| Determining the "best" time to do a
| |
| | cycles5) Major Holidays. You would be
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| particular marketing event or run a
| |
| | shocked at how many businesses fail to
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| promotion is a decision fraught with
| |
| | take into account the impact of holiday
|
| indecision, incomplete information, and a
| |
| | seasons on their business. Depending on
|
| fair amount of hoping that the winds of
| |
| | what you do, holidays could mean more or
|
| fate don't conspire against you.One easy
| |
| | less business. For example,
|
| way to tip the scales in your favor is to
| |
| | business-to-business advertising is often
|
| "calendarize" your marketing events
| |
| | ineffective during the Christmas holiday,
|
| against known holidays, events,
| |
| | but consumer advertising promoting
|
| celebrations, etc.By taking the time to
| |
| | Christmas gifts can be critical.
|
| evaluate major events and activities, you
| |
| | Definitely consider the big holidays, but
|
| can plan marketing activities to exploit
| |
| | don't underrate the significance of some
|
| these targets of opportunity. You can
| |
| | of the smaller holidays, particularly
|
| also prevent your marketing from
| |
| | religious holidays.For example, if you
|
| conflicting with other activities that
| |
| | observe one religion, but have customers
|
| might compromise their efficacy. A good
| |
| | that observe another; you don't want to
|
| annual marketing calendar helps
| |
| | be insensitive to their religious
|
| coordinate your overall marketing
| |
| | observance calendar.6) Major Competitor
|
| strategy. It helps you determine when to
| |
| | Activities. Understanding your
|
| implement your advertising and other
| |
| | competitor's key timing for their
|
| promotions and often helps you determine
| |
| | marketing efforts, or their strategic
|
| your marketing priorities. Understanding
| |
| | timing of events, it can help you create
|
| your annual calendar can be dynamite when
| |
| | marketing to exploit their weaknesses and
|
| planning media releases and media
| |
| | mitigate their strengths. For example, if
|
| events.What can happen if you don't do a
| |
| | you know your competitor will have a
|
| calendar? You can bump against scenarios
| |
| | product release in March, you could
|
| like having a reception on the night of
| |
| | advertise your new product in February
|
| the Academy Awards television show and
| |
| | and get first to market advantage (razor
|
| have very few people attend, and of those
| |
| | blade companies do this all the time. As
|
| that attend, a good portion may not be
| |
| | soon as one announces a new item will
|
| your real "target" audience. This is the
| |
| | come to market, the competition floods
|
| type of conflict that can be avoided if
| |
| | the market with "buy-one, get-one" offers
|
| you know your target audience, have
| |
| | or sends through direct mail samples,
|
| factored in their interests and have
| |
| | etc.). Anything that would be a major
|
| scheduled events or advertising or other
| |
| | event to your business may also be a
|
| marketing efforts for a time and place
| |
| | major event for your competitors. Here
|
| where they will see it and be receptive
| |
| | are some things to watch for:
|
| to it.It is highly advisable that you
| |
| | Quarterly and annual financial reports
|
| "block out" your annual calendar with
| |
| | Major sales
|
| dates, events, occasions that are either
| |
| | Product releases
|
| vital to be seen during, or times when
| |
| | Major annual promotional events (if you
|
| you wish to avoid marketing efforts
| |
| | know they will occur every year)
|
| before you commit to your marketing
| |
| | Major procurement activities
|
| strategy. Trying to market a new organic
| |
| | Major conferences and related events
|
| suntan lotion to Minneapolis residents in
| |
| | they will attend7) Important Prospect and
|
| February would be an obvious mistake! By
| |
| | Customer Activities. This one is
|
| using a calendar and blocking out dates,
| |
| | essential. If you understand the cyclical
|
| it will allow you to generate a marketing
| |
| | nature of your prospects' and customers'
|
| plan that takes advantage of key events
| |
| | key annual events you can fine-tune how,
|
| during the year.What should you consider
| |
| | when, and where to target your marketing
|
| putting on your calendar:1) Personal
| |
| | to them. Here are things to watch for:
|
| Schedule. Think about what is happening
| |
| | Preferred buying seasons
|
| in your personal life that might impact
| |
| | Times of the year when they won't
|
| your overall marketing and advertising
| |
| | purchase
|
| strategy. Here are some examples:
| |
| | Major events they would attend
|
| Vacations
| |
| | (conferences, trade shows, social events)
|
| Medical procedures scheduled
| |
| |
|
| Family commitments2) External Events.
| |
| | Holidays
|
| There are lots of things going on in the
| |
| | If they are a business, their product
|
| world that could impact your business.
| |
| | cycles, financial reporting cycles, R&D
|
| There are many events that you can plan
| |
| | cycles, budgeting cycles, vendor
|
| for or around (such as the Super Bowl,
| |
| | relations events, procurement cycles and
|
| Academy Awards presentations, etc.) Here
| |
| | events, and much more.Not all of these
|
| are some examples to consider:
| |
| | things may apply to your industry or
|
| Major elections
| |
| | business. This is more of a prompt sheet
|
| Major sporting events
| |
| | to get you thinking about how the
|
| Major TV events (e.g. Award shows)
| |
| | calendar can make the difference between
|
| Local community or city celebrations and
| |
| | success and failure when marketing. Look
|
| events
| |
| | for conflicts with other events on your
|
| Local expos, balls, social activities3)
| |
| | master calendar. How can you minimize the
|
| Seasonal cycles. Many businesses are
| |
| | impact of these on your results? Look for
|
| sensitive to seasonal or industry cycles.
| |
| | synergies. How can you exploit these?
|
| The sensitivity of the suntan lotion to
| |
| | Look for marketing opportunities you
|
| the weather is a great example.
| |
| | might have missed if you hadn't laid out
|
| Obviously, winter is a key season for ski
| |
| | the master calendar. Finally, based on
|
| resorts. Here are some other examples to
| |
| | the year's planned activities,
|
| consider for your calendar:
| |
| | anticipated return-on-investment and
|
| Seasonal variations that impact your
| |
| | other factors, and prioritize your
|
| business due to weather
| |
| | marketing.If you haven't done an annual
|
| Quarterly and annual financial reports
| |
| | marketing calendar, take some time out
|
| Tax season
| |
| | before you start to execute any of your
|
| Summer vacation
| |
| | marketing plan and put one together. It
|
| Winter vacation
| |
| | can save you a lot of money and help you
|
| School holidays
| |
| | really optimize your marketing
|
| Government budget cycle (this is
| |
| | strategies.David Zahn is a two-time
|
| critical if you bid to the government or
| |
| | author addressing the issues of
|
| lobby to preserve funding)
| |
| | entrepreneurship and consulting ("How To
|
| Government procurement cycles4) Major
| |
| | Succeed As An Independent Consultant, 4th
|
| Industry Events. Most industries have
| |
| | Ed." and "The Quntessential Guide To
|
| major events that can impact businesses
| |
| | Using Consultants") as well as being a
|
| in that industry and many other
| |
| | frequent interviewee and contributor to
|
| businesses. Here are some examples:
| |
| | articles in publications like,
|
| Major tradeshows
| |
| | "BusinessWeekOnline, Entrepreneur,
|
| Industry reports
| |
| | BrandWeek, Training & Development,
|
| Annual lobbying
| |
| | CTPostOnline, and others.
|
| Major corporate budget and procurement
| |
| |
|
