But let’s not get down and depressed, instead let’s look forward. After all, in spite of the snow we’ve had some beautiful, clear, sunny days. The air has been fresh and we can start to think clearly about plans for 2010.

So what does this year hold in store for your business? If, like many you struggled in 2009, you may be looking for new opportunities, ideas and ways to attract new customers or clients.

How about these 4 simple marketing ideas as a starting point?

Plan regular communications to clients and customers
Every business should find some way to keep in touch with customers on a regular basis. Whether you produce an email newsletter like this one, send a hand written note, invite them to regular events or email them weekly with news, information and special offers it doesn’t matter – but make sure you do something, and keep it regular. A new client I’m working with hadn’t had any kind of formal communication with customers for over 18 months. After the launch of an email newsletter they experienced a wide range of benefits, some of them unexpected. They took immediate (I mean same day) orders for a new product launched in the newsletter; received positive comments and thanks for being kept informed and as a result of one particular article which invites response on a ‘green’ issue have started to look at ways to repackage their products to cut down on waste and ultimately costs for them too.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have nothing to say. If you brainstorm within your team I am sure there’s plenty of news – whether it’s about new products or services you can offer; existing services clients find particularly beneficial; your comments and view on your industry; success stories from your clients using your products or an introduction to key members of your team – believe me your clients want to know. And of course the more they know about your business the closer they feel and the closer they feel the less receptive they are to an approach from one of your competitors.

Improve your website
I am a firm believer that an effective web presence is essential for every business. But equally I believe that you need a site that will help achieve your particular goals.

So first things first – what are your goals and are they realistic? Do you want to use your website as the main ‘shop window’ to your business, to express who you are and what you stand for? Do you want to use your website to directly engage with existing clients, for example by offering a client only area? Do you want to generate direct enquiries, get people to download reports, subscribe to your newsletter?

Answer this point first and then take a long hard look at your site and decide whether it’s designed to do so.

If the answer is yes then you’re onto a winner. If no, then you may need some fundamental changes to your site and to add content or calls to action.

For all of us however we can always:

· Optimise our content – make sure we use the relevant keywords in the body copy, title tags and meta description as well as making the on page content readable and action oriented.

· Add new content and direct people towards it.

· Ask for feedback on the site from existing customers and contact – this free research could help you make improvements.

Start a blog
A great way to share your news, position your business as an expert in its field and keep your website updated at the same time.

A blog hosted on your website will mean your site is updated each time a new post is created or someone adds a comment on one of your blogs. This is great from the point of view of getting your website notices by the search engines.

Properly structured your blog can help raise your profile for certain key words. There is a bit of an art to writing interesting blog posts but if you are passionate about your topic I’m sure you won’t find it too difficult.

Take a look at social media
Online social networking can’t be ignored. Every month around 22 million people use Twitter; 321 million people have a Facebook account and business networking site Linkedin claims 55 million users.

Again, it’s important to be clear what your goals are and be very specific in that. You can use Twitter for example to track what competitors are doing or watch Facebook groups to see what your customers are thinking. Linkedin can be used very effectively to recruit staff and establish new business partnerships.

By having a clear idea of what you want to achieve you can determine what you will write in your online profile, who you will connect to or look for connections to, what you will post comments on, what your status updates will say and so on. Without a clear goal you could spend lots of time and achieve very little.

Or if you’re not keen on the impersonal online approach get out there and do some physical networking. Join a regular networking group; get to your next Chamber of commerce business breakfast or set up your own group of like-minded professionals who can get together regularly to discuss business.

Whatever you choose to do with your marketing this year I hope it works for you.

Until next time...

Further reading:

A guide to successful blogging

10 ways to improve your website

Networking – a sure fire way to grow your business