Every business needs a marketing plan. Plain and simple. But, what makes a good marketing plan? What do you need to know to get your product or services in the right hands?
Here are a few quick tips to get you started on creating a marketing plan or to help you give your marketing plan a makeover.
No need to confuse everyone with an overly complex marketing plan. Regardless of how large or small your business may be, your marketing plan should stick to the basics. Use a format that is easy to maintain and doesn’t cause any headaches. If your Marketing Plan is simple and to the point it will make everyone’s lives easier.
2. Be specific.
To keep your marketing on point, your marketing plan needs to be as specific as possible. Include information such as:
- Launch Dates
- Preparation
- Responsible Staff
- Type and Frequency of Marketing
Since your Marketing Plan is essentially your “Marketing To Do List,” make sure that everything on there is prioritized and organized like you would for your personal “To Do List”
Having a solid grasp on your target demographic and competition is essential when creating an effective marketing plan. Ask yourself:
- Who will be using my product?
- What other products are they using?
- Where does my target consumer go to receive information?
- When does my target consumer use my product?
- How can I reach my target consumer?
Asking yourself these questions will help you understand how to effectively market your product and what channels of media are best for your needs.
4. Understand your value proposition.
Don’t take a single marketing step without ensuring that all involved completely understand your value proposition. Your value proposition is the WHY. Why does your target consumer want your product or service? Why can’t they live without it? Why should they choose your product or service over that of your competitors?
Need help figuring out what your value proposition is? Stay tuned!
Tags: Marketing, marketing plan, media, small business, Strategy
[...] Every business must have a value proposition, or a statement of what makes your business better, brighter and faster than that of your competition; basically answering the question, “why choose us?” Nonprofits are not exempt from creating a solid value proposition. Look at your mission statement and ask yourself, “out of the hundreds of other nonprofits that service the same cause, what makes this one different?” Once you answer that, you have a solid foundation from which to build your marketing plan. [...]