As we are halfway through November, it is important that we start looking forward to the start of the new year! Crazy, right?! Here at StrategyNest, we always stay a few steps ahead, so as we look into the first quarter of 2021, we have put together some quick marketing tips to help you start your new year marketing plan off on the right foot.
First off, it is important to set goals. Now, this may seem obvious, but when we say goals we mean specific numbers, specific feats that you can hit one by one. These goals can be weekly, monthly, quarterly or by the end of 2021. These goals can also be marketing goals or overall business goals.
Next, it is important to have a budget in mind for the year. This can be a rough estimate, which you came to through looking at 2020’s spending and using the goals you have set for 2021. You can review your ROI, analytics, ad spend, etc. Spend time reviewing what worked and what didn’t, as well as how you can improve for next year.
Next, it is important to look at your content from the previous year. This could include social media, blogs, ads, or anything you used in your digital marketing strategy. Again, see what performed well and what didn’t. Make a list of your top performing posts and analyze why you believe they did well. Review if you are reaching your target audience correctly. It is important to review every aspect when it comes to content. Analytics are extremely important here, so it may be useful to create a spreadsheet. Make note and remember what performed well and what didn’t - this will be crucial to next year’s strategy.
More specifically for social media, it is important to review all of your posts on all of your different platforms. Assuming you have differing content on social versus LinkedIn and so forth, what worked for each platform specifically? Why did it work? Why didn’t it work? Are you reaching your target audience and if so, where and when? Analyze every piece of data and make note of it. This is also an important time to work on who follows you and who you follow. Review the users and do some internal work in the platforms.
So how do you actually navigate this end of year planning process? Here are some tips:
Understand trends in your industry
Take a look at your competitors
Refocus on your brand
Have clear objectives and goals
Focus on impactful projects and tasks
Share your marketing plan with your team
Get support from your internal team
Get the support you need from a marketing team
Want to learn more? Contact StrategyNest today to get to work on your preparation for 2021.