Modern marketers must keep many practical techniques in their marketing toolbox. Changes in technology, popular culture, and the online environment will demand adaptations for firms that must stay current. Here are three marketing trends that are going to make an impact on your business in 2014 and beyond.

To generate, manage and convert leads, you must triangulate your client relationship management (CRM) tool, social media, and email marketing. Here’s how to complete each leg of the triangle.

With the slew of emails you know your clients receive daily, it can be daunting to create something eye-catching and effective. Concentrate on the basics for the best results with your email marketing messages. You need to get attention in a crowded inbox, make a connection in your message and direct the recipient’s next move with your CTA:

Do not fall into the trap of the rather pervasive belief that a firm’s logo constitutes its brand. While the logo and overall aesthetic image are parts of the brand, it’s the client experience and associations people draw from that experience that mold and shape a brand the most. These touch points are the foundation for good engagement marketing.

The average open rate for marketing emails is an abysmal 21 percent. That means four out of five clients ignore your attempts to contact them. Why is this happening? And more importantly, how can you boost your email marketing messages? Insert the following three qualities into your marketing emails and increase open rates.

It's always a good idea to integrate your marketing efforts, presenting a unified presence to your clients and prospects. When interacting with your audience via social media and email marketing, take the opportunity to refer to your other channels, establishing as many forms of contact with your audience as possible. You'll then have a variety of ways to keep in touch and disseminate your messages. In addition, clients are likely to find available their preferred method of interacting with your brand. This increases the likelihood that they'll welcome your updates and keep in touch, one way or another. 

Most professional services firms have an email list--and they don’t do much with it. Often these firms send out general interest newsletters or keep in sporadic touch with industry touch points and companies on the list. Much more gold to be mined in those email cases that your firm has been accumulating. Email marketing is a powerful tool to gather information and help deepen relationships. 

In today’s wired world, electronic communications are rarely extraordinary. Daily is filled with emails, text messages, tweets, likes, and follows that typically fulfill some useful purpose. These messages are quick, take minutes to draft, and rarely involve thoughtfully written prose.  One could easily say, “This is simply the natural evolution of communication.”  While that may be the case, I am not convinced.