I was talking with PR phenomenon Tom Crawford last week. As we casually discussed business practice and strategy, he dropped the phrase “fail to plan, plan to fail.”
As the day progressed, I continued to recognize the truth in this simple statement.
Of course, in rare instances failures end up becoming monumental successes. However, assuming you’re not the next Leaning Tower of Pisa, the following should be of some use.
Planning is one of the cornerstones of success, both on the micro and macro level. Any successful person will likely tell you that one of the first things they do to begin their day is jot down a quick list of tasks to accomplish, ideally in order of importance. One such example is our very own uber-planner Lisa Twenter, who knows this better than most. Planning out one’s day allows for better time management, efficiency and a way for the more absent-minded among us to stay on top of various projects.
While beginning a day with a game plan in mind often results in a more productive day, the same can be said for any business in the long term. With options for communicating brand messaging appearing left and right, it can be easy to get lost in the mix and begin firing blindly with a spread shot approach a la 90’s Schwarzenegger (excluding “Junior”). However, this equates to going through a day without having first established priorities and measurable goals. While it may seem as though much is being done, it is likely that a handful of important aspects are being neglected. As such, we here at M3 Group stress the value of assembling a research based, strategic communications plan before embarking on the all-important implementation phase.
For any marketing and communications plan to be successful, factors such as main goals, target audience, proper media mix, cost-effectiveness and more must be considered. For “maximum impact,” integration is a huge component. Reaching the target audience through a variety of their most used media increases the odds that the message will resonate and leave an impression, particularly in today’s era of constant clutter. Once these building blocks have been established, the fun part ensues. All that’s left to do is put the plan into action and watch the results speak for themselves.
For a free consultation on how your business can build a strong foundation for a high impact, integrated communications plan; contact me (sean@m3group.biz) or one of the many other capable members of M3 Group. Until then, Brand Forward.











