As school started back today here in Charlotte and I’m sure in many other cities across the country, I was struck with an overwhelming since of “where did the time go?”. We spend so much of our time planning; planning our days, our weeks, our vacations months from now, but do we spend the same amount of time relishing in the moments? After a large event ends, many feel a sense of loss because they are no longer sure what to do with their days, but did they spend any time looking at photos or writing down memories from that day? Too often the answer is “no, I just don’t have the time”.
The Event Planner
While you might not have the time, your event planner sure does and he or she is going to make sure they get answers about what went well and what didn’t, because that’s the only way to improve their next event. They are also going to make sure you have access to all the pictures and comments left behind from your guests to enjoy when you’re not so busy!
Why Follow Up Matters
If they didn’t take this extra step, they would quickly lose business because they wouldn’t take valuable feedback from clients and act upon it. Not only would this show lack of customer service and appreciation, but it would also keep them from a learning opportunity and a chance to really shine next time. Let’s say, for example, every time they host a birthday party, the cake comes out with the candles dark, but people prefer they come out lit…if every client felt that way, but the planner never asked, they would lose business, especially repeat birthday business (I hear birthdays happen every year!).
Apply To Marketing…please!
At this point, I’ve made you reminisce about your first day of school (or celebrate the fact your kids are back in school), flashback to where the summer really went, and have a craving for birthday cake, but how does it apply to marketing? More often than not, when sitting down with a new client, they ask “how do I do social” or more specifically, “when should I post something to Facebook or Twitter?”. Our brutally honest answer catches some off guard: it depends! It depends on so many factors from which social network you are posting from Google Plus to LinkedIn, who you are trying to reach with your post (buyer persona), and what you are sharing. A post on Twitter at noon might receive zero interactions, whereas the same post on LinkedIn proves to be your best yet. Understanding the differences amongst the social networks, their audiences and what types of posts work well in each is key, but let’s not forget about the underlying theme presented here: time.
Timing IS Everything
You’ve mastered the social networks, you are sharing highly targeted and valuable content and yet nothing is happening. Did you take the time to review your analytics after your post or did you just start worrying about the next big post? If you don’t stop, review the post, its interactions and activity; you have not gleaned anything valuable from the hard work you put forth. There are many marketing automation platforms available on the market covering a wide range of services and price points, to assist in automated posting, but more importantly data gathering. Leveraging one of these services helps you get value from your post and ensure you post at the right time next time, thus ensuring your intended audience gleans the same value.
Ready to get started, but not sure how? Take a moment (yes, I am asking you once again to take some time) and download our free Inbound Marketing checklist to help you get started on saving time by spending time.
