13 Things to do in 2013 to Strengthen Your Brand and Message

As we get close to the end of 2012, I know you're busy making sure you end the year strong, but don't neglect planning for 2013. If you have been promising yourself that THIS was the year that you would embrace social media or finally commit to more marketing for you business and you still haven't done

it, that's okay. Just make 2013 the year that you show that you and your business can be remarkable.

Here are 13 simple things that you can start with:

Make sure your website is optimized with icons that lead to your social media sites but only if you’re keeping these sites updated.
If you’re not posting on a regular basis – start now. If you think that you don’t have time to post every day, start with committing to post 2-3 times per week. Once you feel more comfortable, bump that up to 5 times.
Spend a little bit of money. Even $50 a month on Facebook ads can make a difference. Don’t waste your “click” though – direct the user to your Facebook page as opposed to your website unless you’re e-commerce
Stop selling to your audience and start servicing them. Most people already know what you do – set yourself apart and provide value.
When it comes to social media, contrary to what many will tell you - you don’t have to be everywhere. Figure out where your clients and prospects are. If 90% of them are on LinkedIn and Facebook, why waste your time on MySpace?
Mix your messages up a little. Some of the best and most liked social media posts have NOTHING to do with the company that posts them. Use pictures, videos, quotes and ask questions. Experiment until you figure out what your audience reacts to.
If you haven’t already started using Instagram, take the plunge! People want to do business with people. Show your company’s personality by posting interesting uses of your products, highlight your staff and so on.
If you don’t have a blog – start one. It’s great for SEO and showing your expertise in your field. Sure your story may have been written before, but it’s never been written by you. You are unique and so is your perspective.
Content is key. Before you hit “enter” think for one second – if you wouldn’t read it or find it valuable why would anyone else?
Email is still a great way to connect with your audience but don’t go overboard and only send out an email blast if you really have something to contribute.
Make sure that people know where to find you on social media. Trust me – they won’t come looking for you if all you do is paste the Facebook and Twitter logos. Spell out the vanity URL that will lead them to you.
Check out what other businesses are doing. Are they getting people to engage with them? What makes what they’re doing special? Emulate them – notice that I didn't say steal or plagiarize, but you can surely replicate it.
Experiment with video. They don’t have to be 15 minutes long. Actually, they shouldn’t be any more than 2 minutes long. One of my favorite new finds this year is an app called Tout which records short, 15 second videos that publish to your social media accounts. Start there and work your way up.