Content budget & timeline plan

Effective budgeting and timeline planning are crucial aspects of executing successful marketing campaigns. In this exercise, we will focus on the "5. Budget & Timeline" tab within the "Content Plan & Budget Template" to plan and allocate resources for the campaigns identified in the previous exercise. By organising your budget and timeline, you can ensure that you have the necessary resources and a clear schedule to execute your campaigns effectively.

Goal

The goal of this exercise is to create a budget and timeline plan for your marketing campaigns. By the end of this exercise, you will have a comprehensive view of the resources needed, budget allocation, and campaign timelines.

Instructions & Resources

Copy the Content Plan & Budget Template

1. Open the "Content Plan & Budget Template" Google Sheet and navigate to the "5. Budget & Timeline" tab.
2. Review the provided columns: "Campaign / Resource," "Resource notes," "Budget ($)," "MQLs Expected RoI," "Closed Won Expected RoI," "Closed Won ($) Expected RoI," "Start date," and "End date." These columns will help you organize and track the budget and timeline for each campaign and resource.
3. Starting with the "Campaign / Resource" column, list the campaigns from the "4. Ideas" tab that you are planning to create and promote. Each campaign should have its own row.
4. In the "Resource notes" column, make comments on the specific resources you will need for each campaign. Include details such as talent, contractors, tools, software, and subscriptions required to execute the campaign successfully.
5. Allocate the budget for each campaign in the "Budget ($)" column. Only add budget if it is not covered already by talent or contractor spending. If you plan to advertise or invest in paid promotion, allocate the corresponding budget in this column.
6. Estimate the expected Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) and the anticipated Return on Investment (RoI) for each campaign in the "MQLs Expected RoI," "Closed Won Expected RoI," and "Closed Won ($) Expected RoI" columns, respectively. These estimates will help you assess the campaign's performance and impact on sales.
7. Specify the start and end dates for each campaign in the "Start date" and "End date" columns, respectively. Use the designated weeks (e.g., Week 49, Week 50) to indicate the campaign's timeline.
8. For talent, contractors, tools, software, and subscriptions, list them in the respective sections of the table. Add rows as needed to accommodate all the necessary resources.
9. Once you have completed the resource allocation and budgeting for each campaign, review the "Totals" row to see the overall budget and timeline summary.
10. Make adjustments to the resource allocation, budget, or timeline as needed to ensure feasibility and alignment with your overall marketing goals.
11. Use the provided sections under each campaign to outline the specific activities and milestones associated with the campaign. Add rows as needed to accommodate all the necessary steps and tasks.
12. Include estimated dates for each activity and milestone, indicating when they are planned to occur.
13. Take into consideration dependencies between activities and ensure a logical flow in the campaign timeline.
14. Repeat steps 3-13 for each campaign you listed in the "Campaign / Resource" column, filling in the necessary details and timelines.

By completing this exercise, you will have a well-structured budget and timeline plan for your marketing campaigns. This comprehensive overview will help you manage resources efficiently, stay on track with your schedule, and ensure the successful execution of your campaigns.