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Think back to when you started your business, whether it was two months or two decades ago. Did you create a marketing plan? When is the last time you’ve taken a look at it? Maybe you’ve never had a marketing plan.
If you’ve never created a marketing plan or haven’t dusted off your original plan in quite a while, now’s the time to take a fresh look.
Develop an Effective Marketing Plan
A great marketing plan is like a great recipe. A recipe clearly lists the ingredients you need and tells you how to combine those ingredients to create the perfect dish. It tells you how many people your dish will serve and may even provide a picture as an example of what your dish should look like when you’re done.
That’s what a marketing plan does for the growth of your business. It outlines all the moving parts of your marketing strategy, gives you instructions on how to implement them, and presents an end-goal to measure your success against. Without a plan, it’s difficult to know if the marketing tactics you implement are effective.
Add the Right Ingredients
A comprehensive marketing plan outlines your marketing goals, provides an analysis of your competition and what makes you different, and identifies your target markets. It also outlines how you’ll allocate your marketing dollars and gives you a timeline for implementing your marketing tactics.
Speaking of tactics, understanding the right mix of tried and true traditional marketing methods and how to combine them with the digital marketing tools available today is the signature dish the Solutionistas at Origin Marketing do best! Direct mail, advertising, and TV and radio spots are effective, but don’t forget to incorporate digital marketing, such as a great website and an active social media presence. Consider reserving a booth at a trade show or venturing out for some in-person networking. It’s all marketing, and it all matters.
If you understand your marketing goals, then we can create the right marketing mix for your business. Remember there is no one size fits all marketing strategy. It’s unique to you, as uniquely you as your favorite recipe!
Don’t Be Afraid to Throw (at Least Parts of) Your Plan Old Out
Just five years ago, marketing plans were largely static. You created a long-term strategy, typically forecasting out 10-years, 5-years, 3-years, 1-year, and finally quarterly plans. It may have incorporated some print advertising, radio, a TV ad, and some digital marketing. Other than budget, the plan likely didn’t change much from year to year, let alone month to month.
Today’s marketing plans are much more dynamic. We’ve got analytics and a bevy of other tools to help us measure the success of your marketing strategies and make changes to them along the way continually improving the results. The marketing strategies available today are numerous. Being aware of all your options and determining which strategies are best for your business are all a part of this dynamic process. Your marketing plan should work with you and for you to aide you in achieving your business goals. It should grow as your business grows.