The better question is, do you plan your marketing or do you fly by the seat of your pants? Many companies know today, what promotions they have planned for the year. Many companies know today, what trade shows they are attending this year. Many companies plan ahead of time and are a lot less frantic throughout the year than those who do not.
Put some time aside at the start of the year and make a basic outline of the promotions you want to run and when you want to advertise. Share the plan with your media reps and put the onus on them to remind you when it has to be done. Don’t be the type of person who decides you should run ads next week and puts pressure on everyone to get it done at the last minute.
Don’t think of marketing and advertising as the ad you will run next week; but rather, think about the marketing or ad you will run for the next six months, the next year, or even longer.
Planning this far ahead may seem like an impossible task, but you get surprising results just for trying. Once you start to look at marketing as a long-term plan you will see how it can help your business. Plus, if there does come a time that you need to react quickly, you and your staff will have the time to do it.