Happy New Year! Katie and I have big plans for The Little Marketing Genius this year. In the midst of our own organizing and planning, I thought that now would be a great time to share some tips for getting your marketing kick-started in 2018. The recipe mixes business with fun so it’s sure to be a success. Let’s do this!

1. Commit to getting really good at one social media platform.

If you currently use social media, you most likely have felt overwhelmed at one point or another … especially if you’re trying to manage multiple different channels. My advice: pick ONE platform and become an expert at it. If you’ve been half-assing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SnapChat, now’s the time to try this new approach. 

If you’re currently managing multiple channels, narrow down which one is getting the most traction. If you’re not currently using social media, you’ll want to do a little research to gain insights on which platform might work best for your particular type of business. For example, if you’re a local fashion boutique, Instagram would be a prime choice for showcasing amazing photos of your latest trends. 

Once you have your platform picked out, dedicate at least 15-20 minutes a day to it. Learn more about it. Scope out how small businesses similar to yours are using it. And, most importantly, post to it! Consistency and compelling content are the keys to being successful on social media.

2. Start a blog and strive to publish at least two posts a month.

Katie and I are huge advocates of blogging. Why? Because it abso-freaking-lutely works to drive web traffic!  

“Every time you write a blog post, it's one more indexed page on your website, which means it's one more opportunity for you to show up in search engines and drive traffic to your website in organic search.” [HubSpot: Why Blog? The Benefits of Blogging for Business and Marketing.]

Now you might be saying to yourself, “But I’m not a writer!” My rebuttal to that: if you can verbally explain your product/service to customers each day, then you can write about it, too! Blogging is easy and you DO NOT have to be an English major in order to launch great content. 

Now, if you’re not used to writing, getting started might feel a tad awkward (and perhaps frustrating). However, the more you do it, the more comfortable it will become. All it takes is commitment and patience.

My biggest piece of advice concerning your blog is having CONFIDENCE. You are the expert on your small business. And you spend countless hours each week answering questions and explaining your products or services to people. Do you know what that means? You have a wealth of information to share in a blog format!  

And bonus … when you develop interesting and informative content based on your own experiences it not only positions you as a thought leader, but also creates a fantastic opportunity for you to share something on social media! 

3. Do something that you love (not work-related) once per month. 

I don’t know about you guys but when I’m engaging in a hobby or activity that I love, it always helps re-energize my creativity and passion. I added this item to the list of resolutions because I truly believe that marketing success starts and ends with those very two things: creativity and passion. If you’re like most small business owners, your brain is probably always on overdrive. Make 2018 the year that you dedicate a few hours a month to letting loose! 

My go-to activity: painting. Yup, those watercolor popsicles you see here were done by yours truly during a fit of some much-needed art therapy right before Christmas. I’m also a HUGE fan of Paint Your Pet Nights at Splat Art Studio in Wallingford. Sipping wine and creating Bama, Mickey, and Vi Vi masterpieces with my friends … can it get any better than that?

Participating in a hobby you love will enrich many areas of your life … including your business. So whatever it is, be sure to dedicate time to it at least once a month in 2018! 

4. Make To-Do lists.

I’m Little Miss OCD (just ask Katie). While I may be the person who admittedly takes organization to a whole new level, I think that making To-Do Lists are extremely important to staying focused and getting shit DONE!

I’m going to interject with a funny story here. This past holiday season was incredibly stressful. With a business trip to Montreal planned the week before Christmas, I had way too much to do in very short order. Buying/wrapping gifts. Shopping for groceries. Prepping food. Etc. Etc. Etc. I was going a mile a minute right up until Christmas Day. 

Anyways, there was one afternoon in the middle of all this chaos that I wanted to go to the gym. I went upstairs on a mission to get my gym bag but, when I reached the wardrobe room where my bag was, I noticed a small mountain of laundry that needed to be addressed (#OCD). I immediately forgot my bag and started separating clothes. I walked back down the stairs (Laundry basket: check. Gym bag: uncheck), put the clothes in the wash, and then realized I had forgotten my bag upstairs. Ok, let’s try this again.  

I marched back upstairs, frustrated that I forgot my bag the first time. However, I was next greeted by a fresh pile of cat puke on the carpet. Off to the closet of cleaning supplies I went! As the cats were high-fiving each other on another victory over the Human, I made my way downstairs once again. Yup. Without the gym bag. 

On my third trip up the stairs, I was laughing (yet mildly concerned) over my memory loss issues. I had also decided I had enough of a workout climbing up and down the stairs so the gym was probably not needed at this point. The moral of the story: I am basically lost without my good old-fashioned paper To-Do List.   

I know you small business owners can totally relate to the whole “too much to do but too little time” thing. It’s the story of our lives. However, creating a daily To-Do List will help keep you focused throughout each day and allow you to achieve micro goals.

As Carrie Barron M.D. puts it, “In a culture with a surfeit of choices, lists can be a way to coalesce and conquer.” If you want a fun and quick read, check out her article: How Making Lists Can Quell Anxiety and Breed Creativity.

5. Exercise.

If you’re like many people, this resolution might have already made your list. According to data from Google, the term “Get Healthy” was searched 62,776,640 last year! Ok, so why did I put Exercise on my list of small business marketing resolutions? Honestly, it’s because I believe living a healthy and active lifestyle (like participating in those hobbies I mentioned in #3) will lead to major positivity gains in all aspects of your life. According to HelpGuide.org, exercise “relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood.” 

Now you tell me these aren’t all things that every small business owner can benefit from!

2018 is going to be a magnificent year. God Bless!

-J