He’s making a list, and checking it twice; gonna find out who’s naughty or nice … It’s almost time for Santa to come to town but for most companies, 2020 is the big arrival on their minds! Are you ready?

As you deal with your last-minute holiday to-dos while planning for the upcoming year, make sure you stay on the NICE list.

YOU DON’T WANT TO BE ON ANY NAUGHTY LIST … Whether it is Santa’s, your clients’ or Google’s.

TIMES ARE TOUGH in our industry! I don’t have any money for marketing.

PUBLIC RELATIONS is a waste of time!

Bah humbug! I’m too busy for holiday cheer … and PLANNING ahead for 2020!

Everyone knows about my company. Why should I care about Google? I don’t need to worry about stuff like SEO!

As long as my LinkedIn profile is sorta up to date, I’m done with SOCIAL MEDIA. Wasting time on LinkedIn won’t help my business and nobody uses Facebook except college students.

TRAFFIC!  Why can’t everyone just stay home so I can get to my meetings on time.

My only focus is on GETTNG NEW BUSINESS. Keeping our current customers is someone else’s problem.

We completely forgot about a HOLIDAY GIVING effort! Since it’s so late and we are so busy, we’ll just skip it this year.

TRADE SHOWS are not giving me the return they once did so I’m going to cut this completely out of my budget and forget about event marketing.

I just need to fill certain positions and then I can move on to something else. My CURRENT STAFF is just glad they have stable jobs with a company like ours.

I don’t have an in-house marketing team, and I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR MARKETING and promotion! I’m too busy running my business and dealing with daily operations needs.

STAYING ON THE NICE LIST HAS ITS ADVANTAGE … for you and your company.

When TIMES ARE TOUGH, that’s when you really need to market your company — to stay ahead of the competitors creeping into your clients’ pocketbooks.

A solid PR STRATEGY can help build brand awareness, connect your team to potential new customers and showcase your company and team as the experts you are! Being top-of-mind is crucial in today’s competitive environment.

Take time to enjoy the holiday season but keep your focus on THE POTENTIONAL 2020 HOLDS for your business by planning ahead!

We SEARCH and ask Siri for everything today! So, it is essential for your company and, more importantly, the products and services you provide to be found first by Google and other search engines.

SOCIAL MEDIA can be a cost-effective and essential way to communicate with multiple audiences you are trying to reach — prospects, customers, media, investors and even new hires. If you have already tested the social media waters, it may be time to amp up your efforts via engagement campaigns and paid social targeting!

Yes, TRAFFIC is bad whether you are in Houston or Lafayette. Just leave a little early and say Merry Christmas when someone cuts you off (instead of something else).

CUSTOMER RETENTION is equally, if not more, important in gaining new clients. Also, it is much less expensive to get more business from an existing client than it is to only spend time and money on attracting new customers. Consider customer retention programs in your 2020 marketing budget!

GIVING BACK will help others, make you feel good and create a positive image of your company. Consider a last-minute food or toy drive or make a monetary donation to a worthwhile cause.

In-person EVENTS offer a unique way to get in front of your clients and prospects. Maybe a booth isn’t the answer for you, but a client event may be the perfect opportunity to make some new connections!

Filling openings on your team is top of mind for many companies, but make sure keeping your existing employees is in your plans, too. EMPLOYEE RETENTION CAMPAIGNS can go a long way toward showing your team how much you value them and get them engaged in growing your business!

CALL FOSTER MARKETING! One call and you can amp up your marketing efforts with our team of experts in PR, digital, events, branding, advertising, marketing strategy and more!

We wish you great success in the coming year, and are truly grateful to all who have allowed us to play a part in their success. The entire Foster Marketing team is here to help. Contact us today to expand your team and expertise with one call!

BONUS TIP

What do B2B marketers say will be hot on their digital agendas for 2020?

• Content marketing: It’s vital for lead generation.
• Personalized communications: We only want content that fits our needs.
• New advertising options: Print and billboard advertising aren’t dead but there is a wide range of digital options just waiting.
• SEO: Yes, we all want Google’s love.
• Email marketing: How can I keep them engaged?
• Social media: We’ve moved beyond just a few posts and into a whole new world of options.
• Advanced reporting: If you don’t know where you are, how will you know where you are going?