What a year it has been. Summer’s gone. Cooler temps are finally here. Thanksgiving is around the corner, and December will be filled with holiday activities. That makes now the perfect time to prepare for and lock in an effective 2021 strategic marketing plan and budget.
What’s in it for you? By planning now, you’ll…
- Avoid entering the new year with no plan, leaving you to only react to opportunities that may appear.
- Get the whole team on board with where you’re headed, why you’re headed that way and how everyone can contribute to getting there.
- Save marketing dollars by working with your marketing/PR agency to identify and evaluate the best opportunities (those with the greatest ROI), as well as potentially lock in lower 2020 media rates into 2021.
Investing in planning now will allow you to more fully enjoy the remainder of this year and help ensure a more profitable, more focused, and less stressful 2021. After reading the next few sentences, switch screens on your computer to see your calendar. Block off several hours with others involved in your marketing decision-making process and plan for a review of your business and the competitive landscape.
Now is the time to take the time to work through important questions and begin to develop your strategy for 2021 marketing:
- What are your specific business goals for 2021?
- How has the competitive landscape changed (and how might it change in 2021), and what do you need to do to adjust?
- What marketing initiatives deserve your attention (and budget) in 2021?
- Are you stuck in traditional marketing avenues, or are you capitalizing on many of the new marketing opportunities that are truly changing the landscape (think digital/online/social media)?
- What does your marketing budget need to be for 2021?
- What are you able to accomplish on your own versus what do you need professional assistance with implementing?
We suggest you work through this “reflection and review” as a starting point to nail down a true strategic approach for 2021. If you need help, ask for it! Working with a team like CIM Marketing Partners can put you on a more solid path to growth and prosperity, while at the same time freeing YOU up to focus on what YOU do best (like operationalizing your company’s products and services, and providing superior client service and experiences).
With your plan in place (and the ability to adjust it as needed in our current environment), you’ll experience marketing efforts working behind the scenes to improve profitability and ultimately build the value of your company.
Quote of the week:
Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.
Alan Lakein