Your Marketing Plan in 2016

The New Year is here!

Take a few minutes to look back on your marketing and advertising strategies for the past year. Is it time for a new strategy?   How are you going to grow your business?  Where will you attract new customers?  Will this be the year you finally devote a realistic budget to Social Media?

Here are a few things you may want to consider when deciding how and where to market and advertise in 2016:

Advertising Efforts

If you have been running ads in print papers, sending direct mail, or using Google Adwords, it is time to analyze your results and reevaluate.  If you have not been getting consistent traffic from these efforts it may be time for a change.   Social Media Advertising has come a long way since it was first introduced, so even if you tried it before and it didn’t work, it is time to give it another try.

Facebook Advertising provides benefits beyond selling a product or service.  Facebook Ads help your business with SEO, drives traffic to your website, improves online visibility and branding and, creates trust with customers and potential customers.  Facebook Ads are affordable and effective.  If your print ads or other online ad efforts aren’t providing all of the results above then it’s time to make a change.

Marketing Efforts

Marketing on Social Media is important and beneficial.  It is more than just posting an inspirational saying, a funny photo or a link to your blog.  A daily, consistent marketing campaign with the right mix of updates at the right time will help your business with directing traffic to your website, building trust and loyalty.  The interactive nature of Social Media gives your business a chance to understand your customers, making it a powerful market research and customer service tool.

Hiring a Professional

Many small to medium sized businesses do not have the budget to hire a Social Marketing staff.  You may be tempted to use your traditional marketer, office manager, or even your millennial receptionist as your Social Media surrogate. The truth is that hiring an outside consultant to manage your Social Media is less expensive and more effective than adding to the responsibilities of current employees. Professional Social Media Marketers know how to leverage all of the tools necessary to help your business grow and succeed.  They will develop the Marketing and Advertising Plans that get results.    The right consultant understands the Social Media platforms available, keeps up on the rules and best practices, and will work with you to steer your business in the right direction, capturing the attention of the audience most likely to purchase your products, and enhancing the goodwill of current customers.

So, as you reflect on 2015 and look forward to 2016, think about taking your business into a successful future by implementing a strong Social Media Marketing Program.