In this episode of The Bathroom Break, hosts Daniel Murray and Jay Schwedelson discuss marketing strategies for the start of the new year. They share insights on consumer mindsets, content creation, and engagement tactics during this unique time.

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Best Moments:

(01:00) New Year's Eve plans and opinions

(01:43) Discussing marketing mindset for the start of the year

(02:04) Consumer mindset and subscription trends in the new year

(02:40) Importance of educational content in early-year marketing

(03:19) Providing value through free content and forecasts

(04:05) Social media engagement strategies for the new year

(04:34) Managing expectations for early-year metrics

(05:00) Benefits of posting during holidays

(05:18) Importance of maintaining marketing habits

(06:06) Connecting with influencers during slower periods

(06:35) Attaching to new habits through content creation

(07:39) Discussion on how long to say "Happy New Year"

(08:51) Wrap-up and podcast recommendations

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Foreign. Welcome to a new special series called the Bathroom break. That extra 10 minutes you either have to listen to marketing tips or use the bathroom.

Or both. But I don't recommend both. But that's your choice.

This collab is going to be super fun.

We have Daniel Murray from the Marketing Millennials and me, Jay Schwetelson from the do this, not that podcast and subjectline.com each episode in the series we are going to go over quick tips about different marketing top topics. And if you want to be in the bathroom, fine, just don't tell us about it. Thanks for checking it out. We are here for the Bathroom Break.

It's Jay Schwedelson from Do this, not that Podcast. I'm here with Daniel Murray from the Marketing Millennials, the greatest podcast in the world. And here we are right on the start of this new year.

So, Daniel, you're living in a new city. Are you gonna go out for New Year's Eve and just rage at the biggest club in Miami? Is that your plan?

No, my plan is prob order Chinese food and fall asleep at like 10pm Wow. I think New Year's Eve is one of the biggest letdown holidays ever. Like, I like every.

I've never had, I've only probably had one good New Year's Eve ever. And I don't, I don't know, I just. It always is so much hype and it always is a big let down.

Yeah, and you will never catch me counting down the ball to Ryan Seacrest. Not because I don't like Ryan Seacrest, but I'm sleeping, I'm a few hours deep in my sleep. Anyway, so let's talk about it.

There is a mindset that people have. Whether you're marketing to business professionals, you're marketing to consumers.

It's important to get in the mindset of who you're marketing to the first few weeks of the year. So what can we talk, what can we share with everybody about tactics related to the mindset of people starting out the year?

Yeah, I want to just like talk about the mindset ver right now. People are in the starting habit mindset. So the negative of that is that people will start deleting subscriptions.

So subscriptions might go start down, going down on that. They might delete emails. So your unsubscribe rate will be at an all time high because people would want to go to Inbox zero or they, they want.

That's part of their New Year's resolution. But the positive is, is people are starting to form new habits and you could be a part of those habits.

So one thing I would say is that people, one of the things in B2B is people want to up their education and learn. So this is your time to be doubling down on your most educational pieces of the year.

Should be in the first couple weeks of the year because people want to consume, whether it's a podcast and a newsletter and st give your best at the beginning of the year. One, because people are starting new habits. But two is they're looking, they're craving education right now.

So do that because they're trying to either get a promotion or they're trying to get better at their job or learn a new skill. So double down on that. What is something you got?

Yeah, and I think that's really important you said is providing the education because right now, first on the consumer side, nobody has any money. They just spent all their money. The last thing they care about is spending more money with you.

On the business side, nobody's ready to go in your pipeline and become a really good prospect. What they want is this new year, new you thing, which I hate that saying, but that's what they're looking for.

So on the consumer side, you want to provide that content. You know, seven tips to a healthier lifestyle, five things to update your fashions for the new year. Right? On the business side, it's that free stuff.

It's what is the outlook, what are the trends, what are the forecasts for the year? Give the people as good of a content as you possibly can.

And on social, people make the mistake of, oh, nobody's around, nobody's paying attention, I'm not going to share. On social, this is the time of year that people find the new people they want to follow that everyone's putting out their list.

These are the 10 people I love following the most. Everybody's looking for the new thing because this is the year that they're going to do it. But on the flip side, don't get nervous.

