New Year Resolution (njuː jɪə ˌrɛzəˈluːʃən ) or New Year’s resolution

NOUN: a promise to yourself or decision to do something, especially to improve one’s behavior or lifestyle in some way, during the year ahead.

Whether you have resolved to do better in 2023 when it comes to your company marketing or you’re simply labeling it, #goals for the new year, we’ve created a list to help you meet your #goals or make good on that New Year’s resolution.

1. Revisit your target audience(s). Are they still your audience? Is your content, advertising and brand messaging still speaking to their needs and solving their pain points? Are you relating to them? Sometimes your business evolves or you have a product shift and it’s a good idea to evaluate your ideal audience and make sure you are still aligned with them and their needs.

2. Update your website. For starters, update the copyright date to 2023. 😉 Make a plan to revise copy that is out of date and replace photos that are old. Be sure to run any updates necessary for your website, plugins and security. This is also a good time to revisit your SEO/keywords – refresh as needed.

3. Be ready to network. Have your (on-brand) elevator pitch down pat – yet conversational. Remember, no one wants to be sold to. Also, have business cards everywhere – your car, your purse, your back pocket, or wherever is handy when you are out networking. The last thing you want to do is make a great connection and leave them with no way to get in touch with you.

4. Think about the brand experience for your customer – both online and in person. Does it deliver on your brand promise? This is a great time to audit not only your visual brand and messaging but also, what does the customer experience when they use your product, interact with your employees, visit your location(s), etc.? 

5. Update your headshot. People notice a headshot or a bio picture from 20 years ago, trust me. It’s better to show your true, authentic self. People want to see the real you – or at least be able to recognize you in real life when they meet you for coffee. Did you know that a headshot doesn’t always have to be serious? You can get creative and you can have more than one. 🤯

6. Build your email list. Out of all the social media platforms you are on, the only fans, followers, subscribers, etc, that you own are the ones on your email list. Continue to nurture this list. This will continue to be a lifeline to your customer base when social channels implode or there’s a power outage. 😉

7. Create content that can be part of the buyer’s journey for potential customers and that you can repurpose in multiple places. Buyers don’t tend to make a purchase the first time they come across your website. They need to know they can trust you, that you really do offer the solution to their problem and depending on the product or service, your customer might want to build a relationship with you before they decide to pull the trigger. Your blog, email newsletters and social media accounts are all ways customers learn about your brand, get to know you better and become fans. Be strategic about which social media platforms you are on — 2-3 are probably all you need to reach your desired audience. Show up authentically, on-brand and be a thought leader in your space. 

8. Try new trends and strategies. Be agile with your marketing and try new things. Abandon what doesn’t work and always think, is this a good strategy to reach my audience?

9. Set a budget and develop a marketing plan. The general rule of thumb is your marketing budget is 5%-10% of your total gross revenue. We recommend being very strategic and making sure you have a good mix that fits within your budget and reaches your target audience.  If a client has a small budget, we get creative and think outside the box. Partner with an influencer in exchange for product or service, network with people in your industry, partner with local businesses, have a social media contest or create a VIP experience for your customers.

Need help with your marketing and branding in 2023? Grab a spot on our calendar to discuss how we can help.