Do you often find yourself ‘late, late for a very important date’? Whether looking to host an event at the practice or create seasonal marketing literature, we’re all familiar with the pressure of looming deadlines.
In this blog, we’ll be providing a few handy tips to help you stay one step ahead when it comes to your marketing strategy.
Plan the big picture
Seemingly obvious, plan out your yearly marketing strategy well in advance on a calendar. Include all the proposed events and special dates that will require marketing support. Display this somewhere as a constant reminder of what’s coming up. This is great for those who are time-poor with daily tasks that distract them from the big picture.
Break it down
For each campaign, create a ‘to do’ list along with realistic time frames that you can tick off as you go. Having tangible evidence of work being completed can bring a sense of achievement, particularly when deadlines and projects seem unsurmountable. Baby steps helps keep the momentum going.
Keep it flexible
Not with yoga (although if you begin to feel stressed, take five to have a breather). Try and leave some space in your plans for the unexpected, such as a drop in appointment bookings, a change at the practice or a new service that you need to promote. This will allow you to reprioritise without your big plan unravelling.
One step ahead
Where possible, don’t leave it until the last minute. If you need new marketing literature, give yourself at least six weeks before when you want to start using it to have it designed, proofed and printed (or published for digital). This may be longer depending on what you require. Make sure you understand and take into account the turnaround times for your suppliers, colleagues and web designers.
Remember that when creating marketing for events or seasonal campaigns, when you want to start using the literature is different to when the event/season starts. Keep in mind you will also need a few weeks of promotion in order to garner up enough interest in your offer and make it worth your while.
Productivity over procrastination
As the saying goes, ‘procrastination is the thief of time’. Get stuff done by keeping distractions to a minimum – keep a clear workspace, schedule some ‘do not disturb’ time and think about when you feel at your most productive. Use these times to tackle difficult or complex tasks to help keep mistakes to a minimum. Contrary to popular belief, multi-tasking isn’t always a good thing and can stop you achieving your priorities.
Teamwork makes the dream work
Finally, don’t forget to delegate. Micromanaging your campaigns can be counterproductive. Get the team involved and free up valuable time that might be better spent elsewhere. A range of skills helps keep your marketing at a high quality and fresh eyes can help improve your campaigns.
Don’t forget, our Practice Marketing and Design Team are here to support you with your marketing initiatives, from designing a simple flyer to supporting you through big changes at the practice with marketing communications. If you’re a Practice Plan member you can access this highly subsidised and quality service, call the team on 01691 684 151 if you would like further support – we’re happy to help.