Between a pandemic, a stressful presidential election, and some serious bushfires, it really felt like 2020 was never going to end, but here we are! January 2021 has ushered in a promising new year full of potential. First, take a moment to catch your breath and appreciate everything that we’ve gone through.
Feeling refreshed? Great! Because now it is time to start marketing your business for this new year! If you want to rock 2021 you need to start right now. Here are easy marketing tips we’ve collected to help you attract more business this January and start the year strong.
SIMPLE JANUARY MARKETING IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED
Look at your audience’s New Year’s Resolutions
Did you know that 51% of Americans resolved to manage their finances better in 2021? That was the most popular resolution in 2020! Other contenders included “eat healthier” and “be more active.” Fulfilling resolutions can be difficult, but your business can help keep your clients on track. Understand your target’s 2021 goals and use marketing to offer encouragement and incentives that tie into your products and services.
Announce upcoming events
Give your audience the opportunity to fill up those blank 2021 calendars. Spring has plenty of opportunities for events, including President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and let’s not forget the Oscars.
Start promoting sales, giveaways, and special offers early on with your social media, emails, and direct mail marketing. This is the perfect time to encourage your audience to sign on to your mailing list, so they don’t miss out on upcoming opportunities.
Update your website
New Year, new you! Consider updating the landing page on your website to align with your goals and brand identity for this year’s marketing strategy. Make sure that your website offers all the important information that viewers need to know regarding Covid-19, state regulations, and your policies. Update regularly if anything changes. Even if you don’t redesign your entire website, look into updating your FAQ with any common inquiries from 2020—a good FAQ page will save you time and keep your audience looking at your products and services instead of searching for answers.
Get on the latest social media platforms
Are you getting the most out of your social media? Don’t rely on just a Twitter and Facebook account. The social media landscape changes fast and you can benefit from sharing content on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. You should also keep your eye on newcomers like the video-sharing app TikTok and live streaming platform Twitch.
No single social media platform is a silver bullet. By using multiple platforms, you can share a variety of content featuring text, images, and videos to reach your ideal target audience. Share your new accounts on your already-existing social media pages to build up your followers early on.
Reward customer loyalty
An early rush of followers and clicks in January is great, but you want to keep those clients invested in your business. Keep your customers invested with membership programs, loyalty punch cards, and referral discounts. Highlighting loyalty benefits in January incentivizes customers to earn more savings by investing in your business early on.
TIPS TO POLISH UP YOUR MARKETING STRATEGY THIS JANUARY
Understand your business resolutions for 2021
What are your goals for 2021? Sure, you want to succeed, make more sales, and build your customer base, but you want to have quantitative, measurable goals that you can achieve this year. Sit down and make sure that you have some clear and consistent resolutions for 2021: create a new line of products that are more affordable to new customers, improve your mailing list engagement by 20%, create twice as many blog posts as you did last year. When you have a clear handle on your goals, they will be easier to achieve.
Go through last year’s metrics and analytics
Your social media accounts and web pages have been gathering tons of data all through 2020. Now you have the opportunity to look back at the big picture to find trends, measure your successes, and identify new opportunities. Did video posts do better than blogs? Were people going to your FAQ after looking at your services page? Which social media platform saw the most engagement? Understanding your data will give you a better picture of your target audience and their interests.
Check out the latest market trends
Should you expect a high return on ecommerce due to covid-19? What does it mean that Google Chrome is no longer supporting third-party cookies? You don’t need to go to a fortune teller to learn what 2021 has in store, there are plenty of reputable analysts looking at market trends that can help your business prepare for the future. The possibility of ongoing social distancing, heavy social media use, and online shopping are all prospects that you should keep your eye on.
Familiarize yourself with new marketing software
If you are updating your marketing strategy to improve your social media posts, mailing lists, and client communication, you might consider trying out some new management software. It’s better to familiarize yourself with new tools early on and ensure that they meet your requirements, rather than throw in some brand-new software midway through the year.
Organize your team’s workflow
Whether you’re working with a team you already know and love or are expanding your team to bring in fresh new faces, you want to make sure that everyone is communicating clearly and understands your goals for 2021. Look at your current workflow and see if there are any obstacles or holdups in the process: 68% of employees experience work delays because of a delay in communication. Bring in software such as Trello, Asana and Slack to keep everyone in touch and up to date with your projects.
JANUARY HOLIDAYS TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR MARKETING
Clean Out Your Inbox Week
January 22-28 is National Clean out Your Inbox Week, and it’s the perfect opportunity to go clean up your emails and start the year with a pristine digital workstation. Share this goofy holiday on your social media to remind your audience to clean up their inboxes, and point out all the great deals, reminders, and events that they can receive through your mailing list.
Get to Know Your Customers on January 21st
Get to Know Your Customer Day is a unique holiday because it happens four times every year! This holiday occurs on the third Thursday of each quarter, starting on January 21st in 2021. Use this holiday to ask questions on social media, send a follow-up email after a purchase, or send out inquiries for testimonials. This is a fun opportunity to learn more about your audience face-to-face (or Facebook-to-Facebook, as it were).
Serve your community on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
2020 saw many important social movements raise their voices and the fight for progress and change is continuing into 2021. This year Martin Luther King, Jr. Day happens on January 18th, it is a day to show your appreciation and dedication to your community in honor of the Civil Rights movement. There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer, or you can start a drive or charity event of your own. Participating in community service and charity build trust and recognition and allow you to meet new organizations and individuals in your neighborhood.
Celebrate the Grammys with your audience
January is wrapping up on a musical note with the Grammy awards taking place on the 31st. Interact with your audience on social media by asking them their favorite artists, songs, and albums from the last year. Make a guessing game: post your predictions for the award winners and offer a printable sheet for your audience to use. You can even incorporate a giveaway or raffle: one person will be chosen from the most accurate guesses to win a special prize.
Clear your inventory with some post-holiday sales
Sure, holiday sales are a time for tons of shopping, but offering some post-December flash sales and markdowns can start your first quarter on the right foot. Many people will have some holiday gift cards or cash to spend, and a final “hey, these prices will be gone soon!” can boost your purchases while the holidays are officially wrapping up.
January can be a busy time for businesses, but by implementing some clever marketing ideas and building a strong strategy, you can rest easy knowing that you are going to rock 2021. Let us help you brainstorm your 2021 marketing strategy! Schedule a call today!
