Really, you should have a marketing plan for your business. Here’s why:
1. Action. Having a written down plan (which is preferably stuck on your wall) will remind you to do something, anything, to generate the next batch of enquiries. That smug feeling from ticking off actions you have completed helps too.
2. Focus. Your plan will help you focus on doing the right promotional activities, aimed at your most profitable target markets, rather than wasting your limited time on little bits and pieces which aren’t going to have an impact or reach the right people.
3. Consistency. Having a plan which integrates all aspects of your marketing will give each activity more clout. The messages in each can be co-ordinated and planned to give them maximum effect.
4. Clarity. Having a plan prevents you from making really bad decisions or jumping to snap up too-good-to-be-true opportunities. You can evaluate each opportunity and figure out whether it is in line with your strategy or not. If it’s not… don’t do it!
5. Measurement. If you know from the start what it is you are trying to achieve, you can then measure if you actually achieved it or not. That way you can do more of the activities that worked best, and stop doing the ones that didn’t work.
What do you think? Why do you have a marketing plan?