Crossbow Studio

The turbulence in the credit markets that began at the end of last summer and has by now infiltrated most aspects of our economy is expected to create lots of uncertainty in the first quarter of 2008 - and possibly beyond.

The commercial real estate industry, a market near and dear to our hearts, is not going to be able to avoid the overall unrest.

Vacancy rates are flattening - and the increasing amount of sub-leased space means tenants are going to be more cautious this coming year. As a marketing firm focused on helping real estate developers brand buildings and lease or sell more space, we anticipate one of two reactions: 

1. Many companies will immediately cut marketing budgets and try to limp along hoping that prospects that are on the fence will jump off sooner than (most likely) later.
2. The more nimble, market-focused companies will attempt to get out in front of the situation and create, rather than wait for, opportunities by positioning themselves appropriately and getting their message heard by their target markets.

It's that bullish group with which we'll be working - and these are some of the things they'll do more of in 2008:

Working on the Web:  Not just informational web sites, but web sites that improve the workflow. Video tours that save time, short 'films' that engage and tell compelling stories, work-order systems that smooth processes and save money. Promotion-specific landing pages that increase effectiveness. These are the upcoming trends.

E-mail with value: E-mails will contain more valuable information for the customer, less about the company offering the information. Video will be moving to your inbox. And the Inbox will be on the move. Watch for better use of the mobile web.

Edutainment:  We expect more of our clients to help "educate and entertain" their target audiences by creating meaningful experiences where the audience can have fun - and walk away with more knowledge on issues of concern to them.

Green, Green and More Green: You'd think we'd be at the tail end of this trend, it's already so over-done in our minds. But that's just because we've been pushing it with our clients for a while now. Our clients are still asking US what more they can be doing - so we expect it to continue throughout next year. And now that people have become more educated, companies are going to have to do more than just label their existing efforts as green. The pressure is on.

LinkedIn:  I started, not long ago at all, with 16 connections, but I expect to have 136 before the end of the first quarter.  Have you started your network? This is going to be a boon for Professional Service providers - and it's free.

It's easy to do well when the economy is good. The real winners are bullish enough to know that no matter what the market brings, there are always opportunities to do well.