New Year, New Marketing
Well, here we are. 2010 has arrived, and many business owners will take great delight in kicking 2009 to the curb. Of course it’s just a number, not a magic spell for success. But perception is a form of magic, isn’t it? Or rather, let’s call it a self-fulfilling prophecy — businesses want and expect better things, so they grow more confident, take more chances, and invest new energy into their branding and marketing strategies. Their competitors resolve to keep up, so they turbo-charge their business efforts to match. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Just as fear and negativity can make a bad market even worse, so may positive energy and ambition spark good developments. A new year tends to reset the clock, psychologically speaking. That’s why I’m determined to create new products and services and grow my writing business this year.
How about you?
Take a moment to reflect on the following questions:
Is your brand still relevant? Are you still saying what your customers need and want to hear? Has your business model or philosophy changed in the past year, or do you want to change it going forward?
Are you taking full advantage of your opportunities? Have you constructed a sound online brand presence? Are you using the many tools available to businesses nowadays such as Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, and other social media applications?
Do you refresh your marketing content regularly? Staying in front of your target market on a regular basis means putting out a constant stream of new and useful information.
Are you networked? Do you interact with other businesspeople regularly in chambers, networking groups, mixers, and association meetings? Have you developed mutually beneficial relationships with potential clients and referral partners, and if so, do you have a consistent plan for maintaining them?
We all need to remind ourselves of these basic marketing practices from time to time, and I can think of no better time than right now. Let’s make the new year something really new!
