Make Your Mark – Strategic Planning to Attract Clients and Grow Your Business
Make Your Mark – Strategic Planning to Attract Clients and Grow Your Business
Effective marketing is an important part of your recipe for success and profitability. Developing a strategic marketing plan will ensure your success and allow you to not spend time and money in the wrong places.
Don't hit the pavement or the floors until you have taken the time to do some thinking and planning for at least the next 12 months. The clarity and focus that results from creating a strong strategic marketing plan will bring you what you are looking for with more ease and more certainty.
Use these marketing principles when creating a plan to ensure you will be in an even stronger place this time next year. These marketing principals will allow you to make your mark.
Do an Assessment
Before you jump into this new business climate access your marketing efforts from last year. Review all your expenses from last year. Evaluate if you have more or less to spend this year and review the success or failure of each of your expenses and efforts individually. Once you have done that identify where you can improve on last years efforts and then incorporate those changes into your strategic marketing plan for the coming year.
In the subsequent months throughout the year take time at the end of each month and quarter to assess your efforts and make midcourse corrections where necessary to incorporate what you have learned along the way.
Establish Objectives
Create business objectives for the coming year. Your strategic marketing efforts will serve you best if they do more for your business than simply turn a profit. Consider including these important objectives:
- Establishing yourself or your company an expert or leader in the industry you serve.
- Retain your current client base while gaining additional business from them.
- Increase new prospect referrals from current clients and your sphere of influence.
- Expand your direct mail and email list to increase your response rate.
Market Only to Your Niche
Even if everyone on the planet is a potential client you must limit your marketing efforts to be most effective. Decide who your ideal client is and focus your marketing efforts on that potential client population. Ask yourself; Who are they? Where are they? What are they interested or involved in? For example if your ideal client is an affluent homeowner in northern California figure out how you can make contact with them, not with everyone in the state.
Use a Multifaceted Approach
Your strategic marketing plan must be multifaceted, making only phone calls, only sending out direct mail or only getting out there and meeting people will not make it easy for you to achieve your goals. Use several different kinds of marketing efforts to fill your objectives. A multifaceted strategic marketing approach may include: advertising, networking, phone contact, internet marketing, electronic marketing, direct mail, hosting events, sponsorships, cross promotional marketing, strategic alliances, blogging, podcating, placing articles, delivering presentations, special offers, a referral program and possibly a whole lot more.
Be Consistent
One of the biggest reasons marketing efforts do not work is that they are not consistent and do not attempt to produce results over time. In many cases a decision-maker will need up to 11 interactions with a product or service company before making a purchase. Do not give up on the first, second or third try, use a variety of methods over time to cultivate a relationship, build trust and educate your potential customer.
Once your marketing plan is complete, create a marketing calendar for the year. Sit down and decide when every small and large action needs to take place. Your marketing efforts will go smoother and will be more effective.
Remember that your efforts have to be frequent. Until a prospect is warm contact them a minimum of once a month. Once they are warm contact them once a week. If they are a hot prospect, meaning they have expressed interest in making a purchase in the near future every other day might be advisable. At the same time remember even though a prospect has expressed interest in purchasing they may not be ready to buy when it is convenient for you.
In these cases be consistent and frequent and remember do not take it personally when prospects do not return your phone calls or respond immediately to your emails. You and your product or service are probably not their top priority it does not mean they are not interested.
Use Adaptation Marketing
Take one marketing effort and adapt it into several to save time and resources. For example a mailing, is adapted into an article, which is adapted into an electronic newsletter, which is adapted into a speech, which is adapted into a booklet for your customers and prospects. Each effort can equal several. Every time you do something ask yourself what else this can be used for.
These marketing principals will make a huge difference in the success of your business if you use them consistently throughout the year. Apply these ideas and watch your business grow stronger and more profitable each month. There is one more principal key to your success, perhaps the most important: Begin Today!
Make Your Mark Strategic Planning to Attract Clients and Grow Your Business - To learn more about this author, visit Caterina Rando's Website.
