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Article's Content
Are you creating a marketing strategy for the year? Want to host a session with your team that sets you up for success as you go quarter after quarter executing your plan? Over the last 15 years, I’ve helped everyone from Fortune 500 companies to up-and-coming startups plan their marketing strategies. In this piece, I’m going to share with you the key components of a successful marketing planning session and the annual marketing meeting agenda that can be used to set you up for success.
Some of the key principles outlined in this agenda are rooted in organizational planning methodologies from programs like EOS and Traction. The marketing principles are rooted in the growth strategies of some of the most successful companies of the last 10 years and the strategies, levers, and growth channels they used to generate exponential growth.
The goal of all this?
To help you turn your marketing vision into a reality.
Let’s jump into it:
What Is a Marketing Vision?
Aligning on a marketing vision as a marketing team is paramount to ensuring cohesive and effective strategies that drive results.
A unified vision serves as the north star, guiding every campaign, content piece, and interaction with the target audience. Without this alignment, teams can become fragmented, with each member or subgroup working towards different objectives, leading to mixed messaging and an inefficient use of resources.
A shared vision ensures that every team member understands the larger goal, fostering collaboration, enhancing creativity, and ensuring that all efforts are channeled towards a common objective. It not only streamlines decision-making but also instills a sense of purpose and direction, vital for maintaining motivation and achieving long-term success.
Why People Are the Most Important Part of Marketing
Understanding the people and core functions within a marketing team is foundational to the success of any marketing endeavor. Each member of a marketing team brings unique skills, perspectives, and experiences that can greatly influence the direction and outcomes of campaigns.
Recognizing and leveraging these individual strengths ensures that the team operates at its highest potential. Furthermore, understanding core functions (ABM, Content, SEO, social media, Demand Gen, Product Marketing, etc.) is crucial because it provides clarity on roles, responsibilities, and the flow of processes. An annual review ensures that the team’s structure and functions remain relevant and optimized for the current environment.
The Importance of Customer Feedback
Feedback from customers and the sales team is invaluable for marketing teams as they craft their strategies and plans. On the one hand, customers, being the end users of a product or service, offer direct insights into what resonates, what needs improvement, and where there might be gaps in the market. Their feedback provides a real-world litmus test for marketing initiatives, ensuring that campaigns are not only creative but also effective and relevant.
On the other hand, the sales team, which operates at the frontline of business operations, possesses a unique understanding of customer behaviors, objections, and needs. Their insights can highlight potential opportunities or challenges that might not be immediately evident to the marketing team.
How to Facilitate an Annual Marketing Planning Session
Focus on these eight components as you get ready to host an annual marketing planning session:
1. Pre-Meeting Preparation
You have to do a bit of work prior to the actual meeting to make it successful. Here are a few key things to consider and implement before hosting your planning meeting:
1.1. Set a date at least two months in advance to ensure maximum attendance.
1.2. Book a suitable venue, ensuring it’s equipped with the necessary technology (projectors, microphones, etc.).
1.3. Send out calendar invites with the date, time, venue, and a brief overview of the meeting’s objectives.
1.4. Assign a team to prepare presentation materials for each agenda item.
1.5. Collect preliminary data, feedback, or reports that will be discussed during the meeting.
1.6. Send out the finalized agenda to all participants at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
2. Meeting Kick-Off
Once the meeting starts, you need to kick things off with a few ground rules and details.
2.1. Begin with a brief welcome note, reiterating the importance of the meeting.
2.2. Provide an overview of the day’s schedule.
2.3. Set ground rules for the meeting (e.g., one speaker at a time, respect all opinions, etc.).
3. Facilitating Agenda Items
The bulk of the session will be facilitated by you or a marketing consultant who specializes in these types of activities.
3.1. Start with the Vision Component. Allow the presenter to lead, but ensure discussions stay on track.
3.2. Allocate specific time slots for each component and stick to them. If discussions go over time, note the topic and move it to an “open discussion” slot at the end.
3.3. Encourage participation from all team members, ensuring diverse perspectives are heard.
3.4. Document key decisions, action items, and responsibilities for each agenda point.
4. Breaks and Networking
Keep everyone fresh by having breaks throughout the day for social time and refreshments.
