The First 90 Days of Marketing Your Small Business

The first 90 days of your marketing journey are crucial. This period is about laying a solid foundation, establishing clear goals, and setting the tone for future efforts. Let’s break down these critical initial steps into manageable chunks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Want to listen to this topic instead of reading it? Download my podcast episode, which is all about the first 90 days of marketing your small business.

“The 90-Day Marketing Launch Plan” on Apple Podcasts

“The First 90 Days in Marketing Your Small Business” on YouTube

Pre-Launch Preparations

Before you even begin the 90-day plan, ensure that all essential resources are in place. This includes gathering all necessary logins, passwords, and administrative details. It may seem trivial, but lacking this information can significantly delay your progress.

From my experience, it’s never just about getting passwords. Often, the last person who managed these details is no longer with the company, or worse, no longer with us at all. To prevent such headaches, use a secure service like LastPass to manage and share passwords. This ensures you can grant and revoke access without compromising security.

Kickoff Meeting: Setting the Foundation

A successful marketing strategy starts with a robust kickoff meeting. This initial gathering sets expectations, communication standards, and outlines the roadmap for the coming months.

Here’s what to cover in your kickoff meeting:

- Communication Preferences: Determine how your team prefers to communicate. Whether it’s via email, text, or phone calls, knowing this can streamline interactions.

- Project Management Systems: Introduce your team to a project management system, such as Trello or Asana, to keep track of tasks and communications in one place.

- Availability: Clarify your availability and best times for meetings to avoid conflicts.

Month 1: Building the Foundation

In the first 30 days, focus on maintaining existing efforts and diving deep into your brand strategy. This period is about understanding what’s currently working and identifying areas for improvement.

Key Activities for the First 30 Days:

- Maintain Existing Efforts: Ensure that ongoing marketing activities continue without interruption. This includes social media posts, email campaigns, and any other regular content.

- Brand Strategy Development: Conduct a thorough brand strategy assessment. Define your values, purpose, target market, competition, and brand voice. A clear brand strategy is crucial for any marketing efforts to be effective.

- Initial Marketing Assessment: If working alone, seek professional advice to establish a robust marketing framework. A one-off consultation can provide invaluable insights.

Month 2: Implementing Strategies and Tactics

With a solid brand strategy in place, the next 30 days are about implementing new tactics and refining existing ones.

Key Activities for the Second 30 Days:

- Content Optimization: Begin optimizing your website content for SEO. Ensure that your content is aligned with your keyword strategy.

- Blog Topics and Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar with relevant blog topics. Consistent blogging not only educates your audience but also keeps your website fresh, boosting SEO.

- Review Management: Set up a review funnel to encourage customer feedback. Positive reviews can significantly impact your online reputation.

Month 3: Establishing a Routine and Measuring Success

By the third month, your efforts should start showing tangible results. This period is about establishing a routine and beginning to measure the success of your initiatives.

Key Activities for the Third 30 Days:

- Routine Establishment: Solidify your content creation and posting routines. Ensure you have a steady flow of blog posts, social media updates, and other content.

- Expand Content Types: Consider incorporating videos, testimonials, or case studies into your strategy. Diversifying your content can engage different segments of your audience.

- Website Updates: Implement any necessary updates to your website content and design. Focus on minor tweaks rather than a complete overhaul to avoid disrupting your progress.

Importance of Analytics

It’s crucial to activate Google Analytics as soon as your website launches. This tool provides invaluable insights into your website traffic and user behavior, helping you make informed decisions. Remember, analytics takes about three months to provide meaningful data, so start early.

One common mistake is rushing into a complete website overhaul within the first three months. Such projects can be massive undertakings and can bottleneck your entire marketing strategy. Instead, you can just focus on incremental improvements and thoroughly plan any significant changes.

The first 90 days of your marketing strategy lay the groundwork for future success. By maintaining existing efforts, developing a clear brand strategy, and implementing new tactics, you set the stage for sustained growth. Remember, patience and consistency are key. Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint.

Want to get an email when a new blog is up? Subscribe for free today