It's not the plan that counts, it's planning that counts!

I once had a professor in graduate school who was very fond of the phrase, “It’s not the plan that counts, it’s planning that counts”.

His point was that the most important part of any plan is the planning process itself. A good strategist is smart enough to understand that plans may require adjustments. If you develop what appears to be a sound plan, and then discover that it isn’t working, do you stick with it or do you consider other options? I think most would argue that making adjustments would be both prudent and logical. This isn’t to say that sticking with a foundering strategy may not ultimately result in success. Sometimes a strategy takes time to build, and requires early losses before generating results. However, failing to even consider change is neither strategic nor wise. It’s a sign of arrogance and stubbornness.

Having to adjust your plan doesn’t mean you’re wrong or that you’ve failed. It means you’re learning and adapting. A good strategist is constantly scanning the environment, gathering data and evaluating alternatives. This applies to almost any type of planning:  military, sports, personal finance, or of course business.

A good business plan is developed based on the information that you have at the time the plan is created.  In a dynamic business environment, knowledge that you glean today, may be obsolete tomorrow. A smart business will constantly be scanning and observing its surroundings, while reviewing and evaluating its strategic plan, then making the appropriate adjustments to help ensure the business succeeds.

How often do you review your strategic plan?

Changes to your Marketing Plan: Are you Prepared?

"Always be prepared"! Isn’t that the Boy Scout motto?

It should also be the motto of good marketing professionals!

Because variables that impact consumer spending tend to change so frequently (especially in today’s volatile economy), and the number of channels for reaching consumers is growing daily; a good marketer is one that is always prepared, and flexible enough to make quick adjustments to his/her marketing plans.

What is your back up plan? How flexible are you when it comes to evaluating and changing your marketing plan? How often do you conduct environmental scans, read the latest news on marketing and consumer trends, the economy or legislation that may impact your business? How frequently do you refer to your marketing research and/or conduct market research?

Do you have to jump through hoops or seek approval from multiple departments before changing direction? If so, how can you streamline the process while keeping all necessary departments informed and involved?

I once had a professor in graduate school who was fond of saying, “It’s the planning that counts, not the plan”. While certainly the plan is important, he was simply trying to emphasize the significance of adaptability. You need to understand that planning never stops. Just because you’ve submitted a marketing plan three or four months before the start of your fiscal year, doesn’t mean that your plan isn’t going to change, or that it SHOULDN’T change over the course of the year. Malleability is a strong attribute in business and definitely in marketing.

I’ve been dealing with several instances lately that require changes to my marketing plans. Those changes will ultimately better serve our organizational needs and stakeholders.

Would it be problematic if I didn’t make these changes? Actually, yes, it would. Because what was originally a round peg designed for a round hole nine months ago, has suddenly become a square peg. Why try to force a square peg into a round hole simply because it’s the peg I originally chose? Going back to the box to get a round peg will require a little extra effort, but that effort will ultimately produce better results, making my life a lot easier.

You get it? I hope so; because you need to.