The start of the year can often be slower for businesses, and this may discourage you from wanting to put much effort into your PR strategy. However, it is important not to let your efforts slow even though business may be down slightly.
If you are struggling with the motivation and creativity needed to keep your company on the radar of potential customers, here are some PR tips for the new year and beyond:
Stay active on social media
About 45 percent of the population uses some form of social media, so if you do not have an active presence, it is time to get started. Social media is an easy—and typically free—way to get your company and products seen by tons of people, many of whom are in your target market. Post company news, run a sale for the new year, or just post a nice “thank you” message to your current customers to keep your pages active. Inactive pages give the impression that your company is not doing well, so be sure not to let your posting lapse.
Major announcements
At the end of the year, everyone is preoccupied with their holiday plans and shopping stressors. The new year is a great time for changing and creating new ideas for your company. If you have something cooking, now is the time to announce it. This gives people who have been off the grid a chance to catch up on their own work so they can eventually focus on what you have to say. Company budgets often refresh in the new year, so this also means that customers may have more to spend than in the previous month.
Evaluate your year-end performance
Take this time to evaluate the previous year. What PR strategies worked well and what fell flat? If something worked particularly well, make plans to do it again in the coming year. You can measure success in a variety of ways, but consider doing things like looking at social media likes and shares or mentions and how many backlinks you’ve gained. If you have an active blog or user forum, see how many comments you have received. If a topic was particularly popular, consider writing an addendum or a related piece in the new year.
Get organized
Now is the perfect time to organize all of your company data. If you do not have CRM Apps, invest in something to keep your customer information current and helpful to all departments. Customer relationship management (CRM) software is a great way to keep all of your customer information—from contact information to data on their purchases and any conversations you’ve had—in one place. All departments can benefit from this organization system, but it is important to keep it tidy by deleting lost leads and updating contact records whenever something changes.
Give thanks
The new year is the perfect time to give thanks to your employees and coworkers who (hopefully) make your job easier. Schedule a party or an employee lunch to express appreciation. Employees who feel appreciated are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform well. You should also thank your loyal customers and fans for supporting you and for being part of your success story. Offer a special discount or coupon code to existing customers, or give them access to a new product or feature (even the opportunity to test a unreleased beta version) to show them that you appreciate their business.
If your sales numbers aren’t where you want them to be, consider some of these simple PR strategies to get your company back on track.
