I’m organizationally challenged. One of the biggest problems I had early in my work-at-home life was keeping all my marketing strategies organized and working. I’d write an article, post it, and then be done. I may not write another article for months even though article marketing was part of my promotional strategy. The same thing would happen with my blogs and press releases.
The problem with haphazard marketing is that it doesn’t work. The trick that has helped me is a marketing calendar. On it I have all my marketing strategies outlined and the weeks/days I that I implement them. I even have spaces to put the topic or other special information I need for that day. For example, on the “Blog for Sparkplugging WAHM 2.0″ today I have “Marketing Calendar”.
My marketing strategies include articles, press releases, blogging, newsletters, and social networking. But I don’t do everything every day. On one blog I post jobs every weekday and additional posts 3 times a week related to news, scams, or ideas. My other blogs I post 2-3 times a week, usually on different days so I’m not writing 3-5 posts in one day.
I alternate articles and press releases by week. During the week, I spread out the work so that one day I’m researching, another day I’m writing a draft and the final day I’m tweaking and submitting it.
I have used an actual calendar in the past, but today I use weekly sheet in a plastic cover so I can use a dry erase pen to write on it. I not only have my marketing work, but my regular work as well as my house work. Taking a cue from the Fly Lady, I have my weeks divided into “zones” for work at well as home, so week one of the month is article marketing, week two is press release, etc. For example, this is week 4 so its an article week. I also have some things I do everyday such as post jobs on my blog. And then there are some tasks that are done just a couple times a week such as writing a blog post for WAHM 2.0.
Each day I have written all the activities for that day of the week. For example Monday is grocery day and posting on my life on the web blog, as well as any daily activities such as posting jobs on my blog. Tuesday is laundry day as well as blogging for WAHM 2.0. Each week I go through the upcoming week and write down ideas and resources for each day’s activities. Along side all the regular activities that are scheduled I also have blank lines for my to-do list so everything I need to do for work and home is all on one page for the week.
Having a marketing calendar has insured that I keep the promotion up while also completing the other work I need to do. It helps me pace the work throughout the week and month. And it keeps me organized so each time I sit down to work on marketing, I know exactly what I’m doing.
This is a great idea. Too often I find myself sitting down for hours, then realizing I’ve accomplished very little. Writing down my marketing plans for the day would definitely help me to stay on task.
Lisa @ Work at Home Mom Revolutions last blog post..Work from Home Call Monitoring Supervisor for Consulting Firm
That’s an awesome idea. I’ve tried pretty much everything BUT that. Time to whip out my dry erase marker I guess.
This really appeals to my internal organizer. I actually have a plan to do something like this for my life…right down to calendar reminders every six months to make dentist appointments. I love it!
lornadoones last blog post..Feeling Productive? Not Anymore!
This is a great idea. I recently started an editorial calendar for my blog to keep me from sitting around saying “I know I should be doing something, but what?”
Cindy Bidars last blog post..Should I Monetize My Blog?
I do this too! I sat down and wrote out an entire schedule of all the business things I need to do. Started with the year, and worked it back to monthly, weekly and daily. I know everything is going to get done, and it lets me relax and work with a purpose.
Brandie, The Home Office Organizers last blog post..Filter the Noise on Twitter
I definitely need to do a calendar. I haven’t sent out an email newsletter in months. The more I schedule, the less often I will be “stuck”.
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