So What’s the Plan?
You made it through the holidays! Resolutions have been made and 2012 is upon us!
Hopefully you started thinking about your marketing plans for 2012 last year; if not, here are some ideas to help get you started…
We are social beings and people want face time… not just emails and conference calls. Have you considered holding an event to educate current and potential customers on new products you are selling? Maybe you have partnered with new vendors and need to get the word out that you are offering new product lines. A customer-facing event could be a valuable way to get out your message.
Have you considered hosting a web seminar or creating a series of web seminar events to run throughout the year? We have also seen a big upswing in Web-hosted events, showcases, open houses, lunch and learns, etc. Hosting an event at an exciting venue, like a professional baseball game or a new local “hot spot”, could be an attractive venue for people to visit and learn more about your company.
We are also seeing partners create a series of road show events. For example, we have a partner who is hosting eight events in 2012 all over the country to enhance their visibility within the market and to educate potential customers about their business and what they offer over their competition. Two other partners are hosting a web seminar series, which includes six web seminars held throughout the year. Executing these events takes time and coordination, so it’s important to get plans in place early.
And don’t forget your marketing budget – start mapping out costs and outline what plans you can implement in 2012. Make sure you address any “pain points” your company may have and make a quarterly plan to address them. If you’re not currently employing any type of marketing, perhaps you could start out with a newsletter or an email blast. Consider purchasing a database of potential customers. The possibilities are endless! Happy New Year!
This post was written by Aimee McGrath
Aimee McGrath is Marketing Development Manager at ScanSource, Inc. in Greenville, SC. She has over 15 years of experience in event planning, event marketing and teaching Marketing classes at the University of Central Florida. She is a regular contributor to The Source on strategic marketing, brand development and lead generation services.
