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Making a list and checking it twice!

The holidays are quickly approaching, so it comes as no surprise that Santa is finishing his list and checking it twice. While he reviews the children’s objectives (be nice!), I start planning mine for 2012 by creating my own list.

Even outside the North Pole, It’s a familiar practice this time of year as businesses review their goals and start planning for next year’s. It’s also when we put extra thinking around how to stay ahead of the competition. That’s where my list comes in. It’s an end-of-year checklist to help evaluate whether your current marketing initiatives are still working or if changes need to be made for the New Year.

Santa’s checklist (for businesses):

1. Goals & Objectives. Before the New Year’s ball drops, you should sit down and identify new goals and objectives for your business. Do you want to reach a certain number in sales? Do you want a certain number of new customers? Whatever your goals are, clearly defining what you want to accomplish for the year is the driving force behind your entire marketing effort.

2. Target Audiences. In order to achieve your goals and objectives, it’s important to clearly define your target market and know them inside and out. Some questions to ask yourself are: Are you targeting business or consumer sectors? What do they think about your brand? Who else is competing for their loyalty?

3. Brand & Messaging. From the logo to corporate colors to your message, Brand can be your company’s most valuable asset. It’s important to take a step back and examine:

a. How long have you been using the same logo, corporate colors, etc.?
b. Does your overall corporate message effectively speak to your target audiences?
c. Are you a solutions provider or simply a products and service provider?
d. Does your brand and messaging reflect the needs of your target audiences?
e. Does all of your company collateral (i.e., website, brochures, newsletters, etc.) reflect your brand?

4. Thought Leadership. Having professionally-written, industry-appropriate white papers, articles and case studies —and knowing how to effectively promote them — will help position you as an expert in your industry.

5. Social Media Presence. In today’s technological-savvy world, having and maintaining an online presence with a positive reputation is critical. Whether you’re on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Professional or YouTube, you should create a social media usage plan to ensure your company stays highly visible and that your content is always up-to-date.

Once you’ve checked off these five must-haves, you won’t have to ask Santa to help improve your bottom line!

Melissa H. • December 14, 2011

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