November 9, 2017

Beverly James photo
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Updated December 1, 2020.

A goal without a plan is just wishful thinking.

Truer words have rarely been spoken, and yet, in today’s world, who’s got time for that? It’s so easy to allow events to overtake us. We all know it and vow to break that pattern, but then a client or coworker needs something urgently and back into the fray we go.

Which is why a day away from phones and emails is worth its weight in gold. Some call it a staff retreat, but I prefer to think of it as a staff regroup. Put your auto-replies on for just one day and use that time to create a plan for the coming year. And in a year like 2020, a regroup is more valuable than ever.

This is a great opportunity to break down some silos at the station and bring in the content manager/program director to learn what they have in the pipeline. What are the major initiatives they are working on? What changes, deletions or additions to the lineup? What new digital offerings are they working on? What is their interpretation of the audience data? All of this will help your team become more knowledgeable about the station and talk with more confidence to their clients and prospects.

Manage digital buyers and agencies

What areas are you trying to grow revenue-wise this coming year? Digital? Of course! Better spread of spots across all dayparts? Raising rates? Changing spot length? Perhaps a creative category-specific offering that could be a game-changer? In every single case, the chances of success would be significantly enhanced by team discussion and some role-play; bat it around and see what the stumbling blocks are. Every team member should be able to pitch it smoothly; knowing the why and how of its rationale.

Does each person have an individual plan for reaching their goal? Now is a great time to review and refresh. While it’s near the middle of the fiscal year for many stations, it’s a new year for many of your clients and an important time to have a plan in place for larger clients. Planning can help reduce attrition. By being more proactive with your key accounts, you may even find ways to grow them. And when attrition does come, you’ll have planned for that also.

Three of the main goals of a day of planning are to:

  1. Put down in writing what your goals are as well as a step-by-step plan for achieving them.
  2. Create a framework where you and your team members take control of your time, individually and collectively.
  3. Be aware of looming pitfalls so they don’t completely throw you off balance.

The sky won’t fall if you take a day away. Success awaits those with a plan!

Manage digital buyers and agencies
Beverly James photo
Author