Do You Have a Marketing Plan
Do You Have a Marketing Plan
But I felt compelled to talk to you today about an "epidemic" that I've noticed during my speaking engagements these past two months.
The Fatal Small Business Mistake
During my presentations I've asked the business owners in the audience who have a written marketing plan to hold up their hands. Even I was shocked at the response. Out of audiences of an average of 120 - 250 people only 2 -4 business owners had raised their hands!
Wow! That comes out to about 2% of the business owners who had written marketing plans.
Or turned around...98% of the small business owners that were in attendance at my presentations did NOT HAVE A MARKETING PLAN.
Is it Any Wonder Why Small Businesses Have Such a High Failure Rate!
The biggest reasons that small businesses fail is the lack of customers. No customers - No Cash Flow Some experts will tell you that undercapitalization is the biggest reason that small businesses go under.
But my personal observation is that having lots of cash-paying customers solves most financing problems.
It's an Epidemic!
With statistics like this (i.e. 98% of small businesses not having a marketing plan), I believe this marketing mistake has reached epidemic proportions.
In fact, it's a wonder any new start-ups survive without a marketing plan. They are probably a victim of good luck and a great marketplace.
The reason that almost no business owners create a marketing plan (in my humble opinion) is because they are too busy putting out fires.
Instead of focusing on "business building" activities they focus on "administration" activities. They run from one problem to another and suddenly wonder why there are no customers walking through the front door.
Listen, please don't get offended. I do the same thing. Case in point -- look how long it's taken me to write you :-)
Here's a Simple Way to Create a Marketing Plan
Here are two brief articles I've written on the topic of creating a marketing plan. The first can be found at
http://www.marketingprofs.com/preview.asp?file=/Tutorials/frey1.asp
(BTW, this article is one of the most read articles on MarketingProfs.com and holds the record as the longest front page running article on their site.)
Here's another article in which I reveal a simple way to create an effective marketing plan.
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/marketing-action-plan.htm
Start Your Marketing Plan Today
If you're a small business owner, please don't fall into the same trap that 98% of all other owners fall into -- that is putting "fire fighting" as a higher priority than "business building."
Use the process I've outlined in the articles above and start writing your marketing plan today
Do You Have a Marketing Plan - To learn more about this author, visit David Frey's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
It's been awhile since I've written to you and I apologize. December through February are my speaking months and so I've been very busy developing presentations and speaking.
But I felt compelled to talk to you today about an "epidemic" that I've noticed during my speaking engagements these past two months.
The Fatal Small Business Mistake
During my presentations I've asked the business owners in the audience who have a written marketing plan to hold up their hands. Even I was shocked at the response. Out of audiences of an average of 120 - 250 people only 2 -4 business owners had raised their hands!
Wow! That comes out to about 2% of the business owners who had written marketing plans.
Or turned around...98% of the small business owners that were in attendance at my presentations did NOT HAVE A MARKETING PLAN.
Is it Any Wonder Why Small Businesses Have Such a High Failure Rate!
The biggest reasons that small businesses fail is the lack of customers. No customers - No Cash Flow Some experts will tell you that undercapitalization is the biggest reason that small businesses go under.
But my personal observation is that having lots of cash-paying customers solves most financing problems.
It's an Epidemic!
With statistics like this (i.e. 98% of small businesses not having a marketing plan), I believe this marketing mistake has reached epidemic proportions.
In fact, it's a wonder any new start-ups survive without a marketing plan. They are probably a victim of good luck and a great marketplace.
The reason that almost no business owners create a marketing plan (in my humble opinion) is because they are too busy putting out fires.
Instead of focusing on "business building" activities they focus on "administration" activities. They run from one problem to another and suddenly wonder why there are no customers walking through the front door.
Listen, please don't get offended. I do the same thing. Case in point -- look how long it's taken me to write you :-)
Here's a Simple Way to Create a Marketing Plan
Here are two brief articles I've written on the topic of creating a marketing plan. The first can be found at
http://www.marketingprofs.com/preview.asp?file=/Tutorials/frey1.asp
(BTW, this article is one of the most read articles on MarketingProfs.com and holds the record as the longest front page running article on their site.)
Here's another article in which I reveal a simple way to create an effective marketing plan.
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/marketing-action-plan.htm
Start Your Marketing Plan Today
If you're a small business owner, please don't fall into the same trap that 98% of all other owners fall into -- that is putting "fire fighting" as a higher priority than "business building."
Use the process I've outlined in the articles above and start writing your marketing plan today
Do You Have a Marketing Plan - To learn more about this author, visit David Frey's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith'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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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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