New Year's resolutions are commonplace when the calendar turns toward another 12 months, and businesses can take part in this fresh outlook by vowing to be better marketers and to help their ventures grow in the coming year.
According to marketing agency Bop Design, a number of tips can help small businesses thrive in 2012.
First, entrepreneurs should focus on a number of different marketing channels, from direct mailing lists to social networking, email marketing, print advertising and referrals. Implementing only one tactic is the best way to keep a business spinning its wheels.
"If you want to grow, you can't select one marketing tactic like networking and expect to dramatically increase your client pool," explains Bop Design business principal Jeremy Durant.
Second, small business owners must remember that they are ultimately the best people to sell their brands, as they know the venture better than anyone. For this reason, entrepreneurs should try to get out of the office as often as possible to attend professional networking opportunities and other community events.
When selecting what small business marketing efforts to focus on in 2012, owners should stay committed, just as they would be for any other New Year's resolution. If marketing efforts don't produce results right away, entrepreneurs should keep trying to adjust and fix campaigns before giving up.