How many corporate marketing plans are created each year using cut and paste? That is, how many marketing directors open the Excel chart from last year, copy all fields and pasted them into a new worksheet as way to start their budgeting and planning process? Far, far too many.
Some budget line items will stay the same, others will increase to meet inflation or some corporate dictate, while others are cut. Likely as not, the line items will remain the same year to year. (As will the calculation formulas.) It’s just easier that way.
Too much of marketing is cut and paste these days. The objectives, the strategies, and the tactical line items. Few companies want to reinvest in the marketing planning process. And it’s a mistake. Marketing plans should be revisited in earnest every year. Their depths thoroughly plumbed. Their objectives parsed and reparsed. Strategies discussed and vetted.
New “to task” budgets should be prepared and weighed. And for that to happen there must be serious, accurate and achievable objectives.
Just say no to cut and paste marketing plans. Marketing plans are the blood, bone and sinew of proper profit.
Peace.
