BETA
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here

More From Forbes

Edit Story

Top Ten 2020 Consultant Marketing Trend Predictions

This article is more than 4 years old.

If you are a consultant who wants to attract more-paying clients in 2020, what are the top ten trends you should have on your radar?

I posed the question to three marketing experts whose opinions I highly respect. All three are thought leaders who write and speak regularly on the subject of marketing for professionals and independent consultants.

In 2013 Minal Sampat launched her marketing company by breaking a Guinness World Record. Based in the state of Washington, she is an in-demand marketing speaker and has a new book coming out in 2020 (that I helped her edit). Here are three of her trend predictions:

1. This Is Getting Personal. “The content for social media business and personal pages will now be blurred. People no longer want to connect with businesses that promote. Instead they want to connect with the owners, team and customers. What we used to share on our personal pages may soon become the content to share on our business pages.”

2. Finding Common Ground. “It is no longer about standing out and being different. Your business should not focus on how it can be different. It should instead focus on finding the common ground with the ideal target market. Connection built on common ground is the key to conversions in the future.”

3. From Selling To Storytelling. “There is so much marketing noise that the consumers want to connect with stories and not products. Businesses will have to change the tone of sales language from selling to storytelling.”

Lois Creamer of St. Louis is the author of Book More Business: Make Money Speaking and The Speaker Author: Sell More Books and Book More Speeches. She shared these predictions:

4. Speak Up To Move The Needle. “High content presentations will still rule. Decision makers insist speakers move the needle regarding performance, productivity, profits, and engagement.”

5. More Interaction And Less Yakking. “Interactive presentations are more in demand than ever. This will challenge some traditional keynote speakers to consider how to meet this request.”

6. Good News/Bad News For Being Paid To Speak. “The Meeting Industry Association reports inquiries up 5%. They consider this to be a sign of optimism. Competition among speakers vying for platforms will be as challenging as ever.”

Here's the world according to David Newman, the Philadelphia author of the bestseller Do It! Marketing and a new book to be released in 2020, Do It! Speaking. Here are three of his trend predictions:

7. Your Face And Voice Matter. “2020 is the year entrepreneurs and corporate executives fully step into their personal brand. Not only inside their company, but in the public eye. Look for more personal social media sharing, personal blogs and livestream videos from top corporate and entrepreneurial leaders.”

8. Now Read This Says The CEO. “There's a flood of CEO books coming out right now and that trend will only increase. Executives will fully embrace their potential to change the conversation in their industry and move from leader to thought leader.”

9. Consultant Competition From Corporate Executives. “More corporate executives will take the stage at key industry conferences, trade shows, and professional meetings. Look for smart CEOs and senior leaders to start building standalone speaker websites, shoot speaker demo videos, and even build out a robust corporate speakers bureau featuring all their senior leaders, brand evangelists, and product spokespeople.”

Lastly, here from San Diego is my biggest trend prediction for 2020:

10. To Attract Clients You Need to Be Heard. “Three marketing opportunities that will continue to explode in 2020 are podcasting, audio books and online course content. The book is still the ticket to play. But while millennials respect authors, I find they rather listen than read.”

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedInCheck out my website