As we approach the end of the first quarter, it’s not too late to plan your marketing. Jay Conrad Levinson, author of Guerrilla Marketing says there are two times that are appropriate to develop your marketing plan. One is 20 years ago or whenever your business started and the other is right now. The implementation of your marketing plan starts with the first step.
Some of your planning will be for offline marketing. Other marketing will include online initiatives to implement. Here is a rough outline of things to consider. At AlphaGraphics, Carrollton, TX, (
https://www.alphagraphics.com/centers/carrollton-texas-us376) we continue to get involved with customers on all of the components of online and offline marketing. Consider this checklist of items:
- Identify the target markets
- Develop your keywords that lead to your marketing messaging
- Plan your networking activity – what events will you frequent and what organizations will you be involved with.
- What news surrounds your business, your community or your industry that you can do a press release about?
- Update your website; make sure it is mobile/table friendly
- Start a Blog – post frequent, relevant, interesting and fresh content
- Ensure account set up and frequent posting on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn
- Shoot a video tour of your company and an interview with the owner/president. Post to YouTube
- Identify your profile on Yelp and FourSquare
- Obtain a direct mail list for your target market
- Develop with your local printer a 3 part sequential direct mail campaign (See https://www.alphagraphics.com/centers/carrollton-texas-us376 for this).
- Other offline marketing: brochures, company identity materials, signs, fliers, etc.
- Consult with an SEO expert and optimize your website
- Gather emails of prospects and clients
- Submit e-newsletters and announcements to your email database
- Plan expos, trade shows and conferences. Don't forget about ad specialties and signs related to this.
- Show customers you appreciate them; pay attention to them; recognize them.
This list is not exhaustive but it represents items that can get you a big bang for your buck. Let us know what more you would add to this checklist; what items are the most successful for you and what items you need the most help with. Until next time, Happy Marketing.