It’s almost time to ring in the New Year. Have you mapped out your marketing plan yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?

If you’re a C-level executive, a high-profile attorney, a condo developer or wealth manager – now is the time to audit this year’s marketing outcomes and plan for next year’s campaigns.

Do you know what to look for when conducting a brand and marketing summary to gauge this year’s successes and failures so you can perform better next year?

Try these five tips for auditing 2016:

1. Review what worked, and what didn’t. Regardless of whether your business was strong or could have been better, or whether you had plenty of clients or could have used more; do you know what drove your traffic? Who your best referral sources were? What missed the mark? Measuring your marketing’s impact helps better target your audience, improve your spending and drive your brand.

2. Define your current and future client base. Who are your clients or prospects today? Could that change tomorrow? Ask clients and buyers simple survey questions to learn more about them. Offer something unique to those who take it. This way, your marketing will speak “to” and not “at” them and help create a better bond between you and your clients.

3. Ramp up social media. If you’re using social media – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or your corporate blog – that’s great! Now, do more. For those organizations that already use social media, learn about new opportunities and creative ways to use it by attending local and national conferences. You will probably see your competitors there.

4. Turn up the volume on your public relations. Does investing in a marketing discipline that delivers three times the value and power of advertising make sense? Whether handled internally or in partnership with a professional provider, public relations drives media and consumer awareness through traditional and new social media channels.

5. Keep it cohesive. Think of advertising, marketing, social media, and public relations, not as separate parts, but as part of a whole. Each should support and strengthen the other. Earned media coverage should be shared on social media. Brand ads should carry links back to your website or Facebook.

The future depends on what you do today. By planning now for the coming year, your marketing will start in high gear!

By Julie Talenfeld, BoardroomPR