Is Your Brand Ready To Succeed In 2021? Here Is What You Need To Ensure More Success

2021 will be an interesting year in digital marketing as brands adjust to COVID-19 and adjust their messaging accordingly. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses to modify day-to-day operations, observing the new-normal which includes social distancing. Only a few people are allowed to enter the mall also with other stores and this leads to low sales. The sad reality is that there are practically no guarantees that your business will survive in 2020 and come out swinging in 2021. All businesses gradually adapt to start doing business primarily online, as digital channels are often the only way to stay in contact with customers. 

As COVID continues to push people outside their comfort zones, businesses that are pivoting to a digital-first marketing strategy have been able to survive and even thrive, in a transformed marketplace.

We’ve spent the year working with small businesses to help them make the smartest use of digital marketing tools, so their businesses could thrive in 2020 and beyond. Here are some advancements that you should look out for and consider implementing as part of your overall marketing strategy to get ready for 2021.

Focus on what you can do

With the new normal, all the rules and regulations have restricted us from the things we used to do in our business. What you all need to do now is look solely at what you can do. For example, when restaurants were told they couldn’t serve customers indoors, they transitioned their customer to order online and deliver it to them, can also be takeout and drive-thru. No matter what type of business you operate, this is the mindset to develop and use for your 2021 business strategy. 

Here are some possible tips you can do with your business:

• You can transition to doing business online. Products traditionally sold offline will now sell online. Many business owners will be forced to move online to save their companies. Others will see it as an opportunity during the crisis. Whatever the case, it’ll be the best way to reach the customers. 

• Invest in an E-commerce website. Improve your website by adding helpful tools like online ordering or chat support (E-commerce website) to expand your selling capacity and create a more convenient and efficient experience for both your staff and customers. Ever since then e-commerce continued growing. COVID-19 pandemic limits offline sales much more and we expect continuous e-commerce expansion to move even faster.

• Smart Marketing. You can still engage with customers personally to deepen your relationship by utilizing the power of social media. Chatbots, email marketing, lookalike audiences, remarketing and social media will continue to be e-commerce’s best friends. They will become more effective with advanced big data data analysis, personalized experiences, and optimized ad costs.

• Refresh and keep your design on-trend. 2021 design trend shows to be more simplified and a minimalist that eliminates distractions and makes the consumer focus on the product. There are certain elements of website design that are here to stay, fast speeds, easy navigation, and increased security, as well as the rise of the battery saving, eye-saving dark mode. The latest graphic design trends are working with these aspects, enhancing them visually. And it’s not only website design we are talking about, the ripple effect on company branding, logos, marketing, general illustration, and in all areas of graphic design are also clear to see.

Once you define what you can do — even if it requires an adjustment in the business environment. Marketers who set goals are far more successful than those who don’t. You can then build quantitative goals and a set of tactics for achieving them.

Achieve Goals in 2021 with “S.M.A.R.T. Goals”

To make sure your goals are clear and reachable, achieve it in a S.M.A.R.T way (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound), you can increase the chances of creating positive change and growth for your business.

Here’s the breakdown: 

Specific (simple, sensible, significant) – your goals should be clearly defined. Add a specific number to your goal. For example, instead of saying you’d like more sales, make it specific by saying 10% more sales, or 50 more discovery calls per month.

Measurable (meaningful, motivating) – goals are quantifiable. When creating your goals, decide what tools or metrics you’ll use to determine if you’re meeting your goals. For example, if your goal is to increase your sales by 10%, you’ll need to refer to your revenue or profits and check back regularly to measure your success. 

Achievable (agreed, attainable) – Make sure to measure your goals to the things that you can control. For example, all of us are aiming a viral post on social media since these things are out of your control (unless you have that power to can dictate someone’s mind to like and share your post, lol) Instead, you could set a goal to post more consistently (i.e., three times per week) and engage with ten new accounts per day. These attainable activities bring you closer to creating more engagement and exposure for your brand. 

Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based) – Your goals should align with your values and long-term objectives. Work to prioritize which goals are the most relevant so that you can focus your energy where it matters most, and then stick to accomplishing it before taking on new commitments.

Time-bound (time-based, time-limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive). – Make sure that your goals have a beginning and an end allows you to test and see what you’ve done and see if it was effective and help you go back and say, okay, well, maybe we didn’t get it all the way but this is maybe why. As you set up your next set of goals maybe you can readjust and see if you can’t hit it this time around.

Let Us Help You Build A Marketing Plan in 2021

We’ve already said that marketers who set goals are far more successful than those who don’t. But without a plan to complete that goal, everything you’re dreaming about will fall flat. This is why you need to build a marketing plan in 2021 that is actionable. We think it’s important to make sure your plan is adaptable and full of smart goals that you and your team can actually achieve. Don’t forget to track analytics to make sure your marketing efforts are bringing you more clients and more money to your business. 

When you’re ready to build a marketing plan that actually works for your business in 2020, contact us today. We’d love to make sure you’re on the right path to success.