January is a perfect time to reflect and strategize. Take some time this month to look back over your digital marketing successes and challenges, and consider the following:
- Your goals. Think about what you’re really trying to accomplish and how you should measure success. Likely, you have some major goals (increasing sales, establishing your digital presence, establishing your expertise, building community, etc.) and smaller objectives that will help you reach those larger goals (growing your email list, optimizing your website for search, establishing your expertise, etc.). What KPI (key performance indicators) have you identified, and what systems do you have in place for analyzing your results and keeping yourself on track?
- Your audience. Try to see your audience with fresh eyes. If your goals have changed over the last year, your audience probably has, too. When you started out, your main goal was probably to raise awareness. As time has gone on and your audience has learned more about you and your business, your goals may have become more sales-oriented and your audience may have moved past needing the information you used to provide. Look at your buyer personas and see if you need to change them or add new ones. The more you can know your customers, their interests, and their pain points, the better you will be able to serve their needs and connect with them.
- Your positioning. How are you perceived by your customers and how does that compare to how you want to be seen? Where do you fit in in the digital landscape and how do you stand out from your competitors? What is the best way to get from where you are to where you want to go?
- Your budget. How much money can you devote to marketing in the coming year? Can you commit other resources (such as time) to keep costs down? It’s important to know the value of your time and spend it on what adds the most value to your company. Know when delegating or outsourcing is the smartest move, and always keep your ROI (return on investment) in mind. For example, for most people, email marketing (even when outsourced) is inexpensive and has a high ROI. Social media can be done for free, but it’s time consuming to implement an effective strategy. When planning your budget, consider your own strengths, the strengths of your staff, and the time commitment of each marketing activity you’re planning.
Once you’ve taken a look at the big picture, put each part of your digital marketing strategy under the microscope and conduct a SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis is where you assess Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Conduct one for each of the following (if applicable to your business or organization): your website, your email marketing strategy, your social strategy, your organic and/or paid SEO (search engine optimization), your content strategy, and your non-search advertising.
Once you’ve considered all of this information, you should be well equipped to adjust your strategy to communicate more effectively, find a larger audience, and, ultimately, increase your revenue in the coming year.
Substance and Style 