By Erica Strich

With uncertain economic conditions ahead, what can we expect of marketing for professional services in the year to come? To find out, I surveyed a few of my colleagues here at RainToday / Wellesley Hills Group to get their predictions and I have compiled them here.

Thank you to John Doerr, Mary Flaherty, Mike Schultz, Mark Fortune, Aaron Joslow, Laurie Stafinski, and Bob Croston for looking into the glass ball and providing us with insight on what the future holds.

1. Back to the basics. We'll see a focus more on tactics that are measurable and can yield quick hit returns. This includes an increase in direct marketing tactics such as calling, email, and mail. And with this influx in an already crowded space, it is going to be tougher and tougher to get through using these methods.
   
   
2. Value-based marketing will win. With the uptick in marketing communications and noise, those firms with value-based messaging will standout even more than their competitors with a straight up sales pitch. Those left standing will be the ones that are thoughtful, skilled, and value-based not only in their service delivery but in their marketing.
   
   
3. Some companies will fail, others will succeed. Some people will continue to sell and work hard and these are the people who will bring in new clients, make money, and prosper regardless of the economic conditions. Others will make excuses about the tough economy, give up and fail, and prove Henry Ford's adage correct, "Whether you think you can or can't, you're right."
   
   
4. The jury is still out on social media. There were mixed reviews around social media—some think it is going to infiltrate the professional services marketing space, while others say social media will be deemed "overrated for professional services firms."
   
   I think social media is here to stay, but that we'll see a shake down in the number of sites that are out there and being used (for professional services marketing). My prediction: LinkedIn will be the one left standing as the king of the mountain.
   
   
5. Extremes will happen. We will see a clear line drawn between firms that view marketing as a:
   
   1. Cost: At firms where marketing is not respected, marketing spending will get chopped in the attempt to save cash.
   
   2. Revenue generator: At other places more dollars, energy, and focus will be put on marketing because marketing is viewed as a revenue driver.
   
   
6. Focus on short-term lead generation. While we all know the stats that most leads are long-term leads, there will be strong focus on generating short-term leads and new conversations with prospects who are ready to buy now. Long-term brand building or lead nurturing activities will fall by the wayside for many firms, which could hurt them looking into 2010 and beyond.

In 2009 business will still be out there for the taking and I predict those firms that succeed and grow (even in the down economy) will be the ones who believe they can grow, who continue to invest the time, money and energy in marketing, and who focus on the providing strong value – in their service delivery, marketing, sales, pricing, and every other aspect of their organization.