 It Pays To Plan Ahead
 By Barbara Burbidge The Burbidge Company
Would you like to get make your marketing dollars work harder? Consider developing an annual marketing calendar. A simple calendar reminds you to keep your advertising messages consistent and helps you take full advantage of promotional opportunities. A bonus: advance planning may even help you take advantage of space or frequency discounts offered by magazines and other media.
To develop the calendar, identify by month the promotions and advertising to which you are committed, including deadlines, costs and start and end dates. List television and radio schedules, newspaper and magazine ads, direct mail campaigns, promotional events, contests and public relations campaigns. Don't forget yellow pages ads, your company's web site, annual report, newsletters -- any way your business communicates with the public.
Lay in any seasonal events that affect your business such as holidays or industry trade shows. Consider these events when planning themes for advertising campaigns and promotions. For example, a company targeting small businesses might consider a tax season promotion, while a travel services company may want to highlight the summer vacation season.
Next, identify the promotions you want to execute, as well as their themes and their start and end dates. Consider when promotions need to happen, and then work backward to make sure you have plenty of time to execute them. For example, you may need to start working on a back to school promotion in April or May.
Now, make sure your marketing dollar is working it hardest for you. Do all the advertising, PR, and other promotions happening during one timeframe deliver a consistent message? If not, then you could be wasting money confusing your customers, rather than convincing them to do business with you.
Finally, talk to media representatives (magazines, local and metropolitan newspapers, TV and radio stations) and see whether advance planning qualifies you for advertising discounts. You may also want check whether your promotional calendar coordinates with their editorial calendars, and ask whether their station or publication would want to do a story or feature on your business.
Now that you've developed your calendar, be sure to use it. Distribute copies to departments within your company, and to vendors, ad agencies and consultants. Post copies where your employees will see them. Give them each a copy, and explain their roles in each promotion. Nothing is more frustrating to a customer than an employee who has not been trained about the company's current promotions.
Remember, the calendar is for you, too. It's a tool you've designed to keep yourself focused on the promotions and special events that will help you achieve your business objectives. When a salesperson approaches you about sponsoring an event or buying an ad, check your calendar and determine whether the proposed purchase fits into your plans.
A well thought-out calendar can help you plan ahead for this year, and serve as a guide for years to come.
Reach Barbara at her Web site: www.theburbidgecompany.com, via e-mail: barbara@theburbidgecompany.com , or by phone: 760-747-9011.
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