If you are not on a fiscal calendar, your year begins in January. Getting out of the gate strong is essential. You don’t want to be behind to play catch-up later in the year. Your programming needs to be stronger than the prior year, as you compete as much or more with yourself as you do with the competition. I plot my marketing calendars over the preceding year, greying out the previous year’s programming. I also include at-a-glance critical indicators on the calendar, such as minimum-worth thresholds. This way, I know programming is not only in alignment but also more substantial than the prior year. This also allows you to compare midweek and weekend days, knowing that weekend days contribute more to the revenue stream. How do weekends align? Do you have a favorable calendar or an unfavorable calendar? If you are shorted a Friday or Saturday, how much more do you need to make up with the calendar you were dealt? Same with holidays. How do holidays compare year-on-year?
READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY HEIDI HAMERS IN THE 2024 SPRING EDITION OF GAMING & LEISURE MAGAZINE.