What will your customers want from you this January? Here are 10 marketing ideas to get you started.
January is one of the most divisive months of the year.
Some people love it. They feel fired up and ready to go. Goals set, ideas flowing. Ready to spend money with your business.
A look at Pinterest trends reveals people are searching for vision boards to plan their new year, outfit inspiration including hair and nails among other things, giving you an idea of what customers might be thinking of.
Others find January hard. After Christmas lights and New Years Eve excitement, there is nothing to do immediately. It's still cold and dark, one of the longest (seeming) months. January features Blue Monday, this year falling on January 16th, apparently the day of the year many feel depressed.
For these people finding comfort and support may be a priority, so how can your business help?
1. Before you do anything else, look back at last January's content
In terms of how people feel in January, it doesn't change massively year on year. For those who are inspired, having marketing content ready that encourages them to take steps towards their goals will be popular, have you already got ideas that can be re-used & recycled? Changing the wording of old blogs, editing and re-purposing social media content can all be really useful for starting off your year.
2. Create an online watch-along of comforting and inspiring content
For people who are feeling less inspired about January and looking for comfort, could you create an online event where you invite customers to watch an inspiring list of talks or read something together?
TED Talks like The Power of Vulnerability by Brene Brown could be very enjoyable watched together.
How about Poet laureate Amanda Gorman's The Hill We Climb so full of hope.
In terms of books why not try The Comfort Book by Matt Haig, which has the most beautiful and inspiring poems, essays and thoughts.
3. Help people to connect & they won't forget you
Business owners are always looking for ways to connect either to peers for support or to their customers. How can you help that? Could you run a social media challenge in January? It doesn't have to last the whole month, 5 days is now common for some Facebook group challenges. It is all about the value you add in those 5 days.
You could also consider creating an in person or virtual coffee morning to invite peers or customers to, with a theme, maybe community goals for 2023?
4. Set a community focused company goal
Have you been looking at world events and thinking about what you and your business could do to help over the coming year?
Lots of businesses support charities like Choose Love and customers enjoy knowing their money spent in your business helps someone in need.
Have a look at what the people in your community are already doing and see how your business can support them.
5. Create new space within your business
People love to declutter in January, recyling the Christmas booze bottles, the tree, and making room in their homes for new gifts.
Can you use this trend in your business? How about deleting old emails, you might not think about this but they do take up a lot of storage space, which is not very eco-friendly.
If you own a shop, why not use this as the time to hold a sale, or give away anything you don't want anymore to a charity, local school, or other deserving cause.
6. Offer your expertise, tips and advice
As I am doing here, your customers may well appreciate your best tips and advice.
For example, if you sell fruit and veg, why not offer recipes that use up any lurking supplies, or tap into the fitness trends that January brings.
If you are a copywriter, why not offer ideas for sprucing up CV's, many people start the year with a new job in mind.
7. Try new social media tools, explore new ideas
Last year TikTok exploded becoming a world defining content creation hub, you couldn't miss people talking about it.
In terms of what to try next, it doesn't have to be a completely new tool, but new to you. One I mention a lot, because I don't think it's really understood, is Pinterest.
Pinterest is brilliant for driving traffic to blogs or sales pages. It's very low on time commitment, you do not need to comment on posts to build an audience, & purchase intent is high on the platform. What's to lose?
8. Offer a trial
Budget is really important in January for obvious reasons, with the cost of living crisis never off the front pages this year it matters more than ever. Is there a way that offers new customers your products or services for a short period for a reduced rate or for free?
Another thought is you offer a cut down version of what the customer would get when they pay in full.
If you are a service business owner, you could consider offering a free 20-30 minute call to help people see how much value you can give in that time.
9. Create a talking point
People love something new or different, how can you adapt this for your business?
Tony's Chocolate created a stir by leaving one day of their Christmas calendar empty, to make a statement about the inequality of the chocolate industry.
Strictly Come Dancing created a 10 second silence during a dance by Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice to help audiences understand life for the deaf community.
You don't have to aim for anything controversial, a new logo, communicating a new commitment, or painting your shop front a different colour could all be relevant ideas.
10. Create a marketing plan or strategy
One of the best things you can do in January is create a marketing plan, for at least the next 90 days.
It will help get you organised, show you what marketing is working for you and what isn't, take the strain on your off days (we all have them) give you direction, and deliver accountability.
If you would like to read more about marketing plans then this whole blog is about them and if you aren't sure what to include, I sell The DIY Marketing Plan
I really hope this blog has given you some good ideas for January 2023.
Thanks for reading
Shona
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For even more low cost marketing ideas why not buy my book?
If you would like even more low cost marketing ideas I wrote a book. 100 Marketing Tips for Small Business Owners. Check it out here
About Me
Shona Chambers Marketing is a Marketing Consultancy based in SE London. Specialising in helping Small Business Owners and Freelancers with their Marketing.