Jasmine Martirossian, a marketing leader with over 20 years’ experience and current VP, Marketing, TUV SUD Americas, part of a $2.8Bn global consulting and testing firm suggests how we might kick off the new year and decade with three resolutions for marketing for 2020.
#1 – True storytelling
It’s almost a cliché these days that effective marketers are storytellers. But how many are really doing it right? There is so much content out there that is missing the mark by being purely transaction, crudely promotional, and engaged in chest-thumping and navel-gazing. That’s not storytelling.
True stories are memorable. They paint a picture, resonate with people, and create both emotional and rational connections. Challenge yourself to read, say, your white paper out loud. Does it make you fall asleep, do you start droning on? Then it’s not a good story. Use yourself as a litmus test – if something can’t hold your own attention, why would you serve up that content to others?
Facts are powerful, but as a marketer, you will get more mileage out of facts through storytelling. Stanford University Professor Jennifer Aaker’s research has shown that “A story is 22 times more memorable than facts alone.” So, take your role as a storyteller seriously.
A story is 22 times more memorable than facts alone
Professor Jennifer Aaker, Stanford University
The more you practice it, the better you will get at it. Also, monitor your behavior outside of work – do you tell personal stories? That behavior will carry into your work. So, practice the art and craft of storytelling, and you will get better at it.
#2 Disciplined prioritization and action
We all know we have to prioritize, but how disciplined are we about it? Effective prioritization requires having the discipline to make the right choices. There are so many choices out there in the marketplace, and they all sound so tempting. It’s very tempting to take the kitchen sink approach and spread ourselves thin. But by trying to accomplish everything, in effect, marketers accomplish nothing.
It’s very tempting to take the kitchen sink approach and spread ourselves thin. But by trying to accomplish everything, in effect, marketers accomplish nothing.
To be more precise, lots of things will be done in a half-baked and mediocre manner, yet excellence and stellar results won’t follow. Effective marketers are the ones who can render a professional judgment on areas of strategic focus, and then they execute on those to bring the strategy to life. The best strategy not executed is worthless. So, it’s important to be both strategic, and ensure that the strategy is brought to life through relentless execution. The results will follow for sure.
#3 Voice search
It’s amazing how deeply voice search – think Alexa, Siri, Cortana – has permeated into people’s lives. Marketers across the board should start paying attention to this ascendant trend. People’s behaviors in their personal lives shape their behaviors in their professional lives. So, if you are used to using voice commands to get certain answers, pretty soon, you will start looking for business solutions in the same manner. How many website are teed up and ready for this? Every marketer should chart their course to start showing up for voice searches.
Fabulous! Thanks Jasmine! Do you agree? Share and join the discussion on LinkedIn or Twitter.
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