by 
Right now too many people are looking for a magic marketing pill, some new process or a way to make a video or tweet to go viral.
Too many people are reading articles and watching how others see the marketing world. It is fine to gain knowledge for others, but when you’ve spent half your day reading other people’s work, what have you really gained. Yesterday, I looked at this topic of marketing and how it relates to technology. Today, I want to focus more on how you need to own your marketing process and make sure you are working as productively and efficiently as possible.
Write Blog Post
Each day, I quickly scan articles and topics using Google Alerts and other news items. I write a quick post for the Midwest Labs Blog and for this site. I get this information out to various social media channels: GooglePlus, Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook and I gauge the interaction throughout the day. I think writing blog posts should be a managerial/executive responsibility. It is all about transparency and it is critical that the voice of a company come from someone who can see the big picture with respect to the company and its relationship with clients.
Work with Staff
Touching base with partners, client service staff and production people is always a priority to stay informed and make sure your efforts are working in the right direction. Productivity needs to always be a focus
Keep a pulse on your marketing channels
For me this means being aware of the following: new accounts being setup on a daily basis, number of question being submitted online, number of phone calls received each week in client service, number of services rendered each week, client complaints, client feedback. In addition, it is important to check on web and social media activity using Google Analytics.
Review Company Projects
This last item has worked quite well. I think it is an excellent fit for Marketing Executives to manage company project work. It helps tie company activity with client activity. Read this article, What Marketing Experts Can Learn From Project Management Pros by Cheryl Conner, September 6, 2014
Develop New Ideas
I keep an Idea Composition Book. I use it to write down potential ideas that merit more review and information. The act of writing this information down helps me collect and organize my thoughts. Too many times I have forgotten ideas because I did not take the time to write them down at the time of discovery.
Create Projects
The best approach I have found is to dig in and start working/planning at the same time. Throughout the course of the day, I will have many ideas that go through my head. I typically receive these ideas through communication with other co-workers and professional contacts. The key here is developing an action plan. Decide what it truly is that you want to focus your efforts on and create a project. Look at these projects based on ideas and determine where these ideas can really come together. Create some small project plans, reveiew, refine and decide if they should be implemented and presented for inclusion with company parojects.
This is a typical day for me. – In addition, I help out with client calls, manage day to day issues, attend meetings, review company financials and continue to work at completing the daily to-do list.
SUMMARY
My point here is that in order to be effective, you need to be a leader and take control of your own marketing initiatives. There isn’t a magic pill or do-it-all software package that will take care of your marketing needs. The choice is up to you and you literally make that choice everyday you come to work. So stop reading and start creating. Make something happen today. Learn from your mistakes, when stuck on a particular part of your marketing plan, get advice from others at your workplace, through your contacts and online if you still aren’t satisfied. You have lots of resources to work with.
photo credit: onkel_wart (thomas lieser) via photopin cc
