Organize Marketing with Spread Sheets

by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting
I’ve mentioned my spreadsheets to keep organized and have received questions on how I create and use them, so let me share my method. For marketing, spread sheets are so valuable for keeping information in one place and tracking progress. It provides, at a glance, information on plans for media, print, social media, articles and more. It can also keep track of links to work and interviews done and contact information for upcoming interviews. These can be created to track marketing for each book or brand or to build databases of media contacts.
Getting Started
Whether using excel, numbers, or other software for a spread sheet, they all contain rows and columns and that’s what’s important. You can create sections within the spread sheet by simply using empty rows to space divisions and a color for each new header row. 
Consider creating a section for each type or marketing you will do for your book or brand. That might include speaking, media interviews, articles, memes, blog posts, social media, and newsletters.
Use the rows for the type of marketing and the columns for information needed. Include a column to mark the status (pitched, done, possibility) and one for noting when you’ve sent a thank you card.
I always keep the date and deadline column the same for all the types of promotion. That way I can sort by the date to be sure I don’t miss any interviews or deadlines.
Data to collect
For each section create your header of the information needed for each type of marketing:For interview possibilities, include contact information with addresses, website, phone numbers, date/time of interview, who calls or the zoom connection, and the name of the contact, and links to the actual interview.For memes it should include purpose, image, hook, and platform.For articles, the target publication, contact, email, address, possible topics and hooks, and link to article.For speaking, the meeting planner contact, location, date, time, contract status, payment, and topicFor blog posts, list topics and dates to post as well as links created to blog on other platforms, such as putting the post link in a pin on PinterestFor print materials and freebies, title, topic, type (tip sheet, background story, etc.), and where it is stored.For website, calls to action, updated press kit and the link, downloadable freebies to develop (and links)For your newsletter, dates to send out, topics, calls to action, responses, and content notesFor reviews, list names of people who promise reviews, quotes to use from reviews done, and links to the reviews.
Fill in the spreadsheet
Start filing in with your actual booked activities and your dreams. Write down what you hope to do, including possible media (podcast, radio, TV) where you’d like to be a guest. Fill in any details you have such as the contact information. Dream big and add the biggest place you’d like to be a guest.
This will become the best place to review weekly what you can do for marketing and what links you can post or repost on your social media. A column on responses of ROI can also help you track the effectiveness of various promotional activities. That can be as simple as including the number of newsletter subscribers each month to see if the list is growing and what might have triggered the growth.
Build marketing databases 
Create spread sheets to hold information for influences, media, and bloggers where you’d like to be interviewed or be a guest blogger. This would include the contact information, host, title of the show/blog and your pitch ideas. These can be used for a current book as well as all future books. Add to this as you discover shows or blogs that match your topics.
You can create one for your street team, meeting planners for speaking, influencers, or endorsers too. It puts the information in a file that’s easy to access. Keep it in a marketing folder or in the folder for the book you will promote.
Make this month a time to organize your marketing and build your databases of marketing contacts.
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Karen Whiting (www.karenwhiting.com) is an international speaker, former television host of Puppets on Parade, certified writing and marketing coach, and award-winning author of twenty-six books for women, children, and families. Her newest book, 52 Weekly Devotions for Families Called to Serve, uses stories, activities, and chat prompts to help families develop servant hearts and foster strong bonds in families who have members serving the community, nation, or world.
She has a heart to grow tomorrow’s wholesome families today. She has written more than seven hundred articles for more than sixty publications and loves to let creativity splash over the pages of what she writes. She writes for Leading Hearts and Crosswalk.com. Connect with Karen on Twitter @KarenHWhiting, Pinterest KarenWhiting, and FB KarenHWhiting