I’ve always thought of Marketing Plans and Strategic Plans as very different. One is for nonprofits and the other, well, they are for the rest of us. That is, until recently. When it comes to implementation you won’t here these words cross my lips, but when it comes to a plan you most certainly will….
quick & dirty.
OK, I’ll admit…it’s a little abrasive but I’ve been thinking about this phrase for years as I realized more and more that plans don’t have to contain more than 20 pages to be good. Heck, they don’t have to be more than two in some cases. It wasn’t until I got totally comfortable with my ability to develop a plan, that I thought more was more. In recent years, I realized for both marketing plans and strategic plans, less is often way, way more!
The Problem With Big Plans….
1-They Often Disappoint
(It is why I always hated New Years Eve)! More important than making big plans, is making flexible and authentic plans. Don’t plan five years in advance and don’t do it down to the dollar. It doesn’t make sense. Instead think big and most importantly…think deeply about who you are and empower the team to make it happen!
2-Out of sight, Out of mind.
Let’s face it, no one wants to read a 100-page report. It makes your eyes hurt. Those kind of documents go straight into a very deep drawer or if you aren’t a pack rat like me, file 13. Think about the kind of plan that someone could leave on their desk and refer to daily. A very smart friend of mine just told me her nonprofit did this and I love, love, love this idea!
3-Assemble a Varied (& Helpful) Team.
The idea of developing a strategic plan with a room full of old white men is hysterical to me (and not in a good way). You need a few of those but do your organization a favor and mix it up. Women, gen x-ers, creatives, number crunchers, it’s all fair game. And not just to fill a quota! You never know where your best idea will come from!
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