According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, there were roughly 9,400 business-to-business trade shows in the U.S. in 2019. These trade shows, by some estimates, represented a $15 billion industry that was forecast to exceed $17 billion in 2021. More importantly, these shows routinely represent critical sales opportunities for businesses of all sizes. Then in 2020, COVID-19 came and not only wiped out the shows, but also the critical sales opportunities they offered. The climb back to trade show “normalcy” is predicted to be slow as shows and businesses scramble for virtual solutions to bridge the gap. In today’s edition of Plain Talk, we’ll discuss the past and future of trade shows and talk about whether the trade show of today or tomorrow will still be your business Super Bowl.

When we consult with our clients and evaluate their lead generation and other marketing practices, we often find that follow-through is their biggest challenge. Much like a great golfer takes a video of their swing and self-evaluates to improve their game, a company needs to frequently take an honest look at its marketing practices—the whole customer journey—and assess if the follow-through is lacking. In this edition of Plain Talk, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide to performing a customer journey analysis for your business.

In today’s hyperconnected, digitally focused world, reputation management is a 24-hour job. With countless social media platforms available for both fans and foes to say anything, anytime about your brand—like that time shrimp tails were found in a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch—these posts can easily influence a company’s success and even redefine a brand for the better or worse. That’s why smart brands are keeping an eye on the conversations surrounding their organizations and their products and are engaging or even guiding those conversations to boost brand image and customer satisfaction. In today’s edition of Plain Talk, we’ll discuss how to manage your online reputation management. We’ll explore where it happens and provide three useful suggestions for how you can come out on top.

When it comes to influencer marketing in healthcare, bigger isn’t better. Micro-influencers consistently drive higher engagement than their celebrity counterparts and have real sway over healthcare decisions. Learn how to leverage micro-influencers as part of your healthcare marketing strategy.

The country is emerging from a generation-defining disaster in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of December 2020, the U.S. had 10 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic. According to Yelp, by September 2020, over 97,000 businesses had indicated they closed their doors permanently. Plus, the global media attention to the virus has led to a sharp increase in public fear about germ safety. While all that seems gloomy, U.S. consumer confidence remains solid, gross domestic product (GDP) is heading in the right direction, and America seems on the way to a sound recovery. While we don’t expect a rash of saltshaker thefts, we do think it’s likely that some behavioral changes sprouting from the past year may remain long after the pandemic is history. In today’s Plain Talk, we’ll dig into some of the long-term implications of consumer behavioral changes during the pandemic and how to adjust to meet them head-on.

Brands globally worked to build or upgrade their websites and online stores in response to the pandemic, which is no surprise with the closures of brick-and-mortar businesses. However, what many brands did not prepare for was the impact that skyrocketing internet use had on the relevance of their digital image and video asset library. In today’s Plain Talk, we’ll explore how brands should use content assets like photos, video, and animation to maximize sales and value in digital channels.

Digital channels now dominate healthcare ad spending, but many organizations aren’t getting the results they should. The issue is usually how strategies are executed, not whether they’re in place. Learn how to get more value from targeted lists, contextual advertising, video, and review management.

Most consumers now prefer to manage their banking digitally, and digital-only banks are capturing a growing share of new accounts. Traditional institutions need a strategy that covers every stage of the customer relationship, from awareness through onboarding and ongoing engagement. Discover how to build a digital engagement cycle that turns prospects into long-term customers.

AI is now the cornerstone of big businesses like Amazon, Google, Apple and IBM. It continually reforms what is possible for retail, logistics and manufacturing. But, did you ever stop to think how AI could be used for a mom-and-pop business or small company? You may not have, but that hasn’t stopped AI from thinking about your business! In this edition of our Plain Talk newsletter, we’ll dig into AI implementation for small businesses. Learn how small (and even mid-size) businesses can benefit from AI and machine learning. We’ll explain how to take advantage of the AI that’s already embedded in your business (whether you like it or not).

Is it just me or has everyone been getting an influx of text messages lately? And no, not from your mom or BFF—from politicians, brands and advertisers. Obviously COVID-19 has brought a ton of changes, but maybe it’s also renewed or increased interest in one-to-one communications and new (old) ways to connect with consumers. In today’s Plain Talk, we’ll dig into the resurgence of SMS campaigns and whether they might work in your marketing mix.