Deciding on your business New Year’s Resolutions for 2012 is all about setting yourself up for success. You are going to make 2012 an amazing year for your business. Think positively, but realistically, and jot down some ideas for what you want to happen in the next year. Do you want more Fans and brand advocates? Do you want to take on less of the work load? Do you want a greater brand and marketing presence? How much more money do you realistically want your business to make in 2012?
Resolution #1
Brand Audit – Every business needs to revaluate their brand once a year, and what better time than now? You’re number one New Year’s Resolution should be to have a professional marketing firm audit your brand. From this audit they will be able to tell you if your brand message is accurate and effective, if you’re demographic is targeted properly, if your business is consistently sticking to that brand message, and much more. There is truly no better way to start off 2012 on the right track then by having a brand audit ran.
Resolution #2
Lose the Weight – Of course, we don’t mean this from a fitness standpoint, but from a marketing and budgeting standpoint this is the perfect time of year to re-evaluate your marketing budget. Take a look at exactly where each and every penny of your business is going and decide which areas can be trimmed to add funds to other, more effective areas. For example, one of the biggest mistakes that small business owners make is in advertising dollars. If you aren’t targeting your specific demographic on the mediums that they use with a targeted brand message, you might as well be throwing money away. How much ad money did you throw away in 2011?
Are you using Google Pay-Per-Click? If so, it’s definitely time to take a look at how much you’re spending, how much revenue it’s generating, and how your ranking overall. Are you truly qualified to run these campaigns, or are you just throwing money out there on probably keywords and hoping that it works? It might be worth the money to get an expert.
Resolution #3
Go Mobile and Get Found – Your 2012 New Year’s Resolutions should definitely include online and mobile marketing. Two-thousand-and-twelve will be all about instant access, so going mobile and getting found online is paramount to all marketing campaigns. Where are you ranking on the three major search engines? Are you on Yelp, FB and Foursquare? In 2012, you need to be completely accessible to your fans at all times.
Resolution #4
Get Social – This resolution is very similar to the above; you need to be accessible, transparent and social. In 2011 you might have set up a Facebook and Twitter account, but in 2012 you need to actually start using those accounts. Engage with your fans, get them excited about your products and services, and create brand advocates on a social level.
Resolution #5
Be a Leader –What kind of leader will you be in 2012? What leadership qualities do you possess? What leadership qualities would you like to improve on in 2012? Take this year as your opportunity to not only improve your business, but improve yourself along with it. When you can identify what you’re highly skilled at and what you need to work on in terms of leading your company, you will improve overall results in every category.
No matter what New Year’s Resolutions you decide to set for 2012, make them positive, realistic, and focused. Don’t just say that you want to make more money next year, break it down and set out the exact strategies to make the exact amount that you want. Need help? Let us know.