One of the rules we've had for years in Sandler says, "There's no such thing as a good try." While that advice was initially intended for sales, it's actually a universal rule. So much so that even Yoda in Star Wars said, "Do or do not. There is no try."
It shouldn't be any surprise that it applies well to marketing.
When it comes to marketing tactics that you include in your marketing plan, there are two commitments we recommend making:
- How often will you do it? i.e., the frequency
- How long will you do it?
For example, if you're committing to posting on LinkedIn, first decide how often you will post. Will it be daily? A few times a week? Weekly? A few times a month? Decide how often you'll post, then stick to it.
Then how long will you do it before you reevaluate if it's working or needs adjustment? A month likely won't be long enough. Will you commit to three months? Six months? A year? Once you've committed, don't bail early. Stick with it!
Of course, your commitment doesn't mean you shouldn't tweak the how. And if the "how" changes in such a way that it means a lot more time or money invested, it may make sense to adjust the "how often" as well.
But in general, don't decrease or stop the tactic until you hit the timeframe you committed to. Then evaluate and see if it's fulfilling your original goal. Or if it isn't, but you've discovered an unexpected benefit, that's okay too.
The key is not to get scared or frustrated early on and quit. Adjust the "how" along the way, but stick with your commitment so you can make an informed decision, not an emotional one.
