Fall is here. Businesses and organizations are planning for the coming year, yet many overlook some key pieces to marketing success.
Beyond budgeting for major projects or developing your media plan, there are other marketing investments that you should consider when planning for a successful year.
Website – Having an up-to-date website is critical. While it is important to plan for updated content to keep your site fresh and improve your search rankings, you should also determine if your website platform needs an upgrade. As technology moves forward, your site may need behind-the-scenes updates to improve security, functionality and compatibility. And as mobile usage continues to grow, you may want to consider a mobile site or alternate content delivery for mobile users. Talk with your web developer to see if you should be planning for website updates in the coming year.
Identity – Freshening your brand identity or better solidifying your brand look are often overlooked in planning efforts, but can be a great investment in your brand. If your logo, letterhead or literature looks dated, freshening your logo design or layout of your key marketing materials can modernize your brand. If you have refreshed your look recently or are happy with your current look, you may find that employees, vendors or media are not always presenting your brand in a consistent way. You should consider developing brand standards for logo, font and color usage in your materials so that all communications efforts are consistent.
Assets – Marketing assets like photography, videos and testimonials can be invaluable to your efforts, but budgeting to produce them is often overlooked or underestimated. While you may plan for new product photos, you may not have planned on romance photography of your product in use or a video that could be shared via social media or used at a trade show. Planning for success means making sure your sales team has all the tools necessary to get the job done.
As you plan for the next year, consider how these often overlooked items can update, refresh and support your marketing efforts. Success starts with a good plan and a great partner to help you accomplish your goals. Fresh Creative can help your organization with all of your marketing needs from website development and brand identity to photography, copywriting and more. Contact us today.
