Custom content marketing is a great way to get consumer attention and make an advertisement personalized. 26 percent of advertising budgets are going towards the use of custom content marketing, with a total of $23.6 billion spent last year.

Marketers already know that there are multiple channels to use to connect to consumers. This makes it both very easy and difficult to get a customer’s attention. So while consumers seem to always be distracted with various forms of media, it is also to a marketer’s benefit since they get more than one opportunity to reach their audience.

Barcodes are becoming more popular as consumers are learning more about them and smartphones are becoming more mainstream. These codes can be used in many types of advertising, from a direct mail piece to a magazine to a billboard.

With more and more people using smartphones, it is more important than ever to make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices. This goes for tablets as well; basically any device that is not a computer needs an optimized site so viewers can see and interact with content more effectively.

Marketing is all about investment. Last year, over half a billion dollars were spent on marketing. That’s a big investment. Now, the real question is what was the return on that investment? When your company spends money on a big marketing campaign, do you track the ROI?

Companies collect customer data in order to use it later on in further marketing efforts. Consumers are becoming more and more aware of how different companies and Internet services are collecting personal data about them, and some debate has risen. Facebook has received the brunt of this concern, especially since the site is so widely used.

2011 was a slower year for marketing spending as the economy continued to slow. Uncertainty in the market as well as unemployment contributed to the marketing slump as well. Many advertising medias were down including radio, newspapers, magazines, and television. However, direct mail jumped $46.4 billion, a 3.5% increase, according to the DMA.

The small, strange looking boxes known as QR codes seem to be popping up everywhere. The codes are designed to be scanned by a mobile device in order to receive information.

One of the best things a business can have is a loyal customer. It is much more difficult and expensive to build new relationship and attract a new customer than it is to keep a customer loyal to your brand. Customers can be very brand loyal on their own, but it is up to your company to give them a reason to stick with your business or products.

One of the largest and fastest growing companies in the world, Google, understands that printed materials can deliver a strong message. Google has sent out various advertisements and even a full-color catalog over the past couple of months.

Lately, marketers have been very focused on the use of digital media in their marketing plans. Businesses are spending more and more time and resources on websites, social media, apps for the iPad or iPhones, and email marketing. All of these mediums are great. They’re new, exciting, and trendy. But are they getting your message across?

1. Be real. Show your customers who your company really is. Authenticity goes a long way when it comes to marketing and consumers appreciate it when companies are upfront with them. Direct mail is a great channel for your company’s culture and values to shine through; take advantage of that.

A direct mail campaign could be exactly what your company needs. Add a little creativity and it could be produce the highest ROI you’ve seen in years. When your company uses direct mail, you are providing your customers with a tangible experience of what your product can offer.

Social media can empower marketing campaigns, but in some cases it is better to place social media in more of a supporting role rather than the lead. Let your followers know about your new big promotion on a site like Twitter, but also be sure to focus on your direct mail and print ads to really drive home your message to the consumer.

Your brand is one of your biggest assets and it is very important that you continually protect your investment. In the fast paced world of social media, blogs, podcasts, applications, and knowledge at our fingertips it can be difficult to maintain the integrity of your brand.