Marketing Planning for the Coming Year. Part 2: The Plan

The scrum brought together all your data and metrics and started the process of taking this information and turning it into concrete goals and initiatives. Now is the time to turn this into a real plan.

Get Specific.
Very specific. The scrum was a great start, but you want to go deeper. Your marketing plan should list out each goal or objective with a quantifiable measure for success and then under that objective, the tactical initiatives that will be employed to achieve that goal. Further, under each tactical measure, list out the subcomponents that need to be brought into play to make that tactical measure happen. Finally, who is the point person on each tactic and what is the due date. For every goal you need the details of what specifically needs to happen, who is going to do it, when it will be done, and what success would look like.

At the end of the day, your plan should include the following:

1. Past Performance Review: What worked, what didn't, and what can be improved based on data and feedback.
2. Marketing Strategy: Clearly define your overall marketing strategy for the new year. This should outline the overarching approach you will take, messaging pillars, and campaign themes.
3. SMART Goals: If I sound redundant on this, there is a reason. Clearly define your marketing goals for the new year. Ensure that they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Align these goals with your company's overall objectives. 
4. Market Research: Make sure your goals are in line with current market conditions, customer trends, and the competitive landscape. 
5. Budget Allocation: Budgeting for Marketing is a whole other discussion, but make sure you allocate your marketing budget to the different initiatives, campaigns, and projects based on their priority and potential return on investment. 
6. Content and Creative Planning: Creative development should be left to the creative team, but an outline of the type of content, messaging, etc. will help your creatives dig in faster and create dazzling content.
7. Campaign Calendar: While dates may shift over time, create a marketing campaign calendar that outlines the timing of major campaigns and initiatives throughout the year. 
8. Technology and Tools: If your plans for the coming year include deploying new technology to help achieve your goals, outline what tools you will need, the cost, when training will be done, and who will be the champion for continued training and updates on this technology. 
9. Monitoring/Reporting: Include in your plan how monitoring will be done, in line with your pre-established KPIs and when the information will be reported to key stakeholders.    
   
10. Long-Term Planning: While your focus is on the new year, consider how your marketing plan aligns with the company's long-term strategic objectives.

Socialize.
Your plan may be amazing, but if it is not embraced by middle managers and the people in the field it can easily crash upon the rocks of organizational inertia.  I have seen great plans get destroyed by internal staff. To limit this possibility, you need to socialize your newly inked plan and gather input.  What do they like? What could be done better?  Honestly and earnestly listen to their feedback. You might be surprised. If they have good ideas, incorporate them into the plan.  Now, you have a plan with buy-in and your chances of a successful rollout have just doubled.  

​Your marketing plan is a living document. Things will change, priorities will shift, and your plan will have to change as well, but having that initial source document that functions as a compass for where you are going will make all the difference.