Susan Gilbert — September 26, 2018 — September 26, 2018
How To Create A Business Game Plan For Next Year
Ask almost any online business what they wish they could change about their journey and it would probably be something along the lines of better planning.
You do need to have a plan for your projected growth, regardless of whether you’re new to internet marketing and branding, or a seasoned participant.
Ask yourself, where do you see your brand going in the next 2-5 years?
Take some time during the upcoming holiday season to plot out a path for your business growth in 2019. Have one year filled with focus and accomplishments. Know where you’re going so you can plan how to get there.
“Always, Always have a plan”
? Rick Riordan
Here are a few key areas to start focusing on now:
Start with branding
How do want to be known long-term? You can brand under your exact name, or by a pen name – or even a company moniker you create that has that special recognition factor built in.
Once you know how you want that to unfold, work on identifying your key competitors. What are they better than you at? What do you do differently when it comes to marketing? Being able to recognize your own faults and assets helps you get ahead in the end if you’re willing to implement changes along the way.
Be on the lookout for cutting-edge tactics that are sustainable for the long haul. You want to steer clear of flash in the pan strategies or fly by night trends. As small business entrepreneurs take their ideas online it’s vital that you are doing the same with motivation and enthusiasm to win over your target market.
Re-evaluation your content marketing strategy
Gone are the days when you could download a free keyword tool, pay a ghostwriter $ 4 per article for something barely readable, and stuff your keywords in it to make money. Search engines are finding ways to weed out the system gamers.
Your content is becoming more shareable than ever. Social media isn’t just music videos and cute animated gifs. Now it’s something where word of mouth and opinions are able to rank your words and messages, which are sent out as social signals.
As you create your content schedule you’ll need to think less about keywords and more about getting your readers engaged. More engaging content begins with an understanding of your target audience. If what you’re doing is choosing a niche based on keyword search volume and sales potential alone, then it will be hard for you to express enthusiasm to and generate trust with your readers.
They want someone to lead them who is not only an expert, but who actually understands the problem they’re going through and how to motivate and walk them through a viable solution. Create empathy by sharing your own story – even if that story is just that you recognize that people are suffering and want to help.
Learn how to convey your passion for a topic. This means that your content has to have personality while addressing the emotions of your community rather than just stating the facts about what you can offer them. Your email marketing campaigns should also be less about hard sales tactics and more about building trust by providing valuable information and creating a connection.
Improve your communication
Take responsibility for your own content — your business should be developing a following in multi channels in order to effectively reach your target market.
This two-way conversation you’re going to create will require you to do a few things outside of your comfort zone. There may be a difference of opinions, but as you grow your brand you should be building trust with a loyal audience that converts much higher than just a visitor landing on a website or visiting a social network.
One way to accomplish this is to ask people for their opinions. For example, if you are a weight loss expert, ask your community what their favorite weight loss tips are. People love to be asked their opinions and insights.
By having people contribute and provide feedback online, the search engines will see your site as a go-to hot spot for that niche. Keep in mind that you’re developing a relationship with your audience instead of the old model of talking TO them and hoping they buy from you because you’re so knowledgeable.
Today’s business is moving quickly as technology advances and people demand more transparency from brands before making a purchase. Make it a goal to map out your own business game plan on how to best reach your existing followers and what needs to change in order to attract more interested prospects.
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