4.1. Ensure timely breaks to keep the team refreshed.
4.2. Encourage team members to network and discuss informally during breaks, fostering team cohesion and cross-functional collaboration.
5. Feedback Collection
Keep important notes and documentation happening throughout the session.
5.1. After discussing the Feedback Loop, Create feedback forms or conduct a live feedback session using tools like Mentimeter or Miro.
5.2. Ensure feedback is specific, actionable, and related to marketing efforts.
6. Collaboration with Sales
Engage members of your team outside of just the marketing department for better insights into the customers’ struggles and pains.
6.1. Invite key members from the sales team to provide insights and feedback.
6.2. Facilitate a joint discussion between marketing and sales to ensure alignment in strategies and objectives.
7. Closing the Meeting
Conclude the meeting with clarity across the entire team and support of key efforts.
7.1. Summarize key decisions, action items, and responsibilities.
7.2. Discuss next steps and any follow-up meetings or tasks.
7.3. Thank attendees for their participation and contributions.
8. Post-Meeting Actions
Once the meeting is over, it’s important to follow through with all the next steps and ensure that people are held accountable for the things they promised they would do.
8.1. Distribute meeting minutes, including decisions, action items, and responsibilities, to all participants within a week.
8.2. Set up follow-up meetings or tasks based on decisions made during the meeting.
8.3. Archive all presentation materials and notes in a centralized location accessible to the team.
Agenda for an Annual Marketing Planning Session
The following is a sample agenda for an annual marketing planning session:
Day 1: Vision, People, and Data
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM: Breakfast and Networking
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Opening Remarks
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM: Vision Component
- Purpose: Define the core purpose of marketing efforts in 2024
- Niche: Identify the target audience or industry segment
- Long-Term Targets: Set targets for Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4
- Vision: Ambitions for Y2 and Y3
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Break
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: People Component
- Right People: Assemble a team aligned with company values
- Right Seats: Role alignment with strengths
- Right Technology: Tech tools for the team
- Right Suppliers: Augment team skill sets
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Data Component
- Scorecard: Key metrics overview
- Measurables: Essential content marketing metrics
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch Break
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Issues Component
- Issues List: Discuss challenges
- Solve Issues: “Identify, Discuss, Solve” (IDS) process
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Process Component
- Core Processes: Key processes in marketing and sales
- Documented & Simplified: Process between contact and contract
3:30 PM – 3:45 PM: Break
3:45 PM – 5:00 PM: Traction Component
- Rocks: 90-day priorities
- Meeting Pulse: Regular team meetings
- Quarterly Pulsing: 90-day review and reset
Day 2: Traction Channels, Content Strategy, Feedback, and Collaboration
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM: Breakfast and Networking
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Traction Channels (from Weinberg and Mares)
- Content Marketing, Email Marketing, Targeted Ads, SEO, Social and Display Ads, Affiliate Programs, Existing Platforms, Trade Shows
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM: Break
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM: Content Strategy
- Content Types: What resonates with the audience
- Distribution Channels: Where the audience is
- Engagement: Strategies to nurture leads
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM: Feedback Loop
- Customer Feedback: Refine content strategy
- Iterate: Continuous improvement
- Review Sites: G2, Capterra, Clutch, TrustRadius discussion
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM: Lunch Break
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM: Collaboration with Sales
- Lead Qualification: Define a qualified lead
- Content for Sales: Aid the sales process
2:15 PM – 3:15 PM: Continuous Learning
- Training: Update the team with trends
- Competitor Analysis: Analyze and adapt
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM: Break
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Open Discussion and Q&A
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Closing Remarks and Next Steps
What Should You Do from Here?
It’s time to turn this agenda and marketing planning efforts into action. If you’re uncomfortable facilitating this type of meeting, get in touch with our team at Foundation, and we might be able to support you and your team in identifying the best direction for your marketing mix.
Remember—making sure to optimize the annual marketing meeting is essential for success in achieving the marketing vision described earlier. With the above agenda and tasks, marketers can ensure that their agenda and planning efforts run smoothly and efficiently. You will be able to stay on top of trends, collaborate with sales teams, and gather feedback from customers to make informed decisions.
And those informed decisions will lead to better outcomes and business results. Go get ’em.
