If this is your first year in business you can be excused for not having a solid plan that has been tested year in and year out. If you’ve been around for any longer then you’ve experienced all the seasons in your business and need to be planning to take advantage of these.
Unfortunately most businesses are too busy chasing their tails or just trying to keep a float that simple planning goes by the by and reaction campaigns or panic promotions seem to become common marketing solutions.
Here are 5 simple steps than can help you to put a plan in place and get off the hamster wheel.
1. Pick A Season
Now don’t put yourself under too much pressure, lets think that we are currently in summer and understanding that it takes time to come up with a solid idea and then time to roll out across all mediums required, so maybe skip autumn and focus on winter.
2. Chose An Opportunity
Either look back over the last few years and understand what your customers are looking for during that season or look online at some of the publications, blogs etc that your customers would be reading and find an opportunity/offering.
3. Nail The Messaging
What will provoke an emotional response from your customer. You need to aim for the heart, unless you want to play the price game and drop your pants just to make sales.
4. Chose Your Mediums
Understand what platforms your customer base use and decide on a budget that will allow you to reach a selection of these platforms.
5. Create A Schedule
When does the message need to be out in the market place? Ensure that when your customer starts thinking about needing this product or service you will be in the mix of choices. How often do you need to be seen by the customer to reinforce your offer? Or, if it is educational, how many times will they need to see it for the information sink in and provide value?
These steps all seem very simple and obvious, but ask yourself are you already doing this? Or just flying by the seat of your pants as it has been working ok so far. Do you even know what is working and isn’t? As the old saying goes – 50% of my marketing budget is working, I just don’t know which 50%.
Or do you just want someone to come along and work with you or provide some solutions, if so just give the team at Whatever Marketing a yell and we can take the guess work out and also provide an objective opinion.