Where to delegate your marketing budget for 2022

4 Essential Business Marketing Budget Tips

I know that I know: We haven’t even made it to Halloween yet, let alone the holidays. But stay with me. Because if you’re a fellow entrepreneur, now is the time to start thinking about your 2022 business goals.

Business goals start with marketing. And marketing starts with a plan. Start planning early and you’ll be ahead of your competition so you’re ready to hit the ground running in 2022.

Having the right marketing plan can make or break your business (I know, I’ve seen it both ways.). Here are my top 4 recommendations for delegating your marketing funds in 2022.

4 Business Marketing Budget Tips for 2022

#1: Set your budget

First things first: do you have Do you have a marketing budget? If not, then set one up (soon!). It’s hard enough to create a successful business if you don’t have money to spend on that business.

Set a budget that you think will provide you with enough money to grow your business. And don’t worry. Your marketing budget may be small: it all depends on where you are with your business and how fast and how far you want to scale.

#2: Improve yourself

It doesn’t matter where you are in your business. There is always something more you can learn. So first plan to invest some of your 2022 marketing budget into your own education and experience. Update your professional growth and expand your knowledge base, so that you grow along with your business.

For example, in my own business, we deal with branding and graphic design, online marketing, custom web development, and more, and our industry is constantly changing. So I need to continually learn new skills along with upgrading the skills I already have. Every year I take courses, read books, and strive to learn as much as I can so I can share that experience with my clients.

Think about what you may be learning in your industry, regardless of what it is. By improving your experience, you are also improving your business and its potential for growth.

Invest part of your budget in yourself, because the more expert you are in your field, the more you will shine above your competitors.

#3: Attend Live Events

Another thing to consider in 2022 is attending live events related to your business.

These are great for not only learning from the speakers, but also meeting new people working in your industry.

You’ll meet great people, hand out cards, and make new connections, all while learning from the experts in your field and conducting critical market research.

Of course, the pandemic has changed live events a bit. Many events have been held online, which can be a good thing as you can now access many more relevant events without having to travel.

But still, try searching for relevant speaking events in your area. As long as it’s done safely, meeting people ‘in real life’ can be incredibly powerful.

So allocate some of your marketing budget and try to attend at least one event in 2022! I always have a lot of fun at networking events and meet a lot of interesting people who help me grow.

#4: Business Marketing

Finally, we have the marketing itself on the ground. This is your SEO, your social media, your social media ads, your search engine ads, and your content marketing.

This is an area where so many entrepreneurs get stuck because they think they can teach themselves to do it all. Trust me: that’s unrealistic at best.

Trying to become a marketing expert will waste your time without getting any results. It takes years to become a marketing extract – all the time is much better spent focusing on what you do as a company.

I know that those courses that you see appearing in your news are tempting. They make it look so easy! But most people don’t even finish them!

So if you are considering an online course to learn something quickly, remember that only 10% of people who start an online course finish it. And those who do finish rarely leave with anything of value.

Instead, use your 2022 marketing budget to hire an expert. Just make sure that you really are an expert! Outsource to a trusted source like an established online marketing company. You might also benefit from working with a consultant. Just be sure to check them out thoroughly.

Then, once you’ve done your research and found a good fit, trust their experience and expertise and let them guide you. They may need some time to understand your brand and messaging, but then let them shine (remember organic marketing takes time).

For the success of your business in 2022!

Suzanne