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- Categories: Industrial Marketing, Marketing Tips
2020 is just around the corner and now is the time to prepare your marketing strategy to grow your business in the coming year.
Start by taking time to review your 2019 marketing and sales. What worked and what didn’t? Did you reach your target goals? Has the market shifted in the past year? If so, how does that affect what you offer?
Next, build your 2020 Marketing plan. What are your sales and growth goals for 2020? Do you need new strategies to achieve your goals this year? What tools and tactics will you employ?
Here are the key areas you need to focus on for growth in 2020:
-Tradeshows – In-person trade show experiences offer marketing value that is unique and singular. A recent survey that was done by TREW Marketing and IEEE GlobalSpec states that 86% of engineers surveyed feel tradeshows are a very valuable source for seeking out information on the latest engineering technologies, industry trends, and products or services.
When was the last time you attended or exhibited at a tradeshow? Do you know the best tradeshows for your industry? Is your tradeshow booth up to date?
-Email Campaigns / Regular Newsletters – These should be sent out once a month.
Do you currently send monthly newsletters to your customers? Is the content relevant and helpful to them?
-Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – This should be reviewed quarterly.
Has your website been optimized for SEO? Where does your website rank in search engines? Does your business have an up-to-date, fully-populated Google My Business or Bing Local listing? What other sites is your website linked to? Are you placing content on other sites with back links?
-Search Engine Marketing (SEM) – These campaigns should be reviewed quarterly.
Where did you run PPC ads? Did your ads get you the business that you wanted? Did the campaigns deliver the right type of visitors to your website? What platforms do you want to test out in 2020 (LinkedIN, YouTUBE, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)?
-Social Media Channels – These need posts at least a few times a week.
Are your customers still engaged with your brand? How effective has your social media strategy been? Are there platforms that you aren’t using that your competitors are? Is the content focused on your customer’s needs? Is the content helping to provide solutions for your customers?
-Video Production – Video is one of the most effective content marketing vehicles used today. They grab attention, inform, help generate leads, and establish you as a leader in your industry. Is video content part of your current marketing strategy?
-Website Conversion – Tracking metrics on your site is the best way to know how your site is performing.
Are you tracking all your traffic to your website? Do you know where your best customers are coming from? Once you get them to your site, are they clicking through to the pages you want them to? What is the bounce rate on your website?
-Website Design – Website trends are constantly changing and your site needs to change with them. You should update your site’s look at least every 2 years.
When was the last time you updated your website? How is the design holding up? Is it outdated? Is the messaging relevant? Is it easy for users to navigate and find what they need? Do you have any calls to action on your website? Do you have any lead capture mechanisms other than your contact page? Do you have a blog on your website? Are you utilizing chat bots?
-Website Maintenance – To keep your site secure and functioning properly you need to make sure to keep on top of all site updates. It is recommended to check at least once every 3 months for any critical updates.
Do you have an SSL certificate installed on your site? Are you employing a website security platform for automatic malware scanning and removal? Do you have an automatic backup platform added to your website hosting? When was the last time it was fully backed up? What platform is your site running on? When was the last time it was updated?
-Lead Nurturing and Follow-Up – This is important for sustained growth and should be prioritized.
Do you know what to do with the leads you generate from tradeshows or call to action on your website? Does your team consistently follow-up on every qualified lead? Do you have a consistent company-wide message for these leads?
The end of every year always brings a flood of new ideas and goals for the coming year. Take the time to review what worked and what didn’t in 2019 to help you build your plan for 2020.
Quick 2020 Planning Checklist
- Tradeshow List & Plan
- Email Campaigns / Regular Newsletters + Blog
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM) & Pay Per Click Ad Campaigns
- Social Media Channel Creation & Regular Posting
- Regular Video Creation and Posting
- Website Design or Re-Design
- Regular Website Backups & Maintenance
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Website Conversion Monitoring
- Proper Lead Nurturing and Follow-Up
Need assistance? Let us help!
With over 30 years of experience, The Rico Group specializes in helping industrial manufacturers and job shops grow their business and diversify their customer base. We know how engineers think and what they are looking for. We know your processes, equipment, and materials. We also know that you have very little time to take away from your production and getting your customer’s orders delivered.
Grow your business with better marketing with The Rico Group.
www.thericogroup.com/industrial
(805) 497-7401