Spring has finally arrived after what seems like a very long tedious winter. It’s a season for new life and new beginnings and my very favourite season too! I adore seeing the flowers blooming and having the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors more with my family.
For some of us, business has been slow, coupled with how the pandemic has affected us all mentally. It can be difficult to get motivated and get back on track with running a business. Often when switching off, we lose sight of what we want to achieve and what areas of the business we need to focus on. The world is slowly getting back to normal and things will start to pick up now during the next few months, so we need to ensure our business is back on track, ready and we’re happy with how and what we’re promoting to potential clients.
A good old spring clean can spruce up your home and can be very cathartic and if you do the same for your business it can be extremely satisfying and rewarding. If you’re a business owner who has either recently reopened your doors or you’re in need of putting that spring back in what you do, now is a great time to get focused and make a plan of action for your business.
Before you commence any marketing activities, whether it’s an online advert, leaflet print, mailer etc, the best way to ensure you’re hitting the nail on the head is to set an objective. Consider if you are targeting the right audience and whether the message delivers the right content and is set in the right tone. Devise a little ‘Customer Avatar’ to check what your audience looks like and what their wants and needs are.
Consider:
- Are you happy with how your branding looks and feels?
- Is it eye-catching?
- Does it say what your business does and offers?
After all you have to live with it. Write down what comes to mind when you think of your business’ brand personality. Ask friends and existing clients what they think. If your clients don’t see the brand the way you do, maybe it’s time for some brand re-decoration? Bold classic colours are definitely on trend atm, so why not buck the trend and go for something brighter and more eye-catching. We love being creative at Queen Bee & Co and will bounce a few ideas around with you until you’re happy with what you see.
Remember your website is your shop window. You wouldn’t want to go into a shop which is looking unkept and unappealing, so this rule applies to your website. This is potentially the first thing potential clients go to when they have heard about you from a friend/business acquaintance, so it has to look impressive with easy navigation, social media icons and have your contact details on every page and content which is appropriate to your audience and don’t forget the testimonials folks! Businesses spend huge amounts of money on having a website designed, but a website doesn’t necessarily have to cost a fortune. I speak to so many clients who aren’t happy with their website, so we offer a very cost-effective option here at Queen Bee & Co as we ourselves are a small business so appreciate one-man-bands don’t have massive budgets.
Social Media is up by 40% currently, so it’s more important than ever right now to continue to post and promote your business. If you remain stagnant you may be missing out! You need to adapt your offering and think of new ways of reaching your target audience. Ensure all of your social media platforms are consistent with your branding and your headers are on brand. Populate your ‘About Us’ and ‘Profile’ sections and utilise branded images e.g. pick images which incorporate your colours.
Getting creative with your campaigns is a must. If you have found you have run some recent campaigns and they have been a little lacklustre, now is the time to start your big injection!
Invite a few friends to have a brainstorm about ideas and content. A new perspective might be the perfect thing to break you out of that rut and help you to create some fab content that will bring new clients your way.
Lastly, have a plan of action. Set out a calendar and write down all of the marketing tools that you are going to utilise for your future marketing campaigns. Remember to manage your R.O.I (return on investment) as it’s a waste of your time and money if you don’t closely monitor any marketing activities. Remember, Content is King so take time to write content and make sure you are including words which potential clients will be searching for on-line. There are free tools to support you with this, try Semrush.com and Moz.com.
And most importantly, give your desk that much needed tidy, including files and of course your email box!
If you require some support with your business, you can book in with Queen Bee & Co for a FREE 1-hour marketing consultation please email us at deborah@queenbeeandco.co.uk we’d love to help you grow your business and get back on track.
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