Ah, New Year’s resolutions – losing weight, more exercise, no more smoking. Those are hard to do. Here are six simple, achievable, low or no-cost resolutions that can help your business get the message out during what may prove to be a challenging year.
1. I will think, speak and write in terms of benefits, not features. Sounds easy, right? It’s not. It takes practice. Example: a self-cleaning oven. The feature is that it is self-cleaning. The benefit is that it saves the time and mess of having to clean it yourself. Benefits are more important to your customers and potential customers than features. Think: "What’s in it for me?" You’ll find the benefits.
2. I will write key messages for my products and my business. In branding and marketing communications, consistency is key. Someone has to hear your message seven times before it actually starts to be memorable. Find three to five important messages about your business, product or service that will be attractive to current or future customers. Write them down. Be sure everyone in your organization has them and knows them. Then, find ways to incorporate them into your sales presentations, proposals, web site, after-hours answering service and more.
3. I will set measurable goals and objectives for marketing communications. You need a brochure. But what will that brochure do for you? Will it help you speed up the time from engagement to sale? What will online ads do for you? How will you know they are working? Set measurable goals: increased attendance, traffic to the web site, sales, etc. Then you’ll be able to make focused decisions about marketing expenses.
4. I will network, network, network, network. The best way to market your business is to help others be successful. If you try to make someone else’s way a little easier, they are likely to do the same for you. With others touting you or your company, your credibility, reach and frequency of your message goes up exponentially. But you need to reciprocate or the magic doesn’t work.
5. I will devote some time and a little money to my web presence. With a few exceptions, the company web site is the poor stepchild of the marketing world. But it’s also one of the best, most cost-effective tools out there, and a necessity in a global market. Invest in some optimization and a content manager, and then designate someone to keep it updated regularly.
6. I will explore social media and see how it might benefit my business. If you haven’t at least tried LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or any of the other major social networking forces, it’s time. You don’t have to be an expert – most of us are feeling our way through it too. But, with a little bravery and a willingness to see what it’s about, you’ll begin to imagine how to best use it for your company.
Wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year!
Laura Monagle is director of public relations at Staples Marketing in Pewaukee.
