It’s inevitable. You know how long you need to execute your marketing project and execute it well. Then someone comes along with a great idea that needs to happen, well, yesterday.
Instead of fighting, fleeing or freezing, use these five strategies for completing your project faster.
1. Create a clear and realistic timeline.
A realistic timeline is key to all projects, but even more critical when you are crunched for time. Knowing how long it takes your designer to turn ideas into concepts or how long a developer needs to write code is critical to creating a realistic timeline. You should involve those stakeholders in the timeline planning process so those team members can help you understand the best- and worst-case scenarios that can affect your deadlines.
2. Define your non-negotiables (and what can be sacrificed).
In most cases, a marketing project on an accelerated timeline is not going to have the same expectations as one you have time to execute well. When you begin a new project, ensure all of the stakeholders are clear on the non-negotiables – what criteria is needed to make the project successful. It may also be helpful to define what the team is willing to sacrifice – design quality, budget, involvement of unavailable team members – in order to follow the accelerated timeline.
3. Anticipate roadblocks.
Consider the likely scenarios that will derail your quick-moving project. What are they? How could you address them if they come up? Anticipating and identifying roadblocks and how to address them will give you an action plan that allows you to remain calm and clear-headed in the face of challenges. This will also help you create a more realistic timeline factoring in these potential obstacles.
4. Simplify your internal processes.
Make sure the tools you are using to communicate about your project are easy-to-use and accessible to all stakeholders. This could mean implementing and utilizing a project management system that allows your team to collaborate on and communicate about each project in a central location. It is also important to ensure your team members have access to a file sharing system to simplify how content and files are shared through each stage of the project.
5. Communicate more than you think you should.
It is especially important to keep communication lines open during a rushed project. As the project lead, be sure to provide regular project status updates including any action items, who is responsible and the due date. Do this often! You want to make the needs and objectives clear to your team members so the project can reach the finish line, accurately and on time.
Those are five simple ways you can ensure your accelerated marketing projects move faster and are completed on time. They will help you whether you are planning an integrated campaign for a product launch, designing new sell sheets or developing a new e-commerce website. Download the 1-Page Project Planner for a free tool to help you plan your next marketing project!