Define Marketing Deadlines
December 14, 2009 by Mary Ellen · Leave a Comment
Your special event takes time to present. You and your staff spend hours on details
and coordinate with numerous vendors in the process. All is for naught if you get caught in the squeeze of unforeseen deadlines.
One client planned a formal open house to show new offices after a move earlier in the year. for a postcard invitation for its open house. Construction delays ran longer than expected and the Thanksgiving holiday added a time warp to the schedule. The beautiful postcard had to be tabled. An email invitation (adaptation from the postcard) gave participants less than a week’s notice about the event.
Another local organization announced an annual open house prominently on the cover of its printed newsletter. Problem: the newsletter landed in mailboxes two days AFTER the event.
Annual events sneak up on you. Avoid surprises with these tips:
- Plan your event - calendar it well in advance
- Use different channels for cross-promotion (newsletter, postcard, email, board of directors notice)
- Back-date event deadlines to include time for designing and printing
- Add time for approvals
- Plus - add an extra week or two for deadline safety
- Update mailing lists to include change-of-address notices
- Use zip-plus-four addresses for better efficiency/attention from the post office
No magic formula exists. If you want response, get the word out as many ways as possible, as far in advance as you can.
Plan. Timing issues affect the success or failure as well as the internal stress of your efforts. Eliminate as much drama as possible with well-in-advance planning.
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