With a new year in full swing, it may be time for a change in how you market your business. Whether you are looking for new growth or would like to maximize your current efforts, it’s time to shake things up a bit. Are you stuck in the status quo? You may need to let go of one of these three old marketing habits that are holding you back:
Habit #1: Same Message
Have you been communicating a similar message to customers and prospects for years? Perhaps it’s time for a fresh perspective. Try developing a new tagline or marketing slogan to invigorate your brand. First, do some research to determine how you should change your message, based on how customers perceive your brand in the marketplace. Then develop a new campaign based on your new messaging strategy. Use it in all of your marketing and communication, from your website to your printed materials and advertisements.
Habit #2: Same Budget
Many businesses rely on a percentage of sales to determine their marketing budget, while some arbitrarily set an amount each year for advertising and marketing expenses. Still others have no plan at all, throwing money at specific marketing tactics as they come across them. Instead, consider tying your marketing budget to your company’s goals. Just as we were instructed to “dress for the job we want, not the job we have” to help our careers grow, we must also develop a marketing and advertising budget that will allow our company to reach its goals. If that means expanding, find a way to make that happen.
Are you getting the same results with your marketing? Try letting go of old marketing habits.
Habit #3: Same Tactics
Has your company been relying on leads from the same methods, year after year? Whether you attend the same trade show, advertise in the same way, use the same cold calling or sales technique, or count on word-of-mouth marketing to get results, if you’re not constantly changing your marketing plan, you are likely to get mediocre results. Consider investing in a new marketing tactic, and abandoning or adjusting methods that are not working for you. Keep in mind that you may need to adjust your budget or messaging (see old marketing habits one and two) rather than to abandon a tactic completely.
Moving Forward
In a nutshell, change can be good for your business. Mixing things up in your marketing world can help you gain a fresh perspective on your business – to help you learn more about your brand, to better understand your customers’ perceptions and buying habits, and to determine what’s working or no longer working in your marketing toolkit. Letting go of old habits by evaluating and adjusting your message, budget and tactics every year can give you a head start toward a successful year in business.
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