It’s time to start your marketing plan for 2023!

Instead of struggling to play catch-up when you could have been preparing, start getting your marketing strategy ready for 2023 now. Here’s why it’s important that you don’t wait.

You know what it’s like – it’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of things that we forget about all of the opportunities we’re missing. And even though there are always going to be busy periods, if we don’t keep an eye on our marketing plan, we’ll find ourselves with no leads and no income during the slower times. So let’s avoid that by being proactive and starting our preparations today!

A great tip is to use quiet times, such as the Christmas and New Year break, to work on an effective marketing strategy. By having key practices and strategies set in place, you can keep up a consistent dialogue with future customers.

Here’s why you need to make time to focus on what’s going on with your marketing strategy at least a couple of times per year:

Time to come up with ideas

If you want to come up with new concepts, do a bit of brainstorming and marketing research. Another great option is to take some time for yourself – go on a walk or have a shower – so your brain can have a break. This will allow moments of brilliant inspiration for your marketing strategy to flow more freely.

Pause for a moment to think about your marketing strategy. 

  • Who is your ideal client? And who isn’t? 
  • What are their pain points? 
  • What are your goals? 
  • What is your product mix and profitability?
  • What is your product innovation strategy? 
  • Who is on your team and have they got the right skills? 

Taking the time to answer these questions will help you create more effective content and use your marketing time more efficiently.

There are a lot of tactics and strategies that you could use to build your business, but it’s important to focus on what will work best for you. Take some time to research and analyse your data – this will help you identify what’s been successful in the past and where you should be focusing your efforts going forward.

It’s also a good idea to plan ahead and be prepared for any potential changes in your industry. For example, are there any new trends that you need to focus on? Or do you need to adapt to what you’re doing in order to keep up with changing consumer preferences? By thinking ahead and including these considerations in your marketing strategy, you can stay ahead of the competition and continue to grow your business successfully.

Time to execute

A well-executed marketing plan is key to the success of any business, large or small. By planning your content calendar in advance and delegating tasks among a team or outsourcing them to specialist agencies, you can ensure that there is always fresh, relevant content to share with your audience. 

Of course, you can’t plan everything in advance – after all, things are always changing and evolving. But by having a strong framework in place to start from, you’ll be able to quickly make any necessary adjustments so that your marketing continues to help drive business growth.

The ability to reach more people

Nowadays, a central component of marketing is being where your consumers are. You need to consider which mediums you’ll use as part of your strategy and plan accordingly. More specifically, you should identify where your target audience spends their time (for example: reading the newspaper, scrolling through social media or driving past your store) so that you can design ads they won’t be able to miss.

For example, you’ll need to be on LinkedIn if your target audience is there. The same rule applies to niche magazines and social media apps like TikTok. You can make sure you’re reaching the maximum number of potential clients and customers by having a definite plan when you know what you’re doing.  And don’t forget the power of Google Business Profile and local business awards if you’re a local business!

Better brand recognition

Have you heard of the ‘Rule of 7’? Research shows people have to be exposed to your brand seven times if you want them to remember you. 

A well-executed marketing campaign will help you get more customers who are looking for what you offer. Your name or label will become synonymous with the services or goods you provide and your ideal clients will be more likely to reach out when they need you.

Improved measurability

‘What gets measured improves’. 

Having an unorganised marketing strategy might snag you a few leads every now and then, but it’ll be hard to tell what works and why. Having specific goals lets you track your progress so you can focus on what’s working well. You can do this by looking at website visits, recording customer enquiries, and monitoring conversion rates. Doing this allows you to ensure that each marketing activity is actually moving towards your expectations.

Room to experiment

Marketing is an inexact science, which doesn’t have to be scary – it can actually be really exciting. Trying new things, even if they are a little left-of-centre can result in big payoffs that you didn’t expect. But you’ll never know until you experiment!

As you’re thinking about your marketing plan, also consider what budget you’ll set aside. And if you can swing it, keep some extra cash on hand for trying out new online or ‘traditional’ marketing ideas.

When will you plan your marketing for 2023?

It’s time to take a look at your calendar and schedule a few hours (or even better, a few days) to focus on your marketing strategy. This way, you can start the new year off strong, with a clear plan for how you will promote your business.

Not sure where to start? I can help you create a marketing strategy that works for you. Get in touch with the team at Reputation by Design today.