Want to get more out of your marketing program in 1997? Nancy Michaels, owner of marketing consulting firm Impression Impact in Concord, Massachusetts, suggests developing a marketing calendar at the beginning of every year. Now's the time to get down to business, so here are a few thoughts to keep in mind as you plan for 1997:
*Plan and budget for a specified agenda of marketing efforts, but
be flexible. Michaels recommends setting aside 3 percent to 4
percent of your marketing budget for unexpected marketing
opportunities.
*Determine when certain promotions need to be executed, and work
backward when planning them. To make your summer sale come off
without a hitch, for example, you may need to start working on it
in March.
*If you're planning a holiday-based marketing promotion, make
sure the holiday you choose directly applies to your business. For
instance, a children's clothing store might want to do
something for Halloween; a men's clothing store, on the other
hand, probably wouldn't.
However you decide to spend your marketing dollars, it's important to think ahead.
