Are you ready for 2011?

Admit it. You haven't started working on your 2011 marketing plan as yet, have you?

Sure, you've thought about it and maybe you've started to work on a bit of a rough outline. The frustration is we all know it's very tough thinking about next year when there is still another couple of months to get through, and of course your mind keeps drifting off thinking about that well earned break that is fast approaching. You may have held a meeting or two with your team to discuss a few ideas - nothing strategic, just a few tactics to get things rolling. Right? Unfortunately, that's not really a marketing plan, and it's probably not what your customers are thinking about. Now is the time to be thinking strategically and then taking action. That's probably what your competitors are doing. And that is certainly where you should be taking your brand in 2011 to the next level before they do.

If you already have your 2011 plan built and ready for action, I commend you. Based on the business people that are approaching us on a daily basis regarding planning for 2011, you early planners out there are certainly in the minority.

For the rest of you I'd like to offer up five quick tips that will help you get started:

1) START NOW! Don't wait until next year to get going.
Begin your planning with a full evaluation of your marketing activityresults. Sit down with your team and evaluate everything you've done for the past year. Make it thorough - look at your brochures, websites and other branding collateral. Do they still work? Leave no stone unturned.

2) Stop wondering why what you've done in the past is not working now.
The economy has changed. Technology has changed. Your customers have changed. Your prospects have changed. The way people do business and make decisions has changed. Everything has changed! It's time to move on and stop lamenting why your old marketing methods aren't working. Instead, start fixing and planning for the future.

3) Use your data (& everyone else's if you can!)
Today's most effective marketing plans are driven by some form of data, your own and outside sources. Use analysts’ reports, industry associations, conversations with colleagues, attend presentations, read industry articles. There is no excuse for not being able to find data to back up your decisions. If you can't find it or don't have the time to do it hire a team to help you with market research.

4) Hire the right people to help you do this.
You do not want to 'wing it'. The results of your 2011 marketing plan will only be as good as the planning and strategy you put in now. If you falter on planning, you can count on failing in execution and results. Yes, that spells a very bad 2011! Don't make this the area you skimp on. It'll show up later on your P&L if you don't get this right.

5) Document the process.
If you do this the right way, you're going to enjoy it. Others in your organisation will enjoy it too. That means you'll get to go through the process again in 6-12 months, maybe even sooner. Document everything you go through to generate your 2011 marketing plan for growth. Trust me - you'll be very thankful you don't have to reinvent the wheel the next time around.

The good news - industry wide - is that strategic marketing is back in vogue for 2011. For many businesses, the last year or two have been marked by plans that might as well have read "Hold on for dear life and hope people start buying things again". This coming year, however, feels very different. The proactive companies we are speaking with, while still cautious, have recognised they need to get back to the business of growth, and they realise that solid brand-based marketing represents a potential driver for this strategy in 2011.

Developing a marketing plan is not an easy task. As a matter of fact, it's not a task at all. It's a process, and it takes a real dedication and focus. I mean real focus, not the "we must start marketing again this coming year" focus but one where you take serious stock of the past and really plan for the future.

To wrap up, plan for business growth and start now. There are plenty of people dedicated to helping you succeed, including my team of passionate and qualified staff. Just give us a call on 07 5437 7788 to discuss your plans, before you get wrapped up in Christmas. Remember, if you wait until next year to get started, it will be February before you get any action, then it will be March before you start to see the results. There goes the first quarter of 2011!

Don’t get left behind. Do something proactive today to start planning.

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