1.  Define your marketing goals

With clearly defined goals, you have something to aim for and a way to measure your progress.  Throughout the year we can easily analyze the numbers and see whether your on track.  If we don't pay attention to numbers we wont know if we need to address any problems.

Goals include how many followers or connections you'll gain on your social media networks, and how new new subscribers you'll sign up for newsletters.  Sales may be a number you take into account but remember sales are the result of a comprehensive strategy of which marketing is just one component.

 

2.  Develop your own marketing database

Building a database with email addresses and relevant information about former, current and prospective clients is absolutely essential.  It allows you to communicate with them, reminding past clients of all you have to offer, strengthening the confidence of current customers, and encouraging prospective customers to move towards a sale.

If you're just getting started, create a database of all the people you know who might be interested in hearing from you including friends, family and all your business contacts.  Your communications should not be sales pitches; they should offer valuable, helpful and relevant information.

Grow your database by including a "call to action" on your website - a invitation for visitors to share their contact information in exchange for something that benefits them.  

 

3.  Maintain your marketing budget

The first thing some people do when income declines is cut expenses by eliminating their marketing budget.  Huge mistake, you need to pay more attention to marketing when sales drop off.  The new prospects you develop today, and the prospects you've been establishing relationships with, will be your paying customers tomorrow.  If you allow funnel to dry up you'll be in dire straits very quickly.

 

4.  Use every marketing tool available to you

Today we have more tools than ever for communicating the value of our service or product.  Many of them cost you nothing.  Today we can jump on Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media networks and reach a potentially far larger audience for free.

Speaking engagements (networking breakfast/lunches) may be old school but they're still effective; personal, face-to-face experiences create lasting impressions.  

Creating a great website accessible to all your potential and existing clients doesn't have to break the bank and you can ramp up its value by using it to showcase your publicity.

 

Use everything at your disposal to share your message.

Almin Kassamali - www.stylelabs.ca