In case you didn’t know, we’re in tough economic times. These economic conditions have drastically cut budgets across the nation and world, leaving meager allowances for marketing and advertising in its wake.
Nonetheless, expectations for 2010 remain optimistic. In a new study released yesterday, StrongMail reveals nine out of ten business executives plan to maintain or increase their marketing budgets. Execs aren’t thinking conventionally for the new decade either, instead the survey’s respondents indicated they were open to marketing strategies that utilize the Internet and maximize their dollar. Next year, 69 and 59 percent of business executives anticipate increasing their email and social media marketing, respectively. Another 42 percent claimed they expect to spend more on search engine initiatives, such as SEO and PPC. The survey’s results indicate a migration to internet marketing tactics, as advertising and direct mailing initiatives are expected by less than 30 percent of execs.
Furthermore, the study showed a desire among business executives to combine the tested and proven tactics of emailing potential customers with social media. Execs did not, however, demonstrate uniform confidence about how they would go about implementing such strategies in the upcoming year. Instead, one out of five executives claimed they had no idea where to begin. With more businesses seeking to establish an online presence in hopes of finding cheaper alternatives to conventional advertising, it is certain that social media marketing and search engine initiatives will play integral roles in the year 2010.