There are many ways to market yourself and your company. Just as I am not going to tell you to take out a bunch of ads, I am not going to tell you to stop advertising if advertising is working for you. However, I will agree with the advertising reps in saying that if you are going to advertise, you need to commit to repeating your message enough to be noticed.
An important element in all marketing is branding to get yourself known and to do enough repeat messages preferably by email newsletters so that your past, present and future clients and prospects will remember you. Marketing to each of these groups is equally important. Sometimes your message might be the same for each and other times you may have different messages for different groups. Although it is sometimes hard to believe, not all of our clients always remember that we are there to help them so consistent communication is important.
Although the different venues for marketing are important, it is even more important that we ensure consistency in our “outflow”. Unfortunately, it is often the case that someone sends out one email, piece of mail or puts in one ad and then decides it doesn’t work because there is not an immediate response. In a sense it’s like expecting to get a marriage proposal after a first date. Sure, it can happen, but that usually isn’t the way it works. Our promotional messages may need to be repeated enough so that the prospect starts to feel comfortable with us.
As the new year approaches, it’s a good time to analyze the effectiveness of your marketing and to put a plan together for the upcoming year.
Take a good look at what marketing activities you did this past year, which actions were successful and what you would like to do in the upcoming year. If your business has been slow, it is important to repeat those actions which worked. Planning your marketing strategy and budget now will help your business run smoothly next year. Remember when working on your budget to include a contingency for unexpected expenses or an additional worthwhile marketing opportunity.
Reviewing your marketing plan is the first step in reaching your goals and growing your business in 2020.
Marketing is not just about advertising – that is only a small part of your strategy. Other ways to effectively market your business may include emails, social media, updating your website and referral programs.