2021 Is The Time To Upskill Your Marketing Skills

Julie Starr • April 20, 2021



There is no denying that the past 12 months have been incredibly difficult for us all. It has been a period of change. It has been a period of challenge. And, it has been a period whereby we have needed to adapt quickly. While businesses try to recover from this, one thing that a lot of companies will rightly be focusing on is their marketing efforts. With that being said, in this blog post, we are going to take a look at how and why you need to upskill your marketing efforts in 2021. 

Consumer attitudes have changed over the past 12 months, and so marketing much change too 

We all need to be looking for different ways that we can reach customers . The truth is that consumer attitudes have changed over the past 12 months. A lot of people have reduced savings. A lot of individuals are feeling more worried about spending their money. We also have different concerns and priorities compared with those we had a year ago. This is why it makes sense to change your advertising. You need to make sure that your marketing strategy aligns with these fresh goals. 

Marketing needs a careful balance of both online and offline methods to be successful 

Remember, it is not just about learning about digital marketing either. The best marketing policies today are those that combine both online and offline marketing methods to stunning effect. Billboards, such as those provided by Allvision Billboards , can be highly effective. This provides you with a great way of reaching a large number of people when they drive past the advertisement. You may also want to consider the likes of flyers and brochures. The right marketing methods depend on the sort of people you are trying to reach. This is why you always need to start by outlining your target audience and then work from here.

Sustainability needs to be at the core of all of your marketing methods

Aside from the two points that we have mentioned above, you also need to make sure that sustainability is at the core of your marketing efforts. Make sure that you are eco-conscious when deciding what sort of marketing methods are going to be right for you. You also need to make sure that you brand any green efforts your company is making to benefit the planet. Customers today care more about the ethics of the company that they buy from, and so this is more critical than you may even realize. 

So there you have it: all you need to know about upskilling your marketing skills in 2021. There is no denying that a lot of businesses are looking for different ways to reach new heights this year while they recover from the impact of the pandemic. If you fall into this category, improving your marketing skills is a good way to get the word out about your business and to ensure that 2021 is a successful one. 

By Julie Starr July 17, 2025
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By Julie Starr July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.