™Marketing Magazine Issue 12 | Page 29

“ Whoever owns the ink in an industry is the one who gains an unfair advantage over their competition ”
- Verne Harnish , Founder of Entrepreneurs ’ Organization ( EO ) and Author of Scaling Up
change your business . Call now to hear an important Free Recorded Message from Andy Buyting at
( 800 ) 819 2804
Create Instant Credibility and Gain an Unfair Advantage Over Your Competition
QUARTERLY PLANNING
marketing strategy to a marketing manager or outsource it to a third party . The mistake companies make here is that they consider the work done and don ’ t do anything to maintain the effectiveness of the strategy by adapting to changes in the market . They simply leave it “ as is ” in the hands of someone else .
As we all know , the winds of the market are always shifting and changing . The horizon , the marketplace , and all of the consumers within it are constantly evolving . In response , your business strategy should be changing over time and your priorities may differ from time to time . So , how do you accommodate these changes systematically in your marketing approach so that everything is in sync and working together toward making your business strategies a reality ?
I ’ ve been a Certified Scaling Up Coach for over a decade now . One of the practices that I took from the Scaling Up methodology into Tulip Media was this notion that you need to create a rhythm of quarterly planning . All Scaling Up clients go through a planning ritual where they go off-site to work on the business for a full day or two every quarter . It ’ s a time to raise their head above the bow , observe how the markets have shifted , and set a fresh quarterly plan for their business .
The same approach can and should be used in marketing . At Tulip Media Group , one of the things we do with Client- Partners in our SMarketing program is instill a series of communication rhythms . We have weekly reporting that goes out , monthly face-to-face sessions , and tactical meetings where we block and tackle current marketing initiatives . These are all requirements for working with us . If potential Client-Partners can ’ t commit to these meetings , we opt not to take them on .
A cornerstone of our whole program is the quarterly strategy meeting . This is a two-hour Zoom call where we review everything we ’ ve accomplished in the last quarter via current stats and metrics , we discuss what has worked well and what hasn ’ t , and we talk more about the changing needs of the business . We look at what has changed or what is going to change within the business , whether it ’ s product or service offerings or new target market segments . We then work together to realign the marketing strategy with the revised business strategy for the next quarter .
The quarterly plan includes tactical components that need to happen within the marketing activities that are going on , but it also includes changes that we need to make in our marketing strategy as a result of the shift in business strategy . To accommodate these changes , we look at things our Client-Partners need to be doing on a day-to-day , week-toweek , and month-to-month basis to support business growth in the dynamic market atmosphere .
In that two hours where we step out of the day-to-day to analyze how things are going and assess current opportunities and threats , we secure that cornerstone rhythm . This is not optional . In order for us to do a good job , we want to make sure that we ’ re in sync with your business strategy , which is why this is a requirement for all of our digital marketing programs .
When you look at your own marketing initiatives , ask yourself if you are still aligned with your business strategy . What sort of routine ritual can you put in place to assess this on a regular basis ? The quarterly planning rhythm is one extremely effective way to do that .
So , take those couple hours to remove yourself from the day-to-day , look around to find out what ’ s changed on the horizon , have those discussions , and set your plans for the next 90 days . Everyone leaves with their action items , and everyone contributes to reinforcing that alignment between your marketing strategy and your business strategy . At the end of the day , this process ensures much more powerful results .
As always , if you need guidance in this process , please do not hesitate to reach out to us at TulipMediaGroup . com . All of us here want to see you succeed at your strategic marketing initiatives , and we ’ d love to assess your company ’ s compatibility with our programs should you wish to use them for reaching your long-term growth objectives .
HOW TO WIN CLIENTS & INFLUENCE PEOPLE ANDY BUYTING
HOW TO WIN CLIENTS & INFLUENCE PEOPLE
ANDY BUYTING SECOND EDITION
WARNING Reading this book will
Andy Buyting ' s thought leadership journey started when he published his first business book in 2007 and first magazines in 2009 . Since that time , he has leveraged custom magazines and online digital content strategies to establish himself as a leading authority in content marketing and brand positioning . Through his company , Tulip Media , Andy and his team make these content marketing strategies and tools accessible to their Client-Partners .
www . TM . Media
TULIPMEDIAGROUP . COM | 29