How to create YOUR perfect marketing plan
Creating the right marketing plans for your business does not have to be as daunting as some may think! In fact, to get you started, try thinking "psychology of the consumer." When you do, you will discover that you can be more in the driver's seat, especially in quality lead generation than you might be used to.
When interested consumers are trying to learn where and how to obtain the products and services you provide, it’s exciting (for both them and YOU!) when the information they discover is about YOU! From there, my friends, the rest can flow and take shape for you providing leads, customers, revenues, profits, successes, advocates, all those things a smart marketing plan should!
Follow the THREE - STEP Guide BELOW to get you started creating YOUR BUSINESS'S PERFECT MARKETING PLAN!
So how do you construct a successful marketing strategy?
This question, or more accurately, several versions of this question is asked every day by business owners wondering, probably the same thing you might be! What is the best, what is the most successful, what are the right marketing strategies for my business?
Step One is to acknowledge that not all marketing strategies are created equal! There are basic marketing strategies, certainly not a one-size fits all strategy, and there are smart marketing strategies.
Proceed to Step Two to discover how to turn a basic marketing strategy into a marketing strategy you can proudly call successful!
Turn your basic marketing strategies into more successful marketing strategies!
Let's first define BASIC. Anybody can have a basic marketing strategy at work for them. This would not necessarily be terrible. Nor, might it be magnificent... at least yet! Think of it as a good starting point with knowledge there is room to grow.
A basic marketing strategy should assist you in identifying your company's assets and stand out features, and then to prove them, promote them, and to help you profit from them. That simple!
Is that close to how you view your marketing plans?
Now, add in that special element that ups the game of that basic marketing plan. A SMART marketing strategy takes into account the basic plan above, BUT assures that on-going TRUST in you, your business, services and products are one of your PRIMARY assets!
Now proceed to Step Three for a helpful checklist you can start with to help your marketing strategy go from BASIC to SMART and SUCCESSFUL!
Use this checklist to help you build a smart and successful marketing plan
SMART MARKETING STRATEGY CHECKLIST
- Start by making a list of everything you would consider to be an asset of your business, things like your inventories, products, store, website(s), software, equipment, vehicles, licenses, funds, all things you NEED to operate your business effectively
- Make sure you include your business's REPUTATION on your list of assets
- Hint... also go ahead and include things like your RELATIONSHIPS and your CONTACTS if you did not already include them
- I bet you've got YOURSELF and your TEAM MEMBERS already on your list, right?!
- How about your ADVOCATES - these are people who already know you, trust you, and would not hesitate to refer you to others, people who do or would speak positively on your behalf
- Here's another non-tangible asset that I bet you've got a lot of.... YOUR KNOWLEDGE and EXPERTISE
- You know where I am going with this... have you included YOUR EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS?
- How about any CREDENTIALS you can boast about? These include licenses, certifications, awards, degrees, ratings, rankings, all things that help you PROVE YOUR COMPETENCY - validating "stuff" that helps move potential customers on the fence closer to you
- Next, identify any features or assets about your business that you consider to be STAND OUT FEATURES of your business - things that make your business different, special, unique, better than your competition
- Next, go back through your list and ask yourself what steps you are currently taking to PROVE these assets to your team members AND to customers
- Ask yourself if you are taking any deliberate steps to actively PROMOTE any of the asset items on your list, and if so, how are you promoting them?
- Almost done... Ask yourself, next, if you can measure direct PROFIT for your business as a result of each of the items on your asset list
- After all that head scratching, ask yourself if after going through this exercise, did anything come up that you may not have been thinking about prior to taking these steps?
- Lastly, pat yourself on the back first for taking the time to think all this through. Then, take a moment to acknowledge any of the blanks you may have just revealed you have. (And don't feel bad if you have them, most businesses do!) The good news is you will be able to discover the in depth steps you'll need to take next to adopt smart marketing strategies. Adopting these strategies will turn whatever you are currently doing to market yourself into the best, most successful and profitable marketing strategies for your business. You will find it all laid out for you in my TRUST MATTERS TRAINING SERIES.
Order your copy of TRUST MATTERS TRAINING where everything you need to know about creating and mapping out the right marketing steps for YOU is all right there!
