Happy New Year to all my fellow business owners and non-profit devotees! 2016 is going to be an amazing year for all of us.

It’s mid-January, and you’re undoubtedly planning for success by setting your goals and assessing your opportunities. Don’t forget to take a good hard look at your suite of marketing materials; this “sales force” is talking about you 24/7 to potential clients, customers, and donors. Do you know what they are saying about you?

Anyone marketing their business or cause knows that with time, you evolve your message. As you connect with various members of your target audience, you have “A-ha!” moments that help you see how to connect better and faster, and how to convince people to buy from you. Does that knowledge make it into your next conversation? Your print materials? Your website? Your social media?

Here are a few things to ask yourself as you review your marketing:

• SERVICES: Have your services changed or expanded to meet a need? Have you changed the way you package them or talk about them?
• MISSION: Has your mission broadened? Narrowed? Morphed to fill a specific niche?
• TARGETING: Who is your ideal client? Where will you connect with them and what do they need to hear from you?
• DESIGN/MESSAGING: Do your words and images agree with one another and support the answers to the questions above?
• CONSISTENCY: Your messages may (and should) differ a bit across tactics, but your main messages (text and visual) about who you are should be strong and consistent.

Your ability to CONNECT & CONVINCE increases exponentially when you have a correct and cohesive suite of marketing materials. Are you set up to win in 2016? Call CLC if you need to make updates… or start from scratch!