A splash of colour is always a wonderful place to start! I took this photo of a daffodil while out for a lunchtime walk. There is nothing better than taking breaks outside during the workday to improve focus and clear the mind. Furthermore, a clear blue sky can indicate a change in the atmosphere, as we have all been hearing!
We made the decision to examine youth marketing more closely as we approach the midway point of the second decade of the century. Our most recent webinar, which included the well-known agency Thinkhouse, on marketing to the future generation, was really enlightening. Jane McDaid, the speaker, gave many examples of brands and trends to keep an eye on.
(In March, one of Jane’s coworkers will be on the show to talk about sustainability, which is a big issue for the next generation.)
Trends for 2025
The industry forecasts we put up at the beginning of the year are available here if you haven’t had a chance to read, watch, or listen to them yet:
- Trends for 2025
- Social Media Trends
- Trends Webinar
- Trends podcast
Webinar and podcast updates
Over the course of four weeks, Will Francis led our first paid webinar series (masterclass) of the year, guiding us through every aspect of social media marketing. The courses were jam-packed with insightful information and useful advice. We hold quarterly masterclasses, so be sure to attend our upcoming one in June, where we’ll explore AI and search.
Additionally, I’m thrilled to preview our upcoming free webinars for spring. We will work with a popular YouTuber to explore YouTube marketing in April, then in May, we will concentrate on cultivating a growth mentality in our professional lives.
Make sure to check your inbox and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn to stay informed about all of our upcoming webinars and live events.
The dynamic Peter Murphy Lewis, a fractional CMO who splits his time between Kansas and South America, and Eli Goodman from the renowned Datos data company, which was established during the pandemic, are just two of the amazing guests on the show. We also welcomed Nikki Lindgren, who presented her experience dealing with DTC in the cosmetics sector, and podcast specialist Harry Morton, who offered advice on how to create a podcast for your brand. Remember to watch our career stories films for a brief look at how our guests got to where they are now.
The perks of Professional Membership
It could be worthwhile to reconsider the advantages if you haven’t already become a professional member of DMI.
Our goal is to give our members useful content that they can use in their everyday marketing campaigns. Advanced AI lessons, such as Clark Boyd’s instruction on using ChatGPT to visualise data, and in-depth brand studies, like our research of Innocent Drinks, are among the exclusive resources available to professional members.
Additionally, you will have access to extensive e-books, such as our recently revised Guide to Online Writing, which now incorporates insights on AI applications, and our Email Marketing Playbook, which was authored by our head of marketing.
Access to our continuously updated library of premium toolkits, which includes budgeting trackers and more, is another significant benefit.
- Media Budget Tracker
- Paid Media Budget Forecasting Tool
- Content Production Budget Tracker
- Paid Media Scenario Forecasting
- Paid Media Budget Forecasting Tool
The ability to submit your own work for publication on the DMI library is one of the special advantages of professional membership. In fact, we will publish at least three new member-submitted works this spring! It benefits the community and helps you develop your personal brand when you contribute your own voice to the library.
Every time you watch a webinar, read an ebook, or do any other activity that counts towards your quota, remember to record your CPD points. You may find more details here.
Helping with your marketing life
Research and feedback suggest that we should keep providing a range of career and work-related guidance. Both our previous blog post on how to write a notice letter and our tutorial on how to create a digital portfolio—a novel alternative to a traditional CV or resume—were well received. How to stop and think about choosing the perfect company to work for was another well-liked topic.
We constantly concentrate on offering guidance on how to handle your day-to-day marketing obligations. For this reason, we talked about things like how to launch a blog and, more practically, how to budget for digital marketing.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you believe we could be of assistance in any other work-related areas.
Work-life tips: Beating decision fatigue
I want to concentrate on decision-making this quarter. You must constantly decide which campaign plan to use as a digital marketer. Which subject line works the best? Where should the funds be allocated? Over time, this continual decision-making may cause mental exhaustion that impairs your capacity for original and clear thought.
These six suggestions can help you stay focused and reduce mental strain.
1. Automate small decisions
Your brain energy is not needed for every decision. Simplify or automate repetitive processes, such creating report templates, planning in-depth work sessions every week, or establishing established guidelines for responding to emails.
2. Prioritize what actually matters
Not every choice has the same weight. Ask yourself, “Is this a significant decision, or am I overanalysing a small issue?” before you start fixing problems. Focus your efforts on the decisions that will provide significant outcomes.
3. Reduce daily cognitive clutter
Having too many options might cause you to lose concentration, whether you’re choosing which industry news to read or what to work on first. Simplify whenever you can, including by limiting your reading to a small number of reliable industry sources or organising your top three chores the day before—a strategy I personally abide by.
4. Batch similar tasks together
It can be exhausting to juggle team communications, analytical reporting, and creative tasks. Try putting related jobs together rather than alternating between unrelated ones. For example, you may limit your email checking to twice a day or schedule a certain time for content planning.
5. Set default decisions
Reduce hesitancy by developing “go-to” answers for typical problems. Set a default rule, for example, “If we can’t define a measurable goal for this platform, we won’t invest time in it,” if you’re not sure whether to try a new social media network.
6. Know when to take a break
Your brain may need a reset if you’re having trouble making a decision. You can avoid making rash decisions due to mental exhaustion and return with a clearer head if you take a quick break—just five minutes to look at the daffodils.
You may save your mental energy for the decisions that really propel growth by making small decisions easier, protecting your focus, and creating a clear system of priorities.
We appreciate your participation in the DMI community and your reading! Please feel free to write us with your thoughts and recommendations on how we can make the DMI library better for you; we sincerely welcome any feedback.