You can You
can be the
best in your
field.
But
if you don’t
have and
then follow
a strategic
marketing
plan, it’ll
be your secret.
A
Strategic
Plan lets
you know
where you
want your
company to
be now, next
year - and
five years
out. A plan
can be amazingly
simple.
If your company
has a 1-page
document
that answers
these questions,
then you’re
ahead of
your competition:
1.
Who are you
and how do
you set yourself
apart from
your competition?
[When done
well, marketing
is based
on your genuine
uniqueness.]
2.
What services
or products
do you offer?
[What needs
are YOU meeting
that your
competition
does not?]
Estimated
strength
Market
share and
market
trend
Financial
strengths
and weaknesses
Profitability
Quality
of management
Technology
position
compared
to competitors
Marketing
strategy
(target
market
strategy,
program/product
positioning,
product
line strategy
and distribution,
pricing
strategy,
promotions
strategy)
3.
Who needs
these products
or services?
[Describe
your ideal
target.]
describe
their estimated
annual
purchases
size of
market
(# of customers/organizations/purchasing
units)
demographics/socioeconomics
of customers
geographic
concentration
or dispersion
customer
buying
motivations
& values
information
they base
purchase
decisions
on
purchasing
practices
4.
How do you
intend to
grab them
by the throat?
[What message
will you
send and
in which
media—media
they respond
to?]
5.
When are
the best
times to
reach them?
[Is your
business
considered
seasonal?
If so, this
impacts your
advertising].
6.
How much
of your budget
are you devoting
to marketing?
7.
Put measurements
in place.
It is difficult
to tell if
a marketing
program is
a success
if there
are no mechanisms
to measure
results.
8.
Stay focused.
Your marketing
plan is only
as good as
your implementation.
Whether
you need help
developing
a plan or assistance
with creating
products that
will grab your
ideal audience’s
attention,
marketing and
advertising
agencies can
help you from
concept to
completion.
Here's
a good marketing
strategy
blog -- go
ahead, post
your questions.
