Plan, Do and Review

 

      This week finds us in the last month of summer, well into the second half of the year. At this point it is a good time to evaluate where you are in your marketing plan. You remember that marketing plan where you decided I’m going to speak to three women’s groups, do a living social deal, hand out twenty business cards per week, put together a client appreciation event and encourage my clients to bring a friend. All that and then some. If you are ahead of schedule, lift your right hand over your head and pat yourself on the back, job well done, If you are not on target, Why not? Have you committed your marketing plan to paper? Do you dedicate a few hours each week to working on your business instead of IN your business?
      Here is a little tip for staying on track. It’s called Plan, DO and Review. Simple really. You must have a plan in place for your marketing efforts to have any consistency. Working on your plan is a very small part of the process so sit down later tonight, or tomorrow and choose a few things that you will commit to each week. Next is the doing, ah yes this is where it can all go so terribly wrong. You can have an extreme case of excusitis. I had to work on my day off, I got distracted by my kids, the sun was in my eyes, the dog pees on my marketing plan. Just stop, stop making excuses and PLAN your marketing events by planning your days. Get up first thing and do something healthy for yourself, eat a healthy breakfast, take a walk, or a run.

      Do not, I repeat do not turn on the computer just to check in. Once you tune into the world you have become re-active, not active. Plan your to do list and begin it before you get sucked into the vortex of the internet. This way, you have no excuses, oh I had an email I had to address, then I had to watch this video, then I clicked on the manufacturers website and on it goes. Sounds familiar? To me too! I get sucked in as well on occasion. If you plan and do, that right there is half the battle, three quarters really. Then there is the review part. Which is where we are today, staring at the first 6 months of the year wondering why we are not further on down the path of success, Or maybe, for you, further. Either way taking time to review where you are at this halfway point can recalibrate you back on course to finish the year strong. Take a look at the events you attended, the marketing efforts you have made. Have they resulted in new business? Do you track it? Do you have a system?

 

      I can recommend a simple excel sheet with the listing of all your activities and results. Keep this on your work computer or print it out if need be and mark it each time you have a new client. It is the best way to find what is actually bringing new clients in the door, the numbers don’t lie. Most businesses have the largest number of new clients from referrals. The internet might be next for you, and event, you get the picture. If you find an event you spent a lot of time and money on did not pan out to a single new client, then you know what you have to do, either ditch the idea altogether or revamp it to draw more clients. If you keep doing the same things without tracking results your results won’t change. Keep an eye out for new promotions all the time. Rhonda from the Purple Pinkie is having a photo contest on her website encouraging her clients to show where their glitter toes have spent the summer. What a fun idea that I’m sure has resulted in a few more clients for Rhonda. Plan, do review. It keeps you from going to far off course from your ideal marketing path. Once you find out which of your efforts bring in the most clients, just wash rinse repeat. Over and over.

(originally posted Aug 9,2011)