One of the basics I strongly believe in is having a plan. With a plan, your project has structure but also allows you to be agile because you know your end goal. You know what needs to be done, the tools to get it done, and the order you should execute the steps. You’ve thought about it. Plus, you’ll have the process in place to innovate and optimize.
But what happens when unexpected challenges arise? Or a new technology is introduced? Think of Reels on Instagram. Just when you thought you had mastered posts vs. stories and tagging someone in a photo vs. comment, Instagram introduces a new feature. Your carefully thought out social media plan might quickly become antiquated. However, that’s when you need scaffolding to support your structure and the agility to implement it efficiently. Take the opportunity to look for those weak(er) points – age or environmentally driven – in your plan and find ways to support it. Remember, not all structures need scaffolding, and not all scaffolding needs to be permanent.
Structures that are only functional can lack originality and limit your creativity. However, a good plan should define how you want to differentiate yourself, your product or service, or your business. The most successful ones have a specific style – reflective of a personal / brand identity, a corporate promise, or an organizational mission. The most obvious way you can incorporate style in a marketing plan is with the content you create – the images you choose and the words you use. However, there are subtler ways you can infuse style as your style might be that you’re a data driven marketer or you believe in MarTech to drive automation. (As a side note, I highly encourage both of those stylistic elements!)
Whether you’re building a business plan, marketing strategy, or simply your resume, you should create a structure that allows for scaffolding when it needs it and in a style that only you can bring.
Kirwei Lo Consulting 