A strategic plan subjected to endless adjustments and exceptions can start to feel like no plan at all, and implementation can become increasingly haphazard. Speed often becomes the main driver, derailing production processes and undermining efforts to ensure quality, consistency and effectiveness in company communications. The missed opportunities and mistakes that result can be devastating to a company’s image—and its bottom line.
Marketing can’t simply trail behind the corporate ship, tossed about in its wake. Good marketing belongs in the navigation room, helping a company to make the most of its transition and steer clear of the problems that can arise with any large-scale change.
The production of marketing materials deserves special attention. Remember, clients and prospects never see your marketing plan—their perceptions depend entirely on the end products. Without a stable, quality-driven production process, no marketing strategy can deliver its full potential.
Unfortunately, forces at play during transitional periods make it difficult to maintain such a process. There may be pressure to cut corners or pursue “faster-cheaper” options even if they’re not “better” options. An increasing focus on technological solutions can lead to underestimating necessary human skills. Other problems involve communication—or a lack thereof—with outside vendors. Software and file types used internally may be incompatible with those of vendors, and projects may not be properly prepared for final production, leading to cost increases, blown deadlines, or compromises in quality.
The good news is that most problems can be avoided with awareness and a few proactive measures. Make pre-planning a top priority, including early communication between all people who are central to getting a job done. Coordinate with printers, Web programmers, video staff and other outside vendors—not just to discuss budgets and deadlines, but also to determine the best process to achieve your goals. To streamline scheduling and decision-making, minimize confusion, and facilitate better quality assurance, have “one point of contact” oversee a project.
It’s also important to evaluate resources carefully—be realistic about what can be handled in-house and what must be outsourced. Work with an agency to develop strategies, systems, standards and templates that will improve in-house execution. Finally, develop a system of checks and balances designed to catch mistakes, and avoid the temptation to take shortcuts when it comes to quality control.
Flawless implementation of your marketing plan is a lofty goal, but one well worth pursuing. A company in transition can easily lose control of how it is perceived in the marketplace, with potentially disastrous consequences. Good marketing practices, consistent production processes, and expert support will keep you in control of your company’s image and maximize the benefits of your marketing, advertising and internal communications. And that can mean the difference between a company that seems “adrift at sea” and one confidently following a course to a rewarding destination.
Steering Clear of Trouble — Ten Easy Tips
1. Clearly define goals, available time and budget, and a step-by-step production process before beginning any project or campaign.
2. Communicate with vendors early in the process.
3. Make sure internal programs, files and fonts are compatible with outside vendors.
4. Designate one central point of contact for any project.
5. Keep project files organized; rename electronic files when revisions are made. (An easy way to do this is to add the current date to the end of the file name.)
6. Print hard copies for better viewing and proofreading. Marking changes on hard copy is also a good idea—it limits confusion and provides a record of revisions.
7. Organize a system of checks and balances to catch mistakes and ensure quality.
8. Supplement internal capabilities with outside experts; make in-house execution easier by developing appropriate, updatable templates.
9. Give yourself (and your vendors) reasonable deadlines; avoid situations where deadline pressures may increase the risk of mistakes or compromise quality.
10. Look for ways to simplify production processes, particularly when working with outside vendors; it’s often better and more cost-effective, for example, to do one big round of revisions rather than several rounds of partial revisions.
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