2025 Marketing Trends

  1. Truly believe in yourself and your product or service
    1. The first step to marketing/promoting what you have is to be confident in what you have.
      1. A lack of confidence in business is attached to your pricing. Are you timid about charging what you really should?
      2. A lack of confidence is reflected in how you show up and deliver. Can you clearly articulate the VALUE you add to people’s lives. I don’t care if you’re selling cake, socks, or stage play tickets. You have to know the value that you add.
      3. Your mindset and confidence will walk your products in the right doors and place your desired clients at your office.
  2. Have a process in place – you cannot sell or promote confusion –
    1. When you confuse, you lose.
      1. So, it’s not that they didn’t want to do business with you – you lost them.
      2. It’s not that they didn’t have the money to pay your invoice
      3. As you promote what you have to offer? What’s your process for bringing new clients/customers in? How are you rolling out the red carpet?
        1. When I buy anything from Tory, my shopper texts me.
        2. When I purchase eggs from Angel Eggspressions, I receive a survey/email to leave a review.
        3. NOTE: How are you ensuring that you don’t drop the ball once you’ve been paid. It’s not time to celebrate, it’s time to work!
  3. “Human-Centric” storytelling
    1. We remember good stories and storylines as human beings. They stick with us and we enjoy parables and morals of stories. So, here’s what you need to do this year:
      1. Tell the story of your service:
        1. We helped to save a relationship because both partners were buried in work, knee-deep in paper work and stretched to the max with little time for their children or each other. In a few weeks time, we helped them to organize their business procedures so they spent less time doing redundant business tasks and more time with each other.
        2. My bride client lost her father months before her wedding day. Distraught at the fact that he would be present to physically walk her down the aisle, I created a photo charm that she could attach to her bouquet – that way, a memory of her father would be with her as she walked down the aisle. 
        3. Completely uncomfortable with her weight, my client stopped going out. No social outings or gatherings – just work – not even church. Within weeks of her one on one consultation, a targeted plan, and on going support, she was able to wear her favorite pair of denim jeans again. She is also more comfortable wearing heels and has the endurance to walk a little further. 
    2. Your prospects are real people – just like you. But, for some reason, we forget that they are real people will with real experience. Real life issues and problems that they want solved! Your stories will help them visualize that you are the solution. 
  4. It’s OK to loosen up now!
    1. If you’ve been a part of my social media classes back from 2016 – 2018, there were strict “do’s” and “don’ts”. The landscape has changed. Your prospects want the real you – the real information. We can see through the fluff now. There are also more competitors out. At one time, there were only a FEW Instagram boutiques. Now there are hundreds. There used to be a FEW business coaches, now you see one in every free scrolls.
      1. Use the language of your customers. How would you talk to them if you were in with them in person? That’s how you need to curate your content.
        1. Care less about who you may offend. There is an audience who wants your voice. And, the stronger you are behind your message, the more they will support you. 
        2. NOTE: Use ChatGPT to help you craft your language. Talk to GPT be very specific. Describe your ideal client, be open about all you do and who you serve. Tell GPT all your business and have audio conversations on a daily. This will help you with your spoken and written language.
        3. Your copy needs to sound real – and be real – to resonate with prospects.
        4. Refrain from using emojis all up and through your copy as well. 
        5. Genuine content is memorable content.
        6. This is a bonus for those of you who don’t like to sale. Just use your voice and CONFIDENCE (tip 1) to promote what you have to offer.
      2. Entertaining consumption has increased.
        1. People want to see funny, memorable content in the shortest amount of time.
        2. Quirky jokes, memes, behind the scene footage of your team having fun, dancing, your vacation excursion – push your creative boundary!
          1. If you sell health insurance for senior citizens, post videos of seniors dancing – like getting down, eatin’ the floor!
  5. Build upon in-person experiences.
    1. ABC – always be closing
      1. Listen and learn when you’re out.
      2. Collect business cards and follow up
      3. Make genuine connections
      4. Listen and learn
        1. What are people struggling with?
        2. What are people complaining about?
        3. Who are you in the room with?
        4. NOTE: These are all people experiences that you can learn from by creating business connections, collaborations, or product creation.
      5. Create a signature event.
      6. Host a meet up.
      7. BUILD COMMUNITY!
        1. Every business is irreplaceable.
        2. Receive support, give support.
        3. Loyalty is rewarding – how are your business practices reflective of that? What are you doing to keep them coming back? Clients move in waves.
        4. Prospect – study a prospect before you pitch
          1. THE THE STORY OF NICKY SAUNDERS AND ERIC THOMAS
  6. Plan ahead
    1. You should have your Valentine’s and Super Bowl promotions in mind. 
    2. Spring specials should be queued up. 
    3. People were Christmas shopping and trying to figure out why stores had Valentine’s and St. Patty’s products out. It’s all about getting your dollar first – they are telling you what to buy! No company wants to be an after thought.
  7. Turn on the camera
    1. Video will always be in!
      1. Reels, YouTube shorts, camera video. Post it.
      2. I literally got over 1K views asking people if I should go to Target or Walmart.
      3. Use natural filters to your liking and post away. 
      4. Voiceover royalty-free images and videos. Pexels is my favorite app to use for this.
  8. Engage in creative conversations
    1. Slide into the comments of big brands, competitors
    2. Offer value
    3. Ask questions
    4. Give your insight
    5. NOTE: Best played on LinkedIn
  9. Establish your social real estate
    1. Name/account on social platforms
    2. URLs and domains
    3. Gain insight on what your customers are saying on THEIR favorite platform (dominate one)
      1. Social listening – listen to what the client/customer wants and deliver
      2. This means you don’t have to jump on every trend – you don’t want your clients feeling like they have to chase you OR have lost you
  10. Dive deep into what your customers really want – interests? Hobbies? Worries? Thoughts? How do they process information? How do they make buying decision? Who pays for their decision? (A boss/director, their spouse, another entity?)
    1. Social listening tools to help you: ____
    2. NOTE: It’s not trendy to jump on every trend!
      1. Your prospects aren’t expecting you to act like other brands. When people step in your church, they are not interested in ‘stepping in the name of love’ or doing the or bopping to the latest tune. Your Minister of Music doesn’t need to lace an R & B track within a gospel song. People want to see a difference when they encounter you. You don’t have to bend to fit in. Fill the shoes of your brand. That’s it. 
      2. [Story of Georgia State University]
        1. Blue
        2. Mascot – not the bulldog
        3. Campus life – not the majors
          1. This engages Alumni! (See the campus changes, happy students)
          2. Homecoming should not be the only time that Alumni is introduced to campus life and university growth
  11. USE AI!
    1. Write captions
    2. Using relevant hashtags
    3. Suggesting content ideas
    4. Drafting emails for your email list
      1. WHY? Suggested posting frequency:
        1. IG: 3- 5 x a week
        2. IG stories 2x a day
        3. Facebook: 2-3 x a day
        4. LinkedIn: 1 – 2 x a day
    5. Suggestions when using AI/ChatGPT
      1. Explain your scope of work
      2. Upload your brand style guide
      3. Upload company photos
      4. Provide copy from your website and blog to clarify what you and discuss – this is you training your AI tool
      5. Be clear and specific
      6. Give examples, background information/context (Say, “For Context”)
      7. Include any specific requirements
  12. Bonus: Use a jingle or create a tune…it’s memorable, light, and fun