5 Easy Tips to Spring Clean Your Marketing

Spring has officially sprung and as we enter a new financial year, now is the perfect time to take a fresh look at your marketing strategy and refine your approach.

Whether you’re looking to clean up your client database, revamp your socials, or give your website a much-needed refresh, the following tips written by Accout Manager Ann-Marie Lowe, will help you stay ahead of the competition. 

1. Review Your Website

Your website is often the first impression potential clients will have of your business, so it’s essential that it’s up to date and easy to navigate.  This is the perfect time to update review your website to reflect current services, events, and business goals.

Steps to take:

• Remove any details of past events from your events page. Get into the habit of removing events from your events page as soon as they have passed.  Keep the page for upcoming events only.
• Update content regularly to ensure it reflects your brand’s current offerings.
• Review your website footer.   Many website footers will show company award wins and accreditation logos.   Out of date accreditations can give the wrong impression about your business so make sure you refresh these.
• Review your navigation. Is it easy for users to find what they are looking for?
• Are you contact details correct, clear and easy to find?
• Eliminate references to COVID-19.  As we mark the five-year anniversary since the pandemic began, it’s time to remove any procedural information related to the pandemic as it's no longer relevant and can make your website appear outdated.

A website that is reviewed regularly will improve the user experience, enhance your credibility, and ensure visitors are getting the most relevant information.

2. Refresh Your Social Media Presence

Social media is an essential tool for engaging with your audience, building relationships, and showcasing your brand. However, social media trends evolve quickly, and your profiles may benefit from a refresh.

Consider:

• Reevaluating your content strategy to ensure it aligns with your current business goals.
• Updating your visuals to reflect any new business focus areas, new services, team members, or branding changes.
• Review your social media content. Could you engage more effectively with followers through live streams, Q&A sessions, or interactive content?

A refreshed social media presence can increase engagement, build brand loyalty, and attract new followers.

3. Clean Up Your Email List/Database for More Effective Client Mailings

One of the most crucial aspects of any email marketing is to ensure that your client list is accurate and up-to-date. A clean, well-segmented database means your messages are reaching the right people at the right time. As your database grows over time, it’s easy for outdated contacts to continue to receive emails that are no longer relevant to them, so cleansing your database regularly can be very helpful for campaign effectiveness.

Now’s the time to:

• Remove inactive or bounced emails to improve deliverability.
• Add any new contacts.   If your business attends events, don’t forget to update your mailing lists with any new contacts.
• Segment your contacts based on service area for more targeted newsletters.
• Revisit compliance with data privacy laws, such as GDPR, to avoid potential issues.

A streamlined email list will lead to better engagement, fewer unsubscribes, and higher ROI on your campaigns.

4. Review Paid Ads for Optimal Performance

If you’ve been running paid advertising campaigns, it’s essential to consistently review their performance to ensure you're getting the best results. By analysing metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS), you can identify which ads are working and which need adjustments.

Consider:

• A/B testing to compare different versions of ads.
• Review the key words you are looking to reach. Are your target key words still relevant or do they require refinement?
• Optimising advert creatives to capture attention in today’s competitive digital landscape.

With the right approach, your paid ads can become a powerful tool to drive awareness and enquiries.

5. Look Ahead at Upcoming Events and Conferences

The start of a new financial year generally means that marketing budgets and plans are renewed.  If attending industry events is important to your business, then now is a good time to review which events align with your business goals and seek out opportunities to sponsor or attend them.

• Plan your event strategy by identifying key conferences and events that align with your goals.  At Scala we host an industry event calenda on our website that we refresh every year for those in the personal injury and clinical negligence sector, so this is a great place to start Scala's Awards, Conferences & Events.
• Ensure your branding is up-to-date to make a strong impression. If your brand has had a refresh for example, then it is important for all of your collateral to be consistent on your stand to ensure that you make a good impression to your potential clients. 
• Evaluate whether your collateral needs a refresh for these events.

•  Do any of your banners need replacing, are they damaged or has your messaging changed?  
• Do you need any new merchandise or leaflets for your stand? A stock take may be a good place to start.
• Does your stand need a hook? Have you thought about running a prize draw or competition to encourage visitors to your stand?

Having high-quality, fresh materials for events will help your business stand out and make the most of these networking opportunities.

Conclusion

By taking some time now to spring clean these five key areas of your marketing, you can position your business for success in the new financial year.

If you need help with anything discussed in this article, the team at Scala are here to help.  Whether you are an in-house team that just needs some extra support, or a business without an in-house marketing function, we can help. Contact us today by calling 0114 407 0159 or email office@scala.uk.com