Marketing Forecast from Ad-ology

Medium and large-sized businesses have long allocated a significant part of their B2B marketing budgets to exhibitions. But the exhibition industry witnessed business declines in 2009 along with most other sectors of marketing-related activity. The Center for Exhibition Industry Research reports that the number of exhibitors, the number of attendees and the overall revenue at exhibitions have been in steep decline since 2007. In 2009, the industry saw a 12.5% drop.

Employment market experts have long held that the job situation for temporary help improves before permanent spots begin to appear. If this is true, the market for consultants should be looking up because temp agencies have indicated more demand this year. In addition, the findings of a survey released by the M Squared Consulting network indicate a better market in 2010 for the “high-end flexible workforce.”

Job seekers in the marketing industry have reason to hope based on the February 2010 survey results released by Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. While hiring in the industry have been virtually stalled for some time, nearly half Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) expect to bring on new employees within the next 6 months.

Late last year, an Aberdeen Research report noted that the average CMO stays on the job for a little less than 2 years. These short tenures leave the CMO with limited time to make a big impact with his or her marketing ideas and to become a key member of the C-suite team. Now a report on Brandweek points to an even more unsettling trend – the temporary CMO.

During an economic downturn, business owners may be tempted to cut expenses, including marketing. This fiscal prudence extends beyond the owner of the local shoe store to the managing partner of a consulting firm. But a survey by Alterra shows that consulting firms who maintain the proper focus with their marketing programs, even during lean times, will turn into leaders, instead of laggards, when the economy recovers.

Ad-ology Research recently updated their Industry Marketing Insights report for Document Destruction Services.