Handling Peak Periods Without Getting Caught Out
Holidays, sales, local events: the moments that matter are known in advance. What to prepare, and when, so you're not chasing.
The periods that matter most are also the most predictable: they're known months ahead. And yet teams almost always arrive at the last minute, producing in a rush content that visibly looks rushed.
Mark the calendar at the start of the year
Holidays, industry dates, local events, sale periods, closures. With the dates in hand you work backwards instead of in emergency mode.
How much lead time you actually need
- Idea and message: six weeks ahead.
- Producing the materials: four weeks ahead.
- Approvals and corrections: two weeks ahead.
- Scheduling the posts: one week ahead.
Margin is part of the plan
Planning without margin means planning for the best case. A late supplier, a delayed approval, bad weather on shoot day: these are normal events, and they belong in the calendar rather than being absorbed as surprises.
What to prepare regardless
A small archive of neutral content, usable at any time, saves the weeks when everything falls through. It isn't wasted work: it's the reserve that keeps the channel alive.
Nobody notices a plan made in good time. Everybody notices one made in a hurry.
Sources and Further Reading
Official documentation and guidelines cited or useful for going deeper.