Why Q4 is the best time of year to clean your marketing systems
If you know me at all, you know that I'm all about creating effective systems and structures for your business's marketing efforts. I mean, I created an entire course teaching you how to create these systems and structures. An important part of those systems and structures is planning. And a key element in that planning is keeping your marketing systems clean.
In this post, I'm going to explain why Q4 (the fourth quarter of the year) is the best time of year to clean your marketing systems and I'll break down the key things you'll want to focus on when doing it.
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As a marketing specialist, I know the ins and outs of prepping for Q4. From cleaning up your marketing efforts to planning sweeping Black Friday sales and everything in between.
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Why you should keep your marketing systems clean
There's nothing less professional than a bunch of emails with broken links and information that isn't up to date. Ok, well maybe you could show up to work in your PJs... actually never mind, I do that 😆
But in all seriousness, think about this:
You like the looks of a business and so you sign up for their mailing list for some reason (a freebie, a quote, etc). Their automated emails start sending you more information to help you along in your purchase process but you notice a few things.
- The links to their blog posts are broken.
- Different emails have different prices listed for the same thing.
- The prices in the emails differ from the ones listed on their website and/or their social media and ads.
- They haven't even posted anything new on their website in, well, a LONG time.
You start to ask yourself:
- Do they really care about their business?
- Are they going to treat me with the same disorganization they treat their emails and website with?
- Are they even legit?
Yeah, you don't want that to be your customer experience.
Why Q4 is the best time to clean your marketing systems
Ok, so we know that you want to make sure your marketing systems are clean and up to date but you can't be constantly going over and over everything. When is the best time to do it?
First of all, it's important to do it on a routine schedule. When I work closely with 1:1 clients to fully manage their marketing systems I always have a yearly schedule in mind. I always know when we'll clean their marketing systems, when we're running ads, when we're hosting sales, and when we're introducing new products/services. I always aim for a once a year system clean up. And, yes, it can take up to a month to complete, at times. So, be prepared. (Don't worry, I included a list below so you know everything you should check).
I used to suggest going over everything at the beginning of the year. It's a great time for it because things are usually slower at the start of the year. The sales just wound down and people aren't spending as much. Perfect time for cleaning! Except...
You want your systems to be in tip top shape before you start your biggest campaigns of the year.
For most people, the biggest campaigns of the year come in Q4. I'm talking Black Friday sales, pre-Black Friday leads campaigns, holiday packages, Boxing Week sales... wow! There's a lot going on in Q4!
So, as you plan out your biggest campaigns, it's best to get everything cleaned up, too.
Food for thought: Q4 officially starts in October. You can either plan your big campaigns first and then clean up your marketing systems OR you can clean up your systems first, then create your campaigns. If you're feeling especially daring you can try to do it all at the same time, but I don't recommend it.
If possible, get at least ONE of these things done before Q1 starts.
How to properly clean your marketing systems
I'm just gonna give you a quick checklist so you can keep moving!
- Check all emails in all automated funnels for broken links
- Check all emails in all automated funnels for accurate pricing
- Check all emails in all automated funnels for details like address and contact info
- Check all previous blog posts for broken links
- Check all previous blog posts for accurate pricing
- Check all previous blog posts for up to date opt-ins
- Check your Linktree or other link service for accuracy
- Make sure all pricing and contact info is correct and up to date on every social media and business platform
- Did I miss something? Let me know!
If all this sounds tedious, overwhelming, or like it's just gonna take a lot of time that you don't have, don't worry. You got me!
Contact me today to talk about how I can take this burden off your shoulders.
