Your Marketing Plan: Top 10 Check List for a Mid-Year Check Up

We all dread mid-year performance reviews – supervisors and staffers alike. But how else can you evaluate job performance?

The same could be said for marketing plans. But most of us wait until the end of the year to gauge the effectiveness of our most, strategic, multi-channel, gangbusters campaign ever.

Well… at least it looked that way on paper in Q1.

And like many marketing pros out there, when it came to Q4, they were looking at some disappointing results.

What happened?

I like what Einstein said about insanity. It’s doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

So, instead of doing your usual end-of-year plan performance evaluation – do a mid-year check up. Right here. Right now.

You can find out what’s working, what’s not and make adjustments with this handy checklist.

1. Start the conversation with these questions:

• Efforts keeping pace with my action plan?
• Has my ideal customer changed?
• Any areas we need to grow or shrink our efforts?
• Most successful marketing efforts to date?
• Meeting revenue goals?
• Staying on budget?

2. Do a content refresh and revision inventory

Update your content inventory with fresh material or timely revisions. What was hot in January may be cold by July. Check in with your front-liners from Sales, Product and Customer Service. What kind of analytics/traction is each content piece getting? Are those CTA’s as compelling as they could be?

3. Check your sales alignment

It’s easy to get off track with your sales team. Now is the time to get back on the same page by revisiting goals, sitting in on win/loss meetings and even going out on a sales call.

4. Update your website.

Add new visual content, along with recent case studies, client testimonials and industry best practices.

5. Review vendor commitments

Are the results, activities, reports, and general communications meeting your expectations?

6. Deep dive on the data

The C-suite loves metrics! Focus on four areas: website page views, content downloads, social shares and conversion rates.

So, instead of doing your usual end-of-year plan performance evaluation – do a mid-year check up. Right here. Right now.

7. Spot the missed opportunities

Were there events, sponsorships, or print/digital communication opportunities that fell off your radar? It’s not too late to research, participate or implement a tactic for Q3 and Q4.

8. Scope out the competition:

What content are they distributing? What’s on their website? What’s the social media buzz from communities and prospects?

9. Check in with your influencer strategy

Decision-makers depend on influencers. Are you reaching them through appropriate channels with spot-on content? Do you need to expand your influencer base? Now is the time to grow those relationships!

10. Grade your marketing plan.

What grade would you give yourself at this point? Do your 3rd and 4th quarter activities make sense in light of your check-up – or are changes in order? Get re-fueled and re-tooled by attending webinars, and conferences. Gaininspiration through thought-leadership and case-study articles. [Source: my4comm]

So as we find ourselves mid-year, now is the time to check on your marketing plan’s overall performance. And the higher the evaluation score, the more positive it will reflect on your own performance review. So take the sane approach this summer, and give your marketing a check-up now. It’s the best way to ensure ROI!

Sources:

mymarketor.com, Mid-Year Marketing Assessment, 2014
m4comm.com, 11 Keys to a Successful Mid-Year Marketing Check-In, 2014
sw!ftpage, 7 Check Points for Mid-Year Marketing Wellness, 2015
Renaissance Executive Forums, The Mid-Year Marketing Review, 2011