Building Your 2023 Digital Marketing Plan
Businesses are reopening and are starting to accept more clients and new requests. It’s the time that we, the business owners, have been waiting for! I don’t know about you – but sheesh, I am excited!
If you haven’t already taken advantage of building your business during off-time, and I mean truly crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s, now is the time my friend. Look at your process; be sure you’re ready to take on the business you attract. Next, double-check the foundation elements of your business. Change something asap if you really want to. Then, master consistency. You’ll soon be enjoying the benefits of going digital with your 2023 marketing plan.
To have an established business these days, you need to have:
Business name and potential tagline
Brand - Logo, colors, font type
Business cards with your logo, name, title, business name, phone number, email, website, and potential QR code
Audience – hopefully in a database of some sort such as an excel sheet, Facebook page/group, client database, potential CRM, potential email marketing system, etc.
Dedicated business email address - Easy to say and type and connected to your devices
Phone number - doesn’t have to be dedicated to your business
Social Media sites (optional) - Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.
Website (optional) - Linked with a custom domain
You could establish and build any or all these business launch elements with Stack Strategies. These projects could be started as a business launch package, by individual projects, or self-guided through coaching sessions.
Side note about optional business foundation elements: It’s 2023 and you need to communicate consistently. A place to drive a message all the time. That’s most likely on a social media platform or on a website. I highly recommend having a combination of these.
You can start working on your digital marketing plan at any time, but I highly recommend getting the foundational list completed first before you start promoting the heck out of your business.
Okay – let's dig into this digital marketing plan.
We need to do three quick things:
Pinpoint your marketing goals
Figure out what we’re promoting.
And where we’re promoting it.
That’s the start of our marketing plan. Here are the details behind the outline to get started.
(It’s a great idea to start a scratch sheet of paper right about now.)
Pinpoint your marketing goals:
Most business owners start with “getting good at social media” and that’s alright but let’s go a step further. Dive into the details and really become a master at your trade. Do you want to be known as something? What platforms do you want to be found on? What’s the call to action you consistently want to push? Is it time to build a real database and start collecting leads?
Because I’m the goal getter I am, I made this chart of marketing goals you can be pursuing no matter where you are in your business career right now. Click on the chart I made just for you. Be sure to download it for later.
Whatever your goals are prioritize them in addition to your main re-occuring plan.
Promotion Topics:
Next, let’s figure out what we’re promoting. The main focus of our marketing should be a balanced ice cream sundae of content. I'm not kidding, haha.
Your brand is ice cream because it touches every part of the sundae. But the toppings –that's what defines your sundae. Sprinkle bits of services and products wherever you can! Crumble some fun facts and tips. Add a drizzle of your specialties. Top it off with your business happenings and accomplishments. Now we're on to something!
In case you didn’t get that recipe, here’s the scoop:
(I’m done with the dessert puns now I promise)
Services / Products
Every type of whatever you do
Promote products use you to do your job
Personal experiences doing what you do or using your products
Business process
Fun facts and tips
Tips on how to use, prepare for, or maintain products and services
Share experiences and stories
Offer history fun facts
Tell fun and clean jokes about your trade or industry (office humor)
Specialties
What extra services or products do you provide?
Create target promos for a target audience
Personal hobbies, interests, or affiliated categories
Celebrating the business
Location
Owner
Team
Training and Certifications
Most of all... be unique!
Where to Promote These Topics:
First and foremost, you can’t share everything all at once. You have to share your story over time. Keep telling parts of your story by repeating these topics over and over through these various marketing initiatives.
Email Marketing
Newsletter Topics
Short Campaigns
Automation
Website / Landing Page
Homepage highlights
Website Layout
Blog
Social Media
Pages – graphics, posts, hashtags
Stories – social tools, shares, engaging
Groups (hosted by you) - group sharing, motivating, discussion
Public Relations
Voicemail
Biography
Local listings
Online listings
Networking
Social Groups (hosted by someone else) - graphics
In-person groups - business cards, vocal business summary, rack cards, flyers
Public tradeshow – same as in-person groups multiplied including extras that highlight most services, products, specialties, and your business story
Stack Strategies can assist with these marketing initiatives through projects or packages. To get started on a new project, schedule a consultation by clicking here.
Here’s where to get started on your newly structured plan:
Double-check your foundation essentials.
Pick two or three marketing initiatives to start with. I recommend public relations, email marketing, and social media/website to start. Then add in the extras and build blocks at your own pace.
Get really good at marketing on those platforms. Build on those specific platforms.
Keep it up consistently for three to six months. Let your databases and followings grow.
Add more marketing initiatives to your marketing plan.
Here’s what you need to do on a consistent basis to stay on top of everything:
It's sort of like this picture - a smooth balance of busyness with hints of this and that. It is a balance of well-thought-out designs that keeps your attention. It might be a little chaotic, but it's stylish and done well. Just like you in the future when you are marketing your business.
Let's get down to it.
Email Marketing:
Build your database in a dedicated area – if you don’t have one yet, start sending texts, messages, DMs, and going back into your email asking if you can add so-and-so to your email database to keep them connected with your __________ business that you’re passionately pursuing.
Start a launch email campaign.
Create a few additional campaigns introducing your business. Talk about your specialties – even if you haven’t done them yet, your certifications. Connect the dots of your platforms.
Start up a consistent communication line.
Add in extra emails from there with announcements, special just-because emails, and so much more.
Public Relations:
Design a new email signature in an app like Canva or Adobe Spark. Make an image with your logo, name, title, phone number, email address, and website at the very least. Insert that image into your email provider’s email signature tool and make it a link to your website. I know you can do it. If not email me and we can work something out.
Record a new voicemail greeting with your name, title, and business name. For new requests, ask for something a little extra (like details).
Make nice, custom business cards and maybe some new flyers. If you don't have business cards you are proud of, schedule a consultation with me to let design services fix that.
Then, Put the print materials in your purse, backpack, car, or other work desks, and leave them places.
Register your business with Google. Add your address and do the postcard thing. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, please schedule a coaching session with me.
Social Media:
Coming soon – the Social Media Shuffle blog post
Schedule your posts and stories in advance on business.facebook.com
Websites:
After these items come building your marketing plan and automating your processes. It’s a never-ending cycle.
Somewhere in this perfect blog post, you’ll find your perfect digital marketing plan. It’s a balanced mix of content distributed through various marketing initiatives.
If you prefer Stack Strategies to write your custom marketing plan, that’s a service we provide. Or if you want help completing a project in your marketing plan, that’s a SS specialty.
When you love what you do, it’s not hard to market your business. Just sit down. Take a deep breath. Drink a beverage of your choice - coffee, water, alcohol, whatever. Brainstorm while re-reading this blog post. You got this. Just tell your audience what you want to sell next and never stop. That's the plan.
Happy marketing my friend.