December seems to be a month that inspires reflection for many of us, in both our personal and professional lives. With the approach of a new decade, now is a great time to take a look at your marketing efforts and how well (or not) your plan has served your business over the last year.
First, conduct a review of the last year.
Whether or not you created a dedicated marketing plan for 2019, it’s likely you still promoted your business throughout the year. Make a list or review all you did to market your business. Was there a boost in business or client engagement during or after certain promotions? If you notice that specific efforts didn’t have much of a return, decide now whether you would like to continue with modifications or if you would like to concentrate on other marketing methods next year instead.
Remember to evaluate what competitors have done.
Even though you won’t have detailed data from other businesses or competitors, it’s still a great idea to review what they did to market themselves throughout the year. While you shouldn’t recreate what they’ve done, you can still gain inspiration from what they did well. Use the information you gather from your own business and others to make better-informed decisions and adjust your plan for the future.
Create a specific plan moving forward.
All marketing requires strategy and forethought. Based on your review of 2019, decide how you would like to market throughout 2020. Brainstorm the ways you would like to promote your business, then scale that to work within your budget, time constraints, and opportunities.
Remember to investigate options across many platforms. Some clients will appreciate materials they can hold like postcards, brochures and door hangers. Other clients may be more engaged online. Market effectively by meeting your clients where they are.
Add your plan, step by step, to the calendar.
By adding the specifics of your marketing plan to the calendar, you’ll notice any gaps or items that were overlooked during your initial planning session. Adjust your plan to coordinate with large events or holidays to maximize opportunity and reach. Remember to give yourself plenty of time for design, production and mailing if necessary.