Full-time marketers are somewhere in the midst of budgeting and planning for 2018 marketing programs and campaigns. When marketing is just one of several responsibilities you shoulder in your business or department, you may be just getting started or wondering what to do next that will make a difference. You’re not alone.
Nearly half of 1,000 small business owners surveyed say they don’t know whether they’re marketing effectively – and 14% know they aren’t, according to Infusionsoft and LeadPages research.
Here are three quick tips to consider that may help you turn it around:
1. Don’t underestimate the value of a fleshed-out plan.
Though it takes time and effort, the benefits of having a written marketing plan prior to the first of the year are worth it. Among many advantages, it allows you to address your organization’s big-picture goals, connect the dots between your marketing activities and coordinate your messaging so it’s reaching the right audiences.
2. Know the difference between tactical and strategic planning.
Think of your plan as strategic (many parts working together to achieve a common goal) rather than tactical (single part achieving a single goal).
However, strategy means nothing without execution, so striking the right balance to accomplish both is key. Try limiting the number of activities, and set hard deadlines for them. This allows you to focus on a few things you can truly accomplish and eliminates distractions that can prevent you from doing anything well.
3. Prioritize customer retention over acquisition.
When it comes to allocating resources, customer retention is much less expensive than customer acquisition. Tip the budgetary scales here.
Yet every organization experiences natural attrition, and needs consistent, lead generation activities to actively look for new business opportunities.
Need a hand creating a 2018 marketing plan that drives real results? HighNote can help.
About HighNote
We help build powerful brand connections through insight, print, mail, and signs.
Clients trust us because we do what we say we will and we always deliver. Clients rave about us because we understand what they need — not just what they’ve asked for.
Our promise is simple: We’ll bring your vision, strategy, and brand to a higher level of performance — while making the process easier, better, and faster for you.
That’s why we’re here.
We’re HighNote. Elevating your brand is what we’re all about.