5 Second Summary:
Whether you’re just starting your marketing efforts or expanding your program, increase your chances for success by prioritizing ideas and choosing only a few sustainable (and measurable) activities.
2 Minute Version:
I reviewed two marketing plans for a new consumer law firm. The attorneys wanted to know which one I thought was the best approach, given their extremely limited resources and budget. Here’s a summary of the plans, embellished a little to make a point:
- Plan A – big, bold website with lots of content, daily social media posts, weekly podcasts, networking event calendar, paid search advertising.
- Plan B – build a basic website, write articles that announce the new firm and share real experiences, share with contacts, adjust as business comes in.
I picked Plan B as a solid starting point that can be quickly implemented and expanded later as feasible. Plan A is a marketing agency’s dream, but it’s much too ambitious for the firm’s current business stage and resources.
Especially when starting out, business owners tend to think they have to do everything possible to market their businesses. If you try to do too much, nothing will get done. When you’re doing 0 today, set a goal of 1. Choose a couple of marketing activities, execute really well over time, then pick a couple more, and repeat.
Think about your business goals and current resources (time and money) first. Prioritize and pick only the activities you can execute and maintain for at least a year. Remember that you’ll still need the capacity to operate your business.
This same rule applies if you’re expanding your marketing program. Revisit your business goals, look for ideas that complement existing goals or fill gaps, and prioritize so you’re only implementing sustainable activities.
For all businesses, determine how you will measure results before you implement marketing activities. Then, take small, well-planned steps, testing where possible, to ensure you get the best return on investment. If something doesn’t work, drop it and substitute the next idea on the priority list.
