If FOMO is guiding your marketing communications in 2025 you may be on trend but fail to deliver results.
FOMO – or fear of missing out – is alive and well in marketing and communications as rapidly changing technology redefines the way we connect with our customers and stakeholders. In the year ahead we can expect to see continued advances in AI, virtual reality, social media and customer experience platforms.
Marketing 2025, a survey of 700 senior executives by ADMA, Marketo and Which-50, revealed that falling behind competitors is a commonly held concern. Around one in three survey respondents said their marketing function needed to catch up to their competitors, and less than two per cent believed their marketing function was at the leading edge. Faced with mounting pressure the temptation to latch on to the latest trend can be hard to resist.
So how can you equip yourself and your team with the knowledge to discern which new trends to embrace or reject? Now more than ever marketing and communications teams need to select tactics based on a clear strategy aligned to business objectives. It may sound simple, but it takes discipline to remain on track with your strategy when FOMO is distracting you with amazing, new AI-powered advances.
A strategy health check is a great way to make sure the plan you implement in 2025 is the best fit for your organisation. Consider these questions to help you overcome FOMO and be confident in your path forward.
- First, check the measurement basics. Does your marketing and communications strategy have clear, measurable objectives that tie directly to your organisational strategy? Closing any measurement gaps will ensure alignment from the top down as you start the year and support informed conversations about progress as you execute your strategy.
- Next, check in with your target audience. Do you have the research you need to understand your customers and stakeholders? Have their needs or interests changed and how does your organisation, products or services align to these?
- Then give your communications channels a data-driven health check. What does your data tell you about how effectively – or otherwise – your messages are reaching your audiences. Do you have the data you need, and how do you know what good looks like? Develop clear performance metrics informed by internal benchmarks like year-on-year growth, or external benchmarks based on competitor insights or sector specific data.
As you start the new year, your most powerful defence against FOMO will be a data-driven marketing and communications strategy aligned to your organisational targets. It will give you a framework against which to assess the value of new tactics and convince others of your logic in embracing or rejecting emerging trends in 2025.
BBS supports our clients and industry leaders with the research, insights and strategy they need to get ahead and deliver demonstrable business results. Learn more about our areas of expertise and contact us today to find out how we can help you.