Developing a marketing plan can be the most crucial part of running a business. And, yet, it’s one of the most overlooked functions a lot of businesses ignore. In reality, everyone uses marketing tools to get new business and to retain their clientele. But, some do so without always knowing how they achieved this result, and worse, don’t know how to continue. If a business doesn’t develop and use an effective marketing plan, the bottom line may not be profitable. This not only includes matching the right marketing tools to the right business, but also includes the right way to implement those tools.

So, what are marketing tools?
They are the instruments used to gain the attention of your prospective target audience. But, your tools should not stop at just gaining their attention. They should also be aligned to increase the desire to do business with you, too. Think of every way someone hears about you or your business. Now, concentrate on making sure these tools are productive and positive. Those are the tools you want to use.

Isn’t this a lot of work?
It can be at first. But, the good news is that most marketing tools, once implemented, keep on working on their own. And, that’s where the hard part comes in. Knowing which tool to implement when and how can be a real trial and error. You must test and re-test constantly to make sure you’re getting positive results. Keep in mind, ways of reaching your audience continually changes. So, keep your eyes open to new opportunities and try new things when they align with your goals.

To develop a plan of your own:
Try writing down as many tools as possible that would work for your company. Once you’ve written everything down, write them in order of importance and do-ability. Keep in mind, you may need some extra training in order to implement certain tools properly or hire someone to implement them for you. It’s better to learn the right way to get results or hire an expert than it is to see profits wasted away by doing it the wrong way.

You will find as you start listing the tools, that you are using many of them already. Group those tools together. Of those tools, list which you need to work on a little more to get the results you’re looking for. Next, make a second list of marketing tools you would like to add to your plan. After you have all the tools listed in order and grouped by importance, you need to determine how long it would take to start implementing each one. Put a month or year to start beside each tool.

The next thing to consider is time, budgets and knowledge of each tool. Put a star by any tool that will require extra time, additional monies, or more training in order to use. Depending on how important these tools are, this is the time to decide a plan of action.

What do you consider the best route to take to see immediate results? Sometimes the best way to depict a plan of this magnitude is to refer back to those who have already used your services or bought your products. Ask your existing clientele how they found out about you. Knowing this information tells you which tools to use most often.

After completing your marketing plan, keep a copy in sight at all times. You may want to keep it in your organizer, hang a copy on the wall in your office, or even make a scrapbook with all your marketing materials inside.

Whichever way is successful for you… keep on doing what gets results. And, be sure to measure each time you implement a step!

May your fame always come from stardom and never from infamy – unless you do so by choice!

Carmen Wisenbaker, The Publicity Diva
(alter ego and pen name: Casey Lee)
carmen@penworth.com
Speaker, Author, Marketing Coach
Penworth Publishing & Publicity
www.penworth.com
(281) 404-5019