More than in any other year, a customer-centric strategy will be the biggest driver of a successful marketing program in 2015.

With mobile now the first screen in consumers lives — and a primary channel for brands to connect with consumers — marketers must closely examine their 2015 programs through the lens of the consumer to ensure the consumer, not the product or brand, is the center of focus.

With the proliferation of mobile, consumers have taken the reins when it comes to brand interactions, dictating how, when, and where they want to be approached. And they have a diminishing tolerance for brands that act on their own terms.

So how does this affect how you shape your marketing initiatives? Here are six predictions of what we’ll see in 2015:

1. Beacons expand rapidly, but many programs will fail

Beacons will swiftly break out of retail and sports arenas and into hotels, real estate listings, restaurants, auto dealerships, and more as marketers aim to revolutionize the on-premises experience. However, beacons will quickly be abused, firing off messages and offers to everyone who happens to pass, regardless of how relevant those offers are to them. Instead of driving engagement, poor beacon strategy will drive consumers out of the store and into the arms of another brand. In 2015, a few brands (likely 1 out of 4) will deploy the right beacon strategy: integrating beacons into an omnichannel approach, ensuring every interaction is personalized and contextual, moving beyond simple offers to rich content and media that provide entertainment or a utility, and being transparent in terms of how customer data is used. As marketers rush to roll out beacons without the proper strategy to beat the next guy, the majority of beacon programs will flop.

2. Disenchantment with location marketing

As more budgets shift to mobile, many marketers will continue to obsess over location-based marketing, leading to a reality where consumers are targeted at every street corner.

Read the full article here.