July 15, 2004
In this issue:
IDEA: Summer Recharge!
Bevans Group News
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IDEA: Summer Recharge!
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Happy summer! It's hard to believe, but half
a year has somehow slipped by since I wrote about
developing a down-and-dirty marketing plan for
2004 (Marketing on a Budget,
IdeaBook #2).
Summer is a great time to re-evaluate your marketing
plan and implement some changes for the second
half of the year. Any tweaks you make now will
set you up for a stronger start—and a better
marketing vision—in 2005.
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Here are some ideas to consider as you conduct your
half-year marketing check-up:
| 1. |
Implementation.
The first step is to figure out if you're really
getting the job done. This can be painful, but
it's important to take a hard look at how your
marketing activities compare with what you planned
to do. Did you skip every other chamber breakfast?
Did you really update your website, or just mean
to? Did your newsletter ever see the light of
day? Be honest with yourself about how well you
implemented your plan, then resolve to redouble
your efforts through the end of the year.
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| 2. |
Results. It's important
to examine what you have accomplished so far this
year, then decide if you are getting a good return
on your investment. You don't have to be a math
whiz to understand this. You can easily identify
patterns by jotting down new contacts and where
they came from. Then ask yourself, "Have
the results I've received from each of my initiatives
been worth the price I paid?" You'll know.
Armed with this information, you will be well-positioned
to decide which elements of your marketing plan
are working, and which aren't.
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| 3. |
Not so fast, slick!
As you're deciding which elements of your marketing
plan to jettison, keep in mind that six months may
be too quick to expect results from certain strategies.
For example, it took me more than two years to achieve
noticable results from my networking efforts. If
you're not sure whether you should give a strategy
more time, consider talking it through with an expert. |
| 4. |
Slow and steady.
Finally, remember that slow and steady wins the
marketing race. A modest but consistent marketing
plan will do more to help you achieve your goals
than a series of quick-fix initiatives. Be honest
with yourself about how much you can actually do
and make the committment to get it done no matter
what! |
Good luck with your check-up! Let me know how it goes!!
| |
My best,
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we rip into it). We'll let you know exactly what you're
doing right, and what you could do better.
Just visit www.bevansgroup.com
to learn how you can participate. If we suggest some
changes that make sense, you'll know where to find us.
It's that simple.
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