Thinking back on all the marketing related blog posts I read in 2009, I have to say that this guest post on Junta42
by Russell Sparkman of Fusionspark Media was my favorite. Or at least, it was the content that my brain kept cycling it to the top of the list – it resonated with me and my cluttered desk. His approach to putting together a content plan is simple yet ambitious and can offer you a great way to look at the coming year’s projects. All you have to do is remember this number series: 1-7-30-4-2-1! I seriously get excited thinking about thinking this way - such a simple plan, such a neat way to organize your 2010 marketing campaign!
1 = Daily What do you do every day? Twitter? Update your Facebook status? Send information on products and services to your sales staff? Make these daily quick marketing events habits – effective but quick, you hardly even think about it after a while. I resisted modifying the numbers to start with “24” indicating hourly tasks – I’d almost pop tweets into that category, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!
7 = Weekly Weekly projects require a bit more planning and forethought. Some people send out a weekly newsletter or some kind of email update to customers and clients. Some ambitious people post a new video on their website or YouTube page each week. I try and write a new blog post every week (“try” being the operative word!)
30 = Monthly These are bigger projects. Things like a more extensively researched blog post or more ambitious email newsletter than your weekly missive. Maybe a monthly podcast or a video project.
4 = Quarterly How about a sales meeting or face-to-face with vendors? Other quarterly events could include large changes to your website or a seasonal newsletter. Write a white paper or produce a webinar for customers or staff.
2 = Bi-annual These twice-a-year projects are things that require a lot of planning and effort. Large changes to your website or print materials, larger promotional events or training sessions.
1 = Yearly I’d put things like attending or exhibiting at industry events in this section, along with those other huge projects that you work on all year. Also think about those special marketing projects that are associated with once-a-year opportunities like National Seafood Month or Valentine’s Day.
What else do you do every day, every week or every month without almost thinking about it? By breaking your year down into this manageable system, anything seems possible!
