Marketing Resolutions to Keep in 2012

Written by: Ellen Stuart

It’s that time again: the halls are decked, the cookies are baking and your Web design crew is busy with lots of festive eblasts.

But as soon as the wrapping paper is recycled and the last gallon of eggnog is chugged, it will be time to think about New Year’s resolutions.

Maybe you’re planning to hit the gym more, or you’re trying a new hobby. Or maybe you’re just carving out some time to breathe.

Along with your other personal resolutions, the new year is also a good time to take a look at your marketing strategy. It might need an overhaul, too. Here are three resolutions to make (and keep!) for your business marketing  in 2012.

1. Stop the identity crisis.

What’s your brand? What are you known for? What should it be?

Do members of your company know what that personality is? Do you? The new year is the perfect time to take a closer look at the way you are portraying your brand in marketing materials, especially social media. You need to define the identity of your brand, and stick with it. Are you using a consistent color scheme? Do your social media updates have a similar voice, even when they’re made by different people? And if you already have a brand guideline in place, take the time to review it. Is it working?

2.  Manage your money.

How are you allocating your marketing dollars? Consider your marketing budget, and decide if money spent on print advertising or Yellow Pages space might be better spent on email and social media marketing. (And we’re not just saying that because those are services we offer. Ok, maybe we are.) Now is a great time to think about who your audience is and how they get their information. Is your customer base made up of people who mainly use the Internet? Maybe you’ll decide to spread your budget over print and Web marketing, or maybe you’ll decide to take it all online. (And while we’re on the subject, why aren’t you blogging yet?

A new year is a perfect time to start a blog for your business. Creating original, engaging content that people want to read and share will drive clicks to your site–clicks that can lead to potential leads. Yes, this will mean an investment of time and money,  but it’s just that: an investment.)

3. Meet more people.

Yes, we’re living in the age of social media, but there’s still no substitute for face-to-face action. Resolve to attend and schedule networking and social events to build leads and simply get out into your community. You’ll feel more connected to the business community, and people can put a face to the brand. It might feel tough to squeeze networking into your busy day, but did you know that having a vibrant social network (the real life kind) might actually help you live longer? This one is a resolution double whammy.

We can help you with branding, creating a social media strategy, and overhauling your website or building one from scratch. We’d love to talk about your big plans for the new year, so get in touch with us here or via Twitter or Facebook. Comment at your own risk.