10 things that should be on your marketing plan for 2011-12

If you’re like most business owners you are facing a new financial year with big intentions of getting around to a more solid approach to marketing.

But plans can fall by the wayside quickly as the stresses of running a business take hold, so make a resolution to stick to your guns this year and watch your business grow.

1. Get the fundamentals right

It’s vital that small businesses get their houses in order before considering any marketing plans for the coming year.

Make sure your business, brand and offering are spot on. Understanding your customers, their needs and why they engage with your business as opposed to your competitor’s is vital, says Brendan Fearn, head of marketing at brand experience agency Play Communication.

“You also need to make sure you’ve got a really sold brand message, which is the crux of any small business,” Fearn says.

Then sit down and write that all-important marketing plan.

2. Improve the way you handle customer feedback

It might be just part of running a business but there are plenty of examples of businesses that don’t handle customer feedback well.

Handling complaints just as efficiently as you handle positive feedback is paramount if you want to try to salvage a relationship with an upset customer.

Analysis from more than 400 entrants in the 2010 Telstra Business Awards suggests it’s worth taking customer feedback seriously, finding that 79 per cent of entrants could identify their best customers and that 64 per cent of Australian businesses frequently seek feedback from customers.

Set up a complaints handling process and make sure your staff are well versed in it.

3. Don’t overlook free tools because they’re free

Google is an increasingly important tool for businesses, but there are other places to look for support for your business, including Australia Post, says Alan Quin from online agency, Digital Logic.

Australia Post offers direct mail templates and a postcode profiling tool (available here https://www.openuptomail.com.au/), which enables you view the profile of a particular postcode and get a household count. Direct mail is effective, argues Australia Post, pointing to a Roy Morgan Single Source survey in 2009 found that 71.7% of addressed promotional items received via mail were read, kept or passed on to someone else.

While Quin is a big advocate for online marketing, he says offline marketing is also vital for any small business.

“A business that hasn’t done any direct mail marketing before and isn’t sure where to start can get onto Australia Post’s site and all the templates they need are there,” Quin says.

Australia Post has also launched the Driving Business Online campaign to help small to medium businesses get online. As part of that it recently launched its click-and-send service for domestic parcels and integrated the service with eBay, enabling small businesses to calculate postage, create mailing labels and book a courier to pick the mail item up.

That site has a number of free tools available, including how to create a website, how to start selling from an existing website and how to make the most of technology in business.

4. Create a live experience for your brand

A live event relevant to your business gives current and potential customers an opportunity to engage with your business and hopefully to become a loyal customer in the process.

It can work well if your brand turns up in an unexpected place. While FMCG brand Garnier has spent a fortune in previous years creating a pop-up brand experience at Australian tennis events, think smaller scale, such as setting up a temporary stand at a local event, local supermarket or market, depending on your type of business and your target market.

But bear in mind that if you go down that path you need to do it well, otherwise your live event could detract from instead of adding to your brand.

5. Become the thought leader in your industry

Customers buy brands they trust and one way to build trust is to become a thought leader in your industry.

Consider launching a newsletter, create regular direct marketing pieces or launch a blog, which is an easy way to get yourself published and to connect with your customers. Using sites like WordPress it costs nothing to go down that path.

A blog enables you to build an online community that can generate positive word of mouth about your business. Quality content will also bolster your Google search rankings, putting you even closer to current and potential customers.

Make sure you’ve got something interesting to say and be a little thought-provoking. If you’re not a confident writer you can hire someone to write a blog on your behalf, but be sure to check every post before it’s launched into the blogosphere.

6. Get your social media strategy right

Social media is a great tool for businesses to engage with current and potential new customers, and it is something that many businesses will have on their “to do” lists this year.

Don’t jump in without a solid strategy. It’s incredibly cheap to launch into social media but the upkeep and constant updates take time and need careful consideration.

Most importantly, consider what your audience wants to hear from you rather than what you want to tell them.

“The great analogy for social media is the guy who turns up at the dinner party and starts talking about himself. It isn’t a good strategy in life or in social media. It’s about trying to find ways to communicate with your customers and add value to their life,” Fearn says.

7. Make time for internal engagement

There’s little point forking over marketing dollars without having your team singing from the same hymn book. Consider whether your staff would benefit from education about your offering, your business goals or a new product.

Fearn says Play Communication will go into your business to engage staff and says the value of fostering a culture of inclusiveness is invaluable. Even if you can’t afford to hire outside help taking a day out to speak with staff should be considered.

8. Keep working on your website

It is a task that businesses everywhere put off, but the new financial year is the prime time to tick off challenging tasks. After all, a growing number of consumers hit the internet well before they set foot in a store.

If your business warrants it consider implementing online selling on your site. After all it’s entirely feasible that consumers want to buy from you when you’re closed for the day.

Hire a web designer, digital agency or freelancer if you’re unsure how to proceed.

No matter what type of business you’re in you need to update your site regularly to encourage repeat visits and improved Google rankings. Remember, original, quality content is rewarded with top listings.

9. Create a loyalty program

Everyone in business hopes to secure a loyal following but it’s no easy task. Securing a loyal customer base is a worthwhile objective given that it is around five times more expensive to find a new customer than it is to keep a current client.

A loyalty program could offer customers discounts, freebies, invites to VIP nights or a buy one, get one free offer, among other things. Whatever you decide make sure it represents value to your customers.

A loyalty program is also a great opportunity to capture valuable data about customers, so set up the technology to do that from the start so you can use the information to tailor your offering and your marketing.

Real estate giant LJ Hooker has just made its foray into chasing customer loyalty, investing in the first nationwide customer loyalty program by an Australian real estate company via Myljhooker, which provides members with national and local special offers, discounts and coupons.

10. Engage the media

Finding a way to sell your story to the media can pay huge dividends to your business. It is likely to bolster sales in the short term as your business profile is raised and if the coverage is positive, it could also make your brand more valuable.

A carefully planned public relations campaign utilising a range of online tools that make the job easier is the best way to go.

Check out www.handleyourownpr.com.au, which was created for businesses without the budget to employ a PR firm. Another key tool is www.sourcebottle.com.au, where journalists post a request when looking for talent for interviews and businesses that believe they can assist are able to respond.

Make sure you’re prepared before contacting the media. Write a targeted one page media release for each market and consider having professional photos on hand that you can make available to the media.