January 29, 2020
Let’s face it, from QR codes and Vines to automated chat bots and voice skills, marketers often can’t help but be tempted by the latest shiny objects. But more often than not, this can distract us from our original communication and marketing plans. And when we get distracted, everything else ends up on the back-burner. Next thing you know, it’s Q3 and we’re left with a half-baked experiment and a marketing plan that’s in flames.
Of course, it’s natural to be curious about the latest and greatest innovations out there. It’s inherent in our way of life.
So how do you keep up with everything new, while staying true to your original plans? By always maintaining two tracks.
Track one: Whatever marketing plan you and your team crafted for the year ahead, stick with it. Execute it on time and continuously monitor and track its activity.
Track two: This is where you can allocate specific resources and time dedicated to innovation and experimentation. The more focused you can keep this trial and error, the better. Whether it’s a voice skill, an AI-enabled chat bot or a Charmin-inspired robot, pick that shiny object you think could best benefit your organization and start playing around.
The beauty of track two is you can continuously test and experiment, conduct beta and user testing and prove that it really works before implementing it. Once you’re confident, it becomes much easier to integrate it into your existing plan and scale it across your organization. It also ensures your team has an opportunity to stay up to speed with what’s happening in the world so you don’t fall behind.
There’s nothing wrong with getting excited about a new fad or tool or social platform – what’s wrong is when we focus all our energy on that one thing and lose sight of the bigger picture.