Marketing or planning, the word “Gantt” presses on people. I never quite understood why. Perhaps because planning and articulating things require self-reflection. Maybe because the planning stage reflects both successes and failures (another talk on the word “failure”). Perhaps because planning is the opposite of spontaneity, and I have an opinion on that too – but what’s certain is that planning is a word every business owner aspiring for success must embrace. In this article, I want to introduce you to the concept – Gantt Marketing. What is it exactly? How does it differ from Gantt Content? Or another Gantt? How do you plan for the upcoming quarter? Let’s delve into it.
What is Gantt Marketing?
Gantt is a project management tool. I view every goal I want to achieve in business and life as a project. For instance, speaking fluently and managing local business affairs within two years is a project for me. How do I achieve it? Gantt helps plan the path to the destination, essentially outlining my strategy on how to get there.
It doesn’t matter what goal I set for myself; it needs to be broken down into sub-goals, objectives, and specific tasks to start executing, progressing, and meeting deadlines.
Marketing Gantt vs. Content Gantt Charts
Just as Gantt is a management tool, content is a marketing tool, and a content project requires its dedicated Gantt.
Gantt Marketing shows us the marketing path to achieve a significant marketing goal, such as earning X per month or reaching 10K followers on Instagram/YouTube. Gantt Content, on the other hand, reflects the content we want to publish on each channel, aligned with marketing goals.
I like to call Gantt Marketing the macro-level (where – where to market) and Gantt Content the micro-level (what – what to advertise).
Why is it crucial to plan both annually and quarterly?
I believe that both small and large businesses need to plan for the upcoming year. Why? Because vision and focus lead to results. However, businesses are dynamic and change based on current events, trends, market conditions, and more. Therefore, the second plan should always be under review, and a quarterly check should also include a “home check.” What worked and what didn’t, maybe there’s room for a new idea aligned with my values, desires, and major goals.
All these elements find a place in the quarterly review and planning. What’s crucial to understand is that planning generates clarity. We choose a focal point for annual and quarterly periods, measuring the progress and management of the business.
Starting with Gantt Marketing
What’s the beginning? Organize. List all projects and goals, create a structured table or spreadsheet. I recommend adding a score next to each project, representing the time and energy the project demands. For example, if I want to become active on Instagram, what does it require from me? What happens if I don’t do it in the next quarter? Another column indicates the importance level (ABCDE).
Using the ABCDE method, we assign a priority rating to each task based on its importance. A’ being the most important and E’ the least important.
Before setting priorities, let’s trim down. Note that before prioritizing, we are in the preparation stage. The next stage is to narrow down.
After “emptying” all our desires, goals, and things I want to do, for example, be more active on Instagram, it’s time to assign a practical and numeric value to each. How important is it, and what will happen if it’s not done this quarter? Another column could indicate the urgency level.
Gantt Marketing – Numbers and Goals
Define the desired income and derive what I sell and how much needs to be sold to reach the goal. When defining my sales ratio (for example, for every 10 people who visit the sales page, 1 buys), I can also calculate how many leads (inquiries/website visits/subscribers to the newsletter, etc.) I need to make that sale. This way, I can analyze the numbers and create tangible and applicable goals and targets.
When I have numbers, I can start thinking about how to achieve that number of leads. Which channels to use, whether to overcome obstacles and accelerate with a funded budget, etc.
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