THING #1: JellyBelly Jelly Beans (one of my favorites) have joined the anti-aging revolution! In 2008, Superfruits were identified as one of the Top 10 Global Consumer Trends, according to DataMonitor. Beverage companies, cereal manufacturers and most certainly supplement manufactuers have driven this trend successfully - and now so have Jelly Beans! Now you can get the "power of antioxidants" in a jelly bean with 100% natural flavors like Acai, Blueberry, and Pomegranate. While I don't really believe these tatsy treats will help with my anti-aging crusade I'm definitely looking forward to sampling! And why not - if I have to eat sugar why not let it be "healthy for me"? The point is that we cannot ignore consumer trends EVEN if they come and go because just like FAD DIETS there is a large segment of your consumer group that responds to trends feverishly. What other trends were started in 2008 that could help you boost sales in 2010:
- Go Green! - how can your campaign or product save the planet?
- Go Social! - how have you incorporated Twitter, Facebook and other social media into your marketing?
- Go Mobile! - how can text messaging and Apps increase your customer loyalty?
- Online Video! - have you made your product or service accessible online in :60 video clips to drive sales?
- Sell Services! - have you tried turning your product into a service rather than a widget?
THING# 2: Chocolate is always in style! According to Nielsen, dietetic chocolate sold in 2009 showed a 3.6% increase with a $172 milion in sales. What does this say to us marketers? Embrace niche marketing! As DR marketers we are taught to cast the widest net possible. However, the increase in dietetic chocolate shows that people who are restricted tend to respond more intensely. If you've been selling a product or service that addresses the masses try testing a niche campaign where you solve a specific problem. My favorite niche markets right now include: bladder control, Mom nutrition, discounted shopping opportunities, hunting, and religious products and services. My insider information says these are catagories to watch this year! How can you customize your product or service to increase sales in new areas? Let's brainstorm together!
THING #3: People need to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine. In difficult economic times people will more easily release their hold on spending dollars if they are entertained. This has been proven through the wildfire spread of certain online videos. The more entertaining a video, the faster it spreads across the internet reaching consumers that would otherwise never be exposed to your product or service. Perhaps it is the lower production costs required on the internet that makes some marketers bold enough to enagage in customized online video campaigns when they will not spend money testing humorous concepts on traditional radio and TV campaigns. Look at campaigns like FreeCreditReport.com for an example of a comedy driven DRTV campaign that really drives response. Can you "make fun of" your product or service without damaging the brand. Check out www.iclicknation/2008/11/rules-for-spoofing/ for rules for making a Spoof video of your own. The other trick is finding terrestrial advertsing methods that allow you to test new concepts under the radar. By way of example check out www.emailsbycrazypeople.com as a place to buy online ads - the longer they read the more chance they'll click!
THING #4: Life Coaches... does everyone have one but me? www.lifecoach.com When I first went to this site I was amazed as it really never occured to me that people would pay to have someone else tell them what to do with their life. I became curious about the Life Coach industry after discovering that 4 of my friends had become Life Coaches themselves and are actually making some decent money at it. Upon further investigation I predict this newest phenomenon to be the next big product marketing roller coaster since the Self Help Book revolution started. Mark my words: Life Coaches are the in-thing and have the potential to be as highly profitable as any multi-level marketing company ever was!
THING #5: Consumers want their 15-minutes of Snookie-Fame. For those of you following the Jersey Show Reality Show you will automatically understand the Snookie reference. And for those who have never seen it (like me) you must know about this woman who is all over the news and in magazines. She is proof that consumers are craving new and authentic content. The amount of product placements that have surfaced around this fast-tracked reality star show marketers that consumers are willing to accept a new kind of celebrity endorsement. This is great news for marketers! Consumers are being groomed to believe they have what it takes to be a 15-minute celebrity and they crave it. YouTube contests, Facebook contests, testimonial collections, and sampling events can all be used to provide consmers an opportunity for their own 15-minutes of Snookie-Fame. Use this to your advantage! Look to guerilla marketing and a clever promotion to help you accumulate priceless footage of your product being used 'reality show style' and build a stable of believable testimonials too! Make sure you take advantage of radio and TV stations as they are dying for great content and can help you in many ways.
More to come...
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