Are you fully prepared for Year 2012?

CEOs, Entrepreneurs, Business Leaders and Decision Makers take heed!

It’s no secret. The gloom news of the world economy spell a less than easy Year 2012 indeed!

A good friend of mine (who is in a IT business where they provide IT support and services in hardware and softwares) told me over dinner yesterday that their suppliers were once too busy to even answer phone calls. Now their suppliers could pay them a visit and even have extended lunchtime! For him, bad economy hits them much earlier than others. Suppliers having time is a clear signal!

In the current marketplace where every one of your competitors will be making strategic moves to secure their market share, what you do will be essential for your business to tide over a difficult year, for some it will be vital towards survival.

Here are 3 Marketing actions to check-out on your list of To-Dos.

1) Fire that under-performing Social Media consultant!
It’s quite simple, why you think you should do so. If all they have done in the year or more is talk about applying new “wow” technology, guaranteeing results and not focusing on building a community around your business…then all they have done is waste your resources. Your business must take time to show your customers – the people you intend to be a community – that you care. Communities require gardening, tending and investment of more than just your marketing budget.

2) Brand differentiation with Corporate Social Responsibility
Link up at least one of your Marketing activities with CSR. If you have not done so, integrate CSR into your business model. This will not only give your business another unique selling proposition, but also separate you from the competition and your brand will resonate in the minds of customers. CSR plays a big role in building customer loyalty based on distinctive ethical values. Several major brands such as The Body Shop and Nike have done so to great effect, can you afford not to?

3) Focus your marketing activities to focus on customers
Google’s philosophy is “Focus on the user and all else will follow”. Google clearly knows how crowded the internet is, yet focusing on their users gives them a distinct direction with a distinctive objective: Providing user with the best user experience. In your industry, every one of your competitors will be shouting out and reaching out to customers, your target customers will be easily distracted. It is therefore highly critical to attract their attention rather than joining the noise. Whether you create a viral campaign, re-position your brand, get on different social media platforms such as Google + or creating a PR event…if you focus on what your customers want and need, “all else will follow."

Kelvin Chan, Director, Livewir3!! Communications Pte Ltd