It’s that time of year again… Time to step into the new year being our better selves, and that includes your marketing!  Let’s review a few simple resolutions to improve your marketing in 2019. 

Lose Some Weight

It’s time to trim the fat and drop bad habits.  One of the most cringe-worthy things I hear a lot is, “We’ve always done it this/that way”.  Finding a strategy that is timeless and doesn’t have to be adjusted, changed, or eliminated over time is nearly impossible.  Your marketing strategy needs to respond to changing technology, consumer preference, staff capabilities, trends, competition, and many other factors.  So, it’s time to reevaluate what’s not working and what tactics need some reinvesting. 

Develop a Strategy Before Throwing it at the Infamous Wall

I’ve worked with so many organizations, both large and small, that prefer the “Let’s throw it at the wall and see what sticks” method.  This “strategy” (not an actual strategy people!) is often the choice because it’s the easy way out.  It is a way to come up with a go to market strategy without any planning.  That lack of planning also means that you generally identify the issues with your “strategy” once you’re in the thick of it. 

Moral of the story on this one, just don’t do it!  Develop a strategy first, then develop tactics that support your overall marketing strategy.  Transform into a big picture thinker.  Where would you like to be at the end of the year?  In 3 years?  Once you answer that question, then you can identify what tactics you need to implement throughout the year to support your overall vision.   

Put it Down on Paper and Share it

It’s not enough to just have a strategy, it needs to be written down in the form of a marketing plan.   It’s time to get rid of “to-do” lists and formalize a plan that you share throughout your organization.  At the very least the entire leadership team need to be aware and involved in the execution of this plan.  It starts at the top and needs to be drilled through the organization.  When your entire team is aware of the organization’s goals, they are far easier to meet (or exceed, I don’t like just “meeting” goals).

Focus on Customer Experience

Customer Experience (CX) has become a bit of a buzz word in the marketing world as of late, and for good reason.  It’s easy within an organization to “woo” your customer until you’ve gotten the job, contract, purchase, etc.  But it’s a lot more work to continue to build an everlasting relationship with that customer.  This is where you create customer loyalty, which rolls perfectly into the last resolution. 

Invest in Your Brand (Or Identify One)

A lot of companies, especially Architectural/Engineering/Construction (A/E/C) companies, have traditionally been unwilling to invest the time and resources into their brand.  In today’s world, having a logo just isn’t enough.  A logo is not a brand.  Your brand is the emotion and feeling that people associate with your company when they see your logo.  Having an emphasis on your branding and brand initiatives is one of the top B2B Marketing trends of 2019, so don’t catch yourself falling behind!