A rubber duck. Français : Un canard en plastique de couleur jaune. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Success is rarely random. A poorly organized marketing plan rarely leads to a successful conclusion. It's better to be organized with a meticulous approach to avoid wasting time and money. In other words it's a good idea to get all of your ducks in a row as the saying goes.
Baby ducks naturally fall into line behind mama duck whereas the elements of a marketing strategy are not so compliant. It's up to you to get everything lined up and organized properly. If you have someone helping you out that's great, but it's not like that for most of us. And no matter what the case your projects are your babies to look after when all is said and done.
Good strategy requires doing some research. Find out if there is a need or a want for your product and where that market is. Look for the best ways of reaching that market. Set up a goal and the milestones that will mark your way to reaching that goal. Study the formulas devised by marketing gurus and see what has worked and what has not worked for others.
As you progress in your line of strategy, mark off each step and examine to see if you are on track with the desired outcomes. If something is not working figure out the best way to make it work or come up with a new plan that will work better. Be flexible but also have discipline.
Some of the traits that you will want to hone for yourself are consistency, sincerity, honesty, and credibility. In the long run your reputation will be shaped by these characteristics. When you can count on yourself, others will feel better about counting on you as well.
Here are my recommendations for the letter G:
Geoff Maritz is a blogger whom I feel like I've known for a long time. At Geoff's Blogs he's posting about his home continent Africa during the A to Z Challenge.
Gregg at Gospel-Driven Disciples is someone who provides some intensely thoughtful Bible study, but also knows how to have a good time when he lightens the mood on his blog. Gregg has been another long-time friend to me.
Then finally there's Glen at Glen's Blog Spot. He's not in the Challenge this year and doesn't post as much as he used to, but he's got a lot going on in his life these days and I enjoy it when he does post something.
Here are some links from some marketing experts:
http://www.marketingminds.com.au/features/gurus.html
http://bradburnie.com/make-money-online/internet-marketing-gurus.php
seth godin http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/
I've been thinking about this sort of thing a lot lately. It's usually the furthest thing from my mind(often intentionally), but I recognize that it's something I need to focus on if I want to meet my goals.
ReplyDeleteNice post, Arlee!
J.W. Alden
Being organised is a must if you want everything done on time.
ReplyDeleteThat's why my A to Z was done months ago.
Yvonne.
Helpful stuff here and the challenge, I am just getting my book out next week and I am going to use all the elements you are posting...
ReplyDeleteGood Stuff... to the challenge "G" is for Genuine!
Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]
A to Z Co-Host
IZOMBIE: Visit the Madness
Great post and very well written. Some outstanding advice. Also, thanks for the mention, to too kind. Lv ya brother! Thanks for all your hard work on this challene.
ReplyDeleteGeeting duck is a row is so important
ReplyDeleteI think you are my team leader
This is a fun challenge so much variety
here is my link
http://www.astringofpearls.org/a-z-in-26-days/
The google login is out of date
"Organized"!? Dang. I knew I was missing something.
ReplyDeleteGreat post about marketing! Marketing and events is my profession and last night I spent two hours organizing my social media marketing plan for the next 4 weeks for 8 of my clients! I'd be a mess if I didn't! Really enjoying the challenge this month!!
ReplyDeleteThis is simpler to do than it is to maintain. If I thought it would help I'd put up signs that say, "Don't Kick the Ducks."
ReplyDeleteLike you said though, you have to be flexible.
Ducks in a row. Definitely. My problem is follow through. I have great ideas and start organizing everything, but then...it never comes to fruition...I must persevere! I'm so gonna check out your "G" blog recommendations.
ReplyDeleteSo true. Ducks in a row are why I make my lists.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
Good stuff here, Lee. I'm scratching my head as I reflect on the valuable tips you have brought up.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. And a Happy Easter!
Doris
I think a mistake I made at the beginning was not doing enough research in my area to see what others were doing. It was a learning curve :)
ReplyDeleteJamie
Fellow A-Z bloggy buddy
Mithril Wisdom
Great links!
ReplyDeleteCrap, I need ducks????
ReplyDeleteSome things are hard to measure. Just have to hope for the best.
Recommending other bloggers has really caught on - I've seen quite a few others doing it now.
Ducks in a row, got it. Will try to check out the bloggers you highlighted as well.
