2011 Public Relations and Marketing Planning
December 1, 2010
It’s almost time to say goodbye to 2010 and, if you’re anything like us, you’re looking forward to bright business opportunities and new customers in 2011. If you haven’t already done so, you should be busy planning your strategy for success in the new year.
“One result of the current economic climate is that we have seen many more companies creating 6- or 12-month strategies around specific public relations and marketing goals,” says Maria Coppola, BroadBased’s Director of Public Relations. “Planning in advance is a sure way to make sure your budget is utilized to the fullest and that your initiatives are integrated through all of your promotion efforts.”
“The timing of our messaging is critical to our campaign’s success,” said Jeff Winkler with the Real $ense Prosperity Campaign, a United Way initiative. “BroadBased PR helped us plan accordingly so we can be ready for action right after the holidays are over.”
An additional benefit to planning in advance is that you know what your marketing expenditure will be each month. This allows you to focus on your predefined goals and make fewer ad-hoc decisions as the year progresses.
Questions to ask yourself when planning your 2011 PR and/or marketing strategy:
- What methods will you employ to reach your sales goals? Will you employ public relations? Broadcast, print or online advertising? How about direct mail, email, telemarketing, social media, sponsorships, events and speaking engagements? Or will you rely solely on a highly SEO website for visibility? In what combination will you use these efforts, and what is your expected result for each?
- How will you raise awareness of your company with the public and media?
- What tactics will you employ to differentiate yourself from your competition?
- How will you promote new products or innovations to the market and media?
- How do you identify collaborations, sponsorships, public events and community opportunities that benefit your image?
These questions and many others are answered through our public relations and marketing planning process. If you plan NOW, you can take on the new year armed with a strategic plan that will allow you to hit the ground running and begin generating results right away.
