Hands up if you struggle to plan your marketing efforts in advance. If your social posts, email newsletters & website updates happen only if you have the time. If your marketing feels reactive as opposed to proactive.
You’re not alone - feel reassured.
So many small to medium sized business in Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire are in the same boat when it comes to marketing their business. Here we look at why & offer tips on how to avoid last minute marketing.
Why so last minute?
Here are just a few reasons business owners give us as to why they’re marketing finds itself at the bottom of their to-do list:
‘I’m spinning too many plates’
‘I don’t have the resource’
‘It only matters if we’re not doing well’
Marketing is just one of many hats small business owners are required to wear. If it’s one you’re not quite sure on, our article ‘Marketing: in a nutshell' will help.
Moving your attention away from the fire-fighting today, to preparing for tomorrow, helps future proof your business. Making the time for marketing helps you make more strategic moves. It means the execution of your marketing is better considered, delivered to a higher standard & drives better results. Planning ahead helps you get your team members on board. Importantly, it helps you avoid feelings of last minute panic.
How to be more proactive with your marketing
Let’s keep it simple. Here are 3 things you can implement today to avoid last minute marketing & help your business to thrive.
1. Set goals
What is it you want to achieve from investing energy into your marketing? What does you business need? It might be more return business or to reach new customers. Decide what you want from your marketing & make it measurable, for example an increase in bookings or social media engagement.
2. Set up a reoccurring meeting
Weekly, fortnightly or monthly - however frequently you think will work for your business. Invite key team members who can directly influence the delivery of ideas & plans & establish an agenda. Start with a calendar of up and coming events & ideas, move onto any outstanding ideas from last time & end with a list of actions.
3. Review the results
The true impact of your efforts can be seen beyond just the bottom line. The beauty of digital marketing is the measurement. The number of people seeing your marketing & engaging with it. Facebook & Instagram offer deep insights into the numbers of people reached by your posts or ads. Email tools like Mail Chimp offer numbers on open rates & click through rates, helping you to determine a good email campaign against an under performer. Google Analytics allows you to understand how visitors to your website are using it; where they’re coming from, what pages they’re looking at & why the leave.
Last minute marketing is a common stumbling block for small businesses, but it doesn't have to be. Just a few hours a month dedicated to your business goals as well as creative thinking about how you to achieve them can make all the difference.
If you'd like more help on thinking strategically with your marketing, email us at michelle@narrativeagency.co.uk.
Comments