As each year comes to a close, something beautiful happens...
We are each given a clean slate to work with.
I don't know about you, but having an opportunity to improve and "start fresh" is something that motivates and re-energizes me each year.
That's why every December, I develop a marketing calendar for the New Year.
What is a marketing calendar?
It is a monthly list of marketing requirements, goals, and objectives that are non-negotiable. In other words, if it's on the calendar, it gets done.
Here's an example of my January 2013 calendar tasks:
- Create (4) new blog posts
- Send direct mail postcards to 5,000 prospects
- Launch (2) email promotions
- Plan for March 2013 tradeshow
- Create (3) tutorial videos for website/youtube
Creating a marketing calendar ensures that you don't get caught up in day-to-day operational tasks that end up hurting your business growth.
The easiest thing to do, when it comes to marketing, is to say, "I'll get to that tomorrow..."
So in the spirit of "fresh starts" and "clean slates" I strongly encourage you to develop your marketing calendar.
You can get a head start, right now, by creating and saving direct mail campaigns to your account.
For example:
- January 2014 - 5,000 Homes (8.5 x 11 Postcard)
- March 2014 Follow-up Campaign - Second Impression (6.25 x 9 Postcard)
- May 2014 New Market Test (2,500 Homes)
For small business owners, nothing works better than local direct mail campaigns. And now, you can plan and execute each direct mail campaign in less than ten minutes, from your computer.
Marketing can either be a breeze, or an endless game of catch-up and frustration.
If you start right now, your competitors will likely be a step behind -- struggling to catch up with you all year long.