New Year's resolutions provide us with a clean slate - a chance to refine ourselves through reflection, planning and hard work.This personal life barometer also has implications for the business world in terms of strategic planning, goal setting and a commitment to excellence. Here are a few marketing resolutions to give your business a boost in 2011:
EMBRACE SOCIAL MEDIA.
Social media is not going anywhere. Much like websites in the early 2000s, a social media presence is increasingly becoming a consumer expectation and a communications fixture. For instance, Facebook users hit the 500 million mark in July 2010, with the site doubling its active users over the course of a year. Half of those users log on to Facebook in any given day, and they’re using the forum to make real-time decisions about where to spend their money.Those conversations are happening whether you’re participating or not, and it’s always better to share to your side of the story (even if it means giving up a certain amount start conversations about art exhibits, restaurant specials, retail deals and community events with interested patrons. As of December, the Facebook page averaged 2,162 daily impressions, and 410 Twitter followers regularly awaited the latest news.
MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE.
Measurement is the lifeblood of modern marketing because it takes abstract creative campaigns and links them back to bottom-line results. Marketing programs are increasingly becoming savvy enough to measure outcomes (i.e., what happened as a result of the campaign) rather than outputs (i.e., the work that went into the campaign itself). Formal pre- and post-campaign research remains expensive, but these worthwhile metrics are also buffered by free or inexpensive measurement tools for online campaign components. For example, Google Analytics’ simple graphs make it easy for anyone to see who is visiting social media platforms.The basic Hootsuite membership allows you to manage five social networks, while the $5.99 Pro version lets you manage an unlimited number of social networks along with improved analytics, including your most popular messages and detailed listings of influencers who mentioned you.
BET ON YOUR LONG-TERM REPUTATION.
Too many clients want their marketing campaign to drive a 10 or 20 percent increase in sales in two to three months.To achieve those kind of jaw-dropping numbers, you’re probably going to need to hire an eminently qualified sales team or invest big bucks in an integrated communications campaign. But don’t let the desire for immediate results detract from the larger value of your brand — for instance, Marketing Insights from A to Z author Philip Kotler notes,“Incessant prices off, coupons, deals and premiums can devalue the brand in the consumers’minds.”Instead of focusing on quick returns that might cost our clients in the long run, we encourage an ongoing public relations campaign to continuously establish credibility and expertise.
BE MORE TRANSPARENT.
Companies fight transparency all the time, and 2010 was the year that proved hiding the facts never helps anyone. Like it or not, we live in a time of Wikileaks, and you need to be prepared to share the inner workings of your organization — sans only the most essential trade secrets — with the public. Bottom line: Communicate with all your stakeholders, and do so promptly and accurately. Have a crisis communication plan in place and conduct every meeting as if your grandma were watching. She is.
CONSIDER CAUSE MARKETING.
No longer can companies simply cut a check for a nonprofit and call it a commitment.Thanks to increasingly savvy consumers who demand corporate social responsibility, organizations must find new ways to align their brand DNA with salient social issues and empower grassroots movements to create a global impact.Think about what matters to your company and your mission and select a cause that complements your goals. For instance, Mashburn Construction donated labor, equipment and materials to help build Family Connection’s new family center. By donating the services they have become known for in our community, Mashburn developed something great, communicated a concern for special needs families and demonstrated exemplary construction expertise. As with any commitment, business resolutions are only effective if you steadfastly implement a plan and make the changes it requires. Remember to set goals and measurable objectives, and reassess your strategy regularly to stay on track. Every great marketing program begins one step at a time.