If you are networking or speaking to a group and someone gives you their business card and agrees to receive your free report or e-newsletter, make sure you include a reference in your contact database of event where you met them.

As far as tracking your past marketing activities, consider asking your current customers how they found out about you.

You could do a survey that includes a number of customer satisfaction questions, but also includes a question to determine how they found out about you.

If you have a handful of clients that you work closely with and you really don’t know how they found you, pick up phone and ask them.

Either of these tactics should give you an idea of what marketing activities worked and which ones you may be able to do without in future.

If you're still not sure, continue with all marketing activities, BUT put tracking mechanisms into place so you won't end up in same boat next year.

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa, 10stepmarketing

Ever notice how health clubs market heavily in January and in spring? They know people are more likely to be focused on getting in shape at beginning of a new year, and before summer and swimsuit season arrive. So they spend more marketing dollars and focus their promotional efforts during these times of year and they maintain a lower profile rest of year.

Ask yourself these questions: What "seasonality" exists in my business? How can I schedule my marketing to take advantage?

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa