2010 New Year’s Resolutions for Marketing Professionals

Since the best way to kick off a New Year is with resolutions, here are my thoughts to help focus your company’s marketing strategy and activities, as well as some personal ideas for growth:

1. Lose Weight – Shed those “traditional check box” PR marketing activities and focus on those that bring results. In this economy and with short attention spans, you need to be nimble and prepared to execute on producing results and bagging those things that worked for your grandpa. Also wherever possible never sell the blah blah, when you can sell the blah. i.e. get to the point quick and make your message clear and concise to your target audience. Don’t overload people with TMI (too much information)
Something you can do now: If you are in the Bay Area, attend Christine Crandell’s upcoming presentation on Jan 13 “A Case Study In Steering The PR Conversation Through Social Media”. If you are really behind and are looking for 2 sticks  to rub together first, watch this cute video on Social Media explained in plain english.

2. Stop Smoking – Seriously, stop smoking! It’s really bad for you. Do it for your family if not for yourself. On the marketing front, stop blowing smoke with the “leader of”, “only company to” and “most innovative” headlines. No one believes those “product of the year” awards from magazines. Earn your respect in the industry for your product through proof points, results and accolades from your peers, industry (non-paid) analyst reports and savvy bloggers. These days, customers and prospects know all of the canned press and marketing. It’s time to be more transparent and honest with the people who you want to buy your product. Ever wonder why Salesforce is so successful? In my opinion, apart from the great product, they know how to get their customers to speak honestly on their behalf through their marketing. And in return, their customers are treated like rock stars, which is incidentally how every customer should be treated.
Something you can do now: Start a conversation with your audience (see #7) and contribute to the industry your product is in or targeting (see #10)

3. Save Money Smartly – Sure you balance your marketing budget, but are you just wildly cutting things on your marketing list to make it fit the budget? You are if you don’t have a focused ROI that is justifiable for each activity. If your CFO is giving you heat, ask yourself why and how you are justifying spending that monthly subscription to big corporation analyst/research firm. Truly, there are so many ways of getting your message out for free or for a fraction of what it used to cost that it’s worth a major overhaul of how and where you spend your $$$.
Something you can do now: Mentally cut your budget in half, then see what really you can live without. Take those things you are throwing out and find ways to get equivalent results through less expensive or free means. Read up (see #4 below) for ideas.

4. Get Fit – If you’re reading this blog, you’re on your way! Time to set up a reader or subscribe to feeds that provide you with information. Stop buying those marketing books on Amazon.com which gather dust on your bookshelf. There is so much current and great information here in the “cloud” that you merely need to point the fire hose towards you and adjust the setting. Get your marketing skills up to 2010 levels and blow the marketing doors wide open.
Something you can do now: Find bloggers and tweeters that interest you and can provide good, fresh new marketing ideas and strategies. See my blog roll on the bottom right of this blog for some suggestions.

5. Improve Your Existing Relationships – This is finally the year that you need to stop complaining about those sales guys … who are constantly complaining about you. Can’t we all just get along people? Seriously, the company is relying on revenue and the politics and finger pointing about who’s not executing or not generating enough leads has got to stop. Something you can do now: Christine Crandell is a frequent author on the topic of Sales and Marketing alignment. Read this article “Getting Sales To Improve Marketing’s Leads” for an idea

6. Start Some New Relationships – In this day and age, you’ve got to ABN “Always Be Networking”. Make it a goal to meet people regularly and establish new contacts, virtually or in person, whether they are in your industry or not. Don’t abandon your old friends, but make some room for opening up your horizons and expanding your network. LinkedIn is a must, and even Facebook. Those of you who have resisted up till now, take off your “I’m too cool for that” hat and get with it. You are being run over and left behind. Moreover as your company’s marketing rep you are in dereliction of your duty by not “joining the conversation” and learning how to market in this new decade.
Something you can do now: Join Facebook and Twitter at minimum for yourself personally and for your company. Learn how you can best use them for marketing leverage (again see #1) Those of you that have an account but can’t remember your password, get going, you know who you are.

7. Stay In Touch Regularly – No excuses, especially with excellent tools such as LinkedIn you can easily keep people informed of your activities. Twitter, Facebook and an informative blog are just some other ways. Make sure you invite people to “opt-in” to your communications through groups, that way they won’t feel intruded upon and they can keep up to date on their terms.
Something you can do now: Start a LinkedIn and Facebook group and ask your network to subscribe (If you don’t have a network see #6)

8. Manage Your Finances – This is not the same as #3 save money smartly, but rather speaks towards your financial literacy of your company’s products and offerings. If you don’t understand how your product truly can affect your customers bottom line, how can you effectively sell it to them? This is critical if you are a product manager, but equally important if you are in any other marketing function. And also a must read in my opinion if you are in any other department of the company just to make sure you understand what everyone is shooting for in regards to financial goals and targets.
Something you can do now: Read John Mecke’s excellent blog post on Financial Literacy for Product Managers

9. Reduce Your Stress – 2009 was a rough year for many people and their companies. Hopefully things will start to rebound in 2010. It’s not surprising that tensions are high as people worry about their jobs and start to point fingers at other departments or individuals who they feel are under performing. It’s never a good idea to gossip or point fingers, you are just adding to your internal stress and angst rather than improving the situation for yourself and your company.
Something you can do now: Come up with constructive ways of helping improve processes or the situation. Work to proactively help or support the person you think is struggling or under performing. If things start to overwhelm you at work, just remember no matter how bad things are, your friends and family are more important and are your true life’s work. The best is the best you can do.

10. Give Back – We all could do with a bit more volunteering for charities in our spare time. In general helping others less fortunate is always a good thing anytime of the year and in any medium. Just as you would do some community good and charitable activities, you can focus your marketing tone to be more contributory to the industries you are targeting. Many of you no doubt already do this. Additionally, make sure you also pass along any experience and knowledge that might be helpful to your fellow marketers.
Something you can do now: Tweeting this blog post :-), just kidding.

Happy New Year everyone!