The end of the year is a busy time for most businesses. Between wrapping up projects, meeting deadlines and preparing for the holidays, marketing plans for the coming new year can easily find themselves pushed to the bottom of the to-do list.
But here’s a little Q4 secret: November and December are actually one of the best times to give your brand a head start on the New Year. Taking a little time to evaluate your current marketing efforts, refresh your brand and map out priorities can make a big difference in how you approach the year ahead. Instead of starting January wondering what to do next, you’ll have a marketing plan, a purpose and a clearer path forward. Here are five things you can do before the year ends to set your brand up for success!
Put Your Marketing Plan in Motion for the New Year
If you haven’t started thinking about next year’s marketing strategy, now is the time! A marketing plan doesn’t have to be an elaborate, 50-page document. It simply needs to establish what you want to accomplish and how you’re going to get there.
Start by identifying your business goals for the coming year. Are you hoping to reach a new audience? Introduce a new service? Increase brand awareness? Generate more leads? Your marketing goals should support your larger business objectives.
Once you know what you’re working toward, consider which marketing channels and tactics will help you get there. This might include social media, email marketing, paid advertising, public relations, content marketing or a combination of several approaches.
A few things to tackle before January:
- Establish three to five marketing goals for the year
- Identify your primary target audiences
- Determine which marketing channels deserve the most attention
- Set a preliminary marketing budget
- Create a rough content and campaign calendar
Having a plan in place doesn’t mean you can’t change direction. It simply gives you a starting point and helps ensure your marketing efforts are intentional rather than reactive.
Give Your Social Media a Little Year-End Audit
Social media is often one of the first places potential customers encounter your brand. So, what are they seeing when they visit your profiles? Take a closer look at your social media presence. Do a social media audit. Review your profile information, graphics, messaging and recent content. Is everything current? Does your brand look and sound consistent? Are you reaching the people you actually want to reach?
This is also a great opportunity to look at performance. Which posts generated the most engagement? What topics sparked conversations? Which platforms brought the most meaningful traffic or inquiries?
Protip: Don’t just focus on follower counts. Pay attention to the quality of engagement and whether your content is helping you accomplish your business goals.
A few things to tackle before January:
- Update profile descriptions, contact information, and website links
- Refresh outdated cover photos or profile graphics
- Review your best- and worst-performing content
- Start putting a content calendar for next year together
- Remove or update outdated pinned posts and announcements
Think of it as a little social media housekeeping. A refreshed, organized presence makes it easier to hit the ground running in the New Year.
Build a Public Relations and Media Relations Strategy for the New Year
If public relations has been on your marketing wish list, make the coming year the time to give it some attention. PR isn’t just for large corporations with big budgets. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from building relationships with media outlets, industry publications, bloggers, podcast hosts, and other influential voices.
Start by thinking about the stories your business could share. Are you launching something new? Celebrating a milestone? Expanding your services? Supporting a community initiative? Do you have an expert on your team who could offer valuable commentary on industry trends? Get ready to pitch PR like a pro in the new year.
The key is to think beyond simply promoting your business. Journalists and media outlets are looking for interesting, relevant stories that provide value to their audiences.
A few things to tackle before January:
- Identify industry publications and media outlets relevant to your business
- Research journalists and writers who cover your industry
- Brainstorm potential story angles and newsworthy announcements
- Create a list of important company milestones and upcoming events
- Identify team members who could serve as subject matter experts
Building media relationships takes time, so starting early gives you an opportunity to develop connections before you need them. We’ve got an expert at Front Porch Marketing, so let us know if you want to chat about this specific channel.
It’s About to Be a New Year, So Refresh Your Website, SEO and Brand Messaging
Your website is often your hardest-working salesperson. It represents your business around the clock, so it’s worth making sure it’s doing its job! The end of the year is a great time to review your website from both a design and content perspective. Is your messaging still relevant for the new year? Are your services clearly explained? Does your website reflect the quality and personality of your brand?
It’s also a good time to check in on SEO. Search engine optimization isn’t a one-and-done activity. Search behaviors, competitors, and industry trends change, which means your website needs ongoing attention. Look at the keywords you’re targeting, review page titles and descriptions, check for broken links, and identify opportunities to create fresh, useful content. Don’t forget to consider how easily visitors can navigate your site and find what they’re looking for.
A few things to tackle before January:
- Review your homepage and service descriptions
- Make sure your contact information and calls to action are current
- Check website performance and mobile usability
- Review keyword rankings and organic search traffic
- Update outdated blog posts and website content
- Identify opportunities for new, search-friendly content, add internal links
Pro-tip: A website refresh doesn’t necessarily mean a complete redesign. Sometimes a few strategic updates to your messaging, visuals, and content can make a meaningful difference.
Get a Head Start on the New Year’s Creative
One of the biggest challenges businesses face in January is trying to create marketing materials while simultaneously trying to execute their marketing plans. Give yourself a little breathing room by getting some creative work done ahead of time!
Once you’ve established your marketing priorities, think about the materials you’ll need throughout the year. Are there seasonal campaigns to plan? Trade shows or events to promote? New services that will need supporting collateral materials like sales sheets or brochures? Could your brand benefit from updated photography, graphics or business cards? Getting ahead on these projects helps create a more consistent brand experience and gives your team time to focus on quality rather than rushing to meet deadlines.
A few things to tackle before January:
- Create a preliminary social media content calendar
- Plan graphics and messaging for upcoming seasonal campaigns
- Update sales presentations, brochures, and other marketing collateral
- Develop email templates and newsletter content
- Schedule photography or video projects
- Identify upcoming campaigns that need additional creative development.
Make the New Year Your Brand’s Best Year Yet
The end of the year is about more than just closing out projects and checking items off your to-do list. It’s an opportunity to step back, look at the bigger picture and make sure your marketing efforts are moving your business in the right direction.
You don’t have to tackle all five of these things at once. Start with the areas that need the most attention, establish a few priorities, and make a plan to keep moving forward. And of course, reach out for help if you need it — we’re here for your success! A little preparation now can mean better marketing, stronger brand recognition, more efficient processes, and new opportunities in the months ahead. So, before you close out the year, give your brand and business a little attention. It deserves to start the New Year looking and feeling its best!