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Inspiration

Use all of your 2023 marketing dollars

n November, with U.S. regional tradeshows com- • Invest in training and development: Consider pro-
pleted for the year, most of us spend time focusing viding training and professional development op-
on what we're thankful for before gearing up for portunities for your marketing team. This can help
I the busy holiday season. Some years, we have much them stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends
to celebrate in our businesses; other years are more chal- and improve their skills.
lenging. Some acquirers are tightening their belts after a
lackluster year; others are banking the proceeds from bet- • Explore new sponsorships and partnerships: Re-
ter than anticipated sales, passing out bonuses to staff and search opportunities in the coming year for spon-
looking to spend unused marketing dollars before January sorships or partnerships with relevant events, con-
1 rolls around. ferences or influencers in payments or in the ver-
tical industries you target. Such collaborations can
What would you do if you had extra marketing dollars help you reach a wider audience and enhance your
to spend right now? There is no single correct answer, of brand's reputation.
course. But here are some possible ways to make good use
of extra marketing dollars before year's end: • Invest in content creation: Consider creating high-
quality content such as blog posts, videos, info-
• Prepay for advertising: Purchase advertising space graphics or ebooks that can be used for your content
or media placements now to lock in 2023 rates for marketing efforts next year. Starting the new year
next year's campaigns and secure prime placements with spot-on content at the ready can help you im-
for your messaging. mediately attract and engage your target audience.
• Social media advertising: Use the leftover budget to • Year-end review and planning: Use some of the
run targeted social media advertising campaigns on budget to conduct a comprehensive review of your
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or other platforms current marketing strategies and performance. You
where your customers hang out. This can help you probably already conduct this type of review, but a
reach a specific segment to generate new business little extra resource allocated to do a more thorough
leads and connect with potential partners. analysis can help you identify key areas for improve-
ment and develop a stellar marketing plan for 2024.
• Invest in SEO and PPC: In tandem with your ad-
vertising campaigns, allocate funds to improve the • Give it away: Consider making charitable donations
quality and effectiveness of your search engine op- or sponsoring community events as a way to give
timization (SEO) or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. back to the community and enhance your brand's
This will likely enhance your online visibility and reputation.
have a long-term positive impact on your brand.
Some of these activities can be done on a small budget and
• Upgrade marketing tools and software: Consider in just one day's time. And the efforts could pay dividends
investing in marketing tools or software that can for years to come.
improve your team's efficiency and effectiveness.
This might include upgrading your marketing au-
tomation platform, analytics tools or CRM system.
There are, after all, CRMs designed specifically for
acquirers. Kate Gillespie, President and CEO

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