Sometimes your metrics go in the toilet to start the year the first two weeks of January.

Historically, your click through rates, for example, on your email and on your social content will actually be significantly lower than normal because everyone's just focused on getting the year going. So you need to be putting out more content. But don't be discouraged by the lack of performance of some of Your content.

Yeah, the goal, the goal is just to stay top of mind during this time period. And to be honest, I actually think holiday people say don't post on holidays, don't send on holidays.

I think low key people are on their phones more on holiday. So if you're going to send the email or going to put another social post up, you will get attention because one, a lot of people are not doing it.

So there is arbitrage there to do more things. But at the same time you also as a marketer want to continue your habits too.

They start a podcast, they do the first two months, they do five, 10 podcasts, then the podcast, oh, it doesn't work anymore. So they stop doing it or that habit's gone.

So if you are going to commit to a habit as a, as a marketer, make sure you have a year plan for this, not just the first two months.

Totally.

And the other thing, you know, because engagement could be a little bit lower on for example, social posts, it's a great time to kind of get on the radar of top creators or influencers that you actually want to connect with on a one to one level because they're not getting as many comments and reposts and whatever as they normally do.

So if you are intentional during the holiday period and there's a set of creators or influencers that you want to get on their radar, comment and like their posts and send them a DM to, they're much more likely to see it now and have the time to react to it. And you could build those relationships during this few weeks that otherwise is very, very hard to do.

So it's a very unique time of the year and I think you need to be intentional about what you're doing and not just be like, oh, it's the holidays, who cares?

Yeah.

And I think what you said, I think the biggest thing takeaway that I have is this is you have to try as hard as you can to attach to someone's habit that they're, they're forming right now. And content's the one of the best ways to attach to a habit.

For example, my podcast, January and February, I see the highest downloads like the, for the last three years, those have been months have been the highest downloads. And I what we're saying and that's why we're saying it from. I'm saying it from experience. I know that people are here. I'm going to learn in 25.

So they start listen to all the marketing podcasts that they can. So your downloads go up, but then they start tanking in the middle of the year after.

Not tanking, but there's a sharp decline after February, I've noticed. So people are craving new stuff and at the beginning of the year. So if you can deliver on that and become a part of habit, you're.

You're going to be set for 20, 25.

So let me ask a very important question to wrap up here. How many days after New Year's is it acceptable to still say Happy New Year?

Like, if it is January 11, will you still wish somebody a Happy New Year, or is that just. It's just too late?

I think it depends on the relationship with the person you have. I think it's not acceptable in your sales reach out halfway through the month to start saying, oh, Happy New Year again.

Like, I think you just got to. I think you have a week to say that to someone. And, and the reason I say that is because everybody's going to say Happy New Year, and they reach out.

So if you want to stand up, just stop saying Happy New Year.

Oh, that's a great idea.

But what about you do. How long after you say Happy New Year?

Well, first of all, I don't want to say Happy New Year, anybody, because I'd prefer not to see anybody, but I cut it off pretty fast because I think it's adequ. Control. I mean, January 3rd, I think we're done. I think we're moving on. Enough with this already. Happy Valentine's Day. Let's move on.

Let's get on to the next thing. So I'm. I'm. I'm pretty rough when it comes to all that, and this episode was probably pretty rough for people to listen to.

But anyway, we appreciate everybody listening today. Check out Daniel's podcast, the Marketing Millennials. I love the show. Listen every single week. Leave him a review and you can check out mine, too.

Why not do this, not that. Daniel, anything else before we wrap up?

Happy New Year.

Oh, yeah, no matter. Even if it's February and you're listening. Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

Later, Daniel. Come on, man. I gotta get back to work. Get out of there. All right, while he's still in there. This is Jay.

Check out my podcast, do this, not that, for Marketers. Each week we share really quick tips on stuff that can improve your marketing and hope you give it a try. Oh, here's Daniel. He's finally out.

Back from my bathroom break. This is Daniel. Go follow the Market Millennials podcast, but also tune into this series. It's once a week, the Bathroom Break.

We talk about marketing tips that we just spew out. And it could be anything from email subject line to any marketing tips in the world. We'll talk about it.

Just give us a shout on LinkedIn and tell us what you want to hear. Peace out.

Later.