With just one week left (and two holidays!) in 2016, it’s time to finalize your 2017 marketing budget! So, let’s not waste any time….
- Review 2016.
Take note of where you succeeded and where you less-than-succeeded in sticking to your marketing budget. This includes areas of both under and over utilization. Make note of target areas you want to focus on in 2017.
- Make changes.
Based on what you found above in step 1, be bold! Make changes and take (calculated) risks. Where did you see a solid ROI? Do more of that. Where did your efforts fall short? Before scrapping this area altogether, consider whether you used this method to its full potential.
- Define your marketing goals.
Your marketing goals should be a reflection of your business goals. How will marketing enhance and promote your larger efforts? For example, your marketing focus will look different if your goal is to bring in new clients versus a loyalty program for existing customers.
- Get organized.
Review your marketing process. For social media, are your accounts up to date with pictures, contact info, and basic pertinent information? Take a look at your website – is everything accurate, current, and meaningful. Make sure to include links to your social media platforms and an email/contact form.
Plan ahead! Get a jump start on developing content. Whether that is email or newsletter topics, blogs, or social media posts, start building your database of links and content. This will increase your marketing efficiency on a weekly basis when it comes time to schedule and develop content.
- Schedule check-in points.
Whether it’s weekly, monthly, or quarterly, remember to actually schedule your check-in points! Take some time to review your marketing budget and how your spending is lining up with your strategy, goals, and ROI. Checking in often can help you to catch problem areas and adjust as needed to ensure your marketing efforts are successful.
For help with setting your marketing budget or strategy, give us a call at Piccolo Marketing at 615-348-7768 – we’d love to help you start off 2017 on the right foot!
To see some of my past blogs about setting and sticking to your marketing budget, check out these links:
3 Quick Steps to Set Up Your 2016 Marketing Strategy
