The Ghost of Business Future: 5 Tips to Guiding the Department into 2014

Marketing & Sales Promotion Techniques

As the marketing director in your company, you’re responsible for helping the business grow by attracting new and loyal customers to increase sales and profit. While keeping your eye on the big picture of demographics, traditional marketing and social media advertising, you must also guide your department in the right direction. A few business tips for 2014 can help you and your department prepare for a productive and successful year.

5 Tips that Promote a Successful Year

1. The Leadership Sets the Tone. Provide all the instructions you want to your team; but if you don’t do as you say, your credibility will go out the window. Lead by example, teaching your department how to deal with clients, other departments and each other.
2. Teach and Encourage Effective Communication. Excellent clientcommunication is the hallmark of a successful marketing department. Utilize all forms of communication, including face-to-face, phone, email and letter. Go the extra mile during the holidays by using Christmas border paper to share the Christmas spirit and thank clients for their business. Extra efforts such as this set you apart from the competition.
3. Encourage a Niche Focus. The big picture is important, but your department can help clients achieve further success with the ability to focus on niches. Rather than trying to appeal to the masses, attracting a smaller group who’s passionate about your client’s focus will prove to be more effective.
4. Delve into Psychographics. As a marketing department, you might know that your general demographics consist of women between the ages of 25 and 49. But knowing the psychographics — what their hobbies are, their political affiliations and charitable interests are — is equally important.
5. Promote the Concept of Retaining Customers. Your company will spend five times as much trying to bring in a new customer than retaining a current customer. New clients are important, but don’t invest your efforts in them at the expense of existing clients.

The Ghost of Business Future

Lurking amidst all the habits and skills you teach your department is the ghost of business future. The efforts made today impact your company today and during the next year. Guide your team toward a successful year by incorporating business tips for 2014 right now, before 2013 even comes to an end. Your clients will appreciate your efforts at a time when many other businesses slack off, and so will your boss.