2023 Strategies and Challenges for Marketing and PR

With 2022 rapidly coming to a close, we’ve got 2023 on the brain. We asked our team of savvy marketers what they view as the smartest marketing and public relations strategies to harness in the new year, as well as the biggest challenges ahead for organizations. Dive on in to find actionable ideas and insights for your 2023 marketing and PR programs

Trending strategies to consider

Content is still king

“Demand for strong, insightful thought leadership content is greater than ever. Publications are increasingly opting for contributed content over conducting interviews and writing stories in-house. This presents a tremendous public relations opportunity for organizations to position themselves as industry experts and communicate their key messages.

Marketers and PR pros need to elevate their content strategy beyond simply repeating the same high-level observations and buzzwords. By providing unique insight and actionable best practices that speak to B2B readers’ needs, challenges and priorities, you will differentiate from others in the industry.

– Stephen Dye, Director

“Strong writing skills have always been a key component of good PR. Many trade-specific publications are increasingly more open to accepting contributed articles in lieu of interviews, giving businesses an opportunity for more visibility. Being able to tell your story both verbally and in writing is especially important in the coming year. It’s critical to know your messaging, and the impact your product or service has through the lens of the customer.”

– Megan Higdon, Senior Account Manager

Personalization for the win

“Whether you are B2B or B2C, the end user now expects a highly personalized digital experience when they engage with your organization. Personalized experiences like recommending products or content based on consumer behavior are becoming par for the course in today’s digital era. As such, marketers need to prioritize personalization tactics in their strategy wherever possible to create value for customers, drive engagement and build loyalty.”

– Katie Schimmel, Director

Cultivate C-suite allies with alignment

“For the B2B marketing organization, get as close to the C-suite as you can to listen, learn, contribute and counsel. Ensure marketing has a seat at the executive table. Marketing strategy must closely align with the top leadership, line of business, sales, customer service, channel and IT. Doing so sets up your marketing investments to produce the highest return, especially in the current economic climate.

This tight collaboration will help your business gain the loyalty needed through and beyond what may be a challenging economic year.”

– Christa Carroll, Partner

Challenges to keep in mind

The economy and business environment

“The great Staff Shuffle following the Great Resignation has had real impact on teams around the country. Remember that ‘slow and steady’ sometimes wins the race. Faced with potential economic trouble and ever-changing social trends, stick to your solid PR and content marketing plan.

Don’t be distracted by the noise (TikTok isn’t for everyone, y’all) and make sure your messaging is timely and relevant. The current environment may feel overwhelming for many companies who face impending growth goals. Remember to go back to the basics and work from your solid foundation.”

– Audrey Pennisi, Partner

“Marketers will need to make a compelling internal case that their marketing and public relations program is essential for growth during uncertain economic times. Consistently show concrete return on investment (ROI) for marketing efforts with defined KPIs to help meet that challenge. Also regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your own marketing spend, and shift as needed, so the funding doesn’t vanish. Especially in choppy economic waters, setting the marketing ship to autopilot can be disastrous. Active navigation and a clear view to the horizon are required.”

– Frank Sennett, Vice President

Data and privacy hurdles

“With Apple’s release of iOS 15 and Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) feature, marketers need to reevaluate their view of email open rates. Open rate has been an important KPI for email marketing, but with these changes, businesses can no longer rely on this metric to know users opened an email. Additionally, it also masks the user’s IP address so it can’t be linked to other online activity or their location.

These changes can have ripple effects across many email marketing strategies like audience segmentation based on opens, A/B testing of subject lines and more. Consider reviewing your automation triggers and reevaluate alternative email KPIs like click through and conversion rates.”

– Molly Walsh, Senior Account Manager

“For the last few years, marketers have been challenged to demonstrate results with data, particularly in how they contribute to revenue and greater business goals. This trend, along with growing economic concerns, means that marketers will need to deliver more than ever in 2023. In some cases, with less people, budget or tools to do it. Getting your digital marketing strategy right continues to get more complicated. This is where a great partner can help point you in the right direction.”

– Stephanie Manola, Partner

2023, here we come

The last few years have taught marketing and PR pros the importance of adaptability and innovation, especially in the face of new and unknown circumstances. The new year brings a level of uncertainty but also an amazing opportunity to meet it head on with these tips from our staff. If you’d like help assessing your program, tackling these challenges or would like to hear more about implementing these strategies into your marketing and PR efforts, let’s talk.

Make sure to check out our blog for other marketing, social media, and PR insights from the Outlook Marketing team in the new year. To learn more, send us an email or reach out via Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook!