We understand it's easier to roll out previous marketing plans than to find time to sit down and strategise for next year. We appreciate it's easier to admire your hard work and successes from last year than identify any potential challenges in the year ahead. We recognise it's easier to look after the customers you've already got than grow your pipeline and convert new ones. But in the words of Sheryl Crow - no one said it would be easy...!
Now is the time to plan!
Top Tips...
It's fast approaching the new year and if you haven't already started your planning, now is the time. If you're not sure where to start, we've put together a few tips below to help you on your way and make sure you've got next year all tied up, before this year's even out!
1) Look at the bigger picture
Taking into account the 'bigger picture' and what you want to achieve in the long term will help you plan the short term tactics. Identifying overall objectives means you can prioritise time, budget and resource and be laser focussed on the route you want to take. Even if the route has to change along the way, you've at least got a start and end point.
2) Avoid silo planning!
Although you might be responsible for the business growth or improvement strategy, don't assume that you can do it all on your own. You need the collaborative buy in from all colleagues to ensure you're all aligned to the same plan. Colleagues might have insight and data to feed into the plan and this can help inform the direction of travel.
3) Customer Focus
Think about your customer. It sounds obvious, however, it's easy to get caught up in what *you* want to do and see happen, rather than what the customer needs and wants. Consider the buying cycle and how long it can take to move from awareness through to interest, desire and action. Also consider where you're going to find your new customers and how long it will take to find that place!
4) Use what you know
Use existing information - you've got 3/4 of a year of data at your disposal. You've got enough seasonal experience to plan any potential peaks and troughs and therefore you can plan to implement any activity accordingly. We know we can't predict everything, however, using the data we already have is better than going on a whim and sticking a finger in the air to see which way the breeze is blowing.
5) Don't leave it to the last minute!!
Marketing plans and activity take time to implement and it's very rare that they deliver instant results. If you want to see Return on Investment in the first part of the year, you need to carve out some time now to identify what you're going to do, and when. Don't leave it to the 11th hour and then expect a miracle!
Prioritise your objectives.
It might seem daunting to consider your Marketing strategy and plans for next year if you're not quite done with this year yet, however, taking time to prioritise your objectives now will help secure where you want to go, and more importantly, how you're going to get there. If not now, when?!
