Do we need to create a marketing plan, Do We Really Need It?
Marketing plans come in all sizes. They are used for small businesses as well as billion dollar businesses. Some marketing plans are used while others are stuffed in a drawer somewhere and never looked at again.
Why are marketing plans created in the first place? For most people, the hope is that if a plan is outlined, or a map if desired, we will surely reach our goals.
Yesterday, a client referred me to a company in dire need of a game plan, or a marketing plan that, if true, any kind of plan would be beneficial to that company.
After exchanging a few compliments, I asked some probing questions regarding their short term and long term goals? What have they tried so far? Did you succeed? Is there a budget? How to make a decision? And I had a few other questions to get the ball rolling.
They've already gone ahead with some of their "ideas," spending 1/2 million dollars to create 3,000 units of their product. When I asked them how many sales they've sold so far last year, I was a little shocked. Seven, is what they sold!
What is the plan to sell the rest? Well, they liked their product very much; They believed "word of mouth" would definitely get the last 2,993 sold.
Now, don't get me wrong, I wish it was that easy and I love the idea of referrals but without a plan, this stock will advance with us.
When I asked another question about whether any outgoing calls had been made to the target market, he said they had not even made a single call.
There was no plan, there was no real thought of how this work would happen which they were hoping to move on to nationally and then internationally.
"Start at the end," says Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Does this sound like a business or marketing plan idea to follow? You bet on it.
When I asked them why they bought 3000 units, they said it was the best price, based on size. Now, how's that for the plan?
As you can see, I did not mention who this company is. Not because this isn't a true story because it certainly is. This is because I always protect my clients and because they are not unique. This is a very common problem with companies. They are very good at what they offer or the services they provide, but when it comes to planning, especially marketing plan and budget, they get lost.
This article does not have enough space to explain a complete marketing plan but one of the key elements is knowing customer value. why? If you know your customer's dollar value, you'll know how much money to set your marketing budget for.
The following is a simplified formula:
#1. How much profit do you make from a new customer in one year?
#2. How long can you keep clients?
By knowing just these two things, it will help you know how much money you can spend to get a new client. Now, how many new customers do you want?
Of course we can make it more complicated but the whole idea is to start with your own marketing plan. Good luck and God bless you!
How to Make Use of a Marketing Plan For An Online Business
The one thing that will separate you from the 90% of other network marketers is the discipline of following a weekly marketing plan for online business. Once you have a plan in place, there is nowhere to go - but up.
This plan is just a list of task that you follow on a daily basis. It may seem tedious at first, however, once you get the hang of it, you can quickly complete your daily tasks. Now you will have more time to work on other aspects of your business.
Developing a systematic method for running your business can help you stay focused. You can, also, draw upon your plan to measure your success.
In a J.O.B. you are given a plan (list of tasks) by your supervisor. This plan has been tested time and time again. I am sure it had to go through several changes before ensuring that the tasks can be duplicated.
Your J.O.B. is to perform these same tasks on a daily basis. Any successful business rely on a marketing plan.
Your business is no different from the others. You must rely on a business plan in order to chart your path to success.
Your business and marketing plan
This is your job and you should start thinking about how to develop a realistic plan. With all the information and methods of marketing on the Internet, I understand that putting a marketing plan together can be confusing.
Just remember that your plan doesn't have to be perfect the first time around. That is why it is called PLAN, the continuous thought process.
Start slow, Rome wasn't built in a day. Start with just one marketing method until you become an expert in it. I suggest you start by using social media. To help you move forward with your marketing plan, I've designed a sample weekly marketing plan. (A copy can be downloaded from the site indicated in the resource box.)
As you develop your skills, you can expand your marketing plan. How to Benefit from a Marketing Plan for Online Business
An example of how to take advantage of this plan. In the form provided:
#1. Decide how often you want to perform a particular task.
#2. Put this number under the target.
#3. At the end of the week, add up the number of times you have completed this specific task.
#4. Put this number under Accomplished.
#5. To get your net Subtract two numbers
For example, if you have a goal of 5 and you achieve 4, in this example, you did not achieve your goal. However, you have to keep doing it and don't give up. You always have time to correct your actions.
Now, let's look at the plan for next week. Go ahead, reset your goals, and try again. After subtracting the objective from the investigator, let's say you worked hard and produced a net +2. This time you have exceeded your goal for this week. good for you!
Keep copies of all your weekly plans. Every once in a while, take them out and compare.
Stay consistent in your daily activities and you will see improvement - reveals the measure of your success. You don't need to make a lot of money to say you succeed.
Get started with your marketing plan today. The sooner you begin to discipline your actions, the faster you will see the results you seek.
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