The Power of written goals and plans:

I teach a online course on advertising and marketing once each year, usually in the January/february time frame. Over and over as I have worked with various business owners, one of the most significant things they can do is to have a goal and work a written plan. So many small businesses “shoot from the hip” when it comes to advertising and marketing that this is a new concept to many. Problem with shooting from the hip is that other things “urgent things” come up and have to be dealt with. By the time you get your head back on straight, guess what, you missed the opportunity to get the advertising and marketing out at an opportune time. You are rushed and either slap things together or you just give up and say, maybe next year.

When you write things down they start happening:

What they found was, although it can be very difficult to overcome the desire to not be accountable, putting goals and plans on paper makes things happen. When you see, for example, that you want to put together some advertising for the pre-Christmas time period, having it written down reminds you to make some calls early and get things lined up. When I ask businesses to write things down, it does not mean that plans cannot change. Some are afraid to write things down because they think once they write plans down, then they cannot change them. That is not true at all. In fact many times I encourage people to write things with a pencil (novel idea) so that they can erase and move things as needed or refocus there efforts toward something that is working better.

See things early enough to get them done:

Where is the power in writing it down? I think that when you write your goals and dreams down and advertising for your company (and your life) your mind starts working on making things happen. Putting things on a calendar also lets you see what is coming up.

Too little, too late is the result when you don’t have a written plan:

In my particular case, I sell advertising in REACH magazine. So many times we get calls from businesses about a week after our November or December issues have already been put on the presses….”I’d like to advertise in the Christmas (or they might request the Thanksgiving) edition of REACH.”  They did not think ahead. They were shooting from the hip and noticing that everyone was out there with advertising, except them… ooops.

Here is a typical timeline for direct mail incentive marketing through REACH magazine:

1.) Call REACH Magazine and ask for information

2.) Reach consultant calls to set up an appointment to go over the program, share samples of similar businesses and discuss results and expectations for the program.

3.) Business buys program of several mailings.

4.) Consultant gathers creative for the ad development from the business owner

5.) Consultant puts together a layout of the proposed ad based on what is working in other market and the desires of the client

6.) Graphic department creates the ad and sends proof to consultant

7.) Consultant calls business to review the proof and make a list of any needed changes and collect payment

8.) Graphic department implements the desired changes

9.) Ad goes to proof reading, then is placed in production for assembly into magazine and final printing

10.) Magazines are printed, zones are printed, zones and total market ads are assembled and stapled and magazines are addressed and shipped to the post office for distribution.

Now if a business calls us when we are working on item five for many clients, we can generally rush them along and get them to 8,9, and 10 on time. However, if you come to me when we are on item number 10, there is nothing that I can do to get you into the magazine for that issue.

Grow you business during the Thanks Giving and Christmas season:

Many businesses can use REACH magazine to generate additional sales during the holidays. For some businesses the last quarter of the year is when the profitability of the company is determined for the year.

• Gift Certificates Restaurants, beauty salons, massage therapists, and other unique offerings can offer a small incentive and generate significant sales.

• Service Businesses Carpet cleaning, quick home improvement projects, window cleaning, decorating, food services

• Travel/lodging Hotels and motels for family and friends visiting for the holidays, winter vacations, etc.

• Gifts Jewelry, unique items, local gift shops

• Decorations Garden centers, Christmas trees etc.

Now after all that, there are some businesses that have critical times in January and February and if they wait till the last minute to work on their ads, guess what? They will be working on their ads right in the middle of Christmas dinner.

All this to say write some things down, put some things on your calendar, call early and don’t be rushed and you will be amazed about how many more things will happen to grow your business.