It’s a new year for marketing, and with it comes a slew of potential resolutions for businesses. Some are huge and others are small, but businesses that really want to get their marketing on the right track may want to choose resolutions that fall somewhere in between, or, more realistically, are a combination of both.
Small Business Trends has recently extolled the virtues not only of achievable goals but also of small ones that can be reached on a weekly basis. Smaller victories, SBT argues, can provide a brighter outlook, develop good habits and spur productivity. Naturally, life is full of unexpected events that can make large overarching objectives suddenly impossible or impractical. Not achieving these benchmarks can make businesses feel less accomplished and potentially damage morale. However, more effective resolutions are those that prepare businesses to better adapt to new strategies in the future. Naturally, then, these smaller goals should have an eye toward a larger picture. Here are three objectives that can be achieved every week and set businesses up for success.
Make connections old and new
Relationships are key to a successful business. However, sometimes it’s easy to let communication with contacts fall by the wayside. Longstanding businesses may have lost touch with older contacts, while startups may be so caught up in work that communication becomes erratic. Either way, it’s important to rekindle or else develop a strong network of relationships.
Business 2 Community suggested that businesses strike up conversation with contacts by calling them on the phone to discuss plans and issues in the industry, as well as providing counsel if wanted and needed. Businesses that demonstrate their commitment to the success of others are not likely to be forgotten in the minds of their clients and colleagues. Additionally, companies will want to start developing new relationships.
This goal can be as simple as deciding to reach out to one previously neglected contact every week. Businesses can also decide to make one new introduction every other week as well. A phone call is an easy way to kindle these relationships, but businesses can also go a step further through business gifts. Whether a contact has had success or needs some encouragement, a present could be a great way to show vested interest. Promotional giveaways at trade shows could also help spark curiosity in new clients.
Generate more content
The digital world in general and social media in particular have been the focus of hot marketing trend lists in for more than a few years, and 2014 looks no different. While there are plenty of complex online marketing strategies and analytics business can and should employ in the coming years, it’s best to start with a basic and achievable goal that can provide the foundation for a digital marketing campaign. Choosing to generate more digital content per week can put businesses on the right track.
Increasing content doesn’t have to be a huge marketing overhaul. If a business doesn’t have a blog, it can start one and choose to make one post a week about anything, from company news to industry trends. Businesses that already generate written content may want to consider posting a video once every other week. According to Business 2 Community, videos are the king of content, and shorter videos around a minute long are a great way to make a quick but lasting impression. For companies that already have blogs and video, they can set a goal of one piece of content a week that better engages audiences, whether that be through promotional items or event notifications.
Keep records
Achieving success is in part dependent on measuring it. Businesses that want to improve themselves should start by organizing their company in a way to most effectively track the effects of their strategies. This resolution can include tracking the success of the aforementioned goals, but also any other part of the business that may need improvement.