Your Google Business Page

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Most businesses that we talk with about improving their online presence and marketing already know about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and Google ads.  However, many don’t know about, or have overlooked, a third element that is equally important – their Google Business Page!  Your “My Business Profile” or Google Business Page is often the first thing a user sees when searching for your type of business in your area.

The real power of a Google Business page is that it is LOCAL. Your profile will compete with your competition in your area, not nationally as is the case with most Google Searches. This narrows the playing field and allows your efforts to yield greater results and a bigger impact. It is much easier to provide users that are actively searching for what you offer in your market, city, or even neighborhood, with a good first impression.

This first impression can quickly promote confidence and trust in your business, or can send users away looking for someone else!

Google Business Page, competitive analysis:

How does your Business Profile look? How does it stack up against your competition?

Google-Business-Page-get-found

To find your My Business Profile, go to Google and type in – Your Business Category, Your City, Your State.

Then click Search.  The results will show you what Google found in your area.
NOTE: Google will place advertisements at the top of the page, so scroll down a bit to find the Business Profiles for your area.

You will be shown a few results for your search next to a map, there will also be a “More Businesses” link, click that and you will be taken to a Google Maps page listing all the results for your search in your area.  The information in this list is pulled from Google Business Profiles.

Is your business appearing there?  Who is your competition? How does your listing stack up against your competitors?

First Impression – You only get ONE, make sure it’s a good one!

As you can see from the competitive analysis example above, when users are searching for information about YOUR business or services, one of the first things they will see is your Google Business Profile.

What does it say about you? Does it inspire confidence? Does it tell a good story? Does what others say about you in the comments represent you well? When it comes to your online presence, as far as Google Search is concerned, your My Business Profile should be front and center in any of your promotional plans.

Need some help or advice?

The Marketing Posse can help you be found quicker and easier and more importantly, The Marketing Posse can help you make a GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION.

The steps to an effective Google Business Profile:

  • Claim your Business Profile if you have not already done so.
  • Thoroughly complete your Google Business Profile account
  • Enter complete and accurate contact information
  • Select primary and secondary categories
  • Designate applicable attributes
  • Write and enter a compelling “from the business” description
  • Add your products and/or services

Monitor, maintain, update:

  • Publish My Business posts on a REGULAR basis
  • Upload new photos on a REGULAR basis
  • Answer questions – a good way to start is to “ask” and “answer” your own FAQ’s (yes this is allowed)
  • Collect and respond to reviews – Responding to reviews is especially important
  • Maintain your My Business Profile to be sure it is active and up to date

If you have any questions or need some assistance The Marketing Posse is ready to help with your Google Business Profile so it will effectively promote your business at a most crucial time, when a potential customer is actively looking for YOU!

Want to find out more? Send us a note, we’re here to help!

Big Game, Bigger Ads

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The cost to advertise during this year’s “Big Game” hit an all-time high, with 30-second commercial spots selling for up to $7 million. NBC® sold out of commercial spots for Sunday’s game, which were shown to over 100 million Americans. Veteran ad players Procter & Gamble®, Kellogg’s®, and Dorito’s® all participated, and we saw the famous Budweiser Clydesdales return after a 2-year hiatus.

According to YouTube, the number one watched ad was Alexa causing havoc on Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost’s marriage. Many celebrities were also spotted in some other “most watched” commercials. The overall tone and messages seemed much lighter and more humorous than last year’s.

The most talked about ad goes to Coinbase®, who creatively, and so simply, had a QR code bouncing around the screen like the iconic DVD logo for 60 seconds. This ad was so popular, it crashed the app! Once scanned, the QR code brought viewers to Coinbase’s promotional website, offering a limited time promotion of $15 worth of free Bitcoin® to new sign-ups, along with a $3MM contest giveaway. Cryptocurrency companies also had a major presence during this year’s “Big Game”, with multiple companies using this time to promote either cryptocurrency exchanges, NFTs, or other related projects. The QR code play, reminds us that this form of communication is here to stay, at least for the near future!

What was your favorite?! Check out some of TMP’s favorites below!

