| If you want to be successful at marketing your small | | | | time is money and you want to make sure that you |
| business then basically you need a marketing plan. | | | | are not wasting a minute of it. Select the key |
| When you do not have a marketing plan it is usually | | | | marketing activities you want to implement and divide |
| due to one of four stumbling blocks and this article will | | | | them into months or quarters and put a dollar value |
| show you how to overcome these. | | | | and if you can an objective against them. Then after |
| Marketing plans do not have to be complicated or a | | | | every 3 months, look at the results. This is a simple |
| pile of paper that you never look at after you finish. | | | | way to see if you achieved what you wanted to |
| Your marketing plan should be dynamic, simple and | | | | achieve or not. If the marketing activities worked then |
| provide a road map for you to follow throughout the | | | | that is great as you can always repeat the marketing |
| year as you go up against your competitors for the | | | | tactic again. |
| hearts and minds of your target market. | | | | The No Need For One factor |
| The Time Factor | | | | Think of yourself as a customer and you will quickly |
| Marketing plans do not have to take weeks to | | | | realize that our attitudes, needs and desires and how |
| develop, however if you see articles saying you can | | | | we feel about different brands and business can |
| develop a marketing plan in 5 minutes do not believe it. | | | | change over time. Whilst you may have loyal |
| The reason is that you have to take time to think | | | | customers, a new competitor will always be trying to |
| about your business, competitors and customers. That | | | | tempt them away from you. Review your customers |
| said you should be able to develop a dynamic | | | | each year and see if you are satisfying their needs |
| marketing plan in 3 weeks spending about 1-2 hours | | | | and desires. This then helps you to select marketing |
| for the first 2 weeks to gather your information. Week | | | | strategies and tactics which will ensure your |
| 1 could be spent analyzing what is happening in your | | | | customers remain loyal. |
| market and conducting a competitor analysis. Week 2 | | | | The No Experience Factor |
| you can analyze your customers and their attitudes | | | | There are many small business marketing tools |
| and behaviour towards your business as well as look | | | | available to assist you with your plan, from software to |
| at past marketing activities and your business | | | | templates to books and seminars. The key is to start |
| performance. With all this information you should be | | | | simply. Just choose 1 objective you want to achieve |
| able in week 3 to take about 1 hour to develop your | | | | with your key customers, then think of 1 strategy |
| marketing objectives, marketing strategies and | | | | which will become your focus to retain, attract or |
| marketing tactics. The next year you will find it will take | | | | expand your customers and then choose 2-3 |
| even less time, especially if you review and analyze | | | | marketing tactics to implement which will support this. |
| throughout the year. | | | | Marketing plans are a great road map for any small |
| The Money Factor | | | | business to follow and as you gain more experience |
| Whether you have $500 or $50,000 to spend you | | | | and learn what works and what does not it becomes |
| need to maximize the results from your marketing | | | | easier each year. |
| activity. Also if you are providing a service then your | | | | |