A marketing calendar is a document that defines the dates on which promotional projects will be implemented. These initiatives should first be summarized in an annual marketing plan, and then added to the daily, weekly, monthly or seasonal schedule. The agenda is particularly effective for marketing actions planned for the holidays. Thinking and planning in advance are two actions that guarantee you a precise result: the advertisements will be perfectly punctual, in fact they will come out just when people want to buy gifts or certain products. Most of these documents are used by the entire marketing department, which helps create a shrewd and well-structured strategy. Find out how to make one.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Schedule Events on the Marketing Calendar
Step 1. Create an annual marketing plan
Most of the larger companies (but also many small companies) get together to define the promotional strategies that will be put in place during the year. While those tactics may change, the plan should affirm certain business intentions, such as how to communicate with customers, increase market share, and generate advertising content.
Step 2. Make a list of all your marketing strategies
While the marketing plan must go into detail regarding the more intrinsic aspects of the project, the list that precedes the preparation of the calendar should include dates and times regarding meetings, product or service launch projects and collection. of the results. For example, specify whether it is a weekly, seasonal or annual occurrence, in order to adequately inform the person in charge of the agenda.
Step 3. This list should include every aspect of the promotional project, such as mass emails, article publications, referral programs, affiliate marketing programs, blog posts, social network updates, pay-per-click advertisements, production of videos or podcasts, press kits, partnerships, events, trade shows, holiday promotions and printing of printed materials
Step 4. Make a list indicating who is responsible for each promotional project
You can choose more than one person per assignment. If you haven't assigned any pre-established tasks in your marketing plan, organize a meeting to determine who will plan, test, implement, and monitor the results of each work.
Step 5. Choose an employee who will oversee the marketing calendar
This person should create it and be responsible for adding or removing assignments in the future. The agenda manager should be organized and know how to deal with computers.
Method 2 of 2: Create Your Own Marketing Calendar
Step 1. Choose a suitable format for your marketing calendar
An inexpensive and easy-to-use solution is Google Calendar, an application available to subscribers to Gmail. It is located in the “Home & Office” section of Google. You can also choose Microsoft Outlook, an Excel document on a shared server, or another similar program.
It would be better to use a calendar app integrated with email. These programs send reminders days or weeks in advance of planned promotional initiatives
Step 2. Ask employees to open a Google email account if they don't already have one
It is not strictly necessary for them to use it, but they will need it to open received mail wherever they are.
Step 3. Ask the Marketing Calendar Manager to log into their account and find the Google Calendar app
Click on "My calendars" on the left.
Step 4. Click on “Create new calendar”
Title it “Business Name Marketing Calendar”.
Step 5. Add top marketing engagements based on the list
Choose a name, date and set reminders at least a week in advance to remind your chosen employees what events are planned. Invite guests by adding their emails to the right of the event creation page, and save it.
- The marketing calendar manager can develop a time-efficient process by adding events to the document. First, it should include meetings that repeat weekly and that many people attend. Instead of creating a single event for each date, you can check the “Repeat” box at the top of the event creation page. It should determine how often to repeat it, and it will automatically generate in the calendar.
- After that, regular assignments, such as mass e-mails, must be added. Many businesses send out emails once a month, around the same time. You need to add them regularly, scheduling them for the day they are usually sent. Reminders should be set up for team members to be notified well in advance so they can add this task to their to-do list.
- The holidays must then be added to the calendar. Later, in the agenda, you need to create events related to the promotions of each holiday. Most months include the start of a season, a national event, or a religious holiday, so the calendar needs to be reviewed month by month to make sure the business doesn't miss any opportunities.
- Afterward, continue to prepare the marketing list by adding all applicable promotional initiatives by week, month, season or year. It is necessary to invite the people who will take care of the work as guests.
- Finally, the creation of results and reports must be added to the marketing calendar. This will likely be discussed at weekly meetings, but it is essential to qualify marketing initiatives in light of business objectives. An analytical report needs to be planned that examines each promotional work.
Step 6. Attach important documents to the calendar
One of the most innovative and experimental features of Google Calendar is the inclusion and upload of attachments that are essential for the event.
Access the "Settings" of Google Calendar. Click on "Labs". Enable the inclusion of attachments to the list and calendar. Click on "Save" and then go back to the calendar
Step 7. Ask employees in the marketing department to review the calendar daily, weekly, or monthly
Establish this based on the actual work devoted to the events on the list. If everyone follows your instructions, you should be able to remember the most important promotional tasks to complete.
Advice
- Make sure that any events added to the main marketing calendar are public, not private. Individual employees can enter private commitments to help plan their work. In any case, it is essential that everyone refers to the entire calendar throughout the year.
- Google Calendar offers the possibility to divide the tasks by giving them precise colors. During marketing meetings, you can assign a color to different teams, strategies or employees. Next, pin each event so it has the right color.
- If you have a private marketing calendar that you would like to add to your main one, you can click on the “Other calendars” tab, located on the left. Next, click on "Import calendar". Google can read and import Apple iCal and CSV format files.