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A big mistake entrepreneurs make is that they think that a great product or service is enough- it is not. In addition to great products and services you need a comprehensive and consistent marketing plan and strategy.
Effective marketing is an important part of your recipe for success and profitability. Developing a strategic marketing plan will ensure your success and allow you to not spend time and money in the wrong places.
Don't hit the pavement or the floors until you have taken the time to do some thinking and planning for at least the next 12 months. The clarity and focus that results from creating a strong strategic marketing plan will bring you what you are looking for with more ease and more certainty.
Use these marketing principles when creating a plan to ensure you will be in an even stronger place this time next year. These marketing principals will allow you to make your mark.
Do an Assessment
Before you jump into this new business climate access your marketing efforts from last year. Review all your expenses from last year. Evaluate if you have more or less to spend this year and review the success or failure of each of your expenses and efforts individually. Once you have done that identify where you can improve on last years efforts and then incorporate those changes into your strategic marketing plan for the coming year.
In the subsequent months throughout the year take time at the end of each month and quarter to assess your efforts and make midcourse corrections where necessary to incorporate what you have learned along the way.
Establish Objectives
Create business objectives for the coming year. Your strategic marketing efforts will serve you best if they do more for your business than simply turn a profit. Consider including these important objectives:
- Establishing yourself or your company an expert or leader in the industry you serve.
- Retain your current client base while gaining additional business from them.
- Increase new prospect referrals from current clients and your sphere of influence.
- Expand your direct mail and email list to increase your response rate.
Market Only to Your Niche
Even if everyone on the planet is a potential client you must limit your marketing efforts to be most effective. Decide who your ideal client is and focus your marketing efforts on that potential client population. Ask yourself; Who are they? Where are they? What are they interested or involved in? For example if your ideal client is an affluent homeowner in northern California figure out how you can make contact with them, not with everyone in the state.
Use a Multifaceted Approach
Your strategic marketing plan must be multifaceted, making only phone calls, only sending out direct mail or only getting out there and meeting people will not make it easy for you to achieve your goals. Use several different kinds of marketing efforts to fill your objectives. A multifaceted strategic marketing approach may include: advertising, networking, phone contact, internet marketing, electronic marketing, direct mail, hosting events, sponsorships, cross promotional marketing, strategic alliances, blogging, podcating, placing articles, delivering presentations, special offers, a referral program and possibly a whole lot more.
Be Consistent
One of the biggest reasons marketing efforts do not work is that they are not consistent and do not attempt to produce results over time. In many cases a decision-maker will need up to 11 interactions with a product or service company before making a purchase. Do not give up on the first, second or third try, use a variety of methods over time to cultivate a relationship, build trust and educate your potential customer.
Once your marketing plan is complete, create a marketing calendar for the year. Sit down and decide when every small and large action needs to take place. Your marketing efforts will go smoother and will be more effective.
Remember that your efforts have to be frequent. Until a prospect is warm contact them a minimum of once a month. Once they are warm contact them once a week. If they are a hot prospect, meaning they have expressed interest in making a purchase in the near future every other day might be advisable. At the same time remember even though a prospect has expressed interest in purchasing they may not be ready to buy when it is convenient for you.
In these cases be consistent and frequent and remember do not take it personally when prospects do not return your phone calls or respond immediately to your emails. You and your product or service are probably not their top priority it does not mean they are not interested.
Use Adaptation Marketing
Take one marketing effort and adapt it into several to save time and resources. For example a mailing, is adapted into an article, which is adapted into an electronic newsletter, which is adapted into a speech, which is adapted into a booklet for your customers and prospects. Each effort can equal several. Every time you do something ask yourself what else this can be used for.
These marketing principals will make a huge difference in the success of your business if you use them consistently throughout the year. Apply these ideas and watch your business grow stronger and more profitable each month. There is one more principal key to your success, perhaps the most important: Begin Today!
Make Your Mark Strategic Planning to Attract Clients and Grow Your Business - To learn more about this author, visit Caterina Rando's Website.
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
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