4 Keys to Successful Marketing Implementation

OK, you've finished the plan, and then it hits you. "Yikes, how are we going to get all these projects done?" I place a lot of emphasis on having a marketing plan, but what's a plan without good follow through? Here are 4 things you must do to successfully implement your marketing projects.

#1 Wallow in the details
When you plan, you focus on the big picture. But when you execute, you shift perspectives. Instead of worrying about why something gets done, now you worry about how it gets done. Keep asking who (is going to get it done), what (are they going to do), when (will they get it done by), and how (much will it cost?).

A good habit is to finish every project meeting by asking "What are the next steps?" Don't leave the table until every step has been tasked out with due dates and clearly outlined responsibilities.

#2 Plan far contingencies
Some believe it's pessimistic to ask "What could go wrong?" Not me. When you ask that question, you put people through the process of visualizing possible mistakes-and fixes.

When a pilot draws up a flight plan, he (or she) also identifies alternate airports along the route. Then, if the pilot faces an emergency, he can divert to the alternate airport and seek safety. Is this pessimism? No, it's a realistic recognition that things can go wrong.

As a marketer, if you identify contingencies and corrective actions to take, you'll be that much farther up the learning curve if something goes wrong.

#3 Honor deadlines
I'm a stickler on this for several reasons. First, when you develop your marketing plan, your deadlines reflect strategic details of your business (e.g. customer buying patterns, supply logistics). So when you miss a deadline, you're watering down the strategy behind that deadline.

More importantly, missing deadlines damages your credibility. Credibility with your boss. With your board. With your investors. These people want to sleep well at night. Meeting your deadlines and establishing yourself as a go-to marketer makes everyone's health (including yours) better.

Finally, when you miss deadlines you allow complacency to creep into your operations. Miss enough deadlines, and no one takes them seriously. And if you're missing all your deadlines, move to the Bahamas. They don't care about deadlines either.

#4 Have regular project meetings
As a Marketing Director I insisted on biweekly project meetings. During these meetings, the staff would update each other on each project's status. These meetings are important for communication's sake.

But the preparation that happens before these meetings is the real payoff. No one wants to look stupid in front of their peers. So, they'll check, recheck and triple-check deadlines, pricing, and responsibilities before the meeting.