In an earlier post, I discussed three of the top seven Deloitte Marketing Trends of 2021. To recap, they were purpose, agility, and the human experience. (Click here to visit that article). In this post, I unpack what the remaining four can teach us about what God is doing in the business realm.
Trend 4: Trust
As Deloitte puts it, โWhen messaging connects to delivery, trust flourishes.โ When companies deliver on what is promised, they gain trust in the eyes of the consumer. And itโs not just about what the consumer receives. It has become increasingly important to consumers that integrity is maintained within the company as well. For example, 82% of customers are more likely to consciously choose businesses that ensure the safety and well-being of their employees, and 31% say that this is imperative to earn their repeated business.
This trend highlighted two major things to me that business owners should pay attention to. The first is making sure that teams are aware of and implementing key performance indicators (KPIs) that are put in place to assure that the business delivers on its messaging. The second is to understand what connects to your target audience from a marketing standpoint. What are they looking for, and why are they looking at you for it? Sharing the ways that your company abides by above-and-beyond ethical standards (in a way thatโs not too show-offy) could help you build trust with your audience.
What does this mean for the Kingdom?
โNow listen,ย you rich people,ย weep and wailย because of the misery that is coming on you.ย Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.ย Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.ย Look! The wages you failed to pay the workersย who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The criesย of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.โ James 5:1-4 NIV
Our God is a God of justice. I know that equitable and safe workspaces are a cry of Godโs heart. So, the fact that companies are being held to a greater standard bears hope for the future of global work! Money is now on the table for companies to not only say they enforce, but prove they enforce, moral practices.
Trend 5: Participation
People thrive on relationships. The business realm is becoming more relational as tools for customer participation digitized and expanded. Deloitte measured participation โin low-touch, low-effort activities such as writing online reviews and posting about a brand on social media, to deeper forms such as co-creating with a brand to develop new products or produce original content (e.g., uploading videos and blogging).โ So, incorporating an engagement strategy into your business plan could be a great way to diversify yourself from competitors while building a robust core audience!
What does this mean for the Kingdom?
The top reason why people want to participate with brands is simple: they want to help. In Deloitteโs survey, helping others outranked other motivations such as โwanting to share something exciting,โ having expertise in a product or service,โ or a โbrand launching a new product.โ It may seem simple, but I definitely think that wanting to help people is a Kingdom value that is spreading. With all of the ways people can review products and services nowadays, people genuinely want to help others get the best quality for their money.
Trend 6: Fusion
Every industry is connected, but businesses donโt always operate from that truth. For many years, people in the business realm stayed in their lane and networked within their specific channels. It appears that, to some level, that is changing. Customers are people, and people have needs from every industry. So, in an effort to be less product-focused and more customer-focused, businesses are forming cross-industry partnerships: fusions. They are thinking outside of the box and networking to expand their reach and better serve their customers.
Deloitte notes that โItโs not about doing the same thing better. Rather, organizations have an opportunity to completely reimagine partnership strategies that open the aperture of solutions for the people they serve.โ
What does this mean for the Kingdom?
I think fusion means the same thing for the Kingdom as it does the business worldโunity. I talk about the 7 Mountains quite a bit. If you havenโt heard, the 7 Mountains refer to the seven spheres of influence (business, religion, arts & entertainment, education, government, family, and media) that make up a society. The idea is that every Christian is called to influence the culture a particular mountain (or a few) with Kingdom values. No mountain is greater than another. Like members of a body, they all depend on each other to function.
This trend is exciting because it so clearly represents how God wants to move in all aspects of culture. Right now, there are pathways for Christians to unite across various industries and make some serious impact!ย I encourage you to pray for fusion through divine connections in your own life. Think outside the box and dream about how you could leverage other peopleโs knowledge and resources to build something really amazing for the Kingdom of God!
Related: The Sunday-Monday Gap: How to Integrate Your Faith & Finances
Trend 7: Talent
This trend refers to the changing marketing landscape. Rapid changes are occurring in the business realm due to increased need and digitization. Deloitte suggests adapting talent models to position marketing as a key differentiator. In other wordsโmarketing is one of the most important skills new employees can have.
What does this mean for the Kingdom?
Deloitteโs report suggests that there is a growing need to optimize work. There is a push to eliminate redundant tasks with artificial intelligence and optimize employeesโ natural giftings. While this article specifically refers to creating more space for marketers to flourish, I think it is consistent with other disciplines. As technology makes work more efficient, I believe God wants to create space for us to really focus on what heโs called us to do.
