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A marketing calendar is a great tool to reach your business goals. I use an "LSM", which stands for a local store marketing calendar regarding marketing goals for my four restaurant area.
The calendar format that you choose to use is your choice, however, I use a basic 12 month calendar template compatible with Microsoft Excel. Once a format is chosen, you need to fill in the blanks. The most difficult marketing calendar to create would be the first one. My marketing goals are based on the "local store marketing profile". This is the demographic information relative to each business location. Important factors included in the profiles are age, median income, number of children, competitors in the area, etc. With this information, you can start to develop your business goals.

When you have your goals in mind, move to the calendar and start to fill in each goal within the time frame that you would like to reach that goal. Some marketing initiatives might be more specific to Holidays or seasons and the calendar is a great way to map out those goals. Now that I have had a calendar for several years, it has become a living document. I am constantly pulling it up on the computer to refer to future goals and to add "write-ins" for particular events or marketing tidbits that I have picked up throughout the year.
More recently, I was called upon by a major entertainment venue in the area for children. They were having a teacher's association day that would potentially attract between 150-200 teachers throughout the area to gather information from local area businesses. Not only did I participate in this event, but this was added to this year's event and already penciled in for 2008 with the contact information and as many details as I could remember to put within the calendar. Often times, there are additional text boxes on the calendar and this is the area where I might break down the cost of a particular event.
Furthermore, the empty areas at the beginning or end of the month can be used to summarize business goals and explain in detail how you are going to reach those goals. I have found the use of a marketing calendar invaluable in reaching business goals. Having business goals mapped out in a visible time line makes them more attainable when everything else seems so complicated.

Learn more about this author, Jamie Bessett.
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