Danielle Vona
Alexa

 

 

Kari Delgado
Coinbase

 

 

Angie Rampi
BMW 

 

 

Jes Roper
McDonalds

 

 

Meagan Malley
Chevrolet

 

 

Larry Cramer
General Motors

 

 

Marina Fernandes
 Peacock

5 Self-Reflections to Inspire 2020

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5 Self-Reflections to Inspire 2020

As the year comes to a close, it’s a great time for self reflections before looking forward. It’s a busy time of year with parties, families and holiday commitments, but make the time. Schedule a 1-hour meeting with yourself, a pad of paper and a pen. Ask yourself some questions:

    1. What have you learned?
    2. What have you accomplished?
    3. Who have you met?
    4. What are you doing great?
    5. Where do you need help?

Find a place that inspires you. This could be your porch with holiday music playing in the background, the beach or your desk…whatever will give you some head space. Now think about each of these questions. These may not all be relevant, or you might have some to add. Make it your own, but my hope is that these inspire you.

What have you learned? This could be business related like a formal training class, a mentor or coach that has inspired you. In a conference I participated in this year, one of the speakers talked about how the world is aging, living longer and therefore living differently. Fascinating speaker (thank you Stephanie @GRMA). I also have a list of things I have learned from my team and mentees (I think they develop me more than I develop them!). What you have learned this year might also be personal, like how to deal with a kid going off to college or balance personal health like eating right and exercising. Everything will never be perfect, but reflecting on it will help you plan for the new year…it will be here in like 10 minutes.

What have you accomplished? Take a few minutes to bask in the glory of your achievements whether they are big or small. Sometimes we check things off the list so fast that we don’t take the time to appreciate all we get done in a day, a month, or a year. I recently heard a piece of advice from a fellow panelist at a speaking engagement… she keeps a list of her accomplishment throughout the year and uses that list as needed for resources and for reflection. Brilliant, right? (Thank you Valet Living).

Who have you met? This is a great time of year to appreciate new relationships and reconnect with old ones. If you went through your calendar and listed all the new people you met, you might be surprised at how long or short the list is. I find that this helps me focus in on the relationships I really want to grow as well as those people I really want to thank. A quick LinkedIn message that says, “I have been thinking of you and hope you are doing great,” can go a long way. I connect each year with a note, a card or a gift because it gives me an opportunity to connect and say I care (thank you 4Imprint and Minuteman Press who are helping us with our TMP gifts and cards this year). Don’t let this make you anxious (you don’t have to send a card to everyone you know ????). Simply creating your list and highlighting what or who is important to you for both business and family is the important part.

What are you doing great? Here is a chance for you to pat yourself on the back for what you are great at. At the Posse, we use StrengthsFinder to develop and optimize our team. My favorite part of this is spending time celebrating what each person’s strengths are and how we leverage those talents. We call them “Superpowers”. This year we talked about them in our annual planning meeting. Reflect on a project where you really shined or a situation you handled with grace that you are proud of. Go You!

Where do you need help? No one is great at everything. So, this is also a great time to think about areas where you need support or things you would do differently in the new year. Not a good cook or don’t want to be? Maybe there is a new meal solution you can explore. I love to cook, but just don’t have the time, so I have someone who loves to cook that helps me (thank you Alex@PeepsandEats). For business, we like to create partnerships at the Posse by pairing people with complementing talents for the task at hand. Go back to your list of people (see #3), and think about who can help you by either balancing your strengths with different strengths or by supporting you where you need it most.

One Hour. That’s all. Maybe the most valuable hour you could spend all year. Self reflections on a year well spent could include:

    1. Learnings that make you better.
    2. Accomplishments that make you proud.
    3. People that are important to you.
    4. Strengths that inspire you.
    5. Support where you need it most.

What more could you ask for in one year? Start 2020 off with self reflections and a clear view of where you are going by knowing where you have been. It’s going to be a great year.

The Marketing Posse provides training and people development as well as workshops for company culture development. We have a passion for people and for taking time to reflect on your business and what is most important to you. Give us a call if we can help.

Women Owned Businesses | Turning Challenges Into Opportunities

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October is National Women’s Small Business Month and according to WBENC1 there are 12.3 million women owned businesses in the US. Last year, 1,821 women owned businesses were launched every day with women of color launching 64% of those new businesses. So, in thinking about what to write in celebration of this month, I wanted this post to be helpful and encouraging for anyone who reads it whether you are a woman who owns a business, work for a woman owned business or support women owned businesses.

