Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Key Timelines to Keep in Business Planning

It could be months away from Thanksgiving and Christmas, but you should already be planning something if you own some type of business.

Businesses should not be taking a respite at any time when it comes to promotions - just because it's summer and everyone's mind is probably on vacation mode does not mean business planning takes on a standstill. In fact, all holidays should be part of a good business plan forged way ahead.

Plan out your promotions for the whole year ahead. Make a month-to-month blueprint. Although factors may change, people may come and go, and new markets may evolve, it is good to have something to go forward with.

Providing a direction for your business is key to your survival and growth, and having a plan to work with just does that. Whatever comes your way becomes easier to tackle when you have a master plan which you can simply adjust to or revise when needed. Anyway, a plan is just a guideline - it is not etched in stone and can be modified to suit current needs.

As a general rule, the strategies you'll be implementing in your business plan should follow an ideal preparation lead time. Direct mailers, for example, should be prepared and finalized a month or so to leave time for final edits and printing.

Radio plugs should be in the can 2 weeks before airing. That should leave enough time for final edits or changes that may be suggested by your media station. For audio/video productions intended for TV or cable airing, it is safe to allot 6 to 8 weeks for the entire production work.

Although it should take just a few days for a shoot, editing, graphic inputs and voice work can take much longer. For web posts, a day to a week should be enough as changes can be instant. Always check with your web developer on how complex your planned project can be.

If you're into publicity stunts for special occasions and holiday promotions, these should be planned ahead for at least three months. It could be a headache to scramble around stuff at the last minute. A well-planned marketing blitz never fails to stand out, so if you're looking into a Valentine's Day promotion, you should have started planning way before Christmas.

Time is of essence for any plan to work. Good concepts are created over time, so give your business planning a lot of it. That way, your plans are bound to succeed.

By : Andrea_Dilea

No comments: