Steps to Create a marketing plan that gets you new customers, more visibility, and peace of mind! Your presentation will begin shortly…

Steps to Create a marketing plan that gets you new customers, more visibility, and peace of mind!

Agenda I.The undeniable benefits of a marketing plan II.How to create a marketing plan, step-by-step (it’s not hard) III.Best practices, worst practices, and other important things to consider 3

THE UNDENIABLE BENEFITS OF A MARKETING PLAN 4 act one

5 “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” - Lewis Carroll

6 “hope is not a strategy!”

Who Uses a Marketing Plan? + every successful business you can think of + Wal-mart, GE, Apple, BMW, bob’s burger shack…the best +whether they are big or small! 7

What’s the Opposite of a Plan? + Nothing good – aimlessness, idleness, confusion, inertia + essential to maximize your business potential (NOT a pointless academic exercise) 8

The Payoff of a Marketing Plan + clear understanding of how to maximize profit + Keep sight of big picture + Facilitates measurement + Get your team on same page 9

HOW TO CREATE A MARKETING PLAN, STEP- BY-STEP (IT’S NOT HARD) 10 Act two

Step 1: Brainstorm + Step back and think! –How did the last year go? –What currently works for you? –What doesn’t? –What big ideas do you have for your business that you haven’t had time for yet? –Don’t evaluate yet…just let it flow 11

Step 2: Know Your Customer + Identify your target customer –validate assumptions about who they are and what they want –Demographic information –Psychographic information 12

Step 2: Know Your Customer + Find out where they “Hang out” –What magazines, blogs, social media sites do they already use –Where are they likely to find information about your products and/or services –Leverage these existing “channels” to get highest ROI 13

Step 2: Know Your Customer + survey your customers –Why did they buy from you? –What do they think of your products/services/Brand? –Do they also buy from your competition? –How likely are they to recommend you to others? 14

Step 3: Study Your Market + current state of marketplace - Dollar size of market - Sales and distribution set up - Geographic area - Competitors - major trends to be aware of 15

Step 4: Study Your Competition + list all major competitors + financial reports + product/service catalog + where are they strong? + where are they vulnerable? 16

Step 5: SWOT Analysis + Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats + focus on finding 3 big +opportunities to take your +business to a new level 17

Step 6: Set Clear Goals + Realistic stretch goals –Start with revenue –Develop quarterly milestones –Work backwards + develop road map to get there –introduce new products –raise prices –enter new territories, cross-sell, etc. + Asses impact, ability to execute, budget 18

Step 6: Set Clear Goals + Determine measures of success –track progress weekly and by campaign –Put real-time (or close!) tracking in place + allocate budget across objectives + Conduct quarterly performance evaluation + Make adjustments as you go! 19

Step 7: Schedule and Execute + create a calendar –Major objectives for entire year –Detailed plan for next quarter –Plan outline for following quarter –keep it visible + Create 6-week daily action plan and assign –Identify action owners –identify specific to-dos –Add them to calendar 20

BEST PRACTICES, WORST PRACTICES, AND OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER 21 Act three

Best Practices + Have fun…think big! + Battle small budget with boldness +and creativity + Involve your team + Focus on the “BIG FEW” 22

Worst Practices + plan = academic exercise + create and operate in vacuum + failure to measure + failure to adjust 23

Things to Consider… + Marketing is the most important thing to grow +your business! + Fail to plan = plan to fail + Be specific and action-oriented + Act, observe, adjust, act again 24

Questions? 25 We’re here to help – Get in touch!

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