Developing a marketing plan can seem like a daunting task, especially if you run a small business without the benefit of dedicated marketing resources. As a business owner, you likely wear many hats and frequently get pulled in many directions. It’s no wonder that building a marketing plan can easily fall to the wayside.
But investing effort into planning will actually save you time in the long run. It will also keep you focused on the end goal – growing your business.
A solid marketing plan should be easy to understand and provide you with clear direction. And it’s not as hard as you might think. To get you started off on the right foot in 2019, here are five best practices to creating a winning marketing plan for your small business:
1. Reframe the way you think about marketing.
If you approach marketing your business as one more task on your growing “to do” list, it can seem tedious at best. Try shifting the way you think. Look at more like planning a party. What you’re really doing is finding ways to invite people to share in what you love – your business! Changing the way you look at it could tap into your natural excitement and enthusiasm about what you do.
2. Start with a clear understanding of your target audience.
Who are you inviting to “your party” and why? Think about who your best customers are today. What is the best way to reach them? Are there other groups of potential customers you want to attract? Who are they and how do you want them interact with your brand? Spending time identifying your audience will help you to create a plan with an end goal in mind.
3. Know your call to action.
Once you know who it is you want to reach, decide what it is you want them to do. Do you want them to visit your bricks and mortar store? Engage with your company on social media? Join your mailing list? Defining what you want your audience to do will help you figure out what messaging to use and where to use it.
4. Be intentional about what you want and stay focused on the goal.
It’s easy to become scattered when you are trying out new strategies every other week. Set a plan, implement it and measure your results. Figure out what worked and then repeat it. (Stay tuned for a future blog on tips for being intentional with your marketing.)
5. Keep organized!
Using tools like an editorial calendar and a social media content calendar will in the long run make day-to-day marketing tasks easier and faster to perform. Set yourself reminders and keep yourself accountable for delivering on your plan. It may even be helpful to make yourself “cheat sheets” for things like social media image sizes for different platforms, advertising specs for different publications or even contact names for local media.
Spending the time to create a marketing plan will make it easier to stay on task, and quicker to change direction if you find yourself straying from the path you created.
Of course if you find that you need professional help, contact your local marketing experts at Infinite Web Designs. Our talented staff can help take your small business marketing to the next level.
It’s not to late to make 2019 your best year yet. Develop your marketing plan now and let it guide your business to new heights.
