Following Through On Your Marketing Plan
Article by Janice Jenkins
The first thing a good business is going to do is sit down and come up with a marketing plan.
Well, this is what you are supposed to do, and in theory I am sure plenty of businesses would agree, but how many of them put the theory into practice?
The reason why coming up with a marketing plan can be such a chore for so many businesses is because they do not want to just sit down and write things out. They want action instead. They want to actually do something, and planning is not very action packed, now is it?
These are the people who just do not bother to come up with any kind of marketing plan. They will wing it and see what happens. If they want to get color brochure printing done than they will do it whether this is the best marketing to use or not.
The next type of person will actually take the time to write out a marketing plan, but once the plan is made they completely ignore it. The plan is there, and by coming up with one they think they have made some great stride, but then they do not use it at all and just do whatever they want with their marketing.
On the other end of this spectrum is the person who not only comes up with their marketing plan but also sticks by it through thick and thin no matter what happens. This is the first plan they made and this is the plan they are going to stand behind. They might keep using a form of marketing that is not working very well simply because their plan calls for it.
The majority of people will fall somewhere in between these different groups, and where you need to be if you want to be successful.
Yes, you do need a marketing plan no matter what. The less focused your marketing is the less successful it will be, and the less sales you will be able to generate.
However, you cannot stand so rigidly by that plan that you let good opportunities slip by you because you were trying too hard to keep doing what your marketing plan called for.
You might notice a few months into your business that other companies are being successful with brochure printing or maybe direct mailing, and while your own marketing plan did not call for that, you might want to make a few changes to stay competitive.
You need to know when to be flexible and when to stick by what your first researched showed you. Marketing plans are made for a reason, and even if you are making minor changes, they can still do a good job at keeping your overall marketing focused on the right tasks. You do not want to find yourself on either extreme. Create a good place for yourself in the middle ground.
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Marketing Plans & Why You May Not Need One
Article by Susan Pascal Tatum
At first glance, a marketing plan seems to be a no-brainer. Every text book, every do-it-yourself marketing program, every marketing expert will tell you: Youve got to have one.
But do you?
A marketing plan for all its virtues is actually a double-edged sword. Done right, marketing planning will help you define your goals and your target customers; and the plan will provide a roadmap for getting from where you are now to where you want to be. The key phrase in that previous sentence is done right.
Creating a marketing plan especially the first one is time consuming. It often requires at least a moderate amount of research and it always requires a substantial amount of thinking.
Thinking, in particular, is something busy business owners often have trouble finding time to do. Theyd rather be taking action. And the marketing plan often becomes a huge obstacle standing between the owner and the action.
In most small and even mid-sized companies the reality is that this planning never gets done. Discussions with business owners point to the fact that its just too much too much time, too much expertise required, too much distraction from activities that directly increase revenue.
Even when a marketing plan does get completed, it often doesnt get followed. So what was the point?
An annual marketing plan can also lead you down the wrong path unless you realize it must be dynamic. If youd created an annual plan at the beginning of 2008 and executed it to the letter without adjusting for economic changes youd probably be in big trouble now.
But this article is not for those who are successful at marketing planning. This article is for company leaders who havent gotten around to creating a marketing plan or who have created one that sits on a shelf.
Is the lack of a marketing plan keeping you from moving forward with your marketing? Then stop worrying about the plan and try this:
Figure out the single most important thing you need to accomplish with your marketing this year. It shouldnt be too hard to do. Most business owners want more leads. In a down economy, you may also need to cut costs, but you want to do it without lowering marketing effectiveness.
Focus single-mindedly on this objective and youll protect yourself from being distracted by marketing programs and tactics that you think you should be using. (For example, social media is very hot right now, but its ability to quickly drive leads for business-to-business firms is still in doubt).
You can achieve tremendous success just by asking yourself these questions:
What do you need to accomplish most?How are you going to do it?Who is going to be in charge?How much are you willing or able to invest in the program?When do you want it launched?How will you evaluate its success?
If you dont have all the answers yourself, thats good. Youll be forced to seek expert help whether from the inside (internal staff) or the outside (outsourcing).
Involving the experts is not a bad thing. Neglecting to launch a marketing program because you dont have a plan is.
© 2009 Tatum Marketing Inc.
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF E-MARKETING PLAN:
Article by Adil Rehman
Professional E-Marketing plan is an essential document that is made after the thorough and deep research. It helps entrepreneur to identify their company’s place in the market on electronic medium. It will also provide benefit to your customers; it helps them to know about your new and innovative range of technologies easily online.
For developing an E-Marketing plan it is crucial that E-Marketing plan writers must take care of both internal and external factors that are affecting company’s ability to perform business. In order to have a feasible E-Marketing solution, E-Marketing plan writers must first identify the current situation of the company and its environment. By analyzing the company’s current situation you will be able to improve your organization’s bottom line in proper manner.
