It’s that time of year again, marketing planning season. Time to reflect on what worked, learn from what didn’t, and start planning campaigns that will help us achieve success in the year ahead. Having a well-thought-out plan ensures we’re not flying blind but following a roadmap that guides our marketing efforts with purpose and strategy.
If you haven’t already, grab the Marketing Planner; it’s one of the most valuable tools you’ll use throughout the year. It helps you map out campaigns, stay organised, and set your course with confidence. But remember, you don’t need a crystal ball to create your marketing plan. What you need is data and insights. The lessons from the past give us a head start in knowing what to repeat, what to tweak, and what to leave behind.
The Power of Data: Insights That Drive Results
Sure, when we first dive into marketing, it can feel like throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. But over time, we start gathering valuable data, from Google Analytics, social media insights, email campaigns, and customer behaviours, that tells us what resonates and what doesn’t.
Some examples of the data you should track include:
- Website traffic via Google Analytics
- Social media engagement (likes, shares, and comments)
- Email campaign metrics (open rates and click-through rates)
- Busy and slow periods throughout the year (like school holidays)
These insights empower us to make strategic decisions and plan our efforts efficiently, ensuring that we focus on what works and avoid wasting time on what doesn’t.
Learning from Wins and Failures
Even the best marketers release campaigns that flop. It happens. The key is to learn from those moments. If something didn’t perform well, ask yourself:
- Why didn’t it work?
- Is the strategy outdated?
- Can it be improved and tried again?
Successful campaigns, on the other hand, offer a blueprint for future success. Google Search Console helps identify where traffic is coming from, and your CRM can tell you which events or networking activities generate leads.
At Enever Group, we use separate booking calendars for each event to pinpoint what’s driving engagement. Heatmaps also show us where visitors spend the most time, giving us insights into which content connects.
Aligning Marketing with Business Rhythms
It’s crucial to align your marketing strategy with the natural cycles of your business. Are there times when your audience goes quiet, such as school holidays? Or periods when demand spikes?
For example, I know things ramp up in my business between September and November, so I rely heavily on automation to keep things running smoothly during this busy period. Understanding these patterns helps with:
- Planning staffing levels
- Increasing evergreen marketing efforts
- Adjusting promotional strategies if events didn’t get the attendance we hoped for
Reflecting on Missed Opportunities
Take a moment to think about missed opportunities this year. Were there events, speaking engagements, or collaborations you wish you had pursued? Add these to your plan for the upcoming year so they don’t slip through the cracks again.
And don’t forget that face-to-face networking is making a comeback! We’ve seen fantastic results from getting back out there in person. It’s a reminder that traditional methods still have value, even in a digital-first world.
Consistency is Key
Consistency is one of the most important factors in long-term marketing success.
Ask yourself: Were you consistent in your efforts this year? If not, make it your top priority moving forward. Marketing isn’t about big bursts of effort; it’s about showing up regularly, building trust, and staying visible.
The Marketing Planner helps you stay organised, map out content themes, and track deadlines. Small, consistent actions add up over time. When you pair consistency with data-driven insights, you set the foundation for long-term success.
Start Planning for the Year Ahead
Now is the perfect time to reflect, gather data, and plan. Use the lessons from the past year to guide your decisions and create a roadmap for success. Stay organised, remain consistent, and keep learning from your efforts – your marketing will be stronger than ever.
The Marketing Planner
The Marketing Planner is designed to help you plan out and execute your marketing activities for the year. It is an intuitive tool that puts your marketing goals and strategies in one place and aligns your marketing projects and tasks.
We start the planner with a Quarterly Overview so that you can set your focus each quarter and then break it down further into Monthly Goals. Each quarter and month have templates for you to fill out, helping you organise your strategy and refine your marketing messages.
The Marketing Planner includes spaces for planning Monthly Goals, Lead Magnets, Blog Posts, Press Release, Social Media, Video, and Podcast Content, along with a Newsletter template to bring it all together.
Then most importantly, we have our Stats Trackers and Reviews to help you track and measure your results.
$49.95
