With spring just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking of fresh starts and organization. So, get out your feather dusters and trash bags, because we’re talking spring cleaning! Marketing spring cleaning, that is! With the cleaning craze practically a national holiday, we’re surprised that more people aren’t applying it to their businesses for more than an excuse to organize their office for a day. Check out these tips to get your marketing clean and tidy for the upcoming summer!
1. First Quarter Check Up.
If you’re like most great companies, you re-evaluated your marketing budget and strategy at the end (or beginning) of the year. So I can already hear you say “But we just did that! Why do I need to re-evaluate my marketing after just three months?”
Well you wouldn’t just leave your sales sitting for an entire year, so why let your marketing? So, it’s time to pull out those goals and plans you had for the New Year and see how you’re stacking up. If you’re right on the money for where you planned to be, great! If not, it’s time to look at other options for achieving those goals.
2. Revamp Colors and Images.
We all get caught in the mid-winter blahs; it’s nearly unavoidable. All we see is dark or neutral colors, so by habit we throw those colors into our marketing materials. Changing the colors of the things you want your audience to see (a call to action for example) could make a big difference!
The same goes for the images on your website, social media, and content. Bright colors like orange, yellow, and green are more likely to catch the attention of quick browsers. Also make the images interesting and easy for your audience to consume.
3. Rethink and Redevelop Content.
While we’re on the subject of content, your spring marketing cleaning should include some content rethinking. Is your blog or page content bringing in the kind of viewers you were planning for? If not, it may be time to think about how you connect.
Are you following best practices? Is your message a conversation with your target market, or a constant sales pitch? Is it boring? Make sure your content is informative as well as interesting to the readers you’re trying to reach. Spring is the time of renewing; so instead of giving yourself more work, try taking older content and recycling new life into it.
4. Website Maintenance.
Websites, like most machines need constant updates and maintenance to work properly. If you have a web developer or manager, they are most likely making the updates necessary. But if you don’t have one, or you don’t regularly make changes to your site, it’s probably about time you make sure all of the pieces are functioning.
Speaking of which, it’s also a good idea to make sure that your site is mobile responsive! Google is cracking down, and not having a responsive site could cost you!
5. Re-engage Old Subscribers and Customers.
How’s that old saying go? “Make new friends but keep the old.” At least once a year, you should go through and re-engage old subscribers and customers to turn them into new prospects. Otherwise, clean them out of your system! Dead contacts take up space and spending budget, and you can get a better idea of who your real target market is by the people who stay.
6. Make sure everyone is on the same page.
Nothing ruins a great strategy like everyone having different ideas of what’s going on. Take some time to make sure your marketing and sales teams are aligned and on the same track. Not having alignment in the company between the different teams could cause confusion and chaos.
