How to stay on track with your 2021 marketing
By Candace Huntly
There is no in between when it comes to setting New Year’s resolutions. You either accomplish them or you don’t. The same can be said about your marketing for the new year. You either do it or you don’t. If you take the time to build a 2021 marketing strategy, wouldn’t you want to do everything you can to stay on track for the year?
Here are four things you can do to help you stay on track with your 2021 marketing strategy.
SET CLEAR ANNUAL GOALS
When December 2021 rolls around, how will you know if you have been successful with your marketing efforts? How will you figure out what held you back if you aren’t working towards something specific? Before you kick off 2021 – or even if you are late to the party – make sure you set SMART goals for both your business and your marketing strategy. If you are not familiar with SMART goals, it stands for:
Specific: Get as detailed as you can about what you want to accomplish
Measurable: How will you quantify success?
Attainable: It is good to have big goals, but make sure you can actually achieve them
Relevant: Set goals that make sense for your business
Timely: Give yourself a time frame for completion
SET MILESTONES
Creating an implementation timeline is equally as important as figuring out what strategies and tactics you are going to do throughout the year. You would have set an overall time frame for success. However, I find that looking at that overall time frame and those overall big number goals can be a little daunting. I like to break it down into mini milestones throughout the year to help keep myself accountable. Whether you set quarterly, monthly, or weekly mini milestones for yourself, it allows you to celebrate even the small wins throughout the year and adjust your strategy if something doesn’t seem to be working as well you would like.
TRACK EVERYTHING
If your goals are measurable, you can track your success. If you’re not tracking, then how are you supposed to know if what you are doing is working? Tracking your success throughout the year can help you stay motivated. You just need to select your metrics based on your goals and then decide how often you are going to create reports. Your reporting should also coincide with your milestones so you can look at your strategy objectively.
HIRE AN EXPERT
When it doubt… Hire someone to help you out! The right expert won’t try to get you to buy a bunch of things you don’t need. Find someone who understands your target audience, your industry, your brand – and someone who really takes the time to understand your challenges. Sometimes a little strategic coaching nudge is all you need and other times you might need someone to do the work for you. Regardless, find the right person.
Wondering how you can get on track and stay on track with your 2021 marketing strategy? Book a free consultation with us to see if we are a good fit for you!