It’s that time of year — allocating marketing dollars and planning for 2013 begins, along with reflecting on the year that’s passed. What worked? What didn’t? What do we want to accomplish next year? Were my marketing dollars maximized? Did I reach who I needed to?
Answering these questions and drafting long- and short-term marketing goals for the upcoming year can be a daunting task. Frivolous spending is a thing of the past—you have a budget to stick to and measurable objectives that you want to reach. But, there are so many things that need to be accomplished. In addition, there may be input from other coworkers about what’s important and what’s not. So, what do you do? How do you sift through the marketing goals and establish what is a priority when everything seems to be a priority?
Here are five tips that can help focus your energy and determine what is the most important of your 2013 marketing goals.
1. Think in terms of long- and short-term.
Thinking in a timeline is a productive way to focus your motivation. While it’s fun to brainstorm different marketing executions and think “big picture,” the important task-at-hand is prioritization and timing. What makes sense, when? Is the timeframe for your goal reasonable and accomplishable?
2. Make a list.
Compiling all of your information and ideas is a difficult hurdle, but a necessary one. Creating a list—even if it doesn’t consist of specific strategies, executions, or tactics—is a great starting point. This allows you to group items and think about what you want to achieve.
3. Is it realistic?
When you have a tight budget, be realistic and think about attainable goals. Do you have the means to achieve the goal? What percentage of your available funds does the goal dry up?
4. What’s the value?
Evaluate what the goal brings to your organization and how it affects your business. Does it bring in much-needed revenue? Does it increase awareness that will grow your business? Thinking about the outcome of the goal will help you determine what’s right for your organization.
5. Ask an expert.
While it’s exciting to look forward to the next year, keep in mind that it may help to have an outside source work with you to gather/organize your thoughts and draft measurable objectives that align with your organization’s goals. There may be something that you’re missing that could have a big impact on your business.
These are just a few tips to keep in mind when planning for 2013. What is your process to set goals for a new year? Do you have other considerations that help you determine why one goal may take precedence over another?