Create A Powerful Small Business Marketing Plan in Six Easy Steps
ByWhen I first started my business, I created a very complex business plan that took me several weeks to complete. The amount of effort I put into it almost made me want to give up being in business for myself before I even got started!
It doesn’t have to be that difficult. I now encourage my clients to create a simplified marketing plan that covers all the basics – the 5 W’s and the 1 H – the who, what, where, when, why, and how. It gets them off to a quick start without spending weeks mired in research and details.
The easiest way to grow your business is to determine the needs of your target market, and then provide solutions that will meet those needs. Then, target all your promotional communications to the people who are most likely to buy from you and the ones you would most enjoy doing business with.
Answering the following questions will help you to understand your business and your target market, and the unique mix of products and services you can provide that will add value to that clientele.
1) Who: Who specifically is your target market? Who is your ideal client? What research can you do to find out more about these people and companies?
2) What: What products and services do your ideal clients want and need? What are the solutions that your ideal client is looking for? What is your area of specialty that will differentiate you in the marketplace? What type of message will your ideal client likely respond to? What are you selling? What is your unique mix of products and services? What is your pricing strategy?
3) Where: Where is your ideal client likely to be? Where will you position yourself so that they can easily find you? Where are the best places to get your message to them? Will you have to speak to groups, hold seminars, or write a newsletter or articles?
4) When: How frequently does your target group need to hear your message? When are they most likely to buy from you?
5) Why: Why are you in business? Why do people buy from you? Why will they choose you over your competition?
6) How: How are you going to reach the buyer of your services and products? How will you communicate your marketing message? How will you provide the information they need to make their buying decision?
If you answer all the above questions, you’ll have the outline for a simple small business marketing plan that can guide your promotional activities.
Add to this a projection of your income, expense, and profit on a monthly basis for the year, and you have a complete plan to guide your actions for the next year.
Take Action
Here is a template you can use to get you started on your simplified small business marketing plan. Answer the following questions based on the information above:
Who:
What:
Where:
When:
Why:
How:
Target market/specialty/niche:
Business goals for the year:
Top three marketing strategies:
Actions to support those strategies:
Quarterly income projections:
Complete the above, and you will have a simple yet powerful one-page plan for your business.
RETURN TO DIRECTORY TO READ MORE SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING ARTICLES FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Technorati Tags: small business marketing, small business coaching, women entrepreneur
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