customers away from the purchase process.
  • Ensure that there are only 1-2 steps to make a purchase.
  • Use a strong Positive Acceptance Statement (PAS) to stop customers from having second thoughts. For example, “Yes! I want to lose weight with the Super Fat-Burning Multivitamin.”

To learn more about decreasing shopping cart abandonment, watch my video here (link to video).
 
 

16. The New Credibility

 

 
Proving the credibility of your product or service is critical to your marketing success.
In 2018, expect new credibility to come in the form of star ratings…one to five stars to show your product or service to be of moderate, great, or excellent quality.
Use star ratings in your ads to show prospects that your product or service has been proven credible, useful, and satisfactory. Don’t always use 5 stars…4 stars will prove that the credibility rating is authentic.
 
 

17. The Key to Success is the Offer

 

50% of the success or failure of your campaign depends on your offer.
One of the most critical parts of a powerful offer is that it includes a discount, premium, or perk. The offer should include something of value to prospects…enticing them to purchase your product or service because of the extra value.
A premium or perk could include a value-added piece, such as an informational booklet or download. Or, it could include an additional benefit tied into your product or service, such as free admission to an event, or a waived membership cost.
The offer should also include a powerful call-to-action (CTA). Prospects must know what you are asking them to do, and have plenty of opportunities to respond.
 
 

18. Create a Specific Landing Page for Your Offer

 

 
One of the biggest blunders a marketer can make is to drive prospects to a corporate website, rather than a specific landing page. Corporate websites often include many navigational distractions, leading prospects away from your offer and confusing them.
Here are 3 tips for an effective landing page:

  • Use direct response copy, and one clear theme.
  • Optimize your landing page for mobile.
  • Use a floater for collection of contact information.

 
These 18 advertising and marketing strategies will help you to increase leads, sales, response, and profits.
Need help? A second opinion? Our team of copy strategists, digital experts, and media pros can help you in 2018.
If you’d like to discuss your marketing strategy for the new year, give me a call at (310)212-5727, or email Caleb at [email protected].
Here are the rest of this week’s articles: