So let’s call it this a post-Halloween bog: ideally we’d have talked about scary things LAST week, right? Well, bear with me, have another one of your kiddo’s Reese’s PB Cups and read on.
We hear the sentiment all the time:
Do one thing each day that scares you.
Everything you want is on the other side of fear.
Your fear is boring. (My personal favorite.)
And as small businesses and startups, we’re inherently brave right? We can’t live paycheck to paycheck because, well sometimes those are pretty few and far between. We’re disrupting technologies as SOP. We write checks then hope our talents and the bank can back them up.
But how risky are you planning to be with your 2016 marketing? Just like most things: with big risk can come some pretty big rewards. While there’s still some wiggle room in your 2016 budget let’s consider the following:
- Diversify your channels. “Marketing, like any business deal, is an investment; with any investment there is risk. You can alleviate some of the risk in marketing by diversifying your marketing campaigns while staying under the umbrella of your brand. Your messaging should be centralized, but the delivery of that messaging can be diversified,” says said Karen Robinson, executive vice president who oversees marketing for Norcross-based NanoLumens.
- Give Things Away. I’m a big fan of Jose Vasquez and in his Huffington Post article he says “Giveaways are risky for startups, especially as you try to control your costs. Give your subscription or product away for free for a limited time — if you can handle the financial liability.”
- Trust the Data: Kill off a Bad Project. We all have them. The projects that just won’t go away because they’re someone’s pet project (ahem… usually a non marketing executive). Of course, hindsight is 20/20; it’s easy after the fact to criticize bold bets that didn’t pay off. But too often marketing leaders continue to sink resources into projects in the face of mounting evidence that a marketing initiative isn’t working. Be brave, cut them off.
- Throw a Party: Everyone loves a celebration and parties are one of the best ways to expand your client network. So consider throwing yourself an office warming party, a 7th Anniversary party or other celebration. Invite your clients and prospects to mingle and get to know one another. As the common denominator at the event, you (and your products and services) will likely be the focus of conversation.
Most businesses (and people) benefit greatly from incorporating a little fear into their planning. I’d love to hear how you’re planning to change things up in 2016!