Are you ready for 2022? If you weren't entirely satisfied with certain aspects of your life this year, you may be cooking up some New Year's resolutions to straighten them out in the coming 12 months -- from those extra few pounds that somehow snuck up on you to certain personal limitations you'd like to transcend. If you run a business, you may feel like making some adjustments that could boost your revenue, client loyalty, or brand reach. In that case, take a look at four marketing resolutions you should consider adding to your list.
"Resolved: I Will Network."
Yes, the world of networking received a major blow when COVID drove business leaders indoors for months at a time. Even now, many networking organizations and networkers have felt leery about diving back into the world of face-to-face conversations (not to mention all those handshakes). But at the same time they hate to give up on it entirely, since networking has proven itself an invaluable means of self-promotion in the past for countless organizations.
Fortunately, you can still network in 2022, even if you're just doing it from your computer. Online, Zoom-based networking events have taken up the slack during the pandemic, and it looks like many of those events and platforms are here to stay. Do a search for options in your area (or nationwide, if your business can benefit from that scope), sign up for the events that look good to you, and spend a healthy chunk of next year building new connections with the businesspeople you need to know.
"Resolved: I Will Re-Examine My Target Audience."
Has your target audience changed recently? As businesses change and evolve, they sometimes find themselves serving different industry verticals, niche markets, and customer demographics. If you haven't examined your buyer personas in a while, go over them with a fine-toothed comb and decide whether you need to shift your marketing strategies toward a different section of the population.
If you never created a buyer persona in the first place (or you have no idea what I'm talking about), it's time to get acquainted with this important marketing tool. Collect and sort all your customer data until you have a clear fictionalized picture of the individuals most likely to respond to your products or services. Now you can tweak your marketing for optimal success with these future buyers.
"Resolved: I Will Update My Brand Content."
Even if your target audience won't change much in 2022, your current brand may no longer resonate with that audience as it once did, or it may not communicate your organization's current vision, mission, and values effectively. Examine your website, social media channels, blog feed, print marketing pieces, sales letters, email articles, and other marketing content with an objective eye. Does it all still look and sound like it should? Is the information still accurate and relevant in light of your business's ongoing growth and product/service offerings? Have you added entire new "wings" to your organization without adjusting your marketing efforts accordingly?
You still have time to update your web pages, redesign your logo or the overall look of your brand, and create all-new sales pieces that get the word out about the new and improved you. This facelift may not only bring new customers to you in 2022 but also infuse your team with fresh energy and enthusiasm.
"Resolved: I Will Blog Regularly."
Many of the New Year's resolutions people make represent activities that they've been meaning to do (or do better) for years. For lots of businesses, blogging falls into that self-improvement category. you know you should be blogging. You know blogging can boost your business in multiple ways. But blogging takes thought, planning, and good old-fashioned hard work, taking you away from the many other marketing plates you must keep spinning.
Put those objections aside this year by hiring a professional copywriter to help you decide on blog topics and create a steady stream of blog articles all ready for posting on your preferred schedule. Whether you want to establish your authority in your field, promote the latest and greatest your business has to offer, or increase your Internet footprint, blogging can help you make 2022 your best year ever -- at least until 2023 tops it!
