Why You Need to Start Your 2025 Digital Marketing Plan Now (Not After the Holidays)

by Tom Snyder on Oct 18, 2024

If you’re in sales or marketing, you’ve probably heard the phrase “Get back to me after the holidays.” While it might sound like a reasonable delay, it’s one of the most detrimental ways to approach your digital marketing strategy. Waiting until January to start planning for the next year puts you behind your competitors, who are already setting the groundwork for a successful 2025.

October is the perfect time to start developing your digital marketing plan, and delaying it until after the holidays could be a recipe for missed opportunities. Here’s why:

Lost Opportunities

If you wait until January to start your digital marketing planning, you’ll be playing catch-up. Competitors who start in October are already engaging with your target audience, while you’re just getting started. Early planning gives you a head start and allows you to capture market share when your competitors are still finalizing their campaigns.

Budget Efficiency

Most businesses finalize their budgets during Q4. By starting now, you can work with your marketing team to ensure your budget is aligned with your strategy for the new year. This way, you can secure the right amount of funding for key initiatives and leave room for unexpected opportunities or market changes.

Strategic Head Start

Crafting an effective digital marketing strategy takes time. By starting now, you can brainstorm ideas, refine tactics, and run early tests without the pressure of January deadlines. You’ll be able to hit the ground running in the new year with a well-thought-out plan, rather than rushing to put something together at the last minute.

Avoid the Holiday Rush

The last few months of the year are often busy with holiday promotions and end-of-year reporting. Waiting until after the holidays means dealing with a congested market and rushed decision-making. Starting your marketing plan in October gives you a calmer environment to build a strategy that will drive results—without the stress of a year-end rush.

Time for Website Upgrades

If your audit reveals the need for a new or significantly updated website, Q4 is an ideal time to get it done. Like many agencies, our developers have pipeline availability during the holidays to help you launch a new or improved website quickly, so you’re ready to support your marketing efforts in 2025.

Lock in Current Agency Rates

Many digital marketing agencies, including Trivera, typically raise their rates at the start of the new year. By starting now, you can not only get a jump on planning, but also lock in current rates before any increases. This allows you to secure a 2025 marketing plan with budget predictability and cost savings at the previous year’s rates, giving you a head start on maximizing your ROI in the new year.
 

Starting your digital marketing plan in October is the best way to position your business for success in 2025. By engaging your team and your digital marketing agency early, you’ll have a strategy ready to launch in January, while your competitors are just getting started.

 

About Tom Snyder

Tom Snyder, founder, president and CEO of Trivera, a 28-year-old strategic digital marketing firm based in suburban Milwaukee. Tom has been blogging since 1998, sharing the insight gained from helping businesses and organizations reinforce their brands by taking full advantage of digital and web technology as powerful tactics.

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