Time Change?? ...Change your planning style

OK folks...we are two weeks away from the dreaded time change.  Sunday morning November 6th at 2:00 am, we go off Daylight Savings Time and back to "normal time."  We 'fall' back in time, so we gain an hour of sleep...one of the few redeeming qualities of the time change.

However, the Time Change also signals an important time for us all... planning for 2012.

Its time to look at things differently this year...and here are the TOP 3 changes you should make to your 2012 strategic marketing planning process:

1. Make is scalable-- start with each region/business line/office and scale your marketing plan from that common denominator forward to the entire organization. Start local, targeted and one-to-one and grow into an organizational support plan.
2. Bring in the customer voice-- whether it is focus groups, research, or simple branch intercepts, bring in the voice of the customer...what they want, the challenges they face, and the help they need from your organization!
3. Be 3-dimensional-- in EVERY aspect of your planning, PLAN for reaching your target customer from three different angles; see, hear and touch...electronic, print and personal...in person, in the mail and over the Internet...whatever 3-dimensional means to you...make it happen EVERY time this year!

 Looking forward to 2012 is an exciting time and you should engage your entire organization in the communicating and sharing of ideas.  Just remember, there is a difference between asking for input and asking for decisions...you still need to make the decisions!

Cheers!

Bruce