Each January, it's been our tradition to offer up 12 resolutions -- one corresponding to each month -- for the New Year. For those of you who missed it last year, here we go again. For those of you who read it last year...here we go again.
(That's the great thing about authoring one's own newsletter -- you get to call the shots...)
Welcome to Not Your Usual Marketing Tips from JDK Marketing Communications Management.
There’s a great scene in an old “Seinfeld” episode where Jerry has apparently telephoned reservations for a car rental. Except that when he gets there to pick up the car, he’s told there are none to be had. The woman at the counter explains that, for whatever bureaucratic reason, his rental was released to someone else. In his customary exasperated manner, Jerry “educates” her with the admonition that although it is their business to MAKE the reservation…they also have to be able to HOLD the reservation..!
It’s January of a New Year. From a marketing standpoint, presuming you’ve MADE your New Year’s resolutions, are you planning to actually HOLD them?
Here are 12 Resolutions, one for each month (in no particular order):
1. Guerilla Marketing: Think outside the box for ways to promote yourself. There are rules…and sometimes they're made to be broken.
2. Networking: Don't just focus on the standard business networking groups…look into joining associations, fraternal organizations, groups comprising fellow hobbyists, etc. That means getting more active in the social media milieu, as well...i.e. Facebook, LinkedIn,Twitter, et al.
3. Publicity: Toot your own horn if you have to; no one else knows your “key” as you do.
4. Positioning: All things being equal…what makes you “more” equal than others?
5. Seminars/Workshops: You think you know it all? Heck, maybe you do – at least as far as certain audiences are concerned, and the new business opportunities they might provide for you.
6. Newsletters: Share your ideas, broaden your constituency; send out industry-relevant information either as hard copy…or as an e-zine (such as what you’re presently reading).
7. Trade Shows: Go to them, be in them, network within them, write a program article for them, propose to give a seminar at them.
8. Event Marketing: Sponsor a cause, host an Open House; it’s good P.R. by “socializing” your business.
9. The Newspaper: Remember that old-fashioned medium? For business ideas, for client contact opportunities, simply to stay topical, don’t just rely on the 11:00 PM news. Read the newspaper.
10. Greeting Cards: It doesn’t have to be Christmas to send them to clients, prospects, colleagues, friends. Stay top of mind year-round, with Valentine’s Day, July 4th, Arbor Day – whatever! – as an excuse.
11. Postcards: Along with greeting cards, postcards are a fast, convenient, economical way to let people know about what's new with your business (think Realtors, Financial Advisors…).
12. JDK Marketing Communications Management: Yeah, I know, I “fudged” on this last one. But how else are you going to be able to effectively take care of the previous 11 resolutions…without first resolving to contact yours truly?
Baker's Dozen Bonus: Re-tool your website, if necessary, with updated info, new pictures, perhaps a video.
Have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011. Hope to catch you again the first Tuesday of next month with Volume 9, Number 2 of Not Your Usual Marketing Tips.
Joel Kweskin
joel@jdkmarketing.biz
704.846.4835
704.575.8850
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