A few years ago, one of the biggest keyword searched for, and used, on resumes was “multi-tasker” or some variation thereof. I even recall seeing job positions titled something of the like, regardless of the type of job (ie. Marketing Multi-tasker or Accounting Multi-task Star). The trouble is, multi-tasking with your Marketing turns out to be a detriment to your long-term plan.
At the time, it was considered a great benefit to the company for an employee to be able to do 2-3 things ‘at once’. While it may include something typically needed or necessary, like taking notes while on a call or in a meeting, it had expanded at some point to mean one person doing as many as 5 major projects at once. Not to mention the daily regular tasks and the fires that come up.
The ultimate downfall of this mentality brings us to today, where we have realized – and studies have been performed – that we need to take a step back and see that multiple projects at once can often be subjected to lacking results.
What is Marketing Multi-Tasking?
If you’ve ever started from scratch with a marketing plan, this may sound all too familiar.
You:
- Create and define your marketing plan outline
- Get excited and begin implementing it all right away
- Get overwhelmed trying to implement, track, and improve upon 15 different goals
- Soon realize you can’t do the entire plan at once!
More often than not, this is the unfortunate reality.
While there are many things you and your company may truly need and/or want to do, prioritizing is a major key to its success. Determine the top 3-5 things that should be started first (with prioritization). These will start your foundation to continue through your checklist of tasks.
Single-Tasking Is The New Multi-Tasking
Research now shows that multi-tasking is actually harmful to productivity and the bottom line. Distractions are all around us from minute to minute; Emails, calls, walk-ins, texts, etc.
Providing yourself the opportunity to stay focused is much more efficient because you’re not constantly switching your mental track back and forth. Overloading your system (both internal and mechanical) means not everything is going to turn out the way you’d hoped.
This applies to your marketing plan as well. When you focus on one item or topic at a time within your long-term goals, you’re able to see more clearly what is working or not. You’re able to adjust them as needed instead of working on implementing all of those other new tasks at the same time.
Too often we allow the big projects to be done in pieces (by the same person or by multiple), but it ends up dividing resources, becoming unmanageable and inefficient. Allowing yourself to complete one task or goal at a time will end up using efficiency on both the creation and implementation side.
How Would That Work Exactly?
Let’s say you’re tasked with implementing a new Marketing strategy. The strategy seemingly includes every aspect under the sun, so where do you start?!
Pro Tip: Start with what your company’s mission and values represent.
If your company’s mission is to help people with your coaching services, research the best way to reach your target audience and which piece of your marketing fits best with them. Instead of trying to do everything at once and having the plan get out of control, focus your efforts here first.
It may also help greatly to categorize the goal of each aspect of the plan – ie. sales, community, charity, etc. If there is only one focal point, monetize then categorize each task within the plan and start with the largest ROI.
In short, if you don’t stray from what your company was created for, then you and your employees will always have a way to make decisions that benefit everyone.
Feel free to contact me for a consultation!