Marketing calendar tools: not super exciting, but super necessary. In the newest Tech Stack episode, we explain how these tools work, why you need them, and how to choose the best one for your firm.

Highlights:

• What marketing calendar tools do
• Why your firm needs one
• How to identify your firm’s calendaring needs
• How to choose the best marketing calendar tool for your firm

Episode Resources:
Marketing calendar resources
(These are not endorsements, just a few options to kick-start your research and evaluation process)

• Free templates from SmartSheet
• Free templates from HubSpot
• DivvyHQ
• Trello
• CoSchedule
• Planable

Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones

• https://graphicmachine.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/patiencejones/

Are all of your marketing efforts stuck in an eternal feedback loop? If you’re constantly revising based on new opinions and can’t get anything out the door, the answer is, “Yes.” Iterative processes have their place, but there comes a time when your marketing can’t do anything for you because nothing can get final approval. When your marketing flow starts to look like an M.C. Escher drawing, it’s time to break out of the eternal feedback loop.

Highlights:

• Why the pursuit of elusive perfection is your enemy
• How knowing something can be changed can keep it from being finalized
• The downside of creativity: nothing is ever “done”
• How to get out of the feedback loop and marketing efforts reflect priorities
• Remembering your marketing output is not your legacy

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones
• https://graphicmachine.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/patiencejones/

Preparing RFP responses can feel like all you're doing is working off of someone else's checklist. In truth, RFP responses can be great opportunities for educating prospective clients about your firm's strengths. The key is to use details in every response to focus the readers on what's important. This turns RFPs into a marketing tool for the immediate project - as well as future projects from the same clients. Opportunities are in the details, and details create opportunities.

Highlights:

• The importance of closing the loop for RFP reviewers
• Focusing on what makes your firm uniquely qualified to do the project
• How architecture firms are like Moleskine notebooks
• Why you can't rely on people looking at your website
• Making the RFP a self-contained document
• How to ensure your RFP response is effective no matter the prescribed format

Episode Resources:

Connect with Brian Jones and Patience Jones

• https://graphicmachine.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/graphicmachine/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-jones-graphicmachine/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/patiencejones/