5 Steps to Setting Marketing Goals that Deliver Results

By Debbie Josendale, President, 3C Marketing Group and CWCC Member

Are you getting ready for 2014 and trying to figure out how to set marketing goals that deliver results?  If so consider this easy approach.

A marketing promotion and editorial calendar (marketing calendar) is a simple but powerful way to turn your marketing plans into action that deliver results. With the plethora of marketing options available today, it’s easy to spin in place and create chaos instead of cash.

Marketing calendars help you take a step back and look at the big picture.  You can plan and map out major business development initiatives with marketing tactics that support your sales objectives. Follow these 5 steps to build your 2014 Marketing Calendar:

1.  Start with the End in Mind: What are Your 2014 Promotions
The best way to create marketing goals is to think first about products or services you want to promote during 2014. For example, you may want to promote a service or product that is connected to Valentine’s Day or Small Business Week.  Or you may be launching a new offering, and want to create buzz and awareness.

Write out a list and note the associated month for your promotion.

2.  Build Your 2014 Marketing Calendar
Your marketing calendar is where plans and goals intersect and become actionable tactics.

Create your 2014 Calendar with a spreadsheet or Word Document.  Next add the business promotions, events and service/product launch plans you identified in step one in the associated month.

Add key promotion builders like holidays or other topics/concepts in the month that you plan to use it to drive your campaign.

Now you have a baseline for your goal planning.  The next steps add additional information that complete your goal planning and turn your marketing calendar into jet fuel for 2014 success.

3.  Review Your Marketing Assets
Inventory the marketing tools you have in place to support your promotion plans. Evaluate your website, social media channels, content assets like white papers, blog posts, PowerPoint presentations, marketing collateral such as brochures, flyers, and post cards.

Look at your marketing calendar and map each of your planned promotions to your current marketing assets.  Identify where they will support your initiatives and where there is a gap. Make a list of the gaps.

4. Set Goals to Close Your Marketing Gaps
Create goals around each marketing gap and integrate them into your planning calendar. For example if you’re launching a new service or product in April, 2014, you need a lead nurturing campaign.  You’ve identified the following marketing gaps for your campaign: online web landing page, an e-mail capture in exchange for a downloadable content piece, and a series of auto-responders.  Plus you want to do direct mail so you need a post card.

Work backwards from your launch date and enter these items as goals in the month that they should start. Note the completion date and who is assigned to the work.

Work through each of your gap items and develop goals to close the marketing gaps.

5.  Use Your Planning Calendar to Achieve Your Revenue Goals
The simplicity of the marketing calendar makes it easy to communicate and track goals. Whether you’re a company of one or many, it’s easy to “see the timeline”, understand progress and roadblocks. Updated on a regular basis, the calendar creates a sustainable process that keeps your business development on track without missing a beat!

Get Started Now

Block out a couple of hours and start planning your 2014 marketing calendar. Finding time to plan can be challenging but this process adds clarity and purpose to your marketing efforts. In the long run the patience and focus is worth it.  Think of how great you will feel in December 2014 when you have reached your goals!

About 3C Marketing Group
Based in Denver, CO, 3C Marketing Group, LLC , we’re specialists in the art and science of growing service-based businesses. Using the 3C MAP Marketing™ Method, we connect today’s marketing engines…Content, Search and Social with 3 enduring marketing strategies-Messaging, Authority and Promotion. Please visit our website 3CMarketingGroup.com or call 720.528.4421 to learn more.