Three Ways to Make Time for Marketing

What I am hearing from small business owners and other organizations who count marketing among their many tasks is that time is one of the biggest challenges. Those who wear many hats in their businesses are so inundated with customer service, inventory management, product development and administration that marketing can take a backseat. The problem is that marketing needs to be consistent to be effective.

Do you struggle to find enough time to update your blog, create or update a Facebook page, or send out your monthly e-mail newsletter? Here are three ways to make time for those necessary marketing tasks.

- Plan ahead. Take one day each month to plan your marketing tasks for the next month and do all of the necessary work in advance. For example, on March 15, plan for April. Write all of your blog postings for the month at once and schedule them to be posted throughout the month. This block of time allows you to focus on the task at hand, so you can be creative and not rushed to get the task done.

- Schedule time for social media. As sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Biznik grow in popularity, it has become almost necessary for businesses to participate. Unfortunately, active participation can take a big chunk of time out of your day, so I plan my activity in blocks. Twitter and Facebook are ever-changing, so I login to both each morning. I have my Twitter updates automatically posted to Facebook, so I only need to type status updates once. For LinkedIn and Biznik, time isn't as critical, so I set aside down time (like when I'm on hold or have idle time on the weekends) to make updates to my profile, view the community forums, etc. If I get a message or invitation to connect, it will be e-mailed to me and I can address those as they come in by logging in as needed (once a day, max.)

- Delegate marketing tasks. If you have a tech-savvy employee, or an intern with a silver tongue, consider having them help with some of your marketing tasks. A tech-savvy employee, for example, could easily create a blog or Facebook business page or event for you. A silver tongued-employee might help brainstorm ideas for blog postings, events, your April promotion or your next newsletter. If those resources aren't available, consider outsourcing some of your marketing responsibilities to a marketing professional. You can find anything from a virtual marketing expert who offers a la carte services to a full-service marketing, PR and advertising agency.

If you have other time savers to share, I welcome your comments!

Virtually Yourz,
Dana Neuts

Time to Plan for 2009

The New Year is just around the corner and, for many businesses except for retail, this is a slow time of year. If you have a little extra down time on your hands, use it as an opportunity to plan for 2009. Consider what products or services you might add next year, or maybe those that didn't do well this year that need to be retooled. Has your target market shifted at all? Do you need to change your advertising or reach out to a different group?

This is also a great time to look at your marketing plan and time line for 2009. What activities will you do regularly? weekly? monthly? quarterly? semiannually? annually? as needed? Try to schedule them for specific times of the month, so they are fairly consistent. Here's a quick example of what your January marketing plan might look like:

Week #1: 1/4 page ad in local community newspaper (biweekly)
Week #1: Post timely blog (2 per week)
Week #2: Monthly e-mail marketing (monthly)
Week #2: Post timely blog (2 per week)
Week #3: Press release announcing a key hire or business anniversary (as needed)
Week #3: Post timely blog (2 per week)
Week #3: 1/4 page ad in local community newspaper (biweekly)
Week #3: Review e-mail marketing stats for open rate and click-through rate (monthly)
Week #4: Networking meeting at Chamber of Commerce or other group (monthly)
Week #4: Post timely blog (2 per week)
Week #4: Check website and blog traffic for the month. Note any changes. (monthly)

Creating such a plan helps you to more effectively schedule your time, and it ensures that your marketing efforts are consistent. Only when you do this can you accurately measure your results to see what is working and what isn't. Happy Planning!

Virtually Yourz,
Dana Blozis

Define Your Dream Customer

To make the most of your marketing dollar, every business needs to have a firm grasp on its target customer. You probably already have a good idea who your customers are, but what about your dream customers? Who are they and what traits do they have in common? For example, where do they live, what products or services do they buy, and what wants or needs do they have?

For Virtually Yourz, my dream customer is a small business owner who doesn't have the time or expertise to do his or her own marketing. They are males and females, usually between the ages of 40 and 60, of varying income levels, and have usually been in business for two years or more. They are most interested in my marketing and PR services (versus my writing and marketing). Some want help gaining more visibility for their business through press releases, while others want help with marketing planning. Now define your dream customer and develop specific strategies to address their wants and needs. Good luck!

Virtually Yourz,

Dana