Three ways to work with a small 2014 marketing budget
by. Brady Sahnow
Does this sound familiar?
Board: “Social Media and young adults are a strategic initiative this year.”
You: “Awesome! Our whole team will be excited to work on that and I think it will be great for the health and growth of the organization.”
Board: “I’m glad you are excited about it. Unfortunately, your budget will be reduced by 15% and the new initiative will be included with all of your existing programs. Good luck!”
You: “Oh, right…”
Having budgets slashed in marketing and business development departments are not new occurrences, especially in the last five years. Even though expectations for product and member growth increase, budgets don’t seem to follow suit.
So there you are, staring down your strategic plan for 2014, with your new allotment of dollars, wondering how you are going to get even half of what you want done. Here are a couple of suggestions that may help you get the most bang for your buck:
Identify ONE key story and stick with it
During your planning process, determine the ONE story that you would like every person in that target group to take away. Identifying this up front will keep three of those most important P’s (product, placement, promotion) concise and on target throughout the year. Delivering a single, consistent and memorable message is the best way to keep your dollars on point and track your progress.