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6 New Ideas for Your 2013 Marketing Plan

by Jennifer Beever

2013 MarketingWhat tactics will get you the best results in 2013? Here are six new marketing ideas for increased success in the coming year.

When you write your marketing plan for next year, keep in mind that much has changed. (Read my previous post, If There’s One Thing Constant About Marketing, It’s Change.) Now is a good time to think about what worked, what did not work, and what marketing tactics you will reduce or eliminate and what tactics you might add.

Here are some ideas, based on what is working (and not working) with the marketing we’re doing at New Incite and for our clients.

1. Tell your story or have your customers or clients tell your story. What are you doing? How do you do it? Why is it important? How do your customers or clients benefit? What results are they getting? You can talk, post messages, add new web pages to sell your products and services and how great you are, but stories are more telling than selling.

2. Be transparent and add value. Buyers ignore ads. They scoff at pop-up windows and cold phone calls that interrupt what they are doing. They get mad when marketers do a bait and switch (see my previous post on this). They want what they want when they want it. So stop the smoke and mirrors and perhaps even the too-clever marketing headlines and taglines. Get real and give buyers valuable information. That’s right, give it away.

3. Increase your online content with a blog. If there is one thing you add to your marketing next year, I would suggest adding a blog to your website. A well-written blog  with consistent posts can do wonders for driving traffic to your website. See my previous post related to this, Why Your Marketing Plan Needs A Content Strategy, Not Just SEO.

4. Use new ways of presenting online content. Consider adding some very palatable/easy-to-digest content in the form of videos, eBooks and infographics. People like videos (younger generations grew up with them) and either don’t want to or don’t have time to read. So give them what they want: videos, graphical eBooks or infographics that add value in a dynamic, interactive and colorful way.

5. Increase social media connections and engagement. Find out where your people (audience, prospects, clients, customers, vendors, referral sources) are and connect to them. Once you’re connected, engage in conversations. Post messages, like and share others’ content, answer questions and comment on blogs and discussions. Start with LinkedIn, consider Twitter, perhaps set up a Facebook company page (if you don’t someone else may – see my previous post, Anyone Can Create a Facebook Page Using Your Brand)…..

6. Watch trends in mobile marketing. Make sure your website is visible on mobile devices, especially smart phones. Watch developments in this area. Technology visionaries are predicting that soon PCs will be a thing of the past and we’ll all be computing on smart phones, iPads and other devices. Don’t get left behind.

Are there other marketing tactics that you think are a must for 2013? Please comment below.

If you need help planning your marketing, contact New Incite today. We provide a range of cost-effective services, from facilitating marketing brainstorming sessions to writing thoroughly-researched marketing plans.

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Infographics – Why You Should Add this Tactic to Your B2B Marketing Plan — NewIncite
December 20, 2012 at 10:23 am
B2B Marketers – How to Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly — NewIncite
January 15, 2013 at 1:33 pm

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