How 2020 Changes Our Approach to Marketing Plans

If there was ever a year when the marketing plan had to pivot, and in this case, we’re talking about a major re-construction kind of pivot, it was 2020. Maybe among the many lessons we can take away is that no matter how hard the team works to develop the plan and no matter how detailed and insightful it is, there is still one fact that matters most: change is constant.

Seth Godin’s recent blog post To stay the same got us thinking about the reality of change and wondering how to approach the planning cycle as we now look farther forward with our businesses and brands. Perhaps we can find ways to be even more flexible and efficient as we ride the next wave. Perhaps we can spend less time on the marketing plan, knowing that anything and everything may change. We are not suggesting throwing away the valuable planning process, but we are ready to apply a new perspective as we think about how to help businesses start defining the path to growth in 2022 and beyond. Because, as Godin explains, if we aren’t ready for change, someone else will be:

“Because whatever system we’re in is changing. Because every step we take changes the ground we walk on. Because while you’re busy trying to keep it all together, someone else is working just as hard to change it again.”

So while the world and every industry constantly evolves, the marketing plan needs to clearly define what matters most and be ready to adjust when circumstances require. That requires both insight and agility, without over complicating the process. Some companies spend months on the marketing planning cycle, analyzing data galore, attending pre-planning meetings, collaborating with the sales team, and putting together 100-page decks supported by another 75 pages of addendums. Other companies don’t do deep-dive, comprehensive marketing plans, and can make progress nonetheless executing proven strategies and adjusting tactics along the way. We have worked for companies on both ends of this spectrum. As with so many things in life, there is probably a good place of balance in-between.

A first step to finding that balanced approach, one that will fit with your company’s values and organizational culture, is to start with a fundamental question: “why is a marketing plan important to my company?” The simple answer is that without a roadmap, you may get lost. Just like the apps that lead us through alternate routes when traffic changes, we need to start by identifying the route that has the best chance of getting us where we need to be in the most efficient way possible.

With 2020 in the rearview mirror, now is the right time to re-examine the value of planning, inclusive of the need for flexibility and alternate options. The plan doesn’t have to take countless hours over-taxing resources, but must define the critical objectives and identify the strategies and tactics most likely to achieve them. We often go back to a resource and template that has stood the test of time: Breakthrough Marketing Plans: How to Stop Wasting Time and Start Driving Growth. Author and Professor Tim Calkins starts with the concept of too much data, something that seems even more relevant today:

“The biggest problem with any marketing plan is very simple: the plan includes too much data. All too many marketing plans are simply too long and filled with too much information. The plan goes on, and on, and on.”

This observation reminds us to beware of analysis paralysis, be ready to understand the big picture, and to be smart about which details matter. The book offers a five-section marketing plan template:

1.              Executive Summary

2.              State of the Business (some call this situation analysis)

3.              Objectives/Strategic Initiatives/Tactics – this is the crux of it all

4.              Financial Implications

5.              Milestones

While each of these steps certainly requires dedicating time for strategic thinking, developing ideas and weighing the pros and cons of different tactics, the simplicity is evident. Simple is not the same as easy. But it does mean that a focused, achievable and impactful marketing plan does not have to require countless hours of data analysis or be 100 pages long. Whether it’s this framework or another approach, remember not to get stuck in the muck, keep your messaging consistent, and get ready for the pivot. Because, as Godin explains, we are all “surfing and dancing with possibility, simply to continue to serve and keep our promises.”