A new year is a time for new beginnings, starting with a clean slate, making resolutions. Yet, for most of us, making resolutions is often a lesson in futility. With the best of intentions, we resolve to do things differently but before long, we falter when we are faced with the hard work of making lasting changes.

There's a lesson here as you plan your marketing for the New Year. Rather than trying to do everything at once, focus on one marketing strategy at a time. Once you institutionalize it into your business, celebrate your success and move on to the next marketing challenge. Here's a quick guide:

• Understand the big pictue. Start the year off by plotting your marketing strategy. Think big picture. Based on your annual business goals, develop your marketing goals, strategies and tactics. If this sounds like planning, it is! If you are new to planning, don't let this step stymie you. Block off an hour or two to brainstorm and get your ideas down on paper. As you make progress, you can continue to refine your marketing plan.
• Prioritize. Determine which marketing goal is your highest priority and the strategy and tactic that will have the greatest impact on achieving that goal. Focus on this tactic. For example, if your marketing goal is to build your brand, you may decide that you need to focus on revamping your website. This becomes your priority.
• Take it one step at a time. Now that you know which tactic you need to accomplish, break it down into steps to make the process more manageable. Develop a timeline, assign responsibility for each task and hold individuals accountable.
• Institutionalize your success. Develop a way to measure success on a regular basis and make course corrections as necessary. For example, review your website traffic reports on a weekly basis. Track prospects found through your website. If you are falling short of your objectives, make changes as needed.
• Celebrate your success. Before tackling your next marketing challenge, celebrate your success. Recognizing your accomplishments energizes you for the next challenge.

©2011 Joan B. Marcus Communications LLC