Have you ever started a cross country road trip to a place you’ve never been with no plan, no map and no phone? If so, you probably didn’t get very far or know where you ended up going.
Unfortunately, this is exactly how many small businesses advertise. They set out for an unknown destination with no plan of how to get there.
Before you spend another dollar to advertise your business. Create a cohesive plan. We utilize a 7-step marketing plan to ensure that our clients’ ad budgets are spent efficiently to produce maximum results. Here is a brief overview of what you need to include in your marketing plan before you spend $1 on advertising.
1.) Strategic Summary:
A clear general strategy of what you plan to achieve with your marketing is always the first step. Start with a big picture perspective and then work down from there.
2.) Products and Goals:
Lay out each product/service specifically and assign a campaign goal for each of these items. Get engrossed in the product description and the results it brings.
3.) Situational Analysis:
Here is where we really dig into an honest assessment of how our products/services compare to others in the marketplace. What are our unique selling propositions? What are our competitive advantages and disadvantages? Where do our products/services fit in the marketplace?
4.) Segmentation of the Audience:
Now we drill down on the Who. Who is our key audience? Who influences them? What is unique about the audience? What do they really want?
5.) Communication Strategy:
How will we reach this audience effectively? Where does their attention live? How do we engage with them? Which platforms and communication platforms do we use? How do we craft the messages? What will make them take the next step to convert as a customer?
6.) Action Plan:
What specific steps will we take to achieve what specific objectives? Here is where we lay out precisely what success looks like. Not in terms of vanity metrics, but actual sales and growth. We must be clear about what we do to meet those objectives and how we will know those goals have been met.
7.) Conclusion:
This is where we tie everything together from steps 1-6 and make sure everyone is on the same page as to their roles in helping the team achieve success.
Now, you are ready to launch.
