Creating an Actionable Quarterly Marketing Plan in Four Easy Steps
Failing to plan can translate to planning to fail, which is why this post may be one of the most important you’ve read all year – so we strongly recommend you dive in.
According to research by Outbound Engine, half of all small businesses don't have a marketing strategy in place – leaving them vulnerable and at risk of not reaching their goals or running out of steam before doing so.
Without clearly defined priorities that are documented on paper as part of your overall marketing plan, you could be facing burnout from quickly rushing through tasks without any tangible results and a classic case of "shiny object syndrome".
Laura Briggs, author, speaker, and freelancer for over 10 years, shares her experience and guidance in how to create powerful marketing plans that will propel you to success.
Start off with these four easy steps tocreate an actionable quarterly marketing plan and take your business to new heights.
What Is a Quarterly Marketing Plan?
As a small business, creating an annual marketing plan can be challenging because its time-consuming to create and your business is constantly changing to address new needs for clients, your finances and those opportunities for growth that can’t be ignored.
But there’s an alternative – the quarterly marketing plan breaks down goals into more manageable chunks that are reviewed every 90 days.
Not only does it make completing tasks easier for you and your team (if you have one), but also helps you stay on course with regard to achieving your overall yearly strategy.
Four Steps for Success
Need help finding direction when it comes to achieving your marketing goals?
Cut through that aimless feeling with a proactive, quarterly plan. With just four steps and one meeting in the books each quarter, you can break down annual objectives into achievable tasks and watch revenue steadily climb.
#1 Building a Sturdy Foundation
This quarter put an emphasis on prioritizing tasks from high to low. Then, mark the ones that are the most doable and easiest to complete – such as tasks that you have the funds for and the timing is achievable.
As you create this list, start to choose which of the tasks you’d like to complete over the course of the quarter.
“Don't overload yourself with goals. This is what I do every time I add something new in my business. I do not allow myself to add in any new goals until I have mastered that thing,” says Briggs.
It’s important to have a big picture to look at, but do not get overwhelmed by that. Take bite-sized pieces with small, reasonable goals.
If you’re not sure which of these tasks to focus on, use last quarter as a guide and circle