It’s called the seed catalog effect. It’s when outside the January winds blow and inside we cozy up with seed catalogs, and it’s then that our green thumbs become their most ambitious. There’s something about those glorious displays of bounty that brings hope to the new year. They’re a promise that spring will most certainly come and, yes, this will be the best gardening year ever.
Inevitably though, reality sets in—like six months later when we’re trellising those 15 varieties of tomatoes and we wonder what we were thinking when we started all those seeds.
Just Like Our Online Marketing Plans
Our January gardening plans are often like our marketing plans. How many of you made New Year resolutions for marketing your business and already have fallen behind? Rather than getting down on yourself, think in terms of the seed catalog effect and realize that maybe you were simply overly ambitious.
With all the online marketing options available today, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Website, eNewsletters, social media, blogging, podcasts, videos—goodness, how does one keep up?
You can’t keep up. You can’t do them all. Instead, consider these three tips for establishing a marketing plan.
- Identify Your Target Audience (Profitable Consumer)
What social media platforms are they using? When are they using these platforms and for what? For example, if you have a farmers market stand in a business district, chances are your customers are white collar professionals using LinkedIn. On the other hand, if most of your customers are retirees, you certainly don’t need to bother with LinkedIn. Study your customers and go online where they go. - Define Your Objectives
What are your goals for online marketing? To educate? Write a blog or shoot videos. To establish relationships? Do Facebook and Instagram. To make announcements? Shoot an eNewsletter or a Facebook post. Research which social media platforms match your objectives and align your marketing to them. - Recognize Your Time, Resources, and Skills
Yes, online marketing is free—you likely already have a computer, smart phone, and use social media. But it also takes time, resources, and skills. Shooting a video on YouTube takes more than posting a picture on Instagram. Writing a blog takes more than posting on Facebook. Limit your social media to 1-2 platforms you know you can handle. When you’ve mastered them and feel ready for more, add another platform using the same discerning practices.
Looking to ramp up your marketing in 2020? Adunate can help grow your business through a unique brand and successful marketing practices.
What I’m Working On This Month
It’s that website time of year and this month’s feature is Hymns in My Heart, a greeting card business filled with the rich, spiritual language of hymns. We’ll be going live in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned!
What I’m Tuned In To This Month
- Edible Potluck: Joy Manning’s podcast for food lovers. Here she features Wisconsin heritage wheat farmer Charlie Tennessen of Anarchy Acres. Also what gadget will be the next Instant Pot?
- Immigrant Wheat: Charlie’s article in Edible Milwaukee magazine.
- She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement: Powerful people should not silence the voice of others. A interesting read on the importance of free press and investigative journalism.
- 90-Day Gospel Reading Plan: Part of the Bystander series by Hope Lake Country. I’m perpetually 2-3 days behind but sticking with it nonetheless. Paired with the sermon series, it makes for good discussion.
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