Women owned businesses face many of the same challenges other businesses face like access to capital or unfavorable business environments, but they also face challenges that are more unique to women like gender equality in male dominated industries. In fact, there is a great summary of the “8 Major Challenges Women Face in Business” in an article posted by Forbes in this very month last year. In general, as I searched for information, I found it much easier to find the problems than the solutions. So, to celebrate women owned businesses this month, I’d like to share positive experiences and encouragement. Here is a crack at turning the 2018 Forbes Top 8 Challenges into a 2019 Opportunities List!

        1. Instead of “Limited Funding”, how about “Funding Is Out There” – Funding can be tricky because we worry about risk and it depends on how capital intensive your business is. First, if you are a startup don’t worry about the end game, just worry about getting started. Make progress. Show some wins. It will build confidence for you and for others. Don’t be afraid to be a little uncomfortable (see #3 below). Second, don’t just take risks, take smart risks you feel good about. Some awesome women owned businesses started in a woman’s home or mother’s garage like Bourbon and Bowties or GoldieBlox. If you are looking for investors there are great incubators, angel investors, and institutions that can help. Look for organizations that have strong women leaders like Tampa Bay Wave, Embarc Collective and Pilot Bank. There are amazing women leaders in these companies and, as a general rule, women want to support other women.
        2. Instead of “Balancing Responsibilities”, how about “Embracing Imbalance” – Work and Life Balance is like Bigfoot in that it is talked about a lot but can’t really be found, though some say they have seen a glimpse. Striving for balance is just frustrating. It’s not really about balance. It’s about the give and take…and feeling comfortable with the tradeoffs we make. A good way to embrace the imbalance is to be a master scheduler. Prioritize the most important things in your personal and business life and do the best you can. Oh, and don’t be afraid to ask for help or support when you need it. And if some stuff doesn’t get done, it might just be okay. Approach juggling work and family the way you would a business problem. Have a schedule and know what and to whom you can delegate. Use your leadership skills at home AND at work.
        3. Instead of “Fear of Failure”, how about “Plan for Failure” – There may be a dozen reasons why we fear failure whether it is financial or emotional. Fear can be paralyzing. The best way to eliminate Fear of Failure is to plan for it. If you play out the scenarios and have a plan for all the “what-if’s”, then they don’t seem nearly as scary. In the world of insights, we do a lot of “test and learn” projects. Turn your failures into test and learn scenarios. When it doesn’t work, adjust and try again. Take smart risks. Be uncomfortable, but plan for the “what-if’s”.
        4. Instead of “Inadequate Support System”, how about “Personal Board of Directors” – Whether you are an entrepreneur, small business owner or corporate executive, everyone needs a support system. Women are great at this. We are collaborative and great at supporting each other and our families. You may already have a board, but even if you do, a personal board is all the rage. It doesn’t have to be formal or all at once. Take your time and recruit the people that you need as you need them. Look for people across functions like finance, operations, marketing, legal, technology, etc., depending on your business. Be clear about what advice you might need and make it easy for them to help you. Then find special ways to thank them for their support.
        5. Instead of “Gender Inequality”, how about “Act Like You Belong” – If you look at the definition of gender equality, it is basically that equality is achieved when both men and women have access to the same resources and opportunities. So, is anyone telling us as women that we don’t have the same access and opportunities as men? Probably not directly, however, as women we put some of this on ourselves. I heard a story that some of you may be familiar with and that stuck with me. A man and a woman are both up for a promotion and when reviewing the job description, the man looks at the list of 10 things and says something like “I have 8 out of 10 which is great” and the women in the same situation hesitate to go for it saying “but I am missing 2 out of 10 things”. Be confident that you have 8 out of 10 things; sit at the head of the table; insist on driving; make decisions; lead by example. You got this.
        6. Instead of “Limited Knowledge”, how about “Surround Yourself with Knowledgeable People” – There are two ways to tackle a challenge like this. One is to educate yourself, and often that comes with experience. The second is to surround yourself with people who do have that experience. The second option is usually the better path. You will, by default, be educated along the way, but leaning on others who have been there can help get you there faster. You can also include these people in your “personal board of directors” from #4 above. And guess what? You WILL make some mistakes, so just own them, learn from them and move forward. The people with all that “knowledge” have already made their mistakes, so try to leverage them but don’t be afraid to make your own but plan for risk accordingly.
        7. Instead of “Unfavorable Business Environment” how about “Rich Network and Growth System” – The Forbes article defines “Unfavorable Business Environment” as “less-established business networks, and social and traditional constraints”, which can be even more challenging in countries outside of the US. Turning this into a “positive to-do list” starts with developing a Rich Business Network. Where to start? If you are already in business, be sure to stay connected to people in your network. Build it into your calendar to ensure you make time for it. Touch base with current and past clients, vendors and/or customers. Build your network by asking great people in your network to introduce you to other great people in their network. Have coffee, be helpful, and be open to new and unexpected relationships. If you don’t have a network at all, now is as good a time as any to get going. Start with family and friends who have great business contacts and are willing to make introductions. And join the Chamber for the city you want to do business in, they are a great way to get connected to the business community. The second part of the definition is about social and traditional constraint which is more challenging in some countries versus others. In the US, this may be more driven by male dominated industries, so I would refer to #5 above and “Act Like You Belong”!
        8. Instead of “Timidity” how about “Bold and Courageous” – Marguerita Cheng, author of the Forbes article, said it well: “Humility is not shyness or timidity. Women need to stand by their success and let people around them recognize it.” Celebrate the good and the bad. Think to yourself, what is the worst that can happen if I make this bold move or if I have the courage to ask for support from someone important? Find a few women who may be in similar business situations and create opportunities to share with and support each other. Join women’s networks and get certified as a women owned business (check out WBENC certification here). We are your comrades and will welcome you with open arms.

