Marketing Plans

The foundation for all successful marketing efforts is a sound marketing plan. Successful businesses understand who represents good customers, bad customers, and mediocre customers. They know more about their competitors than their competitors know about themselves. They also never stop gathering information that will help them succeed in the marketplace. They use this information to reach new customers, retain existing customers, and grow their overall customer base.

We can help you with the research, planning and execution you need to move your company to the next level and beyond.

Benefits of a Great Marketing Plan:

• Higher marketing ROI --- your marketing dollars go much farther
• Increased customer retention --- which also leads to lower marketing and sales costs
• Lower management costs --- less time spent chasing "new opportunities", more time spent on sustainable business growth
• Improved business intelligence --- you understand your competitors and your customers better, so you make better decisions
• Higher profits --- and better positioning within the market as leaders rather than followers

What does a marketing plan do?

A complete marketing plan addresses three basic questions: where are you now, where do you want to be in the future, and how will you get there. It covers both marketing strategies and tactics. A marketing plan is only useful if it is realistic, so it should also include details such as budgets, timetables, metrics, campaigns, and the resources needed to fulfill your newly determined marketing strategy.

Who needs a marketing plan?

EVERY business needs a marketing plan. Running your business without a marketing plan is like driving through the countryside without a map, a compass, or directions. You'll waste a lot of fuel in the process, and probably run out of gas before you ever reach your destination. Our marketing plan process is structured. We gather all the information we need to make sound recommendations, and then work closely with you to devise a realistic, actionable plan that precisely fits your business. We are flexible so if market conditions change or are far different than we expected, we can adapt and change direction quickly. Our market research capabilities allow us to uncover emerging trends and provide recommendations that take advantage of these newly available market opportunities.

Our process:

Our marketing planning process consists of 9 steps. It is outlined in the sidebar on the right. The process can also be viewed in terms of stages, as follows:

 

Market Research

Accurate, current market research makes a difference. Without it, you risk wasting money and time delivering the wrong products at the wrong price with the wrong message to the wrong customers.

 

Analysis and Planning

Once the market research knowledge base is in place, we'll develop a marketing strategy that differentiates your business from your competitors. We'll synthesize and analyze findings; differentiate your company from competitors in ways that are meaningful to customers; determine your target markets through data mining; define (or refine) your company’s value proposition; align your organization to close performance gaps(deficiencies, if any) and deliver the value you promise

Once the marketing strategy is in place, we'll build this into a detailed tactical plan for executing the strategy. This includes marketing channel selection, customer segmentation, product/service mix, price, promotion, processes, and customer service.

 

Marketing Plan Implementation (Execution)

Then, we'll help you execute by translating your marketing plan into action through all aspects of the marketing mix: Search Engine Marketing (SEM, Direct marketing, Pricing, Advertising and promotions, Public relations initiatives, Sales support materials, and Event planning.

 

Measuring Results

Finally, to be successful in the long run, you need to establish metrics in order to track results and continually refine the approach. These can be as simple as one or two Excel spreadsheets, or as elaborate as a complete executive marketing dashboard. 

Our marketing planning process can be tailored to your specific needs. Generally the larger the business, the more involved the marketing plan. But even if your company is small or in the earliest stages of development, we can help you increase revenues and profits.