Marketing Tips for a New Year

I’m a fan of making resolutions for the New Year. I do it personally and I also do it for my businesses. Whether you make resolutions or not, it’s a good time to review your business and then make a list of what you want to accomplish next year. Don’t go crazy, make it realistic and manageable. In order to accomplish your ‘promises’ make sure the items reflect what you really want and not what you think you should be doing. It is important, too, to not just want your resolutions but also believe you can accomplish them.

Having a doable strategic plan for your business in the New Year is more than making a list of what you’d like. It is important to take a look at your role as a business owner and how that can impact your strategic plan. Remember, the primary purpose of making resolutions in the first place is to change things about yourself that are intended to make you a better and more successful person and business owner. In order to do this, you must be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Okay, I’m going to start on the negative side. 

Some of the weak traits that show up in small business owners include:

• Not being at your place of business enough.
• Not selecting the right person to run your business in your absence (GM, office manager, supervisor, etc.). 
• Not being involved in all hiring of new employees. 
• Not recognizing great performances by your star employees.
• Not changing marketing/media campaigns even though they didn’t ‘move the needle’ last year.
• Not building customer loyalty programs to reward and retain continued business. 
• Not recognizing “new customers” when they come in for the first time to your business. 
• Not setting aside a small amount of money for new marketing options. 

Other resolutions to consider for your business life are:

• Learn how to delegate and do it! 
• Promote your business regularly and consistently. 
• Make business planning a weekly event.
• Join a business organization or networking group that truly is in line with your business objectives. 
• Give something back to the community. 
• Don’t make do with inferior business equipment; get a new laptop, phone, whatever is interfering with productivity. 
• Drop what’s not working for you and move on. 

So, consider making some resolutions or intentions for your business. For many of you, it is the start of a real PLAN. And that’s all good.