Marketing is a Year-Round Commitment - Not a now-and-then activity.

Just like running your business, successful marketing requires consistent effort delivered over time. While initial energy is needed to set up a campaign, ongoing work is needed to drive home results. There are many ways to engage people and keep them interested, from your website and social media accounts to online ads and offline promotions. Like most things in life, however, what you do is not as important as how you do it.

Marketing is built on the power of human relationships. Just like other important people in your life, it's essential to communicate with your market regularly and build relationships that develop over time. If you want your marketing to count, you need to be consistent.?

Common marketing mistakes

When it comes to marketing, many businesses make the same mistakes. You may have spent years developing your products and services, and rightfully, you're proud of what you've achieved. This can lead to a shortsighted mindset, however, with people often left out of the equation.

When you're focused on what you offer and absorbed in the day-to-day mechanics of running your business, a blind spot often develops. While good quality products and services are fundamental to every successful story, you need to create a narrative to give people a reason to pay attention.

Regardless of your size or sector, it's important to engage your audience — day after day and season after season. You can help people feel involved and motivated by avoiding the following two mistakes:

1. Failing to act when you're busy

When you're running a successful business, things often get busy. During these times, which can last for days or weeks at a time, you're probably focused on the task at hand. Whether it's making things, fixing things, or trying your best to add value, busy times often lead to stress and tunnel vision.

In this situation, too many businesses let their marketing drop off. While promoting your own business is commendable, it's largely unsustainable when times get tough. Building momentum can be difficult when you're busy, with existing customers often ignored and long-term branding likely to suffer.

2. Going silent during the slow times

On the other side of the coin, too many businesses fail to market themselves properly during the slow times. If you’re affected by lockdown or have a few underwhelming weeks, you may be stressed about money. In this climate, it's easy to be shortsighted and forget about marketing.

Quiet times can be very productive when you leverage your time and resources effectively. Businesses can implement new campaigns in the lead-up months and prepare for the holidays well before they arrive. In all situations, having a solid year-round plan is the key to success.

If you would like to develop a comprehensive year-round marketing strategy for Christmas and beyond, please contact Living Lines today.