Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? What goals do you have for your business this year? It’s 2023, and it’s past time to integrate your online and real life business presence. Customers have expectations of working with you in a digital world, so let’s talk about a checklist of seven steps you can take to ensure you have the right marketing foundations in place to get more clients, better leads, and more revenue.
Own Your Domain and Website
Your domain is your address online – own it!
Your domain is your address on the internet. Make sure you have a domain name that you own and that you have access to. Don’t register your website under the name of a web company or other organization. You can give them access, but you should be in control. And, use email at your domain because it is the most professional option, it establishes your brand, and is more likely to be delivered.
Believe it or not, we still see a lot of businesses using Gmail or Yahoo accounts for their business email, and it makes you seem unserious. You’ll want to have a website at your domain too, and make it the center of your marketing content strategy. You don’t want to stake your presence entirely on the rented land of social media. Put your most important content on the website you own and from there you can promote on various social sites. It’s perfectly fine to repeat your message across channels like social media and email.
Make Email Marketing a Habit
Use email to develop relationships with your customers and prospects. It is the best value for your investment. Customers prefer it, and it is the best way to reach people directly. The best part of email marketing is you own the email list and are not at the mercy of the algorithms.
Customers still prefer email communications from businesses. Make email marketing a habit.
Your NAP Gets You Found Locally
If you are a business that depends on local customers, this one habit is a must for you. It’s your NAP (name, address, and phone number). Check for variations and duplicates on your business name, address or phone across the web. Inconsistencies can hurt your search visibility.
Claim Your Google Business Profile
Claim and verify your Google listing. It’s free!
Speaking of search, you should claim and verify your business listing with Google. Your Google Business Profile helps you get found in search and on maps, is free, and no, Google doesn’t call you telling you your listing is in danger.
Tell Your Story Online
Get into the habit of telling your story online. Every day you talk to customers and prospects and give them information that is useful and valuable. Storytelling is a powerful technique for building relationships and conveying information. Consumers are looking for an experience and want transparency.
Tell your story online the same as you would in person.
You must show who you are online as well. Put this same info on your website, and use other channels to promote the message. So many businesses we see have great stories and information about what they do when you talk to them, but none of this is reflected in their online presence. Other people want to know this information!
Ask for Reviews
Make it a habit of getting reviews. Encourage and monitor your mentions on social media and on review sites like Google or Yelp. Reviews are increasingly important in local search results and purchase decisions as well.
Create Your Content Calendar
Finally, develop your 2023 calendar. Get into the marketing habit with repeatable processes and templates for creating your content. You should plan ahead and reuse content across channels. What works best is to publish your content and communicate on a regular, maintainable schedule. We’ve seen it time and time again, it’s consistency that builds traction and delivers results.
