on your progress. Think of this group as your marketing team and let them know what they can expect from you.

I recommend a periodic group email report, and occasional update meetings.

• Consider what you are seeking from your marketing team. And the kind of input they demand? Will you be soliciting approval or just keeping folks updated? More input is not

You and your staff and board colleagues spend a lot of time planning and fine-tuning your nonprofit’s marketing plan. But once the plan is approved, the pressure is on you -- the nonprofit marketer -- to carry it out successfully.

How can you ensure that board and staff members will continue to support the plan? And how do you guarantee that colleagues will agree with your actions going forward and be pleased with results? At times like these, nerves can run as high as expectations.

Over the years, in my work on staff and as a consultant, I've found that nothing works as well as clear, frequent communication in a situation like this. Make sure you communicate frequently and thoroughly to your board and colleagues, so they aren't surprised at any step along the way. There's absolutely no way for you to predict their actions but you'll be treating them with the utmost respect and, through including a broader group, be likely to receive some very useful feedback along the way.

Here are some tips to pave the way for a smooth implementation process:

• Before you take another step, work with the board to define a series of benchmarks to be met as you bring the marketing plan to life. The benchmarks should be designed to motivate review of activity to date and course correction if necessary (averting the possibility that you'll go too far in the wrong direction).

• Plan how frequently, and via what means you'll update board members and relevant colleagues on your progress. Think of this group as your marketing team and let them know what they can expect from you.

I recommend a periodic group email report, and occasional update meetings.

• Consider what you are seeking from your marketing team. And the kind of input they demand? Will you be soliciting approval or just keeping folks updated? More input is not

ur actions going forward and be pleased with results? At times like these, nerves can run as high as expectations.

Over the years, in my work on staff and as a consultant, I've found that nothing works as well as clear, frequent communication in a situation like this. Make sure you communicate frequently and thoroughly to your board and colleagues, so they aren't surprised at any step along the way. There's absolutely no way for you to predict their actions but you'll be treating them with the utmost respect and, through including a broader group, be likely to receive some very useful feedback along the way.

Here are some tips to pave the way for a smooth implementation process:

• Before you take another step, work with the board to define a series of benchmarks to be met as you bring the marketing plan to life. The benchmarks should be designed to motivate review of activity to date and course correction if necessary (averting the possibility that you'll go too far in the wrong direction).

• Plan how frequently, and via what means you'll update board members and relevant colleagues on your progress. Think of this group as your marketing team and let them know what they can expect from you.

I recommend a periodic group email report, and occasional update meetings.

• Consider what you are seeking from your marketing team. And the kind of input they demand? Will you be soliciting approval or just keeping folks updated? More input is not

ny step along the way. There's absolutely no way for you to predict their actions but you'll be treating them with the utmost respect and, through including a broader group, be likely to receive some very useful feedback along the way.

Here are some tips to pave the way for a smooth implementation process:

• Before you take another step, work with the board to define a series of benchmarks to be met as you bring the marketing plan to life. The benchmarks should be designed to motivate review of activity to date and course correction if necessary (averting the possibility that you'll go too far in the wrong direction).

• Plan how frequently, and via what means you'll update board members and relevant colleagues on your progress. Think of this group as your marketing team and let them know what they can expect from you.

I recommend a periodic group email report, and occasional update meetings.

• Consider what you are seeking from your marketing team. And the kind of input they demand? Will you be soliciting approval or just keeping folks updated? More input is not

h the board to define a series of benchmarks to be met as you bring the marketing plan to life. The benchmarks should be designed to motivate review of activity to date and course correction if necessary (averting the possibility that you'll go too far in the wrong direction).

• Plan how frequently, and via what means you'll update board members and relevant colleagues on your progress. Think of this group as your marketing team and let them know what they can expect from you.

I recommend a periodic group email report, and occasional update meetings.

• Consider what you are seeking from your marketing team. And the kind of input they demand? Will you be soliciting approval or just keeping folks updated? More input is not

on your progress. Think of this group as your marketing team and let them know what they can expect from you.

I recommend a periodic group email report, and occasional update meetings.

• Consider what you are seeking from your marketing team. And the kind of input they demand? Will you be soliciting approval or just keeping folks updated? More input is not always useful, especially when it comes to design issues.

You'll want to come to the table with a concrete recommendation that is feasible for you to maintain while meeting your marketing budget and timeline. Also, make sure you define what results you can deliver. The kind of marketing you're doing generates tangible results. Let your team know what you expect. But remember, nothing is worse than promising what you can't deliver.

• Let your marketing team know immediately if (and we can probably say "when") you come up against stumbling blocks. Nothing is better than an immediate group email to update team members on a glitch and your intended solution. Not only will they feel included, and satisfied to be made aware of a diversion from the original plan – you give yourself great pr by providing an immediate solution.

When you put these four tips into play, you'll be doing as much as is humanly possible to make sure the marketing plan implementation goes smoothly.