Who doesn’t love a good prediction blog.  They are fun to read, fun to talk about and even more fun to read 365 days later.  (I hope I’m right, I hope I’m right, I hope I’m right!)  Well, before you mark your calendar to check up on my accuracy on December 31, 2010, take time now to take in what I see on the horizon.  My advice…great ready and hang on.  It’s going to be a wild ride!My Predictions:

1. Internet Marketing and particularly social media will continue it’s meteoric rise, but those who post self-serving ads out there will find themselves increasingly filtered out thanks to new technology.  You can post…but we won’t seeeeee you!
2. Creativity will clearly rule on line and those who are both creative and strategic will move ahead more rapidly in the online branding race than those who are all about the technical.  Harvard MBA’s have tried to build a brand on a spreadsheet (I knew one, no lie) but to no avail.  Duh!
3. Your branding message will matter more and more as the clutter and the noise increases out there (and it will increase in 2010). Break through by creating “moments” that are on brand and unforgettable.  Have some fun for a change!  At work, I mean…
4. The “heart” will just grow stronger and in 2010 it will be more important than ever to connect with people and win hearts and minds in that order.  People are tired of “corporate.”  PowerPoint is officially powerless.  R. I. P.
5. 2010 marks the rise of the entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs worldwide will start to get a clue that they can release our world from the shackles of oil dependency, joblessness, climate change, poverty and more. Get the clue fast and let’s get busy! Time is of the essence because nobody looks good in a gas mask.
6. Traditional media is going to feel even more pain as advertisers shift dollars elsewhere.  I mean, really, when was the last time you watched a commercial?  Okay a commercial that didn’t have a dog in it?
7. If you haven’t been “Googled” yet by someone you just met, you will be in 2010. It’s how we’ll all be “checked out” from now on. And you were only worried about that toilet paper on your shoe!  Oh, it’s going way beyond that, so if the Google search of your name doesn’t yield the personal brand image you want, it’s time for an online makeover.  You gotta’ be Google-ready!

Those are my predictions.  And to ensure that you always believe that they are right, this blog will self destruct in 364 days!  Happy New Year one and all!

Filed under: Branding by Kathy Heasley
2 Comments »