Marketing 101: Three Steps to Start Marketing Planning
If you were my customer, here are the first three steps I would take in understanding your business, to then create a marketing plan.
STEP I: Q&A
Objective: (Me) to understand your business; (You) get clear on what you want to achieve, and for whom
Why? Your marketing efforts will be most successful to achieve your goals if on brand, to your target audience, with the customer in mind.
What is your goal?
What are your challenges?
What does your company do?
Who does your company serve?
Who is your ideal customer?
How does your company support your customers? Your industry? The world?
What is the number one reason your customers love your product/service/mission?
How do you perceive your company?
How does the market perceive your company?
Jot those down and begin answering. I would dive deeper with you, and get you very clear and very specific, but for now, answer those and come back when you are done.
STEP II: DEEPER Q&A
Objective: (Me) to see the story unfold; (You) understand your audience and how you truly impact them
Why? Marketing is no longer intrusive, but inclusive. Customers/target prospects want to feel connected to your brand, as you do with the brands you love!
Ideal customer: Where do they ‘hang out’, what are they reading, what are they searching?
Your perception and how your market perceives you: Is there a gap? Describe.
Goals: How do your challenges impact your goal?
Identify three key things your ideal customers must know about your product/service/mission
Identify three key things your ideal customers can’t do without your product/service/mission
Identify three key things your ideal customers can achieve with your product/service/mission
STEP III: ALIGN YOUR RESOURCES
Objective: (Me) gain an understanding of what you have to work with; (You) know what you own, what you can earn, and where you need to spend
Why? This is the basis of a great marketing plan - and identifies where you need to put your resources (time, people, dollars) to build out a platform to tell your story
Create an inventory of who/what you can leverage to share your story (networking organizations, LinkedIn profile, groups you belong to, community groups, speaking events in your area, etc.)
Create an inventory of all your owned channels (website, brick and mortar, social media accounts, podcast, etc.)
For the inventory lists above, highlight those items that include your ideal customer, and for all, identify how your ideal customer could be reached with each
Now comes the fun part, and I have a three-step ‘no fail content plan’ that you would be ready to jump into.
Or, let’s get together for a Kick the Tires session to get you started with my help.