       

      I hope this perspective helps other Women Small Business Owners and even if all 8 points don’t apply to you, you might find a few nuggets that are useful. So, leverage your strengths as a woman, communicate and collaborate often, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. At The Marketing Posse, we worked with the SBDC to help guide us through the certification process and have been certified as a woman owned business since 2016. We are proud members of both WBENC and the Florida Office of Supplier Diversity.

      DANIELLE VONA
      DANIELLE.VONA@THEMARKETINGPOSSE.COM

      Sources:

      1 WBENC Blog, Behind the Numbers, The State of Women Owned Business in 2018, posted Oct. 2018

       

       

It’s 2020 Planning Time

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We are only 3 ½ months away from the start of 2020.  If your planning cycle follows the calendar year, that means that you have 97 days until you will start implementing your plan.  Whether or not that seems like plenty of time or that creates a state of panic for you depends entirely on your business.  A good rule of thumb is to plan 12 months out.  That means you are planning your fall and holiday plans for 2020 right now.

If you start your conversation early, you might experience some people on the team asking why that is necessary.  That might seem surprising to some but there is definitely a point of view that getting too far out is not a good thing.  Three of the most common reasons for pushback on starting the planning process that I’ve experienced are (1) the business environment could change, (2) we should wait for new leadership to share their agenda, and (3) we need to stay nimble to react to our competition.  Sure, those are all valid scenarios but exactly the reason why it is important to have a plan.  One of the most critical components to the planning process is assessing the business environment and the competition.  What better time to get alignment around the factors impacting the business and where the competition stands?  And, if new leadership comes in, do you want to be prepared with talking points about the plan or wait around to see what they tell you to do?

To stay out ahead of things, below are a few factors to consider about timing to get started.  These are areas where I have seen teams get tripped up because they have not built in enough time.

 

Alignment

Is this the first time your organization has been through the planning process or is there a plan in place that everyone is aligned to?  If it is the latter, then maybe you can move more quickly through the process.  If it is the former, ensure that there is ample time for discussion.  How many layers are in your organization?  Is your company one where leadership is in the room for the discussions or where polished solutions are presented to leadership for reaction?  Each step in the process may require multiple discussions to gain alignment.  You may have to go back to the drawing board altogether in fact.  Where possible, I recommend involving the highest levels of leadership in the planning process. Set a timeline with clear milestone deliverables and approvals.  A lot of unnecessary work will occur later if decisions are not fully aligned across all levels of the organization. Try something like:

    1. Do discovery/landscape assessment to align on the SITUATION
    2. Set clear OBJECTIVES with leadership
    3. Agree on a TIMELINE and key MILESTONES

 

Ideation Time

Don’t sell your plans short by not dedicating the appropriate amount of ideation time.  This is the part where teams can come together to brainstorm.  This is usually one of the parts of the process that is the most fun and where you can really get some good cross-collaboration to happen.  When teams across the organization are involved, not only do better ideas come forward but you bring awareness and hopefully support to the process as well.  I have found that factoring in multiple rounds of ideation works well.  Perhaps you ideate with different people on different areas of the plan.  Or maybe you work in a larger group to get ideas out but then work with a smaller team to refine.  Try it a few different ways and see what works best.  For example:

