There are only 3.5 months left in 2012, and only about 10 weeks until Thanksgiving (also known to us Truckee/Tahoe-folk as the beginning of the Winter tourist season). If you have holiday products you will be promoting, or if you are in a service-based industry and need help learning how to even out the slow times, now is the time to be marketing.
Unless you have a background in marketing, most business owners need a helping hand. Some common questions I am asked are:
- Where should I advertise and how often?
- How many times a month should I blog and what keywords should I use?
- Should I send out Holiday cards or postcards?
- How often should I send out a newsletter and what type of articles should I include?
- Should I join the Chamber of Commerce and, if so, what do I do afterwards?
- How do I hit my sales numbers during the holidays?
From large, detailed marketing plans to small, one page plans, I have helped guide many businesses to their goals. If you just need a little help getting things rolling and want to jump-start your business, shoot me an email. If you want to get started, here are some things that you can brainstorm:
- Who is your target market for your main business?
- What product or service do you want to really promote in the next 3 months or year?
- What are your goals for your business in the next 3 months or year?
- What is your budget and how much time do you have to put into your own marketing efforts per week and per month?
Make a list of all of the places you are currently advertising and people you are marketing to, list how much these cost (money & time) and write down the return on investment you are getting, per item. See where this list takes you and let’s make a plan to help you obtain your goals.