Did you create a marketing plan for 2011? With January gone, are you following through?
Well, if you didn’t execute or create your marketing plan here are some good things to consider:
• Keep it consistent – are you actively managing your brand? If you aren’t or you don’t know what this means, give us a call, we can help. Your brand is YOU! Is there anything more valuable?
• Keep it consistent #2 – if your signs don’t do one of the following items it is probably time to change them.
- Reinforce your brand
- Create a call to action to entice a customer to speak with you
Your signs should be visually attractive and in good working condition. A tired/faded sign sends a negative message to your customer and can damage your brand. Your sign may be the first thing a prospective customer sees.
Review all of your signs; outdoor lighted signs, menu boards, sidewalk sign, corporate lobby signage, vehicle graphics, etc. Do they pass the consistency check? Is your logo the same color and format? Is your tag line (if you have one) used consistently?
• Keep it simple – we’ve all heard this before. I’m a firm believer in it. Consumers have short attention spans, grab them quickly.
• Consider creating a separate plan for social media, mailed materials, networking and traditional media.
- Social media – Facebook, Linked In, or whatever else you are using….make sure you keep your brand consistent here. Take the time to create a calendar that shows what you will highlight each month
- Mail – Can you work with a company to create a list that TARGETS your potential customer? Although it may seem more expensive you may be able to mail many fewer items and get a higher response rate.
- Networking – yes, really, a plan. Target events where you will find your target customers. Your time is valuable, make the best of it.
- Print, radio, etc. – Are these campaigns complimented by your other campaigns? If you do not lay out all of your marketing efforts you may lose out on some synergy.
• Consider creating a campaign to generate more referrals from your current customer base. Keep this fact in mind; monetary rewards help generate single referrals. Relationship building generates referral machines! Build relationships with your customers simply and easily. Create a simple campaign to keep in touch, and make sure to keep it personal. If you need some help with this feel free to drop me a note. I’ve got some great ideas that are inexpensive.
• Keep an eye on your competition, just because they innovate something doesn’t mean you can’t imitate it! If you don’t someone else will. The early bird gets the most worms.
I'd like to quickly reiterate something about referrals. Which is cheaper for you to obtain; a new customer or a referral? 99% of businesses would say a referral. These new referrals can create a whole new set of referrals down the road, and so on. DON'T UNDER ESTIMATE the value of a referral, no matter how large or small.
If you need help in any of these areas we would be happy to help you or refer you to someone who can. You can leverage our eleven years with a Fortune 50 company. Get big budget help at reasonable prices. Call us today at (630) 289-7082. Or feel free to email me at sales@markyourspaceinc.com
-Mike
February 2, 2011
