Recently I attended MPlanetTM, the American Marketing Association’s full-scale marketing conference. With sessions hosted by some of the top minds in the industry, “Navigating the New Marketsphere” was a stellar event.
Speakers represented a global who’s-who of CEOs and C-Level marketers, including those from companies such as Ford Motor Company, Cisco Systems, Google, Proctor & Gamble, Sony, Tata, Xerox, as well as many other well-known organizations. Marketing Ph.D.s, ranging from The Wharton School to Singapore Management University, hosted many of the Thought Leadership Roundtables. And a last minute addition included the “Marketing Story of the Year,” with the Senior Communications Strategist for the Obama Presidential Campaign.
So what was the President of very small marketing communications company (me!) doing at MPlanet? Looking in the crystal ball as these top execs asked, “What does marketing look like in our current business climate and what will it look like in the future?”

Two days of non-stop activities – from sessions to networking events – is too much to recap here; however, the crystal ball revealed a practical look at marketing for all marketers, now and in the future:

1. Get back to the basics. Listen to the customer. Engage with the customer. Understand the power of your customer. The consumer now controls the marketplace; companies need to be prepared for consumer-generated demands for quality, service and responsiveness.

2. Stick to your core values. Be consistent in your message. Deliver on your brand promise.

3. Build trust with your customers. Be honest. Speak directly to challenges and issues from the marketplace. Find and nurture brand advocates.

This advice played out live at MPlanet. American Express CMO, John Hayes, took a question from a “black card” member who was unhappy with his service. (The “black card” or Centurion card is reserved for American Express’ top customers and comes with all kinds of high-end perks. You won’t even find it on their website, but it does exist.) A little collective gasp rippled through the audience as: 1) we were all jealous of the black card user; 2) how would Mr. Hayes respond to a direct question about one customer’s trust in the company’s promise?

Mr. Hayes handled the situation beautifully, promising to meet with the member immediately after the session to resolve the problem on the spot. That’s being honest and building trust!

4. Be courageous and bold. Look inside and outside your company for inspiration. Mary Dillon, EVP & Global CMO of McDonalds, called it “disruptive marketing” – doing something completely off the wall to raise your brand awareness.

5. Raise your social consciousness. Plan “charity” or “for the social good” activities/programs around your brand promise. Not only is it a feel-good/do-good for your company, but more consumers are demanding it.

6. This year (2009) is going to be a tough year for marketing (and everyone else, too). No surprise here. Sounding very “Obama-esque,” several speakers called for marketers to be innovative and deliver prudent, responsible marketing. Track and measure everything to justify marketing’s role in the success of your business.

7. Prepare for an ever-evolving marketplace. Increased globalization and converging technologies will continue to impact even the smallest companies. The urbanization of new middle classes, particularly in Asia and Latin America, will offer new business opportunities. Marketers will face the challenges of innovation vs. invasion – will legislation impact the ways we communicate with customers?

At least now, this small business owner has a clearer picture of marketing’s future. It will be challenging and full of new opportunities, but hasn’t that always been what business is about?

About the Author
Tracy Sullivan has more than two decades of marketing experience, specializing in integrating communications concepts, design, production and distribution.