Meeting your marketing milestones: Why having a plan is essential

Think of the last time someone at work — a colleague, a partner, an outside agency — impressed you. In all likelihood it wasn’t just the fact that they did a great job, that they delivered on their promises, or that they were super nice to work with that left a lasting impression or that made you desperate to work with them again.

It was probably the fact that they met, or exceeded, your expectations.

And a huge part of meeting expectations is ensuring that everyone is on the same page not only on what needs to happen, but also on when it needs to happen.

Because if you really want to impress, it’s not just about delivering, it’s about delivering on time

If you’re going to do that, you need a plan.

After all, when creating, executing, and analyzing a marketing strategy, there are a whole lot of moving parts to think about, as well as a ton of different stakeholders and teams to consider.

For instance, if your endgame is driving 30% more traffic to your website by end of year, you’ll have to work backwards to ensure that you implement brand awareness and any digital initiatives in good time to achieve that EOY goal. You’ll likely have to involve everyone from the C-suite and the VP of Sales to the Product Team and the people working in your Operations department.

And, when there’s a concrete plan (including an official timeline) in the equation, everyone can be clear on what’s expected of them and can work to deliver their contribution to the project in good time.

Setting final deadlines is an excellent way to ensure you’re getting the help you need when partnering with a marketing agency — and it can be a valuable motivator for everyone involved, from the agency team to your own internal stakeholders to move on their end of the bargain and ensure that their everyone’s efforts are working in concert.

But deadlines are only the end of the process.

The real beauty of forming a plan with mutually agreeable timelines is that you can get ongoing information on projects in progress. The smartest timelines are full of checkpoints that allow all parties involved in a project to report on their individual progress at set stages of the process.

Not only is this an excellent way to organize and clearly detail the expectations of everyone involved, but it also ensures that if there are any stumbling blocks along the way, those in charge can adjust expectations and tailor a new plan that will allow the project to be completed on time. It also highlights the importance of listening and communication to the overall success of a working relationship between agency and customer — not just at the hiring stage or the very beginning of a project, but throughout the entire partnership.

When any business partners with another, mutual benefit can only be guaranteed when everyone is working on the same page regarding expectations, schedule, and deadline. And a solid, detailed timeline, complete with regular checkpoints or milestones, allows everyone involved to be organized and ready to align their efforts with the primary business goals

By creating a comprehensive timeline —and sticking to it — your business builds trust with everyone you deal with, and avoids unnecessary conflicts in the future. They’re an integral part of any business partnership so if you’re engaging the services of an agency or firm, please do insist your contract includes a detailed, realistic, mutually beneficial timeline.

It really will make all the difference to both the success of your working relationship and the results of your project.

If you’re looking for an agency to help you grow your business or finally overcome your marketing hurdles, we’d love to help. Contact us for a free marketing proposal.

Erika Etlen