In the ever-busy world of marketing, it is possible to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work and resources we interact with. Without a planned marketing schedule, there are chances that marketing strategies may fail. Running effective marketing campaigns requires a planned and consistent approach to help maximize time and marketing ROI. With a well-planned marketing calendar, you will have a clear template to followup on your marketing strategies and goals. We consider how to plan your marketing calendar 2021 for successful campaigns.
Why You Should Use a Marketing Calendar?
Having a marketing calendar shows your team how you intend to implement your marketing strategies. It highlights deadlines and keeps the marketing team focused on the objectives of each campaign. Just as people who plan their lives and write their goals are more likely to succeed, the same goes for the marketer. A marketing calendar ensures that everyone involved knows exactly what to do and when to deliver on specific marketing tasks. Ultimately, a marketing calendar will help you improve your brand image and attract more customers to your business.
7 Steps to Make an Effective Marketing Calendar for Business Success
Use the tips below to guide you when planning your marketing calendar.
1. Know your customers
Your major aim is to attract the right audience for your business and convert them to customers. You need to know what they need, where to find them, and how to get their attention. You also need to find out when it is the best time to reach them. For example, if you offering school bags to students, you want to make more campaigns a few weeks before school resumes. No matter what you sell, there are times when campaigns are more effective for that stuff you sell. For instance, market video games to students during school breaks. If you are targeting employed adults, wait until weekends and major breaks before dropping marketing campaigns.
2. Identify and delegate marketing tasks
Your marketing team should include people who have specific talents and competencies required to make your marketing strategies work. Your team should include:
- Web content writer
- SEO specialist
- Web producer
- Email marketing coordinator
- Social media manager
- Marketing analyst
- Product manager
Each job description has specific roles to play in your marketing plan. To keep all the parts moving in the desired direction, create a schedule for each person on the team for each month. The marketing calendar will show which tasks your team will work on for each month in the year.
3. Determine calendar template, content quantity, and frequency
Depending on how explicit you want intended tasks to look to your team, there are many marketing calendar templates to choose from. You can get some online or download project management software like Trello.
Determine which media channels you will use for marketing and how often. Take note of weekly marketing campaigns you intend to run via:
- Social media posts
- Blog posts/articles
- Podcasts
- Videos
Make sure the team sticks to the number of content weekly. Once you breakdown monthly tasks into weekly deliverables in your calendar, it will be easier for the team to stay focused as they work through the year.
4. Find marketing calendar themes
Market calendar themes can revolve around seasons. For example, a toy dropshipping business is more inclined to use holiday seasons as marketing calendar themes. Some other niches may use specific opportunities or constraints as major marketing themes. Get your team together to brainstorm ideas concerning these themes so you can produce topics that are relevant to your business. Have a spreadsheet where you can keep all the topics that come to minds so you can work on them later.
5. Organize a marketing calendar backlog
Use contents from your spreadsheet to arrange contents and marketing goals in a progressive manner. Arrange tasks in order of priority and sequence. The backlog helps give a rough draft of what is to be contained in the marketing calendar. Ask your team to go through the backlog so necessary adjustments can be made.
6. Create a marketing calendar
Drawing from the final draft of the marketing backlog, including all the items listed. Use a capable calendar software such as Google Calendar or Trello. Indicate who is responsible for each task and ensure there is room for weekly feedback on projects. Share the calendar with team members and make sure everyone is clear about what is expected of them on weekly basis.
7. Update your marketing calendar
As you work through the week, some ideas may come up or new trends may emerge that need to be immediately captured in your marketing calendar. Be flexible enough to adjust the marketing calendar to accommodate important modifications. Make sure all members of the team are aware when changes are to be made in the calendar. This will help you carry everyone along as you work towards achieving your marketing goals.
A Basic Marketing Calendar Template: Important Dates to Know
Most calendar software indicates national holidays and some important dates. However, you may use the template below to get an idea of marketing tasks that may be suitable for each month.
Marketing Calendar 2021
January Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
1st - New Year Day
6th - National Shortbread Day
19th - International Popcorn Day
27th - Chocolate Cake Day
February Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
5th - World Nutella Day
14th - Valentine's Day
20th - Pet's Day
March Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
4th - World Book Day
8th - International Women's Day
14th - Mother's Day
25th - International Waffle Day
April Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
1st - April Fool's Day
2nd Week - Easter
19th - Bicycle Day
22nd - Earth Day
May Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
3rd - May Day
13th - World Cocktail Day
17th - World Baking Day
31st - Spring Bank Holiday
June Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
1st - World Parent's Day
21st - International Yoga Day
28th - Wimbledon Begins
July Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
4th to 5th - American Independence Day
7th - World Chocolate Day
17th - World Emoji Day
August Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
6th - International Beer Day
19th - World Photo Day
September Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
5th - Back to School Day
6th - World Guacamole Day
27th - World Tourism Day
October Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
Oct. 1st, 2021 - International Coffee Day and World Vegetarian Day
10th - World Mental Health Day
16th - World Food Day
November Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
1st - World Vegan Day
26th - Black Friday
December Calendar for Marketing Campaigns
25th - Christmas Day
26th - Boxing Day
31st - New Year's Eve
Call to Action
Get your content marketing calendar ready for the new year 2021. There are many templates to choose from when you search online. With an organized social media marketing calendar, you will attract more customers in the new year.
