Ever wonder why every marketing project comes together at the last minute?

It never ceases to amaze me how many companies scramble to get their marketing projects finished at the last minute, sacrificing quality on a program because they're constantly in panic mode. Sometimes it seems like companies are needlessly throwing their marketing dollars down the drain, just because they can't plan ahead effectively. They pay for something, dedicate resources toward that project, then squander opportunities because they miss deadlines or don't do as much with the project as they should have.

Now I can't claim to be the most proactive person in the world. I miss plenty of little opportunities with my own projects -- for doing an extra round of testing on an email, for building a new feature that's going to impress a client, etc. -- because I didn't have enough time or give enough thought to the project in advance. There are plenty of times when I look back and say to myself, "Wow, I missed an opportunity there. I could've done that better." But I can't remember blowing a huge amount of money and effort on a project that went out the door half-done and way late -- which is something I see pretty frequently (way more often than I should!) in this business.

I always thought this stuff was common sense, but I guess it isn't. I'm not writing anything groundbreaking here, just a gentle reminder:

• Build a project plan and stick to it.
• Get buy-in from the key people in your organization who need to be involved, to make sure they understand how important the project is. If you don't sell the project's importance to them, they won't cooperate in a timely manner and you'll miss deadlines.
• Communicate effectively. Keep other people in the loop. If you're going to miss a deadline, at least let the interested parties know why, and let them know what you'll do to rectify the situation.
• Brainstorm with your team. Just give a few minutes' worth of thought to each project from a wider view. Am I missing anything here? Are there any opportunities for cross-promotion, or to use assets that have already been created?

If you're able to do all these things, you'll be a step ahead of most other people in this industry. (It's sad but true.)