It’s the end of the year & you’re thinking, what can I do differently this year? How can I at least set a good base to start off strong & boost the strategy. Well, that means that the time has come to begin building out your 2021 marketing strategy. An annual marketing plan that provides a strong guideline which acts as a driving force when marketing during the holiday season. To make your company’s goals or your brand’s goals a reality, a strategy should be put in place to act as a guide on the path towards your campaigns, goals, and growth.
So if you are looking for ways to improve your plans from previous years, you’re in the right place! Here are 4 Simple Steps to help you create a highly successful 2021:
1. SWOT ANALYSIS
Before you begin strategizing on what you need to do, first you will need to analyze what’s been happening. The SWOT Analysis was created by a management consultant named Albert Humphrey in the late 1960s in hopes that people would use it to assess their businesses so that strategies would be optimized.This strategy facilitates high-level planning in the business world and education systems to this day.
Understanding your areas of opportunity will surely bring you exponential growth. Be realistic with where you are at and you can gain much more control over where you are headed. Analyze 2020 with an eye of scrutiny while asking the right questions.
How did you handle any increase in sales? Where did you overspend? What leverage did you have over your competitors? Why did you succeed and where could you have been better?
2. DEVELOP THE BLUEPRINT OF THE PLAN
As the saying goes, “by failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail”. You need to have an idea of the material your business requires to be prepared for the 2021 rollout. Depending on the industry you’re in, the materials you need may vary. Below are some important tools in marketing that would be of added value when included in your marketing strategy regardless of what industry you’re in:
Branding and Graphics
Tangible collateral for customers
Events
Direct Marketing
Press
Research
Social Media
Website/Landing Page
3. DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE
Knowing your audience is key to a high ROI. With nearly 4.6 billion internet users all around the world, it is difficult to appeal to everyone at once. Being specific about the demographics helps you direct your marketing. Therefore, you should conduct a market research in order to find out where your average successful sale is coming from and build on the characteristics your audience has.
Demographics
Gender
Age
Marital Status
Location
Profession
Income
Consolidating your stats into these simple demographics will lead you closer to finding your specific niche of people and even make it possible for you to retarget this audience for future marketing purposes in order to acquire more leads.
4. DEFINE YOUR TEAM
Behind any business’s success is a powerfully functioning team. If you are to have the best year in the history of your business then specific processes need to be delegated to team members who are passionate about driving towards one solid vision.
Start with identifying the core strengths of each team member and provide them with all the tools necessary for the completion & success of projects.. If you find the need to hire new people, be sure to look for individuals who are passionate about working towards a united goal, are growth-oriented, and respect the hierarchical structure your business requires to function properly.
When it comes to leadership, you should always be clear about managing and setting the expectations from the very beginning. A culture of good communication within a company tends to create an environment where workers hold each other accountable. Everyone will know what to expect from each other which leads to a more supportive work environment that encourages transparency and finally productivity while being able to rely on your team without interfering.
Try different approaches for each member of your team until you find whatever it is that encourages them to perform at their best. Make your team feel acknowledged for all their efforts and understand that each person is playing a key role in making your vision a reality.
Final Thoughts
Strategy without process is nothing more than a wishlist. You are going to need clear guidelines towards your goals if you want to ensure 2021 is your best year yet. We hope these steps will help you on the path to your company’s success.
Feel free to leave a comment below with any other helpful tips you recommend for a successful annual marketing plan.
If you need assistance or guidance with getting your brand strategy in place, make sure to reach out & request a Free Consultation.
- Izegbe A. Jarvis
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