Recently we are meeting more and more smaller business owners who are leaving their marketing to the last minute. What I am saying is that even if you do not know how to undertake a full strategic plan and budget in marketing. You do know as business marketing is the key to successful client engagement and requires investment in time and money.

It is a critical time in the UK in terms of budget, planning and spend. Why are small businesses not planning ahead I am not sure. Is it fear of costs, fear of the unknown the uncertainty of government? There could be a number of factors each in turn allowing small businesses to not think and plan their marketing approach in a sensible manner.

Let’s take websites and SEO for example, it is a minefield of information almost overwhelming to most small businesses. So if I am planning ahead where do I even start? Here are a few pointers to assist on that journey you can do at anytime.

• Why? Ask your business why are they getting a website built? Whats the purpose of the website?
• What? What do we expect this website to do for our business and how will it do it?
• Goals? Set some goals and be realistic! – You not going to get to the top of page one on Google overnight and the contact forms are not going to fly in every day.
• Plan? Set out a realistic plan, time and budget every month.
• Invest? You have to invest in a website monthly, it is not a one off purchase and it won’t work on its own.
• Measure and reinvest? The overall performance of a website should be measured and then re invest to keep up with your goals and competition.

If you think these few comments in anyway helped you and you would like to expand the conversation please get in touch happy to chat. We don’t want to see fellow small business owners in a panic over spend and performance. Be prepared and then reduce stress and spend to a realistic goal that will help the business.