Ten Trends and Predictions for Successful Marketing in 2009

Finally, if you were going in for open heart surgery, would you pick a first year medical student to do it because they were cheap? Or would you pick a Rembrandt, a master, a surgeon with years of experience who knew exactly what they were doing? Your business is as important as your life. Or, if it isn't, why are you in it. Don't be stingy with it!

Companies face an interesting start to the email list 2009 calendar year. Many major organizations have recently elected to rescind or completely forgo forecasting their fourth-quarter 2008 and first and second quarters of 2009 due to highly uncertain conditions. Following are ten trends, observations and predictions for the coming year that all marketers should account for in their planning process to help navigate through the uncertain economic conditions.

Marketers apply lessons from the 2008 Presidential campaign. The millions of online-activated volunteers that supported the 2008 Presidential campaigns have come to expect a level of transparency, accessibility and community that most businesses have yet to attain. More marketers than ever will pursue digital and social media as a means to connect with customers. Marketers will measure absolutely everything.