For many businesses, the holiday season is one of the
busiest times of the year. For others, the holidays are a
bit slower. Regardless of which category your business fits
into, you should be looking ahead to 2008.
Why now? Year end is ideal for reflecting on what you've
accomplished during the year. What new products, services
or programs did you implement? What customer service
strategies did you employ that increased business? Which
marketing strategies successfully put your business in
front of your target customer, and what didn't work and why?
Armed with this information, take a look at your goals for
next year. What do you want your business to accomplish
next year? Do you want to increase revenue? Grow your
client base? Venture into a new niche market? Now think
about how you're going to get there. This is where your
marketing planning for 2008 comes in. Spend some time
thinking about what marketing tools you can implement next
year that will help you to reach your goals.
Although some marketing planning techniques are complex and
require weeks to fine-tune, I've found that a simpler
method works for my clients. To develop a marketing plan
that will work for your business, try the following.
First, identify the types of marketing you want to do next
year such as advertising (print and online), events,
promotions, referral programs, newsletters, press releases,
coupons, online marketing, direct mail, e-mail marketing,
etc. Choose methods that have worked well for you in the
past as well as ideas you'd like to try.
Next, decide how often you will do each type of marketing.
Some methods like advertising, newsletters, and online
marketing will require consistent use and implementation to
be successful. Others (press releases, events and
promotions) can be done less frequently or can be
implemented when you're expecting a cyclical slowdown in
activity.
Third, pull out your calendar and start penciling in
marketing ideas. As you tentatively post items to your
calendar, consider what marketing methods are going to
yield the best results. Most of my business, for example,
comes from my website and client referrals, so I want to
focus my efforts on posting new content to my website,
networking with potential business partners and clients,
and regularly communicating with my existing client base
(newsletters, postcards, referral program, etc.)
Here's a sample to get you started:
January: Send cards to clients thanking them for 2007
business and wishing them well in the New Year (2nd)
Advertise in Sunday real estate section of local newspaper
(weekly) Advertise in local Homes & Land publication (15th)
Send out e-newsletter to existing clients and prospects
(20th) Networking lunch (22nd) Post new content to website
(25th)
February: Hold customer appreciation open house (5th)
Advertise in Sunday real estate section of local newspaper
(weekly) Advertise in local Homes & Land publication (15th)
Send out e-newsletter to existing clients and prospects
(20th) Networking lunch (22nd) Post new content to website
(25th)
March: Distribute press release about latest award won or
new product/service launched Advertise in Sunday real
estate section of local newspaper (weekly) Advertise in
local Homes & Land publication (15th) Send out e-newsletter
to existing clients and prospects (20th) Networking lunch
(22nd) Post new content to website (25th)
Now compare your ideas and your initial marketing schedule
to your budget and staff. Can you afford to do all of the
marketing you'd like to do? If not, scale back the list.
Retain items that will most often put you in front of your
target customer and that offer the best return on your
investment. If you have a wildly successful year, it is
much easier to add a marketing tool than to take one away,
especially if your customers have gotten used to it.
Based on what's left on your list, do you have the staff to
implement your ideas? For example, who will write your
monthly newsletter? Who will make sure postcards get mailed
to prospects, and how will you get website content updated
regularly? If you don't have the staff or you are a one-man
show, can you hire an intern to help out, exchange services
with a colleague or hire an independent contractor to fill
in the gaps?
Finally, review your 2008 marketing plan on a quarterly
basis to see what's working and what may need tweaking. The
document can be adjusted as needed, depending on your
changing needs. As you evaluate your plan, be sure to note
which marketing methods worked well for your business and
which ideas didn't yield the expected results. Keep this in
a folder marked "2008 Marketing Results." Also, note the
items that you would like to try and save them in a folder
marked "Marketing Ideas." This information will help you to
plan for subsequent years.
For small businesses, this simple marketing planning
formula is an easy way for you to look ahead to 2008
without distracting you from the holiday business at hand.
Here's to an incredibly successful 2008!
Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis
Copyright © 2007 by Dana E. Blozis
----------------------------------------------------
Dana Blozis of Virtually Yourz
(http://www.virtuallyyourz.com ) is a freelance writer,
editor and marketing professional based in the Seattle
area. In addition to writing for publication, she offers
writing, editing and marketing services to small businesses
and nonprofits. For more marketing ideas, subscribe to
Dana's monthly marketing newsletter at
http://www.virtuallyyourz.com/index.php#subscribe .
No comments:
Post a Comment