The New Year is fast approaching which means that many of us are making resolutions to better ourselves in one way or another. Business owners are no exception - they might be thinking about their goals for the new year and setting plans to achieve them. There are endless possibilities when it comes to marketing your business, but the most important thing is to stay creative and think outside the box.

For most people, New Year's resolutions are about personal goals - getting in shape, eating better, saving money. But if you're a business owner, your resolutions should be focused on your business. What do you want to achieve in the next twelve months? How can you make sure that you're on track to accomplish them?

Most small business owners don't work with a team of accountants and other financial professionals who can analyze their annual plans, check in on progress, etc. But whether you have the help of an entire finance department or are flying solo, it's still important to set goals for your business - both short-term and long-term.

Think about the progress you've made over the last year and where you want to go in 2024, then create a plan that can help you get there.

And then there is marketing.

What are you going to do to get yourself out there more next year? What can you do to set yourself apart from the competition and attract more customers?

Whether you're holding a special promotion, hosting an event or offering a new service, make sure that you have a plan in place to get the word out.

Marketing can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be if you're willing to think outside the box.

Here are 20 fresh marketing ideas to consider:

1. Adapt your strategy as needed - what works today might not work tomorrow, and that's okay!
2. Host a webinar or online course
3. Partner with a charity or local organisation
4. Launch a new product or service
5. Write guest blog posts for other sites in your industry
6. Give back to your community by volunteering or participating in events
7. Attract customers by giving away free products
8. Host a free event or workshop on a topic related to your business
9. Try a new social media platform
10. Talk to your current customers for feedback on how you can improve
11. Tap into your personal network; ask your friends and family to help spread the word
12. Give away free samples of your product or service.
13. Start a blog or podcast and interview industry experts
14. Offer discounts to customers who refer new business to you
15. Partner with another business to cross-promote each other's products or services.
16. Submit articles featuring your business to online publications
17. Send out a monthly email newsletter
18. Create a short video about your business and post it on YouTube
19. Put together a package or sale for a limited time
20. Use targeted ads on Facebook or Google

There are endless possibilities when it comes to marketing your business, but the most important thing is to sit down and map out what you want to achieve, then come up with a strategy for how you're going to make it happen.

If you stay creative and think outside the box, you will be well on your way to setting yourself apart from the competition and attracting more customers.

And don't forget to track your progress along the way!

I hope you have a happy, healthy, productive new year! Best wishes for 2024.

With love

Dina