Ah Q4… the season of the year that always sneaks up quicker than we’re ready for, propelling us into year-end before we’ve even finished our last Christmas cookie.
Q4 also marks the perfect time to start your 2022 planning. Aside from next year’s business planning, don’t forget to also consider your marketing goals for the new year.
We know analyzing the past year and looking forward to the next can be a bit overwhelming. But if you break up your 2022 planning into these four steps, you might just unearth a few new ideas and insights that will give you a marketing edge for next year.
1. Assess your year-to-date results
Revisit the goal of your marketing strategy this year. Was it to drive awareness, increase social media engagement, get more eyes on your website, generate more leads, or grow traffic through your front door? What progress have you made towards that goal?
Your answers to these questions should strongly influence your 2022 marketing plan. You may want to double down on your existing goal if you’ve nearly made it there, or it might be time for a more ambitious goal this coming year!
2. Reevaluate industry trends
Have new trends or solutions emerged over the past year? The pandemic drastically changed numerous industries. Is there an area of opportunity within your industry that you can specifically target in the new year?
3. Consider what the competition is up to
Did you notice something your competition did this year that seemed to have positive results? Did they complete a website or branding refresh, launch a creative social campaign, utilize a new platform, or target a different audience? Now is a good time to check the landscape of your industry. If another company is really resonating with your target audience, 2022 might be the year to try something new to regain your leadership in the area.
4. Look into new audience insights
Over the past year, how has your target audience changed? Have they moved, experienced a significant life event, discovered a new social media platform, found new influencers, or followed new trends? Reviewing the marketing and engagement data you’ve gathered over the past year can help answer these questions. Make note of the posts and campaigns that garnered the most interactions—and which ones led to *crickets*.
Our best advice for you is this: When you sit down to plan your 2022 marketing strategy, don’t do it in a vacuum! Utilize the data and feedback you gathered over the past year. Talk to your team. Talk to us! Your current strategy may need a minor tweak or two to maintain your business’ momentum. Or it may be time for a whole new plan. But you won’t know unless you invest intentional time and effort into 2021 review and 2022 planning.
Every year we help clients take the guesswork out of annual marketing planning. If you need support creating a marketing strategy that works, contact us!
