10 Jan Five Tips to Take your Marketing Strategy to the Next Level

Making a plan is the first step in any successful marketing campaign. But there’s more to creating a marketing strategy that will work than the basic outline. Yes, you need to set your objectives to figure out exactly what you want to do. Yes, you need to determine what marketing tactics you need to employ to reach those objectives. But creating a next-level marketing plan is less about doing those things and more about how you do them.
Here are some fool-proof, tried-and-tested tips to help you form a winning strategy that will wow your team and your clients alike – and the day-to-day perspective you’ll need to implement it.
1. Set Realistic Goals
So you want to launch a stellar marketing campaign for your client. You write down everything you want to do, and before you know it, you have a daily to-do list that looks more like a screenplay written out in neat bullet points. There is only so much that a single marketer can do, and you have a team for a reason (For more on that, see #3). Break down that mile-long list into digestible daily chunks that you can actually accomplish. You also don’t need to take on every single project that comes along, and you’ll quickly run out of time to get it all done. It’s okay to say no.
2. Focus on More than Just the End-Game
When you layout your goals and objectives in your strategy, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the long view. You know what the long-term goal of your strategy is, how many people you want to reach, and how you want to get it done. In a long-term project, this can leave you and your team feeling unmotivated when a month or two has gone by and you’re still far away from your goal. So set incremental objectives and short-term goals to boost your confidence and pat yourselves on the back when you make them happen.
3. Don’t Be Stubborn
The most amazing, accomplished marketers are not masters of everything. They, just like you, have strengths and weaknesses. Also like you, they have a team who shores up their weaknesses so they can play up their strengths. There is no shame in asking others for help, so build your team to help you when and where you need it most. In the same vein, don’t charge ahead when something isn’t working because your gut tells you it could. Get into the data and get it back on track.
4. Priorities, Priorities
When you have a long to-do list, it can start to feel overwhelming, especially with a big deadline coming up fast. Take your list and determine what the most important, and the most difficult or time consuming tasks are, and do those first. Spread them out (#1, remember?) and, whenever possible, do these bigger tasks first thing in the morning to make the rest of your day feel like a breeze. Try not to multitask, though. Distractions and multitasking make even small tasks take longer, so clear one goal before you move on to the next.
5. Eat, Work, Sleep, Repeat?
Don’t forget to take care of yourself so you can take care of your clients. Proper nutrition, getting enough sleep, and exercising are key to keeping your body and your mind running at peak performance. While you’re blocking out time on your calendar to get your work done, make sure you’re scheduling yourself enough time to do what you need to do for you. Make a goal to inspire yourself with a good book, unwind with an evening out, or just destress with the people you love. You-time is just as important as the job, so make it a priority.
Following these five simple rules will help you and your team earn win after win by making success easier to reach. Try them out and see how well they improve your marketing not only this year, but every year after. Happy new year from The Social Calling!