Can you picture your business more successful than it is? Your business can be more successful if you have a marketing plan. Fortune 500 companies may have marketing plans that are hundred of pages long. If you don't yet have a marketing plan you can start with a much shorter and simpler plan.

It is essential to have a marketing plan because you need it for every decision you make. A marketing plan is not a document that you create and file somewhere. It have to be a living breathing part of your daily operations. Think of your marketing plan as your roadmap to success. Without following your marketing plan it would be easy taking the wrong turns, getting you farther and farther away your destination: success.

Your marketing plan should focus on the next 6-12 months. It also helps to have a long term section of your marketing plan focusing on the next 3-5 years.

Your marketing plan should include the following information:

Market Research – Research and study the market that is currently buying the products or services you are offering. Study customers, products, competitors, market size, industry trends.

Target Market – Identify your target market.

Service/Product – How does your service relate to the market? What are the needs of your market need, what services do they currently use, what opportunities are there for new services?

Competitive Environment – What is your competitive environment? Who are your competitors? What is your unique selling proposition (USP)? What makes your service better? What brands are you competing against?

Mission – Verbalize your Core Values, Mission and Vision Statements. Write a few sentences that define you as a business. What are the fundamental values of your business?

Marketing Strategies – What specific marketing strategies are you considering?

• Website marketing
• Search Engine Optimization
• Pay-Per-Click Advertising
• Social Media Marketing
• Networking
• Trade Shows
• Direct Mail
• Content Development – articles, white papers, books, seminars, conferences
• Press Releases
• Advertising

Pricing, Positioning, Branding – Based on your research establish the price for your service, determine how you will position it in the market place, and make a decision about how to achieve brand awareness.

Budget – How much money can you allocate to execute your marketing strategies? Your marketing budget has to be exact, but it doesn't mean that everything you do will require money. For example, you might be able to develop a white paper internally without spending any money.

Marketing Goals – Establish measurable marketing goals. For example, you could set a goal of getting ten new clients each month. Every goal you set has to be measurable in numbers. Don't write that you want much more clients next year than this year. Every goal you establish has to be measurable by numbers. Your goals might include 30 percent sales increase, 5 percent greater profits, or 100 percent customer's satisfaction.

Monitor Results – Test, analyze and tweak your marketing plan. At least once each month revisit your marketing plan and measure its effectiveness.

Our team of marketing professionals are ready to help you develop a marketing plan for your business. Call us now at 800-530-9141.