Marketing plays a huge role in the success of your small business, but creating a full marketing strategy on top of everything else you have on your plate can seem like a daunting task!  The new year provides a metaphorical clean slate and brings the opportunity to set New Year’s resolutions that will take your business to the next level. 

Unfortunately, it’s easy to set amazing resolutions for yourself and then give up on them on February 1st. But have no fear – we’re here to help you set resolutions that are realistic, and achievable, and will propel you into the new year with a marketing strategy that won’t leave you feeling overwhelmed. 

Resolution 1: Increase Engagement on Social Media

You might think, “Yeah, this sounds great, but won’t that take a lot of time and energy?”  Nope!  It’s actually easier than you think. Increasing engagement begins with planning content that will get your followers talking, and this is the best way to start you marketing strategy!

This can be as simple as asking a question in your caption. If you post about a new product, ask your followers what they would use it for. This gets someone thinking about how your product would benefit them and potentially push them to follow through and purchase it.

Another great way to encourage engagement is to incentivize your followers. This can range from an exclusive discount to a big giveaway. The best way to appeal to anyone is through appealing to their self-interest, and this is a strategy for that.

Bottom line – starting a conversation with your followers will promote two-way communication, which will strengthen your relationship with your audience. 

Resolution 2: Increase Brand Awareness in Your Community

Positioning your business as a valuable part of your community will do wonders for your small business.  Here are a few ideas on how to accomplish that:

Participate in local events

If your community has a farmer’s market or special holiday markets, be there. Give away free samples, goodie bags, or small coupons that someone can take home with them that will remind them of your business. Even if you don’t have the resources to give free samples or merchandise away, getting your brand in front of people and showing up in front of your community will benefit your business. 

Partner with other local businesses

This will show a willingness to work with others while getting in front of another business’s audience. Partnering with another business could potentially put you in front of a whole new group of people. 

Some examples of this include inviting a local food truck to set up shop in your parking lot, doing an exchange where you put another business’s products in your space and have them do the same, or even taking your team to a local restaurant for lunch and posting about it on your social media channels.

Resolution 3: Improve Your Online Presence

In addition to social media, there’s another channel you should be monitoring as a part of your marketing strategy: your online presence. Your online presence = what shows up when someone searches for your business on the Internet. 

For example, if you own a dental practice, when someone searches for your business online, your website, your hours, your reviews, and more should pop up – a great (and simple) addition to your marketing strategy is to keep your Google My Business always updated. 

The most important thing here is to make sure this information is correct. Is all the information you see about your business accurate? Are your hours updated? Is your address correct? You don’t want a potential customer to be confused or arrive at the wrong place or time. 

If the answer to any of these questions is no, then you have some work to do. If you don’t know how to change this information, look into listings management or contact us for help! 

Resolution 4: Drive More Traffic to Your Website

The previous three resolutions can help drive traffic to your website, but there’s even more marketing strategies you can do to get people interested. 

Your website is the portal to your business. It has everything you want your audience to see and be informed about, so it’s extremely important that people are driven to visit it. Here’s one idea to entice people to go to your website: 

Promote online-exclusive deals. You can do this through social media or advertising. Many brands offer special products and discounts only on their websites, making their audience think they just have to have it. It also encourages spending a little more time on your website. This is the hook to get people to your website, so you must ensure you have more elements that get them to stay, like photos, testimonials, blog posts, etc. 

Resolution 5: Amp Up Reviews

Before trying any new business, most people look at reviews.  Having multiple reviews can make or break whether someone decides to give your business a chance. There needs to be enough reviews that the viewer trusts what they see. It’s a lot more encouraging to buy from a business that has 20+ five-star reviews rather than a business that just has one or two.

If you already have reviews, reply to them. If they’re good, let the reviewer know how much you appreciate them. If they’re bad, tackle it immediately – offer your sincerest apologies and provide a solution.

Furthermore, encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews if they haven’t already. When you ask a customer to leave a review, make it personal and straightforward. 

Make it easy for them to find where to review your business and provide clear instructions.

Address them by name and add a personal touch based on their experience with you, such as, “We loved helping you shop for Christmas gifts the other day. We’d really appreciate it if you left us a review about your experience with us!” 

Starting the New Year on the Right Foot

The best way to start the new year on a positive note is with a positive attitude. 

Making a simple and straightforward list like the one above will help guide you in the right direction and set you up for success.

If you’d like some additional help with the resolutions on this list, let us know!  We’re happy to help you get started with a free marketing audit. Just fill out the form, and we’ll take a peek at your current marketing strategy and offer recommendations on things you can tackle in the new year!