Now’s the time to make 2017 yours
We are fast approaching Christmas and as we reflect on the year that was, successes or otherwise, now is the time to look at creating a strategy for 2017 to build your business or brand and enhancing your prospects for a successful New Year.
There are some simple but important tasks you can complete before the year ends to ensure you’re ready for a very busy 2017. Half the battle is to set yourself some goals in the form of a checklist, which you can knock off as the year progresses. Too many businesses don’t think about this – they have a ‘she’ll be right mate’ attitude and really don’t give themselves any chance when it comes to being successful.
So, what can we do at this time of the year? Well, I suggest a 12 days of Christmas approach – instead of a ‘partridge in a pear tree’ it might be… ‘an appearance on the Project TV’!
If you can do most of the below, next year will be a successful one in media.
Media Stable’s 12 days of Christmas
- Write a Strategy – it doesn’t have to be long. One paragraph will suffice but be clear what you want to achieve and how you want to go about it.
- Media Targets – Identify the programs and publications that you want to be in and document them. This will give you focus.
- Media Contacts – once you have decided on target media, research the journalists and producers behind the scenes. You’ll need their names and contact details.
- Personal Profile – clean up and update your personal profile, new photography, update information and send content in regularly.
- New media – get a new media platform going that you aren’t currently in. Give SnapChat, Instagram or Twitter a go.
- In-Person event – It’s sixth on the preferred marketing tools we have but to be honest it should be first. Get to an event. Get to #MeetTheMedia.
- Partnership – find another brand or business to go into partnership with. See what you can attract or achieve as a partnership with your new audience.
- “Brandscape” with another brand – collaborate with another brand and see how you can combine your media engagement. Very powerful, if done right.
- Write a blog – for those who like to put pen to paper, blogging is an effective way to tell your stories. But it needs to be done regularly and be of the highest quality.
- Make a video – not just one! Make multiple videos. Video is very powerful in short snippets and is continuing to grow in influence in media and marketing.
- Start a podcast – this is easier than you think. The trick is to be consistent, deliver high quality content and have fun. Oh, and have something different to say.
- Join Media Stable – If you aren’t a member make this happen now. It’s the most affordable, successful and powerful platform to launch your brand from.
Have a very happy Christmas, get your communications into gear and you will have a very successful 2017. Do a couple of the above and you will do okay. Do more than half and you will be a raging success.
Written by Nicholas Hayes the Managing Director of Media Stable and co-host of communications podcast Brand Newsroom.