The 2016 calendar is over and we are in another year. Some may have 2017 all planned out and other’s maybe still trying to process what happened last year. Either way the year is here and at Sodablue we are excited about 2017. With the ever changing landscape of marketing there is always something new to learn, try and develop. This year our clients have exciting new projects planned and we are looking forward to also having new partnerships and meeting new friends.
Being a freelance marketing consultant, people often ask me what are your top marketing tips? As we enter this new year, I thought I’d share my top marketing tips for organisations and individuals starting to re-approach their marketing tasks in 2017.
Sodablue’s Marketing Tips for 2017
Be strategic
Plan your content so you can be creative
Know who your target audience is and stick with it
Embrace the digital experience
Have ‘fun’
1. Be strategic
There is always so much to do when you start a new year, especially after having a break. However with your marketing it’s really important to sit back before diving into it all and read over and refresh yourself with your brand/ marketing strategy. This will help guide you with a fresh and purposeful approach. If you or a team member has a new idea or wants to try some new digital marketing technique for a campaign, stop and think first how it benefits your strategy. This process will ensure it has purpose and you are not wasting time and resources.
PRACTICAL TIP: Read over you brand /marketing strategy before you get into your year. Or if you don't have a strategy to refer to, then make that a goal to write one in 2017.
2. Plan your content so you can be creative
It’s fun to be spontaneous and create or write when it just comes. However consumers generally prefer content to be delivered consistently, and this is more effective for building awareness and recall.
PRACTICAL TIP: Get away for a day or two in a different environment and sit with your strategy, brainstorm and come up with some ideas. Then put them into a plan. That way you have enabled yourself to be creative however you will also come away with a plan for the year. And know that it is always ok to adjust or refine. (download our FREE content planning template.)
3. Know who your target audience is and don’t get distracted by other audiences
Your target audience should be defined in your strategy. Sometimes it’s easy to come up with a great idea, however it's important to check it's a great idea with your audience as it maybe a great idea but not necessarily for the audience you are trying to appeal to and therefor you will potentially get customers you don’t want and waste your marketing resources. This is particularly important in service industry’s.
PRACTICAL TIP: If you are unsure of what your audience thinks of your idea, then try do some research. For example the exercise in our previous blog post (When your not in the room )
4. Embrace the digital experience and try something new
As we all know digital marketing is very much here and here to stay. Therefore it's important to embrace it and all its benefits and also be strategic about which digital channels you use and which ones you don’t prioritise. Again if you have a sound strategy this should guide you and make it simple. However I think it is also important that you keep on top of the latest digital trends and evolve your strategy and plans as the technology evolves.
PRACTICAL TIP: For example if you have taken on ‘video’ in 2016 as part of your Digital Marketing Strategy, don’t stop there take it to the next level in 2017 which is ‘LIVE video.’ Utilise the features Facebook, Periscope and Instagram now provide.
5. Have ‘fun'
Remember to have fun with your ‘marketing’ there is a science to marketing but it is also very much an ‘art’ so don’t get too stuck in the business process. I believe if you enjoy communicating to your customers, then they will enjoy your communications.
PRACTICAL TIP: If you don't 'love it and can enjoy it' then delegate the task to someone that does.
I hope these tips help you 'bring out the best' in your brand and marketing in 2017.
Blog post by | Karin Forster, Freelance Brand and Marketing Consultant, Sodablue.