We’re feeling a little uninspired by the invariable New Year’s resolutions that are popping up these days. Lose weight. Quit smoking. Drink less. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Instead of focusing on these same old resolutions, your arsonist friends here at MindFire would like to suggest a different approach. With the day-to-day grind it can be easy to fall into a routine with your marketing program. It happens to the best of us. In 2010, we encourage you to tackle your communications challenges with renewed energy and sense of commitment by setting some good ol’ New Year’s resolutions for your marketing program.

And because we’re good people (contrary to what our names may imply) we want to share with you some marketing resolutions to inspire you to create your own list:

1. I resolve to review what worked well and what didn’t in 2009. Take a look at your most successful campaigns of the year, as well as your least successful ones. Figure out what worked well and why. Find patterns and expand on them.

• I resolve to make a commitment to update the content on my Web site on a regular basis. The days of launching a Web site and then forgetting about it are long gone. Your site is an organic, growing thing. It needs to be updated constantly in order to maintain relevance for your audience.
• I resolve to try something new. It’s easy to fall into a rut and continue to do the same things you did last year. But if you don’t make changes, you’ll keep seeing the same results. Try a strategy that you haven’t used in the past. After all, your most successful campaign may still be ahead of you.
• I resolve to live our brand promise. Branding is hard work, and the hardest part about it is that it never stops. Are you and your team living up to your brand promise?
• I resolve to create engaging customer interactions at all brand touch points.Put every customer touchpoint up for review, from reception to brochures to invoices. Are your materials truly engaging your customer?
• I resolve to measure results. (That’s all we’ve got to say about that.)
• I resolve to better understand our customers and how they interact with our products and/or services. Ask. Listen.
• I resolve to give social media a chance. Accept the fact that social media has become a reality in connecting with your stakeholders. Start listening to what your customers are talking about. Participate in the conversation. Provide value.
• I resolve not to settle for safe, middle-of-the-road creativity. Challenge yourself and your team to develop concepts and tactics that will truly engage your customers and make a difference. Don’t settle.
• I resolve to make our competitors envious of our marketing efforts. Raise the bar on your marketing efforts in 2010.

We hope this list has inspired you to create one for yourself. And remember, if you’d like someone to hold you accountable, share your list with us. We’ll make sure to hold your feet to the fire!

Inga Rundquist

Inga Rundquist is a Public Relations Arsonist and Co-Owner at MindFire. When she’s not dreaming up ideas that will generate publicity, you can find her knee deep in the social media world, also known as the next PR frontier.