Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that marketing is essential to the success of any business. But what exactly does that mean for small business owners and the self-employed? Sometimes it really does feel like your list of marketing tasks is never-ending but it doesn’t have to be. In this blog post, we’re sharing seven marketing tasks that you should complete at least once a month in order to keep your business thriving.
1. Review your website
Your website is often the first point of contact between you and your potential customers, so it’s important to make sure that it’s up-to-date and reflects your brand in the best possible light. Take some time each month to review your website and make sure that all of the content is accurate and up-to-date. You should check products or services, and make sure anything relevant to specific dates such as events is updated, email sign-ups are working, special offers are valid, opening hours are in date, and links to relevant social networks are working. And, if you’re managing your own website ensure any themes, plugins, versions of software, etc are up to date too – or find somebody to help, this can be an expensive area to ignore! This post is worth a read if you’d like to understand more about why updates are crucial.
2. Check your analytics
It’s important to keep an eye on your website’s analytics so that you can see how people are finding your site and what they’re doing once they get there. Google Analytics is a free tool that you can use to track your website’s traffic that can be implemented on any website. Checking your analytics on a regular basis will help you to identify any areas that need improvement. All of the social media platforms have versions of this also, familiarise yourself so that you can identify what content is (or isn’t!) working for you so that you can right the make plans as you move forward.
3. Audit your social media accounts
Your social media accounts are a great way to connect with potential and current customers, it’s quite normal for people to follow you on social media for weeks/months/years before they ever make contact with you in order to do business. Get used to making sure cover photos, profile images, about/bio sections are working for you and that pinned posts where available are the best options for you. You should also take some time to review and interact with people who are commenting on your posts (preferably within 24 hours but just check you missed nothing!), you might find some pleasant surprises here. Within your audit do a review of the content that’s performed best for you, you don’t always need to re-create from scratch as this post on re-purposing shares.
4. Create new content
One of the best ways to attract new visitors to your website is by creating fresh, relevant content – just like you would for your social media channels. If you don’t have a blog, consider starting one (and read this post for some of the reasons you need one!). You can also add new pages to your website or create downloadable resources, like ebooks, checklists, or whitepapers. Whatever type of content you create, make sure that it’s right for your business and, it’s designed with your audience in mind.
5. Send out a newsletter
Staying in touch with your customers is important, and one of the best ways to do this is by sending out a monthly newsletter. Your newsletter should include information about any new products or services that you’re offering, as well as helpful tips or articles related to your industry. You can also use your newsletter to promote any special offers or discounts that you’re currently running. And, if you don’t yet have an email marketing list I suggest that you read this post on just why email marketing is for every business. And, if you’re not yet subscribed to our newsletter you’ll find a link at the end of this page 😉
6. Network with other businesses
Getting involved with other businesses in your industry is a great way to build relationships and expand your network. As a small business, it’s a key strategy for long-term growth. You can attend industry events or trade shows, or even host an event yourself if you have the content/time/energy! You can also reach out to other businesses via social media or guest blogging on their websites, take advice if you’re new to this concept so you don’t expand energy where it won’t work for you. We were very restricted over the past few years, make the most of all the very different events that are happening all around us as people catch up on times they couldn’t meet others face to face. For those working in a small or home office, it’s especially important to get out and about, zoom fatigue is a real thing!
7. Analyse your results
After completing all of these marketing tasks and everything else that’s occurred over the course of a month, it’s important to take some time to analyse the results so that you can see what’s working well and what needs improvement. Keep track of things like website traffic, social media engagement, newsletter signups, and of course, sales, so that you can gauge the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Monthly marketing tasks can seem like a lot of work, but if you break them down into smaller steps and take the time to complete them on a regular basis, they’ll start to become second nature.
And, if you need help getting started or want someone else to take care of these anything marketing-related, get in touch with debbie@themarketingshop.ie – discover how we can help you with Marketing, Social Media, Strategy, and more.
Debbie Ringwood is a Marketing Specialist with over 20 years of experience in B2B and B2C Marketing. She is a Graduate of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and the Digital Marketing Institute. She is a Canva Community Canvassador, Linkedin Certified Marketing Insider and META Certified Community Manager..
Debbie supports, coaches, and trains businesses in Marketing, Social Media, Canva & WordPress along with her team, working with businesses at different stages of their journey.