The end of 2020 is quickly approaching, and it’s time for small business owners to start looking for ways to grow and improve as we enter a new year.
Creating a small business marketing plan will help you be more prepared in the face of unexpected challenges, and ensure that your business is continuously getting noticed and getting new customers through the door.
Here are our top five tips to hit the ground running next year:
Assess your strengths and weaknesses
Before you create a new plan, look back at the previous year and assess your progress. What did you do well, and where can you improve? This will be the jumping-off point when you start setting your goals, identifying the areas that need the most time and attention.
This is a good time to do some research into your competitors as well, making note of what they’ve done well and if those tactics could be useful for your business.
Set new goals for yourself
What is your vision for the new year? Now is the time to get creative and determine the direction you want your business to go in. Writing explicit goals with specific time parameters and a realistic budget will help you stay focused as you progress through the new year. Be as specific as possible, with measurable units of growth or revenue that you can track and improve upon as needed. Writing the goals in a place where you and your staff can see them on a daily basis can keep everyone accountable to each other to accomplish them.
Create an action plan
Now that you’ve set your goals, you need to create a realistic plan to achieve those goals. What will you do to increase sales by 10 percent? What types of social media posts can you create to boost your engagement and get new followers each week? Your action plan may change as you progress through the year and discover new tools and methods, but it’s important to create those plans as early as possible to establish a direction for you and your team.
Find ways to innovate your process
There are new technologies being created on an almost daily basis that are designed to help us innovate and do business in new and exciting ways. Especially on a digital platform, there are always new social media sites and digital marketing tactics to get you noticed. Take some time to determine where you can make necessary upgrades, and work with your team to identify new tools that can help you perform better for your customers.
Track your progress and make adjustments as needed
You don’t have to wait until the end of next year to see what you did right and wrong. Regularly tracking and tweaking your progress is essential to the continued growth and success of your small business. Whether it’s weekly, monthly, quarterly, or all of the above, set time to review the numbers and find ways to improve.
Marketing is essential for your small business, but you may not have the time to devote the attention it really needs to be successful. VisionPATH Marketing specializes in getting your small business noticed with dynamic strategies for digital marketing, letting you focus on getting more customers while we establish your distinct online presence. Reach out today for a free consultation.