13 Marketing Essentials You Probably Forgot to Look Back at

What I love most about January is that it’s the perfect time for goal-setting and ramping up for a great new year of growth. (It’s true that every day can be a new beginning, but there’s something special about starting a grand new plan at the start of a new year!)?

What I?don’t?love so much in January – or, ever, really… looking back on the things I’ve already checked off the list. What’s the point when it’s already done? On to new things, right? Well…

Let’s take marketing, for instance. You’re planning new campaigns, setting up new initiatives, and implementing new tools (AI?content generators, anyone?). That’s fantastic! But before you fire those up, let’s look back on the basics, shall we??

Here’s why: You might not actually be “seeing” these basics anymore because you’re so used to them. But, to a new prospect, potential partner, or future rockstar team member, they will be among the first things they notice about your brand. (You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression, the saying goes!)

So before you take 11 more steps towards your year-end goals, let’s take one step back and look at some of the basics.?

1. Check your website.?Try looking at it through the eyes of a new visitor. (Even better – run some user testing, if you can!) Your website is your marketing hub. If you haven’t touched it in six months, it needs new content. If it’s older than three years, it likely needs a facelift. If it’s older than five years, it needs a redesign. Take a look at your?About Us?page - does that still represent your brand today? When was the last time you added anything to your?News?page??
2. Google your company name. Are you happy with what you see? This is what someone doing due diligence about your brand sees. Is that Yelp address from before you last moved? Are your Glassdoor reviews what you expected? Address and update all discrepancies. Your SEO will thank you!?
3. Check your?Google Business Profile. Are your photos recent? Is your information up to date? Are you posting Google posts at least weekly? If not, it’s time to hit the?edit?button. (Or hire someone to maintain it for you.)
4. When was the last time you received a?Google Review? How many Google Reviews do you have, compared with your competitors? Did you reply to all your Google Reviews? It may be time to reach out to some happy clients and ask them for a review! (You should use?Bright Reviews, of course.)?
5. Audit your social media profiles.?Even if you post regularly, take a good look at your cover and profile photos. Is it time for a refresh? What about your information – is it still relevant? Edit whatever needs editing.?
6. Invite your connections to follow your profiles.?This is particularly useful on LinkedIn and Facebook. Do this regularly – once a month would be great. But if you haven’t done it in a while, do it now!?
7. Update your mailing list.?Even if you send email campaigns on the regular, it’s easy to forget to do some audience maintenance. Go through your list and remove anyone who hasn’t engaged in six months to a year, as they’re unlikely to engage again. Also, scout for who’s missing and add them!?
8. Audit your pitch deck, company brochure, proposal template, and training videos. If you’re running efficiently, you probably have a template you customize for each opportunity. Chances are, you’re glossing over the pages about your team, company bio, references, or case studies. At least once a year, go over everything and see what should change.?
9. Audit your email signature, voicemail greeting, business card, and your personal social media accounts. Hint: view them as a visitor rather than as your own. Are they still relevant, or do they need some dusting off? Are you seizing the marketing value in them? (And… is your LinkedIn photo from 8 years ago?)?

Ok, the following four tips don’t fall under the basics, but you should still do these before unfolding any grand plans you may have for the year.

1. Look back?at your strategy– what worked particularly well last year in your marketing? How can you amplify that this year??
2. Look ahead?– map your calendar for the year (or at least the quarter) and plan your marketing moves. What events will you participate in this year? What milestones do you anticipate? When do you need to start planning for each one? Who will support you with each step??
3. Start your 2023 "year in review" now. Trust me, when you look back in December, you’ll wish you had started sooner. January is not too soon! Start jotting down your 2023 milestones to conquer, accomplishments you’ll achieve, events you’ll shine in, and – who knows? – maybe you’ll manifest them in the process!?
4. Don’t do it alone!?Marketing is a team sport. If you‘re a business owner, pass the marketing hat onto someone else, or you won‘t be able to market your business consistently. If you’re the head of marketing, you still need a team to rely on. Whether you have an in-house marketing team or work with an agency (hopefully Bright Pink Agency ), your marketing success depends on how well you communicate your business goals to your team. The best way to do it is to set up (at least) monthly standing meetings with your marketing team – this way, you’re prioritizing it!?

Did I miss anything? What would you add to this list??