Is Your 2011 Marketing Plan Ready?

In the 2010 Sales & Marketing Industry survey that we conducted last month, more than half of us marketers responded that we did not have our 2011 marketing plan completed. In fact, 51% were still working on it, whereas 10% hadn’t yet started.

Yikes.

If we aren’t finished with our marketing planning by the end of the year, what is guiding us when the New Year dawns? Our instincts? Or are we just reacting instead of following a strategy? Either one of those scenarios should make you nervous.

Creating a solid marketing plan has never been more important, especially as we navigate new marketing tactics and a still unpredictable economic climate. Taking the time, right now, to stop reacting and start (or finish) your planning is essential to your company’s success.

Our Marketing Plan Template can help kick-start your efforts, plus you’ll receive a free copy of our 2010 Sales & Marketing Industry Study as a thank-you with your purchase. (Truth be told, you can purchase any one of our templates and receive the survey report for free.)

As marketers, we are concerned about what we perceive is a lack of planning. Even the most talked about and highly effective marketing tactics must be used in a strategic way. You can’t immerse yourself in social media or begin email marketing without an understanding of how, why, and what your expected ROI is.

We’ve learned over the years, and through hundreds of clients, that if you have no plan, you have nothing. A focused strategy is the only way to leverage your marketing programs to build momentum and ensure lasting success.

Time to get planning.