Top 10 Marketing Tips for 2017

1st, Dec 2016

Successful marketing is tough. There isn’t a magic bullet, but there are tactics that can help you succeed. We’ve created a list of some of our favorite tips to take you into the new year

Top 10 Gold Text

1. Stop using canned content. Too many professional service firms buy canned newsletters, blogs and other content to use for their marketing. Although some of the material may be well-written, it is always generic. You want content that is targeted to your clients’ problems and interests; provides your unique insights; and isn’t the same stuff that’s on a hundred other websites. If you need help, get a writer/editor to provide custom content.

2. Provide quality over quantity. It’s crucial to stay active and visible with your contacts through social media, email and other marketing channels. However, quality is a key component. When you share information, make sure it’s high-quality. We are all suffering from information overload. Don’t add to it with more junk.

3. Give free advice. Offer content that is genuinely practical and useful. It will help you build trust and credibility and establish strong relationships. Don’t be afraid of giving too much information away for free. Clients will still hire you because they don’t have the time or skill to do it themselves. Remember having a recipe doesn’t make you a chef.

4. Curate and comment on other people’s content. Writing original content isn’t always necessary. You can provide value by identifying and sharing good content written by others. You are still demonstrating your expertise and interest in helping others. However, when possible, add your own comment instead of just hitting a “like” or “share” button.

5. Use social media as a listening tool. Social media is a great way to learn more about your clients, prospects, industry and competitors. You can use it for research and to stay informed about their concerns and interests. This will help you better target your message and your audience. For those uncomfortable with sharing on social media, the best part is that you don’t have to say a word. Just listen.

6. Set up google alerts. These are a great, easy and free way to monitor what’s going on with particular individuals, companies, topics, etc. Just create a search and have results show up in your inbox daily.

7. Focus on a niche. You will stand out from the competition and get better quality leads if you develop a practice niche. Clients want specialists, not generalists. According to studies by Hinge Research Institute and CEG Worldwide, the top growth firms are those that focus their practice.

8. Use multiple marketing channels. You will get better results if you utilize several marketing channels. Email, website, blog, social media, print, advertising, public relations are all possibilities. You may not want to use all of them every time, but you should incorporate several into your regular marketing.

9. Start small and scale up. Too many marketing initiatives fail because firms were overly ambitious, couldn’t put together the appropriate resources and then gave up. Begin with one project and be conservative in establishing deadlines and goals. You’re more likely to be successful if you gradually build up your marketing.

10. Develop a written marketing plan and budget. Write down what you are going to do, who you are going to target and what you want to achieve. Then set aside time and money to make sure it gets done. Be specific and consider every task, who will do it and what the real cost is to your budget. Remember time is money.

We hope these tips will help you succeed with your marketing in 2017.

Need help with your marketing? Contact us for a free consultation.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!

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