Modern marketers must keep a wide range of effective techniques in their marketing toolbox. Changes in technology, popular culture and the online environment will demand adaptations for firms who 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 need to 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 email that you know your clients receive daily, it can be daunting to create something that’s both eye-catching and effective. For best results with your email marketing messages, concentrate on the basics. 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 really the client experience and associations people draw from that experience that mold and shape a brand 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 are ignoring your attempts to contact them. Why is this happening? And more importantly, how can you give your email marketing messages a boost? 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. A lot of times these firms send out general interest newsletters or keep in sporadic touch with industry touch points and companies on the list. There’s a lot more gold to be mined in those email addresses 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. Everyday is filled with emails, text messages, tweets, likes and follows that typically fulfill some utilitarian purpose. These messages are quick, taking 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 totally convinced.