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Written by Finn Ruijter, 18 July 2021

What are your marketing goals for the second half of 2021?

It is July and that means we have entered the second half of 2021. We live in eventful times, but fortunately the movement seems more positive: more and more people are vaccinated against Covid-19, countries are opening their borders and mouth caps are hardly seen anymore. Economic optimism is high, so the question is what that means for your marketing goals. Do you need to tighten them up or even completely rewrite them?

The economy is growing again

The Dutch economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter of 2021. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.1 percent compared to the period between January and March. And that growth came mainly from households.

Production rose 18 percent from a year earlier. In addition, labor market tightness increased. All clear signs that the economy is on the rise. You may already be noticing it with you: it is busier or there is more turnover. Chances are we can quietly continue that upward trend.

How do you steamroll your marketing department ready for the second half of 2021? The tips and trends below will help you lay a good foundation for your marketing strategy.

Keep in mind special dates

Prince’s Day, Animal Day, St. Nicholas, Christmas, New Year’s Eve: there are so many dates that occupy the minds, it is good to make an overview of them. On these dates, you want to take it easy for a while, or just go the extra mile. Some theme days can also be interesting to capitalize on with marketing promotions. Write down all dates of interest in a marketing calendar.

By the way, you don’t have to look forward only. You can also sometimes respond to current or recent events in a playful manner and thus win the attention and sympathy of your target audience. Such guerrilla marketing does not always work well for every brand, by the way; critically consider your ideas and ask for feedback from people around you.

Find out what has worked well

Summer, a quieter time for many business owners, is a good time to scrutinize previous marketing efforts. Did they bring the returns you had counted on? Comparing the figures for the past six months with previous years gives you a good idea of the figures at the end of the year.

When you have these numbers in a row, you can see what worked and what didn’t. For example, you’ll discover on which social media you achieve the highest conversion rate, which content on your website is popular and which of your newsletters had the highest open rate. With that information, you can hone your marketing plans for the rest of the year.

Mobile first

One trend that keeps on going is that of mobile Internet browsing. Our data usage continues to rise as we do more and more things with our smartphones. Google also places increasing importance on the mobile accessibility of websites. The Page Experience update, implemented by Google this summer, is proof of that.

If your website is not yet optimal or needs an update, now is the time to strike. A mobile first website is customer friendly and ranks better in the search engines. With our roadmap for a new website, you’ll have a guide that won’t leave anything to chance.

Find your purpose

The pandemic was a great opportunity for organizations to do their part. That they did so was not even surprising: companies want their environment to do well. It is where they and their employees live, where their children go to school and where they spend their free time.

It’s been a trend among companies for a while: propagating what they stand for. In search of their purpose, they donate a portion of their profits to charities or put their own arms out to work. At 2manydots, for example, we support several local initiatives.

What is new is the trend not to aim for a neutral impact, for example by offsettingCO2 emissions, but to go for a positive impact. Organizations are becoming increasingly aware of their social value and how they can address environmental, health, economic and tolerance challenges.

Heartfelt concern, without self-interest, is something that impresses (potential) customers. Thus, the knife cuts both ways. So what is your purpose? And how can you help make the world a better place? It’s never too late to make room for this in your marketing objectives.

Find the personal connection with your target audience

Whether the angle of your offering is B2B or B2C, your target audience is always ultimately made up of people. And people make many decisions intuitively and by feel. Therefore, you want to connect with your target audience on a personal level. Give them an inside look at you, introduce them to you and your colleagues. Even though there are screens between you and the customers, they still build a rapport with you this way.

Adjust marketing objectives

Your marketing goals for 2021 are set at the turn of the year. The coronavirus was still beating around the bush then. Almost all countries had established a quarantine for incoming air travelers. In the short term, the future was uncertain, and that undoubtedly reflected in your marketing plan.

It is not too late to change marketing goals for 2021. Think about where you want to shift the focus to in the final quarters and what that means for your time investment and marketing budget.