Successful marketing doesn’t just happen. It is the result of forward planning and a strategic approach. If you are unhappy with your current marketing message you have the power to change it. You must take control of your marketing by focussing on your strategy so it is in line with you, your brand and your customers.

Do you have a marketing plan or strategy and what is your budget for promoting your business? Due to the economic climate all too often, marketing budgets are reduced and sometimes cut completely. Now more than ever it’s crucial to market your business.

Some simple tips you can start working on today:

Planning Successful businesses have a business plan, and a marketing plan is just as vital. It’s important to constantly refer to it. As your business evolves and the climate you are trading in changes, so should your strategy. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and families for their input. Brainstorming may create some fantastic ideas to take your business to the next level.

Collect data This sounds like a boring and arduous task but a good database of potential customers to market to is often overlooked. There is no point spending your time creating fantastic marketing messages if you have no audience to communicate with. Collect customer data, maybe in the form of email addresses or on a social media group. Then communicating with this database of people is simple. You could use direct marketing, email marketing or social media to communicate what your business does, its latest news, products and special offers.

Testimonials When parting with a large amount of money, like booking a holiday or buying a car, we always listen to personal recommendations. Use this in your business. Word-of-mouth testimonials on your website, blog or social networking sites or in good old traditional networking groups will also get people talking about you.

  • Jo Spencer is head of the Lake District branch of GAP PR and Marketing Ltd and works with colleague Polly Winder. Together, they help local businesses decide on the right marketing strategy for them – www.gapgb.com