Your Marketing is a Hot Mess: 5 Ways to Improve “Messy Marketing”

“Messy marketing” is something I have come up with over the years working with all kinds of organizations and professionals. I’ve worked with some clients whose marketing departments are nothing short of a hot mess. They couldn’t keep track of their account logins, struggled to generate a plan each month, and didn't set clear boundaries for themselves. All in all, their marketing was just messy and it was affecting the quality of their marketing strategy and audience engagement.

Confession time: I’ve been in the exact same place. It’s so easy to let messy marketing consume you if you aren’t being intentional with your time and processes. This is why I’m sharing my evergreen tips for how to have less messy marketing — many I use for myself! So, whether you feel like your marketing department is a hot mess, or you’re just looking to reorganize your efforts, follow along for my “messy marketing” tips!

1. Document EVERYTHING!

Want to clean up your messy marketing, but not sure where to start? I like to recommend that my clients document everything. And yes, I mean EVERYTHING! As a small business or nonprofit, you have so many important details to keep track of. It’s too difficult to try and remember everything in your head. Plus, this can only lead to stress and major headaches down the line.

So, whether you prefer digital note-taking or using the good ol’ pen and paper method, start documenting every aspect of how you run and market your organization. Just this simple act of getting info out of your head and onto paper will make such a big difference. Not only will it clean up your #marketing game, but it’ll save you time and stress, too!

2. Create a central login file

In my experience, one of the biggest messy marketing mistakes you can make is keeping all of your account usernames and passwords in different locations. This is one surefire way to lose crucial information and can make it near impossible when you want to give team members access to a platform.

To avoid this pitfall, create ONE central login file for all of your account usernames and passwords. I like to keep it simple and use a password-protected Excel file, but use whatever tool makes the most sense for you. Be sure to include account information for your blog, social media profiles, email marketing system, etc. By having all of these logins in one central file, you can better ensure the safety and security of your information, while saving yourself time when looking for what you need.

3. Set up easy to implement processes

Oftentimes, small businesses and nonprofits feel lost in their marketing because they are unsure of how to go about the process in a clear and efficient way. Here are three easy to implement processes that can transform your messy marketing:

• I cannot stress enough the importance of having regular production meetings with your marketing department. These meetings make for a better flow of communication between individuals, allowing for the creation and implementation of more intentional marketing processes and operations.

• I recommend you create and use just ONE to-do list or production schedule. If your tasks are in 5 different spots, you’re bound to feel distracted and scattered. So, use just one to-do list or production schedule and live or die off of it!

• A crucial part of setting up easy to implement processes is to be mindful of how your team functions or NEEDS to function. What are the tools you can use to help you in these processes? It’s important to consistently be reflecting upon your marketing needs and how your team can achieve them!

4. Plan ahead with your content

Throughout my career, I have witnessed many organizations (and sometimes myself!) scramble at the last minute to generate and push out content. Why does this happen? Many small businesses and nonprofits just aren’t sure what to do and it causes them to become unorganized. This is why I recommend planning ahead with your content.

All you have to do is carve out some time each month to sit down and plan out your marketing content for the following month. Typically, this process includes choosing a theme for your content and jotting down some ideas for your blog, email, or social posts. Then, you’ll want to pick a date to post each piece, write it in your calendar and stick to your schedule. Planning ahead allows you to crank out your content quickly and efficiently, while organizing yourself along the way!

5. Set clear boundaries

Now, it’s time to chat about perhaps the most important tip of all: setting clear boundaries. In other words, how will you and your team commit to not only putting these tips into motion, but actually following through and sticking with them? You might want to consider different ways in which you can create accountability for yourself and others, such as communicating expectations, documenting specific goals, and evaluating your teammates’ progress.

If you would like further guidance on how to set clear boundaries for your marketing processes, schedule a discovery call with Evergreen Strategic Communications here.