TranslateEntrepreneur Magazine’s December issue contained a great article by Ann Handley on setting your marketing goals for the coming year. Without going into the detail she provided, it is worthwhile to talk about some of the high points.
Ms. Handley began by advising that one do less marketing. Shocking? Not when you consider the logical alternative: improve the focus of the marketing you still do. Where will you find your customers? Those are the places to invest your marketing resources. If you’re seeking a young customer base, you might not want to use Atlantic Monthly. Examine all the marketing you do and decide where your money is best spent.
One example of better focus might be the creation of something to which customers can subscribe. Make them dependent on you. Make them look forward to the information you send them. That’s part of the reason we’ve now gone monthly with the SCORE newsletter. If an increased frequency makes us more valuable to your business, you’ll be more inclined to use our other free mentoring services. Customers return to where they find value.
All of your assets should be aligned with the value you offer. Your online marketing tools should be a suite rather than a disconnected set of offerings. The alignment will also help you meet your goal of focusing better while investing less in marketing.
And lastly, going mobile will probably help you achieve that alignment. Your customers will be more mobile this year than last. If you want to keep up with them, you will go more mobile. Look at all of the social media you employ and ensure that what you are doing with your work comfortably in an intensely mobile business environment.
If you need advice on implementing these goals, talk to your SCORE mentor. This is only one of many areas in which he or she can be one of your business's most critical assets.
