Halloween is coming! Are the kids dressing up, or better yet, are you? Don’t be scared, but it’s time to start marketing planning for 2020. Maybe your house is already decorated for Halloween or even for the holidays, but have you taken the time to think about the company’s 2020 marketing planning and budget? We aren’t talking about black cats or Freddy Krueger, but Halloween is around the corner, and that means it is time to review what worked this year and what didn’t, and then make plans for 2020. Don’t get all worried or superstitious – just put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and get started.

Denim Marketing has created a list of the top must have’s for marketing in 2020. And, as shown below, we included a lucky number 13 – we aren’t scared!

1. Public Relations
2. Social Media
3. Blogging
4. Promotions or Campaigns
5. Video / Photos & Graphics
6. Digital Advertising
7. Email Marketing
8. Reputation Management
9. Search Engine Optimization
10. Website
11. Branding
12. Strategic Management
13. Reporting

Public Relations plays a key role in an effective marketing strategy. It creates awareness and helps to brand a company’s image and the products and services it offers. Public Relations also helps to drive traffic to the company website. The Denim Marketing team treats public relations as part of the foundation of a marketing program. We understand the importance of a strong public relations strategy and how to successfully deliver top media placements.

Social Media is a must-have for businesses marketing to consumers and other businesses. It is no longer a question of whether social media drives leads and sales; the question is how do businesses use this powerful tool to drive traffic and leads? Is the company’s social media foundation working? A strong social media marketing strategy includes a number of sites. Today’s must-haves include Facebook and Instagram. How many other sites are utilized will depend on the size of the company and its resources, and the sites might also vary a bit by industry and segment of the industry. Consider adding a platform such as Sprout Social, HootSuite or Falcon.io to help with scheduling and tracking conversations. And, make sure to add a monthly content calendar to the monthly planning process to make social media a cohesive part of the overall marketing plan.

Blogging increases brand awareness for companies by providing them a way to reach customers with an approachable, casual voice. Many companies now call their blog a news page because the bulk of what they share is news on communities, projects, products, etc. Blogging is also an excellent way to enhance website search engine optimization (SEO). This is because new blogs attract the search engines to come back and index the content on the site. This means that websites with a blog have an advantage over websites without a blog. Sites with a blog attract more traffic.

Promotions and campaigns capture interest from potential buyers. Whether an incentive or a new product launch, giving it some extra attention helps attract more buyers. Start by defining the goal of the campaign, then determine the number of days the campaign or promotion will run. Use as many platforms as possible to reach the widest possible audience with the news of the campaign – flyers, point-of-purchase displays, email marketing, social media, public relations, blog posts, digital and print advertising, etc.

Video, photos and graphics all help to catch the target market’s attention. With the average attention span of just 8 seconds, marketers have to work harder than ever to captivate their audience’s attention. Utilizing quality video, photos and graphics improves the customer experience, sets the company apart and gives the site visitor what they want to see.

Digital Advertising is a stealthy way to reach target markets. With opportunities to target and retarget potential buyers, incorporating Facebook, Instagram, Google PPC, geotargeting and ad networks into the marketing mix is key. A/B testing on these platforms allows savvy advertisers to hone-in on ad types that function the best.

Email Marketing reaches buyers where they are – online. There are three types of email campaigns that companies use: promotional, newsletters and autoresponders. The goal of promotional emails is to attract the attention of prospective customers with a timely offer or incentive. These emails can be sent as frequently as needed or warranted. Think about how often you get emails from DSW or other retailers. Although that one sale might not be pertinent, the opt-out rate is low for these because the next sale might be just what you are looking for!

Reputation Management creates credibility. When you Google your name, do you like what you see? Chances are, if you don’t like the results, potential buyers won’t like them either. And, if they don’t like the results, they will start looking at competitors and potentially even buy from them. Don’t get removed from the search process over bad results. Create a proactive program to solicit reviews and work to clean up negative page one search results.

Search Engine Optimization is often misunderstood. How Google’s mysterious algorithm works is confusing and can be much like seeing a ghost for many businesses. Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to tactics implemented both on-page and off-page. This means that actions are taken on the site itself, as well as off site. One off-page tactic to look at is Google My Business. This site literally puts companies on the map, increases visibility and provides consumers with the location, phone number and hours for a business.

Website design and development is the starting point for a sound marketing program. Because all marketing and advertising will push people to this site, it needs to be a lead capturing machine. Website design should be cutting edge and trendy. Having a dated site leads prospects to think the company itself is dated and not up to date with any of its practices or products.

Branding allows companies to be recognized visually wherever they are seen. Branding goes beyond a logo or mark and incorporates the feeling that a person gets when they see that brand. The company’s unique selling proposition (USP) also comprises brand.

Strategic Marketing is the term we use to incorporate the entire marketing budget and planning process. This is how we move from a set of wishes to measurable, attainable goals and an action plan.

Reporting is our lucky 13 tactic for this series, but there is really no luck in reporting. Knowing what worked and what didn’t work is an important part of budgeting and effectiveness. Reporting is a key component of all Denim Marketing’s client’s strategy. We provide in-depth monthly reports that cover key performance indicators (KPIs) for each marketing tactic we use on a monthly basis.

If 2020 marketing planning still has you scared, give the team at Denim Marketing a call at 770-383-3360 x20. We are here to help with as much or as little of your marketing planning and implementation as needed. Contact Us today!