The Simple Calendar That Changed How I Market My Business

 Marketing has changed tremendously during my years of owning businesses. There was a time when I could make a purse, take it to a show, sell it, come home, and make another one. Now we're thinking about emails, videos, social media, websites, launches, photography, text messages, ads, and a whole lot more. And if we aren't careful, marketing can become the thing we're thinking about at the dinner table because tomorrow morning we still don't know what we're supposed to post. I don't want that for you—or for me. Over the years, I've built a system that allows me to see what's coming before it becomes urgent. I call it my Marketing Promotions Calendar. The important thing is that I don't want you to copy my exact calendar. I couldn't possibly account for every industry, service, product, customer, or business model listening to this podcast. Instead, I want you to take the framework and build a version that fits your business and your life. The goal is simple: Decide where you're going before you start creating the marketing that gets you there. In This Episode We Cover: 1. Start With the Biggest View: Your Year Before you decide what you're posting Tuesday, zoom way out. Ask: What does my business year naturally look like? Look for the marketing moments you already know exist. For my product business, that includes things like: • holidays • product launches • seasonal collections • shows and events • sales • product-of-the-month promotions • seasons when customers naturally shop more But yours might include: • enrollment periods • appointment-heavy seasons • conferences or workshops • client renewals • annual events • seasonal services • packages or launches And remember: you do not need something happening every month. Build your calendar around your actual business and actual customer—not what somebody on Instagram says a business owner is “supposed” to be doing. 2. Zoom Into the Next 90 Days Once you can see your year, narrow your focus. Ask: What do I want my customer to know about, buy, book, join, or do during the next 90 days? Then choose approximately three to five things that actually matter. Maybe you're promoting: • a product • a service • an event • a seasonal offer • an educational topic • an enrollment period • a special package Those become the backbone of your marketing. You don't have to have the entire year perfectly mapped down to every Instagram caption. You're simply deciding what matters before you start communicating about it. 3. Figure Out Your REAL Lead Time And I mean real. Not how quickly your ambitious little heart thinks you could pull it off. Ask: How long does it actually take us to get this ready to sell, launch, book, or promote well? I used to plan about two weeks ahead. Then I moved to a month. Then 90 days. Today, we plan considerably farther ahead, while much of the actual production work for a product launch begins roughly eight to nine weeks before the launch. Your answer could be completely different. Maybe you need: • two weeks • four weeks • eight weeks • three months The point isn't the number. The point is knowing your number. Then put your launch date on the calendar and work backward. 4. Separate Preparation From Promotion These are not the same thing. My MPC essentially has two calendars living together: Preparation + Production What has to happen behind the scenes before this is ready? Promotion How are we going to tell people about it? For me, preparation might include product design, materials, production, photography, website setup, pricing, inventory, and COGS. For your business, preparation might mean: • creating the proposal • opening appointment slots • preparing the workshop • building a landing page • creating client materials • training employees • ordering supplies Then comes promotion: • email • social media • podcast • text • ads • live video • partnerships • collaborations • in-person events These two calendars have to talk to each other. 5. Give Each Season a Job Now ask a slightly different question: What is my customer thinking about during this season? Notice that's different from: What do I want to sell her? If my customer is entering September thinking about schedules, routines, organization, and getting everyone back into a rhythm, I can think about how what I'm selling serves her in that season. The same thing applies to services, coaching, appointments, education, and almost any other industry. Don't just ask: “What do I want to promote?” Ask: “What is happening in my customer's life when I promote it?” 6. THEN Plan the Communication Only now are we getting down to: “What email should I send?” “What should I post?” “What video should I make?” Because now those decisions aren't random. Ask: If t...