The new year has arrived and it’s time for business owners and marketers to set their sights on new goals for 2020. But before you rush to create that stellar marketing plan, take a moment to self-assess. In order to move forward, you need to look back. What worked and didn’t work in 2019? And what got shoved aside as you rushed to finish out the year?
Once you’ve done a marketing year-in-review for 2019, you’re ready to craft a new marketing plan for 2020 with a focus on achievable goals. To get you started, we’ve listed 3 of our top marketing goals for a successful 2020.
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Boost Your Email Marketing
In case you haven’t heard, e-mail marketing is far from dead. If you’re more focused on Facebook posts then sending out next month’s newsletter, you could be missing out. A McKinsey & Company study found that e-mail marketing was up to 40 times more effective than social media (Facebook and Twitter combined) in acquiring new customers.
Be sure to designate enough time and resources to craft effective email campaigns. And don’t forget to build your e-mail list. Opt-ins for eBooks, buyer’s guides and special offers are a great way to increase your e-mail numbers.
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Refresh Your Website
Your website is not static – you can’t simply set it and forget it. Review your website’s written and visual content – does it still reflect your business, is it relatable to new and existing clients, and most importantly, is it still an effective tool for selling your products or services? If not, maybe it’s time for a full redesign or maybe you just need to make a few tweaks. Typically, businesses redo their website every two to three years.
Your website also needs a steady stream of new content. Your customers are not the only ones looking for fresh material, search engines love to see new content and will reward you for it. Blogging, news items, events are all great sources of new website content.
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Break Your Marketing Routine
Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. If you were stuck in a marketing rut in 2019, now is the time to venture outside your comfort zone and try something new. Only invest in those marketing efforts that produce tangible and quantifiable results. If you can’t determine your ROI on that glossy magazine ad you’ve had for five years, it’s an ineffective tool and not worth the expense – most likely a hefty one too.
Maybe now is the time to test out a targeted Facebook ad campaign or invest in a sponsored ad on Nextdoor. You have plenty of control over the duration and spend for your campaign. Never feel like you’re married to any one marketing strategy – it’s not all or nothing. But, be open to lots of different opportunities. Maybe it’s time you looked for speaking engagements or sponsorships. Make time this year for networking events or join a local mastermind group – both are great ways to build strategic business relationships.
Once you’ve identified the right marketing goals for your business, put an action plan together. Built into that plan should be a timeline and benchmarks to keep you on track. Measuring your success, or lack thereof, will enable you to pivot more easily during the year. Above all else, you need to hold yourself accountable. Any goal or resolution is meaningless if it doesn’t have the requisite intention and motivation behind it.