This is the last issue of ROI for 2025. I'm taking the rest of December off to plan for next year – and if you're an influencer marketer, you're probably doing the same thing (or at least thinking about it).

The timing is perfect because a few months back, we asked influencer marketers how they plan their year. And what came back was interesting. (And comforting!)

Most marketers admitted they either had a loose plan for the year or were planning quarter by quarter. Very few had everything locked down months in advance. So if you've been feeling like everyone else has this figured out except you, you're not alone.

So before we both disappear into planning mode (and the holidays), here are four tips from that survey to help you build a plan that works.

Tip #1: Start by understanding where you actually are

Imagine going to a doctor, and they start prescribing medication before you've described a single symptom. I'd run out of the room clutching my pearls.

Yearly planning works the same way. If you skip understanding where your program actually stands, everything you plan next becomes disconnected tactics.

Before you plan anything, review your data and look for patterns in four areas:

• Your results: When did collaborations drive real sales, engagement, or give you reusable content? Which offers had the most impact? These patterns tell you what to keep doing.

• Your creators: Which influencers consistently delivered? Not just performance, but as partners who met deadlines and followed briefs? Check your discount codes and affiliate links for top performers.

• Your audience and market: Did your ICP's preferences shift? Did external factors, such as budget cuts or competitor launches, change the market?

• Your systems: When did workflows run smoothly? When did they fall apart? Do you need a platform to automate tracking, or a contractor during peak season?

These patterns are your baseline. They tell you what to carry forward, what to adjust, and what goals you can promise to leadership.

Tip #2: Decide what actually belongs in the plan

Not everything needs to be in your annual plan. Trying to map out every detail will either paralyze you or result in a document you'll never look at again.

According to our survey, the top things marketers include are:

• Budget (82%)

• Goals and KPIs (82%)

• Campaign dates (69%)

• Core messaging (58%)

• Collaboration types (58%)

If you've got those down, you're golden.

Notice what's missing? The exact creator names. Specific video scripts. Precise posting schedules.

Your annual plan is a compass, not a map. It shows direction, but you still have to figure out how you're going to get where you're going. You want enough structure to guide your decisions, but also enough flexibility to adapt when things change. (Because they will!)

Yes, plan to work with micro-influencers in Q1. But you don't need to lock in their exact posting dates or creative concepts. Deadlines will shift. Content trends will evolve. You can't predict what formats will be working in six months.

The one exception to this rule: if you're launching a major new product or running a campaign that requires months of planning. Otherwise, save the details for quarterly or monthly planning sessions.

Tip #3: Map your biggest moments first

For most ecommerce brands, Q4 is a must-show-up moment. But depending on your industry and location, you may have other moments too. Q2 is a big shopping period. Or cultural holidays relevant to your audience or even your brand's own milestone moments.

When planning your year, start with those. Outline your biggest campaigns first:

• What kind of creators will you work with?

• How many collaborations will you run? What kind?

• What's your core messaging going to be?

You want to focus on these moments because your audience is already primed to engage and buy. Nail them, and you can hit your goals faster.

Once you know what you're building toward, the quiet months become strategic prep time. July, June, and February tend to be the slowest months for ecommerce marketers (in that order).

Plan to use them strategically:

• Run brand awareness campaigns so people are primed to buy when peak season hits

• Test new creators outside your usual niche to find hidden gems

• Experiment with different messaging, offers, or collaboration types

• Prepare for busy periods (marketers start planning Black Friday campaigns in late July and have a complete plan by mid-August)

Tip #4: Build in time to adjust tactics

Your strategy should stay consistent throughout the year. If your goal is to drive awareness in Q1 and conversions in Q4, that's your strategy.

But your tactics need to shift based on what's actually happening.

Let's say you planned to work with 10 micro-influencers posting Reels in Q2. But two months in, you notice carousels are getting way more saves and shares than Reels. That's a tactical shift. Same creators, same goal, different format.

Or a creator who crushed it last quarter is starting to drop off. Your tactic changes from "work with this creator monthly" to "rotate in someone new while keeping them on for quarterly collaborations."

The best plans aren't static. Schedule time every month or quarter to revisit and ask:

• What's working?

• What's not?

• What's changed in the business, the market, or the platforms?

If you make a plan and never look at it again, it'll collect dust. But if you use it like a compass, checking it regularly to make sure you're still headed in the right direction, you'll actually hit the goals you set.

That's it from me for 2025. The entire team at Modash and I wish you happy holidays! I’ll see you back here in January with more ways to get a return on your influencer investment.  

Eleni Zoe xx
Brand @ Modash. Say hi on LinkedIn or visit Modash.

📌A NOTE ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST READ

The tips in this newsletter might not be right for your specific case. Use good judgment when deciding whether to take advice from the internet—even mine. My team and I survey & interview influencer marketers whose advice and observations come from their direct experience. ROI is designed to help you connect the dots and be inspired or challenged to think about your influencer marketing in a new way.