    1. Identify GROWTH Platforms (aligned with your objectives)
    2. Host a BRAINSTORM to develop ideas (go for quantity)
    3. Develop a PLAN for the top ideas (barriers, opportunities, resource requirements, etc.)
    4. Consider CONTINGENCY plans so you have options if you need to make adjustments

 

Validation Time

Think about how best to get customer feedback on your plan and ideas. What level of rigor is needed in your organization for testing? Do tests require a formal read-out and how long does it take to compile the testing data?  If the test is not successful, consider whether or not you will need to retest.  How comfortable will the organization be locking in on a plan when there are untested concepts?  Sometimes getting some preliminary feedback done for a quick gauge on a concept or an idea could be helpful.  Even something simple like Survey Monkey or Google Survey could be helpful.  An important input into the planning process is the results of past testing.  Being familiar with what has worked or not worked in the past can be helpful in developing future strategies.

    1. Set benchmarks for success
    2. Select test parameters (audience, questions, method of execution)
    3. Analyze and report out results
    4. Make adjustments to plan based on learning

 

Bring It All Together

Is now the time to get started on your plan?  A great place to start is building out a timeline of key dates and backing into a process that will work.  This approach will also rally your team around the process and gain the support and focus that successful planning requires.  Develop a calendar of activity based on the needs of your business and the ideas you have generated. Monitor success and prepare your contingency options so you can adjust based on performance. If you are looking for some thoughts on getting started on your plan, check out our prior blog post on the 5-Legged Journey to Marketing Magic.

Danielle Vona
danielle.vona@themarketingposse.com

7 Tips for #NationalSocialMediaDay 

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7 Tips for #NationalSocialMediaDay

Social media is a part of our personal lives AND our business lives…it’s hard to even keep up. Here at The Marketing Posse, we are very much in the social media business. Through thoughtful strategy (and fun work sessions!), we develop content, grow audiences, monitor performance and manage engagement for our partner’s social accounts. Through social media, we can help businesses large and small, engage with their target audience, build credibility and be thought leaders in their space.

Because of our passion for all things social, it only seemed right to send out a quick note in honor of this Sunday’s #NationalSocialMediaDay. Keeping up with best practices can be rough so we hope the tips below provide you with some new ideas and inspire you to get social. And remember, we are in your corner, should you need any help. As a small business, we truly believe that sometimes outsourcing efforts like social media, can help business owners and managers take back valuable time to spend on other areas of growth. So, without further ado, below are 7 Social Media tips to consider.

  1. Create clear and consistent posts with key brand messages
    Decide on 4-6 things you want to be known for and structure your content and messaging around the things that matter most. Every communication should be building to something.
  2. Be where your audience is
    The social space is not a one size fits all. Carefully evaluate where your customer base is so you can be in the right places with the right messages. Understand the communication differences in the platforms. We love this graphic which uses a doughnut analogy to explain each platform
  3. Get the basics right
  • Complete your profile
    The description sections of each social platform are not a one size fits all. They each have different character counts, and for some, like Twitter, you want to make sure to use keywords and relevant hashtags, so you show up when people search those terms. Consider adding call to actions to your business bios, when appropriate, and when you add your website link- instead of using your homepage URL, try the “Contact Us” page or a product page you are trying to drive traffic to.
  • Make sure your images are sized properly.
    There is nothing that screams, unprofessional, more than a social media header image, profile pic, or post that is distorted, pixelated, cropped incorrectly or stretched out. These things keep us up at night. Good news is, they are easy to fix. Make sure you know what each platform’s suggested sizes are. These change often, so it is a best practice to check every couple of months to make sure you have the most recent dimensions. Here is a link to the latest social media sizes. 
  • Tag people, places and use hashtags that expand your audience and are relevant to the content. Link to your website and other relevant pages wherever possible.
  1. Earn ratings from your top fans
    Asking for reviews from your best customers is a great way to build credibility. Lots of consumers use Facebook and Google to look up businesses for reviews. You can send an email, create a social media campaign, ask them in person, or create a pop-up ad asking for a review when they buy your product/service online. For Facebook reviews, make sure your Facebook review tab is visible (and activated) in your settings menu (under “general” heading). Keep in mind to respond in a timely manner to all reviewers. Another important online vehicle for reviews is Google. To ensure you are getting positive reviews, verify your business on Google. Then make sure to rate positive Google reviews as “helpful”. While Facebook has likes, Google has reviews that can be labeled “helpful” and those will often be the first reviews people read. If you get any less than stellar reviews, make sure to resolve them as soon as possible in a positive way. Lastly, don’t be afraid to share positive reviews and testimonials that you receive on all your social platforms.
  2. Build your audience by engaging
    Each time someone interacts with your brand on social media, overall awareness of your brand is increased. When a person likes your Facebook page or one of your posts, their friends and followers, as well as your brand’s, will all see that engagement, and give you more visibility to a larger audience. You can boost your engagement by offering incentives for fans that tag you in a post. An example would be to offer a discount off the bill if they take a picture of their food and tag your restaurant.
  3. Measure performance and use your insights
    Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn all provide free access to your business page insights. Some of the data will include audience demographics, times that your audience is online, professional titles, follower count, and engagement statistics. Understanding what types of posts that your audience engages with or doesn’t engage with is important so that you can make sure that you give them more of the types of posts that they like in the future. If your audience is online mostly at 8am then that is the time you should be scheduling your posts, as opposed to 3pm. You get the picture!
  4. Follow The Marketing Posse on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
    Click the links below and follow us so we can keep the conversation going!

