Marketing is the most important element of your overall business strategy and you need to invest heavily in it. You need to have a well crafted marketing strategy to keep business coming through the door especially in slow times.
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Here are the 10 most critical marketing steps you need to take to help your business succeed in 2011:
1. Build a 2011 annual marketing plan within your overall business plan.
2. Create a line item in your budget specifically for advertising and marketing.
3. Conduct market research to help identify new markets and better serve your established customers
4. Dedicate time every month to plan your next promotions and build a marketing events calendar.
5. Keep track of your competitors’ advertising and marketing and compare with your own.
6. Audit your marketing tactics regularly to gauge their effectiveness.
7. When you have to cut expenses from your budget, make marketing the last to go.
8. Attend several expos and professional events and pay attention to the PR and marketing efforts of others.
9. Use social media and your web site to increase customer collaboration.
10. Use news releases to keep your prospective customers informed about your products and services and other company news.
Remember that marketing is your only source of new sales, new customers and new opportunities to grow your business.