So It"s 2010 - Have You Made Your Marketing Plan Yet?
Can you name one successful company that operates without a marketing plan? Probably not! Successful companies know they must "know where they are headed and how they are going to get there" in order to succeed.
Having a goal but not knowing how you are going to achieve it is like hoping to go on vacation in a week but you didn't make the reservations.
Even if you work from your home office, you still need to know what you are going to do each day to make that day productive.
Sitting at the computer playing games and checking your Facebook page doesn't count.
First suggestion - every night before you go to bed, determine the tasks you are going to accomplish the next day.
Notice I didn't say Goals, I said TASKS.
Activities you are actually going to participate in to make sure at the end of the day you can say "I did that".
Your marketing plan doesn't have to be complex in order to be effective.
It does need, however, to be written down and must contain specifics.
This plan will give you direction, help you decide what to do each day and also aid in the evaluation of what you are doing.
These things will boost your business to a new level.
Here are some questions you will want to answer to incorporate into your marketing plan: 1.
What are your goals for the year.
Then break it down to a at least a month or, preferably, a week.
2.
Determine how aggressive you are going to be in achieving your goals.
Do this by setting a schedule to work by, how many hours a week will you work and when are those hours each day - ie, morning, afternoon or night.
3.
List the ways in which you will accomplish your goals.
How are you going to find customers? Where will you contact prospects? How will you keep track of them? Writing down these items will provide the tools to get your day started.
No longer will you sit at your desk and say what am I doing today.
4.
What is your overall strategy? These are usually steps to be taken.
For example, determining the product or service you are offering, finding the prospects to contact, record-keeping and follow up schedules, and finally, enjoying the results of your labors.
There are other helpful hints that I will talk about next time.
Like an easy, effective way of keeping up with your business contacts, before and after the sale.
Until then, work on that marketing plan for 2010 and let's make it a banner year.
Having a goal but not knowing how you are going to achieve it is like hoping to go on vacation in a week but you didn't make the reservations.
Even if you work from your home office, you still need to know what you are going to do each day to make that day productive.
Sitting at the computer playing games and checking your Facebook page doesn't count.
First suggestion - every night before you go to bed, determine the tasks you are going to accomplish the next day.
Notice I didn't say Goals, I said TASKS.
Activities you are actually going to participate in to make sure at the end of the day you can say "I did that".
Your marketing plan doesn't have to be complex in order to be effective.
It does need, however, to be written down and must contain specifics.
This plan will give you direction, help you decide what to do each day and also aid in the evaluation of what you are doing.
These things will boost your business to a new level.
Here are some questions you will want to answer to incorporate into your marketing plan: 1.
What are your goals for the year.
Then break it down to a at least a month or, preferably, a week.
2.
Determine how aggressive you are going to be in achieving your goals.
Do this by setting a schedule to work by, how many hours a week will you work and when are those hours each day - ie, morning, afternoon or night.
3.
List the ways in which you will accomplish your goals.
How are you going to find customers? Where will you contact prospects? How will you keep track of them? Writing down these items will provide the tools to get your day started.
No longer will you sit at your desk and say what am I doing today.
4.
What is your overall strategy? These are usually steps to be taken.
For example, determining the product or service you are offering, finding the prospects to contact, record-keeping and follow up schedules, and finally, enjoying the results of your labors.
There are other helpful hints that I will talk about next time.
Like an easy, effective way of keeping up with your business contacts, before and after the sale.
Until then, work on that marketing plan for 2010 and let's make it a banner year.
