There are key factors that need to be taken into account when developing a business marketing plan.
First, assess your desired outcome. What is your business objective and what do you want marketing to do for you in your business? By clearly defining, up front, what you want marketing to do for you, you are in a better position to assess whether or not the marketing activities you employ are working or not. They’re either taking you closer to your desired outcome or further away, which is it?
Second, you need to review the macro environment within which your business marketing plan is being developed. What’s happening “out there” that could have an impact on you, but over which you have no control. For example is there a strong chance that a change in legislation could significantly impact your ability to run your business profitably. Look at all the macro issues to ensure nothing catches unawares.
Third, clearly define who your target market is. A lot of business marketing plans define “everyone” as the target market. But this clearly cannot be the case. It’s just lazy strategy development. Challenge yourself, and your marketing team, to describe the type of people that have problems that you can provide the solution to. Clear focus here will ensure the rest of your business marketing plan will be effective. Lack of focus here will deliver a business marketing plan that is wishy-washy, unstructured and ineffective.
Last, look at what you want to tell these people about you that will make them sit up and take note. For example what are the benefits of your products/services in assisting your target market to solve their problem?
People only buy products and services because a need exists (real or perceived). In developing a business marketing plan your job is to determine what that need is and then work with your organization to deliver the solution to the need … profitably!
Tags: create a marketing plan, marketing plan, write a marketing plan