ReplyDeleteOne week done, week two coming up on the Challenge. It sure keeps us in shape mentally to do a blogging marathon.
Organizing is a big job but it is also a necessary one. You have to keep plugging away at it.
ReplyDeleteHere's to those ducks. Thanks for the links to marketing experts. They are greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteI've started using lists to organize myself more. Soon I'll need a list of my lists.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate how you lay your lessons out succinctly with the main points in place. . . it would be easy for a lot of people to ramble with such subjects as you choose.
ReplyDeleteI wrote an anecdote today about almost giving away my dear friend, a goldendoodle before thinking better of it. I would love it if you gave me some feedback about who you think my target audience should be.
Marketing is the hardest thing but you seem to have a grasp on it. Good going!
ReplyDeleteGood advice well written. Thank you for the links too..
ReplyDeleteResearch really is the key .. to so many parts of life! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post man, I'm seriously learning a good lot from these business related posts.
ReplyDeletelove that you recommended other blogs
ReplyDeleteGreat post with some good food for thought on marketing. Love that you have links to other bloggers and am heading to visit them next. Thanks for the good thoughts and the good leads on other bloggers to visit.
ReplyDeleteIt's my fave saying, "getting my ducks in a row," but oh so hard to do sometimes. A must though in writing. Thanks for the advice.
ReplyDeletedreamweaver
Yep, you're spot on with your advice. For me, organization is key. I use a template from Google to get my act together.
ReplyDeleteJolie du Pre
Precious Monsters
Lee, some of my ducks are wandering off during the Challenge. My advance posts are dwindling so time this weekend for a little ducky huddle and getting back on track! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed. :0)
ReplyDeleteI love marketing, but find marketing me is tough~ Great G list and links!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I'm in the midst of marketing my first novel and have gone at it in a very organized fashion, but it is still a bit daunting. Thanks for all the good suggestions. http://1000wrongs.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteOrganization is something I struggle with all the time...so does my son.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Joanne
Great advice, Lee!
ReplyDeleteCute duck!
Really have enjoyed your A-G, Lee! Great work! Looking forward to - H-M!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a very productive, fun, relaxing weekend!!
Great tips. I think Marketing is key too. Loving this A-Z Challenge - thank you for all your effort getting it to be so huge and excellent now. New follower.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice recommendations for G-Day!
ReplyDeleteI’m stopping in as an A to Z blogger. I invite you to visit my blogs, leaving a link to your own post, so my readers can find you too!
All on Blogspot.com and all in the A to Z Challenge:
Heart of a Ready Writer – Bible &Devotional
Meme Express – Daily Blog Prompts (A to Z)
Nickers and Ink – Featuring favorite classic poems from A to Z
Practically at Home – See what fellow writers are cited – with article links!
The Mane Point –Pprofiling special horses from A to Z
Working in Words – Writing How-to’s
Simply Snickers is not posting daily in the A to Z Challenge, but you are invited to comment with your A to Z/NaPoWriMo poetry links!
Click my name/icon for links to all these blogs! Happy A-to-Z!
Good information and thanks for posting the links to marketing experts.
ReplyDeleteI always have the best intentions for getting my ducks in a row and planning things out, but I'm more than a bit slack with the execution. The A to Z challenge is a perfect example: I got out a calendar, planned what I was going to write about for each letter... and then spent A LOT of time talking about how I really needed to start writing the posts. And now here I am scrambling each night to get them written for the next day. I think I do it to myself because I like the rush from looming deadlines. But it is something I'm always working toward improving.
ReplyDeleteWishing you continued success with the A to Z challenge,
Jocelyn
Thanks for an interesting & useful post :)
ReplyDeleteOh the rubber ducky is so cute
ReplyDeleteand of course nice and informative post for G
Hello Lee.
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say? Thank you for your kind words and recommendation.
Your post brings up a few very important points, staying focused on what you are trying to achieve is probably the most important one. It is so easy to become bogged down in all the other aspects of marketing that we sometimes lose focus, and in the process lose our ducks.
When ducks are walking in a row, it's a lot easier to count them and know what you are dealing with. Farmers count their animals to keep track of what is going on, I do it automatically.
Blessings and once again, Thanks, Geoff Maritz.