If I could give you one thing as a present this Christmas it would be time.  Not more of my time (although that might be good too) but more of your own time, to spend on your Marketing.  I think time is the most undervalued of all success factors - well, not time itself exactly, because time is finite and we all get given the same amount.  I mean quality time - or time spent doing quality thinking about your goals, aspirations and plans for your business and your marketing.

I've been racking my brains for days for the one special piece of advice that I could give to you as my Christmas gift.  The one thing that will change the way you do business next year and increase your chances of success.  So here it is again:  

Make time for your Marketing

I know it does not sound earth shattering, but if you don't put the time into your most important business function who will?  And I know your time is money, and you may decide to delegate some of the detail, but if it's your business you really should delegate complete control of Marketing.

If you do manage to find the time - quality, uninterrupted time - the next question is, of course, what should you do with it?  My advice is focus on these 3 low cost, but most important, ways of improving your Marketing for 2010:

1. Set your goals and make your plan. 
2. Find out more about your customer base and target market.
3. Think of ways to improve the service to your customers.

A good plan will focus the mind and stop you making costly mistakes - it is as much about what you won't do as what you will do, and it is very much about understanding why you are choosing one option over another.

The more you can learn about what motivates and delights your customers (current and potential) the better positioned you are to ensure you are delivering great value and communicating effectively.  You can also test and confirm the assumptions you have made in your plan - are there enough of them out there to deliver you the income and profit you are forecasting? 

Simply taking a little bit of time out each week to speak to your customers, or follow up on a product/service delivery, can give you vital feedback and ideas on how to continually improve.

Growing your business is in your hands - and it is only through the Marketing decisions you make that you can do that.  What could possibly be more important use of your precious time?

Merry Christmas and a Marketing-Happy New Year!