Originally published 12-20-2018. Updated on 12-10-2020.
The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on your business’s growth. What were the highlights of 2020? What would you like to improve on? Where would you like to grow in 2021?
The more clarity you are able to glean, the better you can lead your team and take your business to the next level. And setting some New Year's resolutions for your business now can set you up for success over the next twelve months.
Build an Annual Marketing Plan
With all of the advertising channels available today, a lack of focus in your marketing efforts can rapidly lead to a drained budget. Building a strategic marketing plan, however, will keep you on track and prevent wasted resources. By setting clear goals and a framework for discussion, you can ensure that your team takes the right steps and budgets effectively.
Building a plan also allows you to maximize your ROI, because you can set specific benchmarks and check in regularly to make sure they are being met. Break your year down in terms of specific goals, then write out the strategies required to achieve them. Attach timelines and determine how much budget you can afford to spend.
Explore New Marketing Channels
Grow your customer base by expanding your audience. In the new year, consider trying out new marketing channels: radio, magazine, social media, search, and even digital ads. You do not have to try them all. Even picking one to experiment with can yield higher sales as well as uncover market insights.
Picking channels that complement each other is a great way to reach the widest possible audience. For example, search and radio audiences don't heavily overlap. Investing in both of these channels helps you connect with a broad range of consumers, as well as reinforce your message across different outlets.
Update and Improve Your Website
Your website is a gateway to attract new customers. With 41% of internet traffic coming from mobile — a number that only continues to grow — the first step to improvement is making sure your site is mobile-friendly. In fact, Google even has algorithms in place to calculate how mobile-responsive sites are and rank them in search results accordingly.
Remove the clutter from your website and instead make it easy for users to load and navigate through. You don't want to keep potential customers waiting, nor do you want them to struggle to find what they're looking for — you'll just lose them to your competitors.
Find a Trusted Media Partner
Leverage the experience a media partner has to make sure your efforts are executed successfully. Reach out to someone like the marketing experts at Zimmer, and learn how we can help your business beyond just radio. A trusted media partner can help you use the right channels in the best ways for maximum ROI on your marketing and advertising spending, and in a way that makes sense for your industry. Experience across different verticals also means that a media partner can offer the best insights on how to expand your audience.
In order to control your business and guide it towards growth in the new year, you need to be very clear about what you want to achieve. You will need to make sure your team is on board with your visions, and that the strategies and tactics you use align with these end goals. The New Year's resolutions for businesses listed above are recommendations, but ultimately, you should tailor all advice to fit your business's needs and objectives.
