Area 224. 12 Minute Marketing. So Why Would We Talk about Threes?
We’ve found that, without a plan, no matter what your business is, you’re gonna be lost.
You also need to execute against that plan.
AND, in some cases, you need to ask yourself if the thing you’re working on right now should be done RIGHT NOW, or if it should wait a few weeks, months, or years.
GOP Presidential Candidate Herman Cain talks about “9-9-9.” We want to talk about “3-3-3.”
3 Weeks, 3 Months, 3 Years.
What Needs to Happen in the Next 3 Weeks?
Let’s say you’re talking about setting a Social Media Strategy for your organization. (Something we, of course, touch on in our 12 Minute Marketing program.) Since Rome wasn’t burned in a day, you can’t honestly expect to tell the boss that you’re going to have all the answers tomorrow. But, in 3 Weeks, can you develop the framework of a plan? Can you do a Situation Analysis to be able to report back to the boss?
Also, what are the tools that you need in place now so that you can point back to some examples of tactics that will support your strategy?
Three Weeks – there’s a sense of urgency there – but there’s also an understanding that you cannot possibly get it all figured out. Your focus sharpens on those things that are absolutely necessary to support your strategy.
What Needs to Happen in the Next 3 Months?
Since Area 224 is not just a blog about Social Media, let’s talk about things like Sales Goals.
You do have Sales Goals, right?
Unless you’re in an eCommerce gig somewhere, you will probably have to incorporate the real world into your Sales Goals. It might take you a week to get a list of prospects together, and another week to figure out the right messaging. Do you think you’re going to reach every one of them in the next couple days after that?
Here’s where a CRM comes in handy – moving prospects along the process, or through the funnel – is going to take time, and you’re going to want to handle that appropriately.
Watch this 12 Minute Marketing Lesson on WIIFM Selling for some more ideas.
The bottom line here is this: some things do take time. Even if you’re in a Long Sales Cycle business, you need to figure out what has to happen when, and put the wheels in motion.
What Needs to Happen in the Next 3 Years?
Blue Sky Plans. BHAGs. Exit Strategies.
Trying to look out over the Horizon beyond 2012 and into (gasp) Fall of 2014 might not be something you’re thinking of doing.
But you need to do it – for your business – and here are a few questions to ask:
- What does success look like to me?
- What does my business look like – is it huge? Is it small? Do we have a dynamic culture?
- What skills do I need to acquire – what tools do we need to have on staff – do we build, buy or partner?
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