Quick Tips for Your 2011 Marketing Plan

No matter where you are in the development of your 2011 marketing plan, or what approach you may use to arrive at your budget, I recommend you take a step back first to review some basic marketing planning strategies, along with a number of “new” considerations.  There are more tactics available than ever before, but success still relies on the ability to match the right combination of tactics to the business objectives you have set forth.  Here are a few ideas to keep in mind throughout the process.

1. Gauge your customer or client sentiments.  The economy has changed dramatically, and it’s very likely that brand perceptions and buying behaviors have also.  If you haven’t done this recently, start working on your brand management here.
2. What are people saying about your company on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook?  About your competitors?  No matter what your B2C or B2B industry, people are likely to be talking about you.  Use blog marketing and the right tools and analytics to assess your online reputation – or outsource to those who can.
3. Integrate your search analytics with web analytics, any other traditional media analytics, and to your customer profile information.  The result will help you gain a deeper knowledge of what efforts yield the best ROI for your various customer types.  If you need help – outsource it.  OMMA (Online Media Marketing & Advertising) magazine published an article in June called “Math Men,” on how metrics are changing the way agencies can deliver value to clients.  It’s worth reading!
4. Expand your scope of “marketing.”  Marketing has evolved tremendously in the past year or two, especially direct marketing.  As a result, you have more tactical options and tools than ever before, allowing you to improve your marketing effectiveness.  Examples include:
   Content Marketing – create new opportunities and offer strategies with content development to engage your customers and prospects, while distinguishing your brand
   Social Media – you may have set up profiles, but you’re probably not using social media the right way; like anything else, this starts with a strategy and budget
   Online Video – any industry study will point to this tactic as being on a significant rise, so tap into the engagement power of video and include this in your 2011 plans
   Enhanced SEO – it’s not what you thought it was; SEO marketing services are complex and can be intimidating, but if you do it right, they have astounding results with the lowest CPL of any marketing tactic for lead generation; check out PPC marketing options as well
   Public Relations and Media Outreach – also recently redefined; it’s still much the same, tactically speaking, but the Internet has turbocharged placement and appearances with exponential and viral distribution; so PR has even more value to deliver today than ever before
   Event Marketing – augment (or replace!) your trade show exhibitions and other live events with webinars, podcasts, virtual trade shows and other virtual events – take yourself out of the “level playing field” where you are forced to be viewed as a supply-side commodity; re-evaluate your event management marketing tactics
   Mobile Marketing – there are potentially unlimited app possibilities for mobile devices; how    creative can you be?