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The holidays and other marketers make for a long, loud list of distractions that command your prospects’ attention. Today marks the zenith of the holiday marketing frenzy. But the close of shopping malls at day’s end should not signal a break in your strategic marketing plan.

Don’t lose any time or any customers to distraction in the coming year. Instead, resolve to be more strategic about your message and your medium.

Privileged Information
Measuring the ROI of past campaigns, along with data collected through email marketing and list-buying, means that your business is sitting on a goldmine. Don’t let the data your business has on prospects and current customers go to waste. Take advantage of it.

Never, ever miss the opportunity to send a birthday greeting to clients. (A coupon makes for a great gift, you know.) And on the anniversary of your partnership with a client, call or mail them a note that shows how much you appreciate them. Shout-outs on social media for similar occasions are typically well received—plus it’s content that publicly demonstrates your goodwill for clients. Remember that your marketing will score the most attention when your message begins with the client. Not you.

Count It
Investing in direct mail could deliver a stronger ROI than a flash-in-the-pan email marketing campaign. But not all direct mail pieces are created equal. Pay close attention to how direct mail delivers your message if you want it to pack a punch. Put some effort into your piece with funky textures and unexpected colors. Even a heavier weight will set your direct mail piece apart from the mailbox riffraff.

Worth Their While
And speaking of riffraff: consumers complaining of junk mail are victims of marketers’ and lazy direct mail campaigns. Work to make sure your message is worth the while of prospects and customers.

So offer recipients an incentive for responding or interacting with your business. Print a QR code on your piece that link to a PURL (personalized URL) with a code for a discount. A postcard announcing your business’s recent expansion should explain the addition’s relevance to your customer. For example, a restaurant with room for twenty additional tables should emphasize the convenience of fine dining without making a reservation.

Planning a more effective marketing campaign is a gift to your business that will keep on giving. Demonstrate your company’s relevance with one good print marketing piece and you’ll secure their attention for future messages.