Here at Allegra, we’re ready to help you hit the ground running with a crop of marketing ideas you can use right away! We’ve put together 24 tips you can start including in your marketing mix to help you meet all of your 2024 goals:
- Determine the right media mix. You shouldn’t limit your marketing channels to just one medium. Mix a good blend of direct mail, email, social media, print marketing and more to reach your target audience.
- Include an offer in your mailers. Compelling offers such as BOGO or a certain percentage off are strong incentives to get customers to come through your door, and can help turn first-timers into loyal clients.
Try lumpy mail. Tubes, boxes and bubble mailers that include a small promo item inside can pique the recipient’s interest like little else can. Studies have shown that lumpy mail can increase a response rate by 50 percent! (1)- Personalize. Variable data printing can help customize each mail piece with different words and images catered to each customer, and people are more likely to respond well to imagery that reflects their interests.
- Make use of tags. On social media, make sure you tag your clients and vendors when you can. It’s an easy (and free) way to expand your potential audience and showcase your partnerships.
- Pay attention to subject lines. Email subject lines that feel exclusive or convey a sense of urgency can boost email response rates by as much as 22 percent. (2)
- Measure your results. How are you measuring your success? Whether it’s a certain click-through rate, a specific product being sold or something else, make sure you track your results to see if your marketing efforts are successful.
- Consider video. Video content is engaging and can help you build out more of a personality for your brand. Use it in both social media and emails to make a memorable impression on viewers.
- Clean up your data. Taking the time to look through your customer data and correct any misspellings, incorrect or incomplete addresses, duplicate entries and other errors can have a big impact long-term. Leaving that misinformation in your data can cause disaster when you go to personalize!
- Think about test mailings. Divide your mailing list in half, and test how a personalized version measures against a standardized message. Keep all else equal (such as the offer included, call to action, etc.) and see how things perform so you can adjust your marketing tactics accordingly.
- Have an engagement strategy. Make sure your responses to emails and social media comments are thought-out and reflective of your brand. You should also ask questions related to your industry, post advice related to your expertise and post photos and videos on your social channels.
- Join a networking group. Put yourself out there and make connections in your industry, within your local business community – or better yet, both!
- Target local SEO. This can take some time, but your local search engine optimization results are crucial. Adding location-based keywords to the headings of your website is a good place to start.
Apply for awards. Many industries and even cities and counties have business awards you may qualify for, but need to apply to. These “Best of” awards can result in a huge boost to your credibility, and can be leveraged for other marketing (such as PR), too.- Publish your own content. Content marketing is a great, effective tactic that doesn’t require much in the way of budget – but will require some time. Write articles for your website or blog that demonstrates your expertise, and customers will take notice.
- Make use of branded apparel. Having your employees wear branded shirts or jackets, or giving away branded apparel as a promo item to customers, can help turn your staff and clients into brand ambassadors that get the word out about your business with little effort.
- Maintain flexibility. You likely have a content or marketing calendar already laid out for 2024, but ensure that you have the ability to pivot and adjust when needed! Your goals may change, so your marketing may need to shift as well.
- Maximize media connections. You should use your business’s social pages to follow other businesses in your area, as well as your local media outlets. Establishing a rapport in this way can lead to more eyes on your own business!
- Tell a story. Think about how you can use a case study or customer experience to tell a story that connects with your audience, while still pushing the product or service you want more eyes on. People gravitate towards memorable stories, and there’s likely plenty for you to choose from!
- Repurpose content. Make less work for yourself by re-using material that has been successful elsewhere. Turn a successful video into a social media post, or a blog into an email or print collateral.
- Participate in your community. Use good trade show and event marketing materials to set up at local business fairs, community markets and other opportunities that can show off how you’re a local face your customers should know.
- Use QR codes. A QR code placed on a postcard can lead customers to your website for an integrated marketing tactic that’s easy to track results on. By leveraging both physical and digital mediums, you can make the most of both realms.
- Leverage testimonials. Reusing positive reviews of your business in your marketing is a great way to get noticed. Customers listen to other customers, so don’t let good press pass you by!
- Create consistency. Your online channels should have the same look as a printed piece a customer receives from you in the mail or otherwise. If not, this could create confusion regarding your brand – something you should want to avoid!
Need a helping hand to turn these ideas into actions?
Contact Allegra – we can help! Call us to start a conversation about your 2024 marketing plans.
(1) Silver Marketing Group
(2) Email Institute
