January is a Great Month to Audit Your Marketing

Starting off the fiscal year with a Messaging + Metrics Review (M+M) might not sound like the most “fun” way to kick off the year, BUT it is certainly FUNctional. Besides, who isn’t curious about their marketing performance and “what the numbers say?” There are numerous reasons why this exercise is critical. 

Set clear goals for the next 6-12 months

See what worked the previous year and change up what didn't. Take advantage of the clean slate. 

Plan out and maximize your fiscal year dollars based on real-time data 

You want to know exactly where you stand financially, and what you can/can’t afford. You might also need or want to make tweaks to existing plans.

Align with relevant trends 

Running a January M+M means you start the year with new data and current trends. Obviously trends will evolve, but it’s okay to live in the now.

Test both existing and unchartered strategies 

Want to add a new channel? Take one away? Pilot a blog or ad campaign? Don’t sleep on what is working, but don’t be afraid to try something new. Remember, nothing is permanent, and failure is a learning opportunity!

Gauge audience engagement

Followers and website visits only tell part of the story. You must have a pulse on how much your audience cares about what you are posting and writing about. If your content isn’t resonant, your conversion cycle will stop in its tracks. You actually remember the previous year. Sure, you can run a M+M in Q2. Or Q4. But do you have a fresh sense of your marketing activities from six months prior? Let’s assume no. 

Your nonprofit or school’s Board of Directors will love this information, especially if they didn’t ask for it. Incremental growth and a flexible (yet structured) strategy rooted in data can win many hearts, not to mention additional asks for resources. While you can spend days and weeks elbow-deep in data, what’s more important is building a dashboard that tracks the must-knows and can be easily updated.