E-Marketing in simple words also known as, Internet Marketing or online marketing. It is the marketing of products over the internet. Now-a-days developing an e-marketing plan is essential for every business, which is subjected to achieve desired marketing goals. Some of the most common examples of e-marketing are: Internet Marketing, Interactive Marketing and Mobile Marketing.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT?:
* When it is applied correctly, it will help you to generate maximum return on your investment. * By e-marketing plan you can easily reach millions of people, which is impossible by traditional marketing strategies. * It will help entrepreneurs to reach the right customers at low cost. * Your customers can easily search you anytime with the help of website. * By e-marketing plan you will be able to know customers’ responses to your products or services.
STAGES IN DEVELOPING YOUR E-MARKETING PLAN:
The main elements of an E-Marketing plan will typically include the following stages:
* Identify your target audience* Set your objectives* Decide upon the marketing mix* Agree a budget* Action planning* Measure your success
Writing E-Marketing plan is not an easy task. If you are not able to write a good E-Marketing plan for your company then you can easily take help from BizPlanCorner.com. At BizPlanCorner.com we provide good quality e-marketing plan, which is written by our professional marketing plan writers.
BizPlanCorner.com provides high quality and professional business plan writing service. For more information, samples and tips on business plans writing, please visitBusiness PlanBusiness Plan Writers
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Journal for marketing plan
Article by Michelle Robert
Introduction
The purpose of the journal is to give a brief description of the processes that were involved in the creation of the marketing plan. This paper will be an evaluation of the collaborative methods involved in the project research. Additionally, results on the self monitoring process will be examined. All these issues will be presented against the background of organizational functions and roles.
Description of the processes
The first step in the process of creating the marketing plan was to identify the goals of the research. Goal identification took up ten percent of the overall project time i.e. two weeks. This was done in two steps i.e. clarifying the overall ones and the specific ones. In order to do this, it was necessary to examine the mandate of the project. Besides this, it was necessary to examine the mission statement of the organization because it gave a clear indication of the limits which the project could accomplish. (Herron, 2003)After an examination of the mission statement, it was then essential to look at some of the key issues that needed to be changed in order to improve the current situation within the organization. This was done by looking at the epidemiological repercussions of the current scenario. In other words, the overall goals were determined by examining some of the problems or negatives that arose out of a lack of the project’s advantages.The goals also had to be made in accordance with the marketing approaches that would later be used to achieve those goals. For instance, business policies within the organization were one example. Secondly, advocacy would also form an important of this plan and so would mobilization. All these items were taken into consideration while identifying goals of the project. The most central part of the goal creation process was identification of the target audiences. These were divided into two categories i.e. the internal audience and external audience. It was crucial to collaborate with the internal audience in order to ask them whether they could carry out the goal of the project. It was also necessary to ask this internal audience what they thought about the situation at present within the organization and also what they thought needed to get done. By collaborating with the internal tem, it was possible to create goals that were indeed relevant to the major players within the organization. Examples of members of the internal audience included employees, other project members, board members and major decision makers within the organization. (Capko, 2004)External audience members were also consulted in the process of goal creation. This entailed asking them about their take on the issue and whether they would actually perform the proposal’s suggestions. Care was taken to be specific about the major requirements. The goal setting process was done within a specified timeline. Since this would govern the overall direction which the marketing plan could take, then it took up ten percent of the entire project making time. It was also the first process involved in creating the marketing plan.The second process was conducting an audience analysis for the marketing plan. The timeline for this process was a period of three weeks. Audience analysis was important in clarifying those individuals who had already accessed the proposals in the marketing plan and those who had not. Market research formed a crucial part of this phase of the marketing plan. First of all, the available materials on the subject matter were sought. Additionally, it was important to look at similar projects conducted by other organizations. Here, some in-house databases were consulted. The data bases specified issues such postal codes, consumer habits among others. Demographic data was also essential in understanding the type of audiences for the plan. Interviews and focus group information conducted by other researchers were useful resources here. In the second step, it was crucial to inform the media because they would be some of the major outlets for the marketing plan. This was done by calling sales persons in those media outlets and asking them about the readership or audience profiles of their major consumers. A profile of members who had attended similar events in the past was also analyzed. Although funds were a bit limited, it was imperative to include expertise knowledge by delegating some work to commercial market researchers (a consulting group). This group was given the task of preparing questionnaires for audience interviews and evaluation of the responses. (Capko, 2004)The results of the market research were used to create a table of three major issues that would assist in understanding the audience. These included a demographic profile, a lifestyle profile and a behavioral profile as shown in the three tables belowBehavioral profile lifestyle profile Those who adopted actions Those who haven’tFundamental beliefs Media habits(TV, radio, newspapers, email, telephone Locations(event, supermarkets, offices, schools Those who adopted actions Those who haven’tCurrent behaviors Current attitudes Perceived benefits Barriers to plan Demographic profile Those who adopted actions Those who haven’tNo. of audience members Age Level of education Family income All the individuals who had already been exposed to the actions in the market proposals were encouraged to continue while those who had not were encouraged to consider the actions. Overly, the audience analysis was done within a period of two weeks. There was a need to obtain approval from the organization’s head to involve an external party.
