Now that 2016 is almost over it’s time to see how your marketing (and sales) results compared to your goals for the year. Ask yourself, did we achieve 100% of our company’s marketing goals this year? How about 50% of them? Less than that?
Hats off to you and your team if you achieved 100% (or more) of your goals. If your marketing results were less than stellar in 2016, don’t worry, 2017 is right around the corner and we have three tips to help you be more productive in 2017.
Here are our 3 ways you can make 2017 more productive:
#1 – Make marketing a part of your monthly routine.
Focus is often the key to success, especially for tasks and projects that you would rather put off to “when you get around to it.” A great way to instill focus and increase productivity is to make something routine.
A great way to make marketing a part of your company’s routine is to pick a day to brainstorm all of your marketing ideas and the steps that need to happen. Choose one day a month (or every-other-month), such as the first Friday of the month, to work on ideas and map out next steps. Then, put it on everyone’s calendar and hang a sign in a common area in your office reminding everyone of the day, time and purpose of the meeting. Doing this creates a group accountability AND people will be thinking about good ideas BEFORE the meeting. Ask everyone to bring one good idea to the meeting.
Rather than just scheduling one hour for a meeting, try a few hours, perhaps noon to 2:00pm on a Friday. Bring in lunch for everyone and spend the first fifteen minutes unwinding and on small talk. Ask someone who is good with time to give a five-minute warning for the start, then start your meeting promptly at 12:15. You should have everyone’s full attention and ready to engage in a productive working session.
#2 – Mix it up.
If you are not finding success with one form of marketing, don’t be afraid to try something different. For example, if email campaigns are not giving you the results you want, try doing a Facebook campaign with boosted posts to potential customers in your area. A great way discover new ideas new ideas is to look at what businesses similar to yours but in different cities are doing for marketing. You will be amazed at how many great ideas you see.
#3 – Compare notes with other businesses.
The next time you are meeting with another business, ask them what has been most successful for them in their marketing. Most businesses love to tell their stories and share their insights. Take advantage of it and don’t forget to share your successes with them too.
If you want better marketing results for your business, contact bizmktg.com to schedule a 30-minute marketing checkup. (800) 808-0249.
