1) Redesign Your Website

If you haven’t already, ramp up your marketing plan to update your website. Take a good look at your competitors and see how your website stacks up. Having an outstanding website will increase your sales and draw positive attention to your company. It may even lighten your work load if it is done properly. Plan ahead for items you would like in the future and at the very least have them in mind once you redesign your website. You went basic on the first one because you knew a website is a must, now is the time to do it right. Your investment in a custom built website will pay off in the end!

2) Brand Your Company

Sit down and take a little time to focus on your company image. Having a good company logo can increase the awareness of your company in your community even better than word-of-mouth can at times. If you paid your neighbor’s kid to come up with your logo, now might be the time to rethink that. Re-branding could be one of the best decisions you have ever made, and it will refresh your brand in people’s minds. Give yourself a new logo, update your business cards, stationeries, envelopes, etc. It’s a New Year and time for a new look!

3) Jump on the Social Media Bandwagon

It is not a fad anymore, it is a key component of your marketing strategy. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress are here to stay. When each are used properly they can become a great asset to your business. When you are tight on a budget, or the budget doesn’t exist when it comes to marketing, social media is the way to go. It’s cheap, flexible, gets quick results and gets easier with time. Social Media and Social Networking aren’t going away anytime in the near future. If social media hasn’t become part of your marketing plan, you have some catching up to do!

4) Allocate Money to Online Marketing

Websites with relevant content will continue to rule search engine rankings. No matter what your budget, you can place your ads on Google or Yahoo and they will be displayed as part of their advertising network. Your ads appear beside related search results, people click and connect to your business. The nice thing is that you only pay when people click. Set up SEO performance goals, make them specific, measurable and timely. At the very least you want to determine if the goal has been met and why a trend has occurred.

5) Communicate with Your Customers Through Email Marketing

Use email newsletters to keep in touch with your customers on a regular basis. Your newsletters can include current or upcoming events, hints and tips, deals or promotions you are currently pushing, or topics of interest to readers. Email marketing will build relationships with current or prospective customers. You can use the newsletter as a subtle reminder to return to your website, and put your product or service back in the face of the end user.

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