The holidays are in full swing, and Christmas is around the corner. There is so much to do. It can be hard to keep on top of it all. But all too soon the hype will end. The holiday will be over. Then what?
The coming months will set the tone for the entire next year. And while the pace today is nothing short of chaotic, it could slow down rather fast. If you want things to run smooth, now is the time to plan for the coming months. These 5 ideas will help you to plan.
#5 – Keep email marketing
If you have done your job well, after the holidays you should have a bunch of new email addresses. Once the new year arrives, it is the perfect time to reach out to those new customers. This will have two benefits to your business.
The first benefit is direct feedback. Ask the new customers how their experience was your product or service. That feedback can help you direct your business. It can also help you to fix any problems before they end up killing your business.
The second is a chance to create extra sales. Be it from a friend or family member of the original customer, or they need more of what you sold them. What they purchased is still fresh in their mind. It could lead to more sales.
#4 – Plan your future sales
It may seem odd to begin planning sales when the current ones are still running. But, it will allow you to ensure that the sales go off without a hitch. Look back on sales that your business has already completed. Were there any problems? Did they do well?
Take a good look and review everything. Then plan out the next one and make it better. Work hard to define the best subset of your target market that will respond to the sale. Then prep everything that you can.
#3 – Redefine your market
Now is the time to begin reviewing the past year of clients. Are they the type of client that you want to have? Are they bringing you happiness or frustration?
Working with the right kind of clients is important. If your business is bringing in the wrong clients, you will spend more time trying to fix things. More time spent correcting problems, or wasting time on problem clients. Now is the right time to re-target your marketing. Your mind and business will thank you. And life will be much more enjoyable.
#2 – Stay loud
Unfortunately, advertising these days have become a screaming match. Each business screaming and trying to get attention. But as the holiday’s end, many businesses will take a step back. They will quiet their message because of simple exhaustion.
While you may feel the same as everyone else, now is the perfect time to overtake some competition. When they go dark, it becomes easier to make yourself the spotlight in the room. Your message can stand out from the black. But do try something a little different. Refine your message before you start shouting. You might not even have to yell so loud.
#1 – Pick one thing new
Everyone has their own opinion on what marketing will work best. As you begin planning for the new year, look at marketing that you have done in the past. Could you use some of it again? Make the old seem new?
You should try to begin planning for at least one new marketing outreach over the next year. Think about simple low-cost items that could bring you in large amounts of business. For example, have you tried partnering with another local business? Sometimes doing a trade with another business will help you both to grow by leaps and bounds.
This could also be the perfect time to refresh any previous marketing that you are still using. This should also include your website. Make sure that it is up to date and working well.
Conclusion
The new year is creeping up fast and the holidays will be over before you know it. While it may seem like you are way too busy to even think about the future, you should be. Take these 5 ideas and keep your business busy after the holidays are over.