Conclusion
The steps involved in creation of the marketing plan entailed interdisciplinary efforts, timeline specification, budgetary considerations, resource capacity and intended outcomes. Through seeking approval and working with others, it was possible to achieve the outcomes of the marketing plan.
Reference
Herron, D. (2003): Marketing services, San Fransisco, Jossey Bass Publishers, p 98-122Capko, J. (2004): Nine steps to a strategic marketing pan, The American Academy of family physicians Journal, 12, 3, 69-77
The Elements that Consist a Well-conceived Marketing Plan
Article by The Mentor Club
Marketing plans are aplenty but finding one that really works can be tough. You see, a marketing plan is like a pair of shoes, it is important to get the right fit. However, a well-conceived marketing plan is not exactly time-consuming and hard to do. While you may see some people practically brainstorming all day, you don’t have to be one of them. After all, you have other tasks to do at work and spending hours and hours making a marketing plan is not something you can afford to do.
Actually, the secret to a good marketing plan lies in the process of conceptualizing it. Today, many organizations, institutions and companies find themselves operating based on a marketing plan. They have figured out what qualities a marketing plan should have to make it work. Here are some elements of a marketing plan that will get you places.
A good marketing plan is something that’s taken from your company’s goals and visionsMarketing plans that make it big are those that considered the priority of the company instead of focusing on individual interests. It should reflect what your company wants to achieve.
A good marketing plan should serve as a “brand” for your companyIf your company’s product will be clearly presented and readily accessible in the content of your marketing plan, then it can serve as the key in garnering support from business partners and external sources (like your bank) that would be a big help in the long run.
A good marketing plan should be based on factsTo make your marketing plan believable, it should have enough citations to have the impression that it is well-researched. Your analysis should be complete. However, don’t overdo it because excessive analysis could have the tendency to backfire.
A good marketing plan should have attainable objectivesThe objectives of any marketing plan measures the achievement it would have. Therefore, your objectives should contain goals that are attainable and could be acted upon. Plus, it has to be measurable so you can provide the documentation of the points that you have already met. Every task should be something that can be evaluated.
A good marketing plan should be reviewed every now and thenMarketing plans should have a regular review in order to know which points should be updated, which ones should be retained and which ones are already obsolete. This would open up new means for other marketing plans to be launched.
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The Marketing Plan Handbook: Develop Big-Picture Marketing Plans for Pennies on the Dollar
The Marketing Plan Handbook: Develop Big-Picture Marketing Plans for Pennies on the Dollar
WRITE A WINNING MARKETING PLAN!
Successful marketing consultant Robert W. Bly cuts through the clutter of short-lived marketing techniques and trendy gimmicks and reveals the critical steps necessary to build a practical marketing plan that produces the results of an expensive consultant without the hefty costs.
"Bob has the uncanny ability to take huge concepts and break them down in to practical, actionable steps. He does it again in The Marketing Plan Handbook. It’s a no-brainer that applying the wisdom in this book will add incremental dollars to your business’ bottom line."
—MaryEllen Tribby, Publisher/CEO of Early To Rise, Founder of Working Moms Only.com
"Most marketing books give you a list of cookie-cutter tactics you don't have time or budget for, along with some examples from famous brands that don't apply to anyone else's reality. This handbook is completely different. It's specifically for an entrepreneur or small business owner who needs to figure out a marketing plan that fits their special vision, wished-for lifestyle, and customers like a glove. Even if you're thinking of hiring a marketer or agency to help your business, read this book FIRST. You'll need it to give them the perfect directions for your unique business."
—Anne Holland, founder of Marketing Sherpa
"The Marketing Plan Handbook is loaded with rules, secrets, case histories, forms, charts, and worksheets on every facet of marketing and direct marketing. Bly never lets you lose sight of the essentials—continual accountability, analyzing (and besting) the competition, and the all-important arithmetic of return on investment."
—Denny Hatch, founder of Who's Mailing What!
"Bob concisely lays the secrets to his success, AND the very tools he uses to make hundreds of his clients more money than they ever dreamed possible. Don't stop. Start reading this book now—before your competition does!"
—Steve Wexler, president of The Steve Wexler Creative Group
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Leave a commentContemporary Marketing 2011
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Over the years, Boone and Kurtz's CONTEMPORARY MARKETING has proven to be the premier teaching and learning solution for principles of marketing courses. With each groundbreaking new edition, this bestseller only grows stronger, building on past milestones with exciting new innovations. The updated 2011 edition continues the Boone and Kurtz tradition of delivering the most technologically advanced, student-friendly, instructor-supported text available. Current, relevant, and cutting-edge, CONTEMPORARY MARKETING remains in a class by itself.
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