The New Year is almost upon us. That means it's time to look back on the previous year and to look forward to what's in store for 2016.
Though nobody has a crystal ball to predict what's going to happen with complete certainty, we can look backward for ideas. As with anything, the past can be an indicator of what's in store for the future, so let's take a look at some of the ideas and concepts that we think will be important 2016 marketing trends in the foodservice industry:
1) Target audiences are shrinking. Messaging should be specific to smaller groups.As more and more foodservice businesses take advantage of the web and utilize intelligence gained on website traffic, messaging will be focused on smaller, more precise segments of their target audiences. Content should be personalized and specific.
It will be more critical than ever to identify your buyer personas, devise strategies for influencing them and calling them to action, and then executing the plans. There has been a growing emphasis on buyer specific messaging in the last few years, and this will continue in 2016.
2) Information is more accessible than ever. Make sure you're providing it.Yes, the power of connectivity is in full effect. Stores are essentially open 24/7/365, and the same can be said for access to information. Though the amount of information available on the Internet is almost infinite, many companies in the foodservice equipment and food supply industries are often hesitant to adopt content creation strategies.
Moving forward, this will be a mistake. If people are out there researching "hot holding cabinets" or "uses for chocolate couvertures" and that's what you produce, you should really be the one providing that information. The only other option for information is your competitors.
3) People are still concerned about the economy. Marketing ROI is important.Whether you're a manufacturer of foodservice equipment, a manufacturer rep, or even a food distribution company, return on investment is key. It doesn't matter how good the economy gets or how great the forecasts are for next year. C-suite and upper level marketers need to see ROI. Proven marketing ROI is the only way to unlock additional budget opportunities, and the only way to do this is to track ROI in the first place. You'd be surprised at how rare this truly is in the foodservice industry.
In the coming year, more and more companies will look for ways to both measure and achieve higher ROI's. A majority of these trends will include inbound marketing methodologies that achieve greater ROI regardless of company size or budget. There will be great emphasis placed on "closing the loop" on leads in order to track entry points for new customers.
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