Supply Chain Marketing Trends To Watch For In 2019

With the start of the new year, it’s time to take a breath and get ready for what’s next. Here are five trends in supply chain marketing to expect in 2019.

Highlights:

People trust people, not ads.
Knowing how your customers communicate is key.
Personal connection is the key to success.

There are a lot of sales and marketing speakers already shouting out the trends for 2019. It’s a fast-paced world, and it can be tough to tune out the noise and maintain your identity in the constantly shifting marketing landscape.

The best way to navigate all the changes and trends is to plan ahead and be aware of what’s in the pipeline. Here are five supply chain marketing trends to be on the lookout for in 2019.

1) People trust people, not ads.

We know that traditional, outbound marketing is falling out of favor, making way for inbound techniques to take the lead. In fact, a Nielsen study from nearly four years ago found that the four most trusted sources of advertising were (1) people you know, (2) branded sites, (3) editorial sites, and (4) reviews.

A Nielsen study from nearly four years ago found that the four most trusted sources of advertising were (1) people you know, (2) branded sites, (3) editorial sites, and (4) reviews. Click To Tweet

With ad blockers on the rise and this continued cultural shift towards inbound marketing, supply chain marketers need to tailor their efforts towards creating reliable, relevant content that will be of value to their customers.

2) Creativity is the wave of the future

We’ve written before about the increasing need for creative thinking in the supply chain. It’s no different when it comes to marketing the supply chain. The age of conformity is over (if it ever really existed in the first place). With so many players on the field, the ones who will really stand out in the coming years are those who think outside the box.

While we can’t tell you how to be creative, remember that content marketing, at its core, is about telling stories. Take a step back and think about your brand, its story, and what it means to your audience — then get ready to brainstorm!

3) Successful businesses will focus on breaking down internal divisions.

We’re always amazed by the persistent fear that content marketing is somehow the enemy of sales teams. In fact, we’ve written frequently about the symbiotic relationship between marketing and sales, and the need for alignment between the two departments.

Increasingly, supply chain companies need synergy between sales and marketing to be successful. In a recent article in Forbes, Calendar co-founder and President John Hall writes, “companies that put up barriers between departments will fail in the long run.” We agree. Hall goes on to point out that “great content can fuel other parts of the company, resulting in better talent, lower costs, and improved relationships with investors.”

4) Knowing how your customers communicate is key.

It’s easy to forget how quickly communication has changed over the past several decades. While life before cell phones is a dim memory, it’s important to remember that the ways in which we communicate with each other as individuals and as businesses continue to evolve.

For content marketing efforts to be successful, supply chain companies need to be keenly aware of how their target buyers are interacting, and they need to be ready to meet their buyers where they are. Keep a finger on the pulse through social media, and continue to evaluate and refine how well your content is reaching and resonating with your target audience.

5) People haven’t really changed that much.

Ok, so we’ve been telling you about all of the seismic cultural shifts brought about by technology, and all of the ways that marketing has changed over the past decade, and now this? Well, at the end of the day, people are still people, and they value helpfulness, authenticity, and relationships.

Luckily, that’s what good content marketing is all about. As technology and automation continue to progress, it’s crucial to remember the point of it all: personal connections and communication of trustworthy, valuable information.