What’s your Marketing Plan for Q4?

It's been three years since this article “5 Things to Know Before You Start a Marketing Plan” was published. Content marketing is still such a new creature to most of us that it might be a good idea to expand on some of that information, and look at how you can use it to finish out the calendar year on a roll.

What's in it for your customers? The main benefits for most customers are time and money—are you addressing both of these? Customers appreciate being informed of sales and other specials, but it's just as important to be considerate of their time. Are you delivering your messages in a timely fashion? Are you consistently reminding clients of appointments? Do you have a system in place to let them know their purchase is ready to be picked up? Are your customers able to access your content quickly? Marketing often involves tying up these loose ends.

What's in it for you? Without a clear plan in place, you can't realistically expect to accomplish anything worthwhile. Identifying your goals and having someone accountable for those goals is critical. You’ll need to know who will be contributing and what topics and mediums you’ll be using. Focus on subscriptions, which convert to leads and sales.

Do you have a clear timeline? Technology is always changing, so it's more important than ever to check how well your strategy is working. Updating, analyzing, and improving your digital efforts will be an ongoing process, so you may have to adjust long-term plans.

Who is your audience? Generic emails should be a thing of the past—your content needs to fit your audience. Know what your customers want, where they shop, what they read, and who they like. Keep an eye on your customers, particularly their age—if you sell an age-related product or service, will they still want it five years from now? Who will be your new audience?

How will your campaign boost business? Follow your campaign's journey from content to sales, and keep track of that data. Is your content being shared? Have your subscriptions increased? Are you following up on leads? Are you getting fewer opt-outs or more? Keep on top of these figures, and be prepared to make adjustments.

Marketing never stops evolving because each new day brings new changes and new challenges. Is your Q4 marketing plan ready for them?