Keep Your Marketing Plan Flexible

by Todd Schnick on December 16, 2008

I had several topics in mind, but I was struggling yesterday to decide what today’s post would be about.  Then, Amber Naslund, who blogs here (http://altitudebranding.com/) wrote this on Twitter yesterday:  “If you’re building a big, cumbersome marketing plan this year that maps out every detail, it’s going to break. I promise.”

She’s right.

It is that time in my year where I am working on marketing plans for many of my clients.  Several of them insist on these ginormous documents that spell out every frivolous detail.  Several of them insist they still don’t need one.  This explains the things I do after hours to cope…

But in any event, I wrote a blog entry a while back that explains the basic components needed with your marketing plan.  It is here: http://intrepid-llc.com/2008/11/23/the-clock-is-ticking-on-2009and-fast-7-steps-to-build-your-intrepid-marketing-plan-today/

In a nutshell, your marketing plan needs to accomplish a few certain things: know your market, know your customers, determine your niche, create your message, select appropriate message delivery mediums, set sales goals, and budget to pay for all that.

While I would rather my clients, or any business for that matter, not burden themselves with an overly complex marketing plan tome, I am happy they are at least doing that.  They are better off than those that aren’t shooting at a target.

But you NEED to maintain flexibility.  Let me give you an example.  Me.

Two months ago, I was on the social media sidelines.  I was conducting a more traditional marketing campaign.  Granted, business was good, but it wasn’t growing at the rate I wanted.  And I wanted to reach a different type of prospect.

So, I quickly adapted and engaged social media tools in a way I never even imagined I would.  I dramatically altered my blogging strategy, got active on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.  And – most importantly – integrated these things with my current, more traditional, marketing strategy.

It’s working.

Your environment will change.  Your markets will adjust.  Your customers – your prospects – may change their behavior.  Why?  Who knows.  The economy may alter the environment by changing everyone’s buying patterns.

The point is, things will change.  For better or for worse, and you need to be able and willing to adapt.  Even if you are willing, if you are so locked in to a cumbersome marketing plan, your internal culture may not allow you to change.

If that’s the case, you will, as Amber suggests, break. 

Todd Schnick.  Be Intrepid.  www.intrepid-llc.com

Tagged as: Atlanta Marketing, Blogging, Cobb County Georgia, General Marketing Strategy, Marketing Plan, Planning, Social Media, Twitter

  • http://altitudebranding.com Amber Naslund

    Todd,

    You’ve got it right. A successful marketing plan is a framework, a guidepost for making sure you’re staying “between the rails” more or less. You have to start with your goals and objectives – what you’re ultimately trying to accomplish – but even those may change over time. The biggest mistake some companies make is thinking that mapping out every detail means they’ve got their bases covered, but it’s far too easy to stick your nose on the paper and miss what’s going on around you during the year that requires adjustment.

    Thanks for the mention, and for the sound guidance on planning for those in the midst of it right now.

    Amber

  • http://www.MarketingTwins.com MarketingTwins-Randy

    Todd – nice job. I like your take. Alot of times small biz folks think “well in these times, I just need to go with the flow.” What they mean is that they don’t want to plan because they want to be flexible. You’ve outlined an approach to both. Putting in place a systematic approach to marketing is kinda like dollar-cost averaging in a way. You have an overall plan, you invest regularly and you monitor and manage it along the way trusting that the long-term plan is in place. MICRO-managing little details on every whim of negative news in press about the economy, OR ditching the LT plan for some “idea of the week” marketing tactic . . . well, you’ll find out that you’ll be worse off.

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