The 12-Week Marketing Plan

If a financial advisory firm creates a marketing plan, it’s usually done on an annual basis. The problem with an annual plan is that it tends to be objective-based (e.g., implement a client referral program) instead of action-based (e.g., ask 10 clients for a referral). It’s also easy to procrastinate with an annual plan because you have months to complete your objectives. The result is that you rarely accomplish what you aimed for.

Instead of developing an annual marketing plan, consider a quarterly plan as described by Brian Moran in the book The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months.

By developing a quarterly marketing plan, you are more likely to complete the action items you commit to, you can more easily adapt your strategy as opportunities arise, and you are more likely to hit your goals.