As part of a general trend in new fiscal conservatism, consumers are paying more attention to smaller community banks and engaging with independent advisors to obtain guidance. This trend has come about as consumers seek more control over their financial destiny and hesitate to work with banks or other financial companies that have been deemed ‘too big to fail.’  The most recent Charles Schwab’s Independent Advisor Outlook Study offers a portrait of consumer sentiment and upcoming investment advisor strategies.

In general, independent advisors are recommending that consumers save up to 9% of their income. This strategy will help them achieve their stated goals of:

• Saving money 59%
• Paying down debt 62%

In addition, consumers are seeking specific advice on the following topics:

• Financial planning 56%
• Tax planning/accounting services 38%
• Education on investments/financial matters 38%

Independent advisors believe the following sectors will drive growth in the next 6 months:

• Information technology 44%
• Health care 42%
• Energy 37%
• Consumer staples 24%
• Financials 23%

Look for more independent advisors to be marketing services such as financial education and investment opportunities in exchange traded funds (ETFs) that are heavily weighted in growth sectors such as information technology and health care.

[Source: Independent Advisor Outlook Study. Charles Schwab Corporation. 2 March 2010 Web. 9 March 2010.]

If it’s true that, as Jim Mullen said, “[b]rand loyalty is the only sound foundation on which business leaders can build enduring, profitable growth,” then marketers might be having some trouble. Writing for Businessweek, Avi Dan observes that the technological advances in our new media world are generating consumers who are driven to make a purchase primarily on price.  All of the technology has created a “more informed and demanding consumer”. What can a marketer do to preserve brand in this environment?

1. Use technology to get into consumers’ heads and figure out what they’re thinking.
2. Maintain a presence in more than one media form. Consumers are on the Web via their home PC, but they’re also accessing data via iPod apps and mobile phones.
3. Connect with super-influencers who write blogs or have hundreds of Facebook friends.
4. Engage customers in a positive experience instead of trying to sway them with a traditional message.
5. Invest in social ideology.

On this last item, Dan highlights the case of Pepsi which did not advertise in the Super Bowl this year. The company is instead using its Facebook page to solicit consumers to vote for the funding of their favorite social projects. It’s just one more way for marketers to turn the negative tendencies of technology – when it comes to loyalty – into a positive for the brand, the consumer and the social cause.

[Source: Avi, Dan. “It’s Time to Rebuild Brand Loyalty.” Businessweek. 22 Feb 2010. Web. 3.8.2010.]

These days, no detail is being overlooked when it comes to increasing sales. In addition to shifting marketing dollars to social media, companies are also scrutinizing how they appear to consumers. For decades,  this has meant spending money to sponsor organizations and causes that consumers care about. But all that has been changing in the past few years. Large companies are making small grants, sometimes as small as $5,000,  to consumers who apply for help with their own socially responsible projects.

Writing for Advertising Age, Natalie Zmuda and Emily Bryson York catalog the benefits of this new micro-sponsorship trend.

• Consumers become more engaged in the firm’s social media efforts
• Smaller charities receive a financial boost
• The investment can yield free market result data

However, the downside of these programs is that they can be difficult to administer and calculating return on investment can prove challenging.  Other analysts worry that rewarding many micro-sponsorships could dilute brand image. But, in general, studies from research concerns such as Cone indicate increasing numbers of consumers will be swayed to select a brand “associated with a good cause.” Jim Stengel, former Procter & Gamble Co. global marketing officer, indicates the trend is “particularly effective with college students who are idealistic and want to be part of something larger.”

Professor Derek Rucker at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management cautions that the micro-sponsorship trend is growing so quickly that it  there “will be a stigma attached to sitting on the sidelines.” Look for more large marketers to explore investing in micro-sponsorship in 2010.

[Source: Zmuda, Natalie and Emily Bryson York. Cause Effect: Brands Rush to Save World One Deed at a Time. Advertising Age. 1 March 2010. Web. 5 March 2010]

For the past 3 years, Anderson Analytics has surveyed the members of the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG) to discern the expected top trends for the upcoming year.  The good news is that most of the surveyed executives (66%) have a more optimistic outlook for 2010. And while there is a new focus on return on investment (ROI), marketers are still intent on retaining customers. To do so, this group continues to use a mix of old and new media but for the first time, indicates that social media is an important aspect of a successful marketing strategy.

This year, Marketing ROI was ranked as a  more important concept  than customer satisfaction or customer retention, perhaps reflecting the continued focus on corporate profitability. Here are the top 5 concepts shaping marketing policy:

• Marketing ROI 58%
• Customer Retention 53%
• Brand Loyalty 53%
• Positioning/Differentiation 52%
• Branding 50%

Social media came in at number 8 (42%) on the list. While surveyed executives call ‘social media’ a buzz word they also agree that marketers need to address this component as part of a comprehensive plan and they often turn to outside experts for help.

Executives at companies with 2000 or fewer employees say the following about their 2010 budget with respect to the current economic climate:

• Marketing budget is being increased 23%
• No change in marketing budget 48%
• Marketing budget is being decreased 23%
• Offline as % of total marketing budget 52%
• Online as % of total marketing budget 48%

Executives at companies with 2000+ employees have a slightly different outlook:

• Marketing budget is being increased 21%
• No change in marketing budget 38%
• Marketing budget is being decreased 35%
• Offline as % of total marketing budget 70%
• Online as % of total marketing budget 30%

When prioritizing the demographics being targeted by marketing campaigns, the surveyed executives listed the following:

• Seniors/Matures 47%
• Boomers 79%
• Gen X 49%
• Gen Y 45%
• Gen Z 35%

Overall, the study reveals few major changes in attitudes between last year and this year. However, the  new optimism for future business growth is a welcome sign.

[Source: Marketing Trends Report 2010, Anderson Analytics. Marketing Executives Networking Group. 3 March 2010. Web. 5 March 2010]