    It is no secret that social media is here to stay even though it changes every day. With the right oversight and management, you can successfully leverage your social platforms to accomplish a variety of business and marketing objectives. I hope you have found the above tips helpful and wish you much social success!

Celebrating Strong Women | Women’s History Month

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In January, The Marketing Posse turned four years old. In many ways, we are still a toddler, but for a new business, I am so proud of the progress we have made. Today we have about a dozen companies we support, a handful of employees, and our own cool office space in Safety Harbor. This isn’t the result of some grand plan. It’s the outcome of a woman with an eclectic background (p.s. I have a liberal arts degree in music) who works hard and charges forward. And as a certified Women Owned Business, we would like to celebrate other success and strong women leaders.

So, in honor of Women’s History Month, we would like to share Deb Volansky’s story. Deb is the CEO of Connex Intl which is one of the partners we support. Connex found The Marketing Posse because they were specifically looking for a Women Owned business and we are grateful for the work.

But the real inspiration, for those readers out there, is in Deb’s story. Deb started with Connex as an entry level Conference Coordinator and quickly progressed to include positions such as Trainer, Account Rep, Director of Operations, Vice President, President and eventually CEO and owner.  When Deb purchased Connex in 2009, the economy was in recession and the business environment was tumultuous.  In that environment, Deb’s passion and commitment to providing communication solutions were reaffirmed.  She saw firsthand that conferencing was enabling meaningful and impactful conversations.

Deb is a “been there” leader who has a deep and unique understanding of not only her business but also the roles in her organization. If you ask her about her success, she will tell you she attributes the success of Connex to the great team she has and their dedication to providing the highest level of service possible for their clients. Deb’s hands-on approach to management, coupled with her foresight and business acumen, have helped propel Connex to be one of the leading conferencing and event companies in the market today.

Deb is uniquely talented at translating new ideas into services. She is a long-term thinker and planner who keeps the future in her field of vision—for Connex and its clients.

In 2009, Connex became a certified member of WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) and Deb joined the Women Presidents’ Organization.  As a woman business owner herself, Deb continuously looks for opportunities to support other women and minority-owned businesses by choosing them as strategic vendors and/or partners when possible (Thank you, Deb!). Deb also believes in giving back which is why she created ConnexCares. She believes that giving back and connecting people at the community level is a natural extension of what we do.  ConnexCares donates to not-for-profit associations that have touched the lives of her teams’ family, friends, co-workers, and associates.

Aside from being the CEO of her company, she is a graduate from Western Connecticut State University, happily married to her husband Ed, and the proud mother of two children. Deb, we are inspired by your story and your success!

3 Tips to Get Your Marketing Plan to Stick

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Just the other day, I read a stat that 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February.  80%!!  What a staggering statistic when you think about all the good intentions and efforts that go into starting the year off right. A marketing plan can be like a New Year’s resolution. It will fall to the wayside if you aren’t investing the time to make it a working plan. It is so easy to lose sight of the important things and get caught up in the “needs of the moment”.  The task of building the plan is a tremendous undertaking and one that requires active steps and a concerted effort to bring to life.  Now is the time to be intentional and make it stick.  Besides, there is too much good work and thinking in that plan to let it go to waste.

