I'm not sure how it happened so fast, but it's that time of year again. No, I'm not talking about when all the Christmas decorations are out in stores way too early. It's time to start wrapping up the year and marking the year-end tasks off your to-do list.
As we approach the end of the year, there is no better time to take a look at what digital marketing efforts worked and what didn't work as well as you had hoped. To-do lists always seem to grow and can become overwhelming. Take a deep breath, relax, and read on to see what you should focus on when checking off your list.
Recap the Year's Campaigns and Results
It was probably around this time last year when you were starting to set your goals for this year. Well, how did you do? There is no better time than the present to evaluate what marketing activities brought in the most new customers or provided the highest ROI. Evaluate all your digital marketing campaigns and review their performance and how they worked toward accomplishing your end goal. Some campaigns may have been a big flop and need to be cut. Others might just need to be tweaked. Organize your key takeaways and use that when planning for next year's marketing campaigns.
Don't forget to include your team in this planning process. Get everyone's input and make sure they are invested in the strategy that you build together. By doing this, you will be prepared to hit the ground running when January 1st rolls around.
Set Your Marketing Budget
Before you calculate your marketing budget, align your marketing goals with your company's strategic goals and vision for growth. It's important to develop a written marketing strategy that the executive team, marketing team, and sales team are all onboard with. Revisit your end of year campaign review, build your strategy, and create a budget for next year geared toward growth and improvement.
Try Some New Marketing Tools
There are new tools being developed all the time that will help you market better and with less effort. Research some of these tools and take some for a "test ride". Here are some of the tools/platforms we think are pretty cool:
- TwentyThree: TwentyThree is a video marketing platform that allows you to build the best video experience on your website, landing pages, and the rest of your web presence. You can capture viewer behavior and the journey they are taking. See who is watching videos and which of your videos are creating leads. The cherry on the top is that it integrates with HubSpot. Check out this blog article on our partnership with TwentyThree.
- SeventhSense: SeventhSense helps marketers and sales professionals by using artificial intelligence powered email. You can deliver emails at personally optimized times, getting the right email, to the right person, at the right time. Again, this platform integrates with HubSpot.
- TrenDemon: TrenDemon is a content marketing tool. It helps you understand your content's performance, know what to promote and where, and gives you an in-depth visual analysis of the impact of your content for each of your business goals. Check out this tool if you're ready to uncover the impact of content marketing on your business. Oh, and one more thing - you got it, it integrates with HubSpot.
- Databox: With Databox, you can connect all your data sources to track all your company's performance in one place, from any device. You can launch dashboards with real-time visualizations of your data in minutes, with no coding required. Focus more on the metrics that matter by setting goals in Databox, monitoring the progress, and drilling deeper for more advanced insights. Check out our helpful blog article on the integration success with Databox and HubSpot.
Thank Your Clients and Partners
Don't be one of those brands that are just known for seeking more money from your customers and partners. Instead, position your company as a trusted partner. As the end of the year approaches, it's the perfect time for small gestures of goodwill. Send gifts or simple thank you cards to your valued partners and clients. Little tokens of appreciation can go a long way when building lasting relationships. After all, you wouldn't be where you are today if it weren't for your clients and partners.
As the year wraps up, take a look back at what you have learned from the digital marketing campaigns you ran this year. I'msure not all were successful, but that't okay. Rejoice in the progress you have made this year and prepare yourself and your team for an even better year coming up.
Need help setting goals that will set you up for success next year? Then check out our Smart Marketing Goals Template.
