If
you're anything like most small business owners or entrepreneurs
that I know, you hear the phrase 'Marketing Plan' and just shake
your head. Who in their right mind has time to actually sit down
and put something on paper? You're probably too busy out running
around trying to 'do' and have no time to sit down and plan what
to do.
Unfortunately,
what many people don't realize is that while they're out 'doing',
they're doing the wrong things to build their business. Or, while
they may be doing the right things, they're doing them the wrong
way. This doesn't have to, in fact it SHOULDN'T, be the case.
By
taking the time to sit down and create a blueprint, you will give
yourself a clear plan to achieve what it is that you're working
so diligently to achieve. Plus, you'll accomplish it much quicker
than you would if you continued running around just trying to
'do'.
Creating
a powerful marketing plan doesn't require a PhD.
In
fact, with the right knowledge you could create a magical marketing
plan that will ensure you're doing the right activities in the
right way in a short period of time. There are 7 key ingredients
to creating a plan that will keep you on the path to your dreams.
1.
Understand Your Market
Before
you can begin to create a plan to build a successful business,
you must first understand the environment in which you've chosen
to build your business and the elements that affect your market.
It's just like trying to build a house. If you're in the North
Pole, you would need to know that its cold the majority of the
time. As a result, building a grass hut would be completely out
of the question.
The
same applies to your business. You need to know the products or
services your market needs and wants, the size of the market,
who else is competing for the same business, and ultimately, is
there a place for your product or service?
2.
Pick a Niche
After
understanding the market you've chosen, it's easy to think that
everyone in the market is a potential customer. However, if you
think that everyone is your customer, you'll quickly find that
nobody is your customer. The marketplace is crammed full of businesses
competing for the same customers you seek and the only way to
truly be successful is to narrow your focus. In other words, pick
a niche.
A
niche is defined as "a special area of demand". It's
a subset of people that share a particular interest or need. An
example would people that read 'Underwater Basket Weaving' magazine.
Or people that bet on guinea pig races.
Once
you've determined your niche, you'll find it a much easier process
to understand your customer, develop the right message, and find
the right medium to carry the message to your customers.
3.
Understand Your Customer
This
step really comes down to knowing who your customers are, what
they want, and what motivates them to buy. Unless you know these
key ingredients, it won't matter what type of marketing you do
because you won't be able to attract enough interest to stay in
business.
In
order to understand your customer, you should ask yourself the
following questions:
-
What motivates my customers? What are their concerns?
- How do they normally purchase similar products?
- Where do they normally acquire their information and which
medium will help me best attract their attention?
4.
Develop Your Marketing Message
Your
marketing message is what you use to convey what it is you do
and how you can help solve your customer's problems. Or better
yet, satisfy their wants. Assuming you've taken the time to understand
your customer, this is the where you show your customer how you
are able to solve their problems.
To
develop an effective message, there are three words that you should
always keep in mind. Benefits, benefits, benefits. In other words,
what's in it for them.
As
nice as it sounds to tell them all about the great product or
service you have, and about how it's handcrafted in Peru or how
you've spent years studying to become an expert, your customers
don't care.
The
only thing that is powerful enough to capture their interest is
how can you solve their problem or satisfy their want. Yes, features
and facts and credentials are important, but they're not what
sell.
5.
Determine The Best Way To Attract Your Prospects Attention
Assuming
you haven't chosen a niche that is impossible to reach, determining
how best to contact your potential customers can make or break
your business success. To be able to effectively convey your message
to your customers, you need to know where to find them.
Again
thinking about your customer, where are you most likely to find
them hanging out? Listening to the radio? Watching late night
television? Reading a specialized newsletter or other publication?
The
key to successfully attracting your customer's attention is in
matching your message to your market using the right medium. In
other words, it won't do you much good to advertise a retirement
community using a fast-paced, loud and obnoxious radio spot on
the local hip-hop radio station.
6.
Write Out Your Goals
Goals
are a critical element of a successful marketing plan. Until the
goals you want to accomplish are firmly printed on something tangible,
it's just a wish. If you haven't written down your goals then
you're still just wishing for success.
Your
goals should include financial as well as non-financial elements.
Financial elements such as total sales, annual revenue, gross
profit, etc. Non-financial goals could include things such as
new customers acquired, new products developed, and total market
share.
Some
keys to creating goals that have the ability to keep you on track
include making them realistic, achievable, measurable, and time
specific. By asking yourself if your goals meet these four criteria,
you're certain to be able to create powerful reminders that will
keep you on target.
7.
Develop a Budget
The
budget is the last step in a successful marketing plan because
it's dependent upon the previous 6 steps. Without knowing the
market you're trying to penetrate, or who your customer is, or
what medium is best suited for your message, it's impossible to
know how much money it's going to take to achieve your goals.
One
way that some companies determine their marketing budget is to
devote a percentage of total revenue. Many successful companies
put at least 10% of their total sales into their marketing efforts,
but you need to determine what number you feel comfortable with.
If
you know what it costs to acquire a new customer, you can then
multiply that number by your sales or customer acquisition goal
you set in step 6. The result of this simple calculation will
tell you exactly how much you need to invest in order to reach
your goals.
Know
where you're going and how to get there.
Creating
a marketing plan that gives you vision and purpose doesn't have
to be a big ordeal. It doesn't require fancy software or some
expensive consultant to sit you down to talk through these things.
No one knows what you want more than you and by taking the time
to create a marketing plan for your business, you'll give yourself
a valuable tool to help you achieve the dreams that caused you
to go out and 'do' in the first place.
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Chestin Salisbury is President of LawnCareMarketingMagic,
a direct response marketing consultancy located in Charlotte,
NC that focuses on the lawncare and landscaping industry. He has
been helping small businesses grow for 5+ years by creating marketing
systems that use time-tested direct response marketing principles.
LawnCareMarketingMagic
has access to 100+ years of experience and is capable of creating
a marketing plan that grows YOUR business. Chestin is also the
chief-editor of 'The LawncareMarketingMagic Minute', a weekly
e-newsletter that focuses on helping your grow your business.
You can obtain a free lifetime subscription by sending a blank
email to: easytips@lawncaremarketingmagic.com
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