Plan now and start 2017 off right!
Define your goals, plan in advance, and track your results for a successful new year.
Published: 12/13/2016 by Brandon Price
We are at the end of another year! Congratulations, you made it! Now, let’s look back. How well did you do? Did your business encounter unexpected hurdles? For the majority of the small and medium sized businesses, unexpected hurdles can usually be pinned to poor planning. It happens to all of us. We get so wrapped up in the day to day activities that we lose sight of what is coming up next. For many small businesses, when hurdles arise, advertising and marketing tend to take a hit. Let’s go over some basics to help you put the best foot forward when it comes to starting 2017 right!
Develop advertising goals.
Many small businesses do not properly budget for advertising. Either there isn’t a budget, it’s too small, or it is wildly inconsistent. Set aside a monthly budget and remember, advertising isn’t a cost; it is an investment into your business.
Track. Track. Track.
Keep on top of your results. Whether it is good or bad, the results from a campaign are vital to future success. So many small businesses do not follow through on tracking results. Without knowing what works and what doesn’t work you can easily end up throwing away time, effort, and money on strategies that do not pay off.
Create a full year campaign strategy.
Map it out in advance. We suggest breaking it down into quarters. If planned well, all of your upcoming quarterly advertising is ready in advance. Each quarter offers multiple events and holidays when it comes to advertising no matter the market that you are in. Planning in advance will also help you reduce advertising costs, as you will avoid last minute penalties or rush products, and increase your follow through on tracking your results, which leads to more success and a better use of your advertising budget.
Social Networking
It’s not going away and it is getting more complicated. Facebook is adding more features and options to their advertising capabilities and Instagram is growing fast. When advertising, you need to constantly adjust who you are targeting to be the most effective. Do you have a strategy when it comes to social media advertising? Most small businesses do not. They will post an ad, allocate some funds, and repeat the process without ever truly understanding if they are moving in the right direction.
The key to successful advertising, whether it is print, audio, video, or digital, is define your goals, plan in advance, and track your results. If you keep these three things in mind you will be more successful when it comes to advertising your business in 2017.
Contact Flusion if you would like to plan, develop, and grow your advertising for 2017.