Here are my top 3 tips for getting your marketing plan off and running.  I like to call it plan the work – work the plan (P.S., I didn’t invent that, I just love it).  This is the time of year to get to work on working the plan.

TIP #1 – LET TECHNOLOGY BE YOUR SECRET WEAPON

How are you tracking the work?  Have you created a detailed account of deliverables, key dates and project owners?  Consider what technology solutions are available to you or that you can go acquire to help you track plan milestones. These tools are your friends.  You can assign tasks and notify task owners.  Here at the Posse, we use Asana to manage our projects and set tasks.  We can set alerts in the system so that task owners know when a due date is approaching.  We also can have “conversations” about the work in the program so that anyone who is involved with the project can stay up to date.  The beauty of a system like Asana or Basecamp or any other project management tool is that it forces you to think through the execution of an initiative. It takes some discipline, but once you have identified the tasks and entered them in the system, the execution is much easier and more efficient.  Most importantly, when you look at your tasks for the day, you know they are tied to a bigger plan and you are focused on achieving your objectives instead of just “today’s fire drills”. By the way, the fire drills will still be there, but now you can balance and prioritize what needs to get done with what should get done.

TIP#2 – SCHEDULE AND HOST “CHECK-IN” MEETINGS

No technology solution can completely replace face-to-face conversations.  That is why even if you have a sophisticated project management tool in place, it is still important to check in with the team and revisit the plan periodically to ensure that it is on track and top of mind.  I’ve been in organizations where these meetings can be tedious, long, and people dread participating in them.  There are numerous articles and books, to tap into to have a more productive meeting, but I recommend something different.  If the objective is to hold yourself and the team accountable and make the plan a priority, then keep it short and simple and don’t be afraid to make it fun. Make it a pizza meeting and focus on results and challenges only. Celebrate successes with the team. Bring leadership along and if you are leadership, check-in with your teams or find ways to show your team that you are prioritizing the work plan too.

TIP #3 – PLACE SOME SMALL BETS AND BE FLEXIBLE

Now that you have the marketing plan broken down into manageable tasks (that was in tip #1), place some small bets, but stay flexible along the way. The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of a plan is “a method for achieving an end.”  Sometimes you may get into the work and find out that there is another method that should be considered or maybe the end goal is still correct, but the way you are going about it isn’t working. Rather than making a commitment to the plan, commit to the end goal.  Flex your methods and place some small bets to see what you can test and learn.  Let’s imagine you have a holiday program that starts in Q4.  You aren’t going to begin implementing the plan until much later in the year, but there may be things that you could do now to test the plan.  Are there some “plan b” options that you should be considering?  It is better to find out early that plan adjustments are needed rather than trying to rewrite your program strategy in November.  Be ready to adjust based on the business needs and performance. Something will go wrong or at least, not as planned. So, be flexible and don’t be married to the plan, just to the goal.

Let’s wrap this up, shall we? It’s February and the year is officially in full swing. It can be hard to stay on task when the day-to-day stuff can sometimes take over. So, make time to work the plan you have developed. First, leverage technology to get organized and be efficient. Second, hold yourself and your team accountable (but make it fun!). And lastly, place bets, but be flexible if you run into challenges or are not getting the results you need. You got this!

Cheers!

Danielle Vona
danielle.vona@themarketingposse.com

And P.S. – if you don’t have a plan at all, give us a call…it’s not too late., we are happy to help you get off to a great start for a successful 2019. At The Marketing Posse, we love a good plan. But, we love a good plan that is well executed even more.

Big dreams need bold action. If you’re ready to elevate your brand and partner with a team that’s all in, we want to hear from you. Let’s connect and see what we can create together.

Connect

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685 Main St, Ste C
Safety Harbor, FL 34695 USA

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+1 (727) 755-6780

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Big dreams need bold action. If you’re ready to elevate your brand and partner with a team that’s all in, we want to hear from you. Let’s connect and see what we can create together.

Connect

We’re always creating, connecting, and making things happen. Let’s stay connected. Join us and unlock the possebilities.

Swing By

685 Main St, Ste C
Safety Harbor, FL 34695 USA

crew@themarketingposse.com
+1 (727) 755-6780

Be Social

You can always find us playing on:

Read us at: