It’s been such a challenging year- going on two years. Every time I say it, I cringe. I don’t want to use phrases like “challenging time” or “new normal.” However, as much as I hate admitting it, it has been challenging. Some continue to struggle; others are gaining ground and moving forward. With the steady stream of negative news, it’s time to take a breath and focus forward.
Here are our top suggested areas of focus for your business in 2022:
- Build awareness around your brand using social media, networking, community events, and email marketing. This means that your brand messaging needs to be laser-focused. Ask colleagues or your team to define your brand. Does their vision align with your intention? If not, what can you do to fix it?
- Create a consistent market strategy that you’ll commit to, that aligns with your brand and generates leads to help build your list. Again, you’ll need to be laser-focused on who your target market is, where they spend their time, and the content they’re looking for. Describe your target client; what do you know about them? If you’re not sure, sit down and build your ideal client profile. Now compare this client profile with your current client list. Do these align? If not, either the clients you’re attracting are the wrong clients for you, or you’ve misjudged your ideal client. How can you tweak your messaging to reach those targets?
- Generate leads through email marketing. What does your list look like right now? How often do you reach out to your list? What is your open rate or bounce rate? You need to build your list and keep it warm. Start with a lead magnet that is a part of your social media campaign. As you add leads, commit to sending out an email regularly. If your open rate isn’t great, try changing the timing of your email, perhaps a different day of the week or afternoon versus morning. What can you do to make your emails more compelling and more likely to be opened?
- Test your email sequences. Do they still make sense? Does the content need a review and refresh? Do your sequences lead to your current offerings? Double-check each email for grammar and sequence accuracy.
- Test your website. Are you losing leads because they don’t know how to buy from you? Are they so overwhelmed with content that they’ve either learned enough that they don’t need you anymore or that they became tired of trying to find their way around? Go back to your ideal client; what do they need to make a buying decision? Build your website around them, not around you.
- Focus as much on client retention as you do lead generation. It’s more cost-effective to keep your clients than to onboard new ones. Additionally, happy clients refer others. What can you do to improve your client retention? What can you do to show your appreciation to current clients? Do you deliver on promises? Do you fully understand the needs of your clients? There’s always room to improve, and now is the perfect time to focus on retention.
And one bonus tip – know when you’re too busy that client satisfaction and personal care are taking a hit. Prepare for growth by onboarding team members or looking for partners to collaborate with; that way, when your next big opportunity comes along, you’re ready to hit the ground running.
Cheers to a successful 2022!
