This is my biggest problem and I never seem to learn my lesson. You have to be consistent with whatever you decide to do. I’ll be really “on” with advertising and my sales will be skyrocketing. When sales are huge it’s easy to start slacking on the marketing… I’ll think “It’s really busy, I can put that off for another week.” Or it will be busy and I won’t be focused - and then realize I forgot to order printing for my next DM drop. Then I’m in a position where I need to get a lot of advertising out fast but I have a cash crunch because sales took a nosedive. Wash, rinse, repeat.
How you do advertising is probably more important than what you do. Find something that works and stay on it, forever. There will never be a time you’ll be able to stop advertising so don’t even think about it. Get on a routine and don’t stop.
What has helped me to stay on track is printing out calendars for the next six months and completely planning my marketing. Right now I have it all the way through August and it includes what will be going out, what areas they’re going out to and the price (to keep track of the budget for the month). It’s in pencil of course. I’m always paying attention to 3 weeks out because those are the campaigns I need to order printing for now.
I have one set of calendars for each store and they’re in manila folders with “Master Marketing Plan” emblazoned across them. If I’m at home they’re both open on my desk at all times. When I’m at the restaurant they get opened and left on my desk there. If I’m on the go they’re in my briefcase. So far it has really helped me stay on top of things with getting my marketing done because it’s always front and center where it should be.
Really, unless you’re insanely lucky, marketing will probably make or break your business.
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