Sawing Wood

I recently visited a neighbor to see the results of a major remodeling project he had been working on for quite some time. With the economy being what it is, he had taken on most of the work himself. Luckily, he grew up in a family of carpenters and was pretty skilled. As I toured the addition, he said that he always followed his father’s advice:  “Measure twice, cut once.”

Now, I have no DIY skills to speak of. But I had heard this proverb before and thought it interesting that it could apply to so much more than carpentry.  What could this piece of popular wisdom mean to modern day marketing?

It’s basically a reminder to take the time upfront to plan and prepare before taking action in order to avoid potential problems later.

Even after 20 years in the marketing industry, it still surprises me how many businesses, large and small, operate without a business or marketing plan. Many of these companies have significant budgets and robust marketing activity, but without a plan these efforts can be disjointed tactics seldom based on achieving concrete objectives.

A strategic, concise and actionable marketing plan is imperative for any type of business and should include all the different types of activities a business may be considering – be it social, public relations, online, relationship-building, traditional advertising, etc.  A written plan doesn’t have to be a tome, yet it should be more than an Excel spreadsheet with budget figures.

At Responsory, we believe in developing strategic plans to effectively guide integrated, measurable marketing efforts.  And, we’ve counseled many of our clients through these critical planning efforts. Contact us to learn how we can help you to “measure twice and cut once.”