With the new administration coming in, things are likely to change for many businesses next year. For some, it may bring new challenges; for others, opportunities.
How can you be ready when you’re not sure exactly what to expect?
“Plans Are Worthless, But Planning Is Everything.”
It’s impossible to plan for the unexpected. Because, by its very nature, the “unexpected” involves events or situations you can’t predict or fully anticipate.
But planning is still important. The plan isn’t the point. It’s the act of planning that helps you understand the challenges you could face or the opportunities that may arise. So, when the time comes, you’re better prepared to respond to them thoughtfully — instead of simply reacting.
When it seems like everything keeps changing, having a marketing strategy to follow can help you maintain your focus and keep a clear eye on your goals. This may seem like a small thing, but when businesses start zig-zagging, they tend to fail.
Responding vs. Reacting
Being able to respond to results and changes in the market is vitally important. Plan, implement, measure, repeat. We talk about this process a lot at WR.
But responding is different than reacting.
Responding means looking at the results or the changing landscape, thinking through what it means, and then making a decision.
Reacting is altering your tactics each time the wind changes direction or you experience a small bump in the road.
Responding helps you shift things in the right direction. It means sticking it out long enough with a particular tactic or strategy to get meaningful results, and then making adjustments based on those results.
Reacting means completely shifting gears every time something isn’t going right immediately.
The High Cost of Reacting Instead of Responding
If you are reactionary, it can get pricey fast. Because the first time you do any marketing activity, it costs more. Which also means your ROI that first time is almost guaranteed to be lower than any subsequent times.
Here’s an example. Let’s say you decide to create a mailer. In the most basic terms, that means you need to:
- Develop the ad concept
- Craft compelling copy
- Create a visually appealing design
- Identify the target audience
- Coordinate printing with a professional printer
- Ensure timely mailing to the audience
If you want to do a second send? Well, you have choices.
For example, you can send the same mailer to a different audience. Or you can change the mailer design and send it to the same audience. Either way, some of the work is already done, so the price goes down.
The same is true on a larger scale. If we have a marketing strategy in place, making adjustments is easier than starting from scratch.
Take the Time to Plan
Not only does taking the time to craft a marketing strategy — not just a calendar — for 2025 give your business a better chance at success, it can actually help you to respond when new opportunities or challenges arise.
What does it take to come up with a marketing strategy? We can help. Reach out today to set up a free initial consultation.
