2020 has been quite the year. COVID has simultaneously dragged the year along and made it zoom by in a flash. And for some, it’s been difficult to focus on the positives. But as the holiday season draws nearer, it’s a fitting time to reflect on the things that we’re thankful for, both as marketers and as individuals.
Some of us have lost our jobs, some of us have gotten those jobs back, some never lost their jobs at all, and some are taking the occasion to turn loss into new opportunities. As Kierkegaard once said, “life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced.”
1. The Difference Technology Makes Then, Now, and in the Future
Remember when we relied solely on relaying messages through pagers and fax machines? When email was used only to send private messages to coworkers and loved ones? When our phones, computers, and TVs were 5 times the size they are now?
Now, almost every bit of technology fit in the palms of our hand or can at least be stowed away in a small tote bag. Pagers are obsolete, fax machines are only used to send important documents and even then, they can be sent more easily via email. Email marketing is made possible by modern technology and made more accessible by having email clients on personal devices.
The future of technology will only make things easier for marketers. Martech will transform the marketing world with AI and ML, the cloud will contain everything in one place, and automation will turn effort into ease.
2. Your Clients, Customers, and Prospects
Where would we be without our clients and prospects? We simply would not exist. Be thankful that someone is paying for your service or product and giving you their hard-earned money. They have plenty of options, but they believe in you and your offering enough to choose you. Reach out to your clients and prospects and show them your gratitude.
3. The Advances Social Media and Email Have Made on Marketing
Can you imagine marketing in a world without LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook? Before social media and email, what were marketers spending their budget on? Traditional news sources were much more widely used, like print ads or TV commercials. Think about the kind of effort that took.
In 2020, marketing can be seamlessly automated for little to no cost on social media and through email marketing. You can connect with potential customers directly through social media and send personalized emails to prospects.
4. Digital A/B Testing
Imagine A/B testing with direct mail. More time- and budget-consuming, you’d probably start pulling your hair out. Thankfully in 2020, we have digital A/B testing which quickly and affordably measures customer behavior. Effortlessly gain the benefits of improved conversion rates, lower bounce rates, and easy analysis. No more direct mail testing.
5. Marketing Memes
No matter your generation, you’ve probably chuckled at a meme or two. And a marketing meme? Not only are they more challenging to create and get laughs out of, but they’re also very niche to our industry and not always easy to find. That’s why when our creative department designs or comes across a good meme, we appreciate it so much that we post it everywhere.
For example:
6. A Sense of Community
While there has been a lot of divide in our country this year, we have just as much banded together to forge an even greater sense of community. Whether it’s allowing more time off or remote work to employees with families, sewing face masks to those without access, delivering care packages to those in need, offering moral support to those we’ve known our entire lives and those we’ve known for a mere minute, we have had each other’s backs.
Creating a sense of community both in your industry and your neighborhood brings everyone together to empower and appreciate each other. No matter who or where you are, a sense of community serves everyone which in turn serves the greater good.
While it is easy to say that in tough times, we should be thankful for what we have, with every cliché comes the fact it was built upon. Where would we be without modern technology and community? We certainly wouldn’t have our prized clients, digital A/B testing, or hilarious memes. This COVID holiday season is a unique one, as a lot of us can’t be with our loved ones. Make sure to consider all of the things you have to be thankful for, both tangible and intangible. And thank your customers for choosing and challenging you every day.
List Question
- What do you have to be thankful for?
- What else could be on our list?
- How is this holiday season different for you in the COVID era?
