Creating your Marketing Roadmap to SuccessCategory: Marketing & PR Strategies You Might Try Published: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 How can creating your "Roadmap to Success" help you in marketing evaluation? Your business marketing strategy is essentially a map of your targeted destination. Ideally, it gets you from your starting point to your goal from your basic business concept to a healthy successful business. It gives you a clear idea of the obstacles that lie ahead and points out alternative routes. The business planning process is an opportunity. While creating your business strategies, you have a chance to:
To clarify your company's focus, as part of your business strategy process, you should redefine your mission and goals annually. What image are you trying to portray? Remember that stationery, signs, business cards, etc. all contributes to the image of the company. Everything from the receptionist to furnishings creates an impression. The following for strategies are important in defining your target market:
Is your pricing consistent with what your customer's view as the service values? How did you decide on these prices? Have you considered other pricing options? Will you provide discounts or other incentives? How mature is the overall marketplace into which you are introducing products/services? Are you the first? Are you one of a few? Many? How reliable is your product or service? What level of quality are you trying to portray? Remember, not all products are sold on the basis of top quality and reliability, since price can then become prohibitive. Have you taken time to truly look at your company's sales and marketing strategies? Do you have a marketing plan in place? If yes, when was the last time you updated it. A poll by a major CPR firm showed that when the question was asked, "what needs improving in your business" 1300 executives (70% of them at small firms) indicated marketing and sales capability. In a variety of training classes that I conducted this past year, I was amazed to find that when I asked the question, "how many of you have marketing plans in place," very few hands were raised. In questioning them further, I found that many had a business plan, yet they had no idea they needed an additional marketing plan for their business. Important that you take the time to know your products/services, your customers, prospects, and to understand what your competitors are up to. Only then can you develop effective strategies to achieve your sales and marketing goals. To begin the process of developing your marketing plan, you need to take time to ask yourself some questions that will help you define the answers needed for your outline preparation. Here are some of those questions:
You are probably thinking, "there are just too many areas for me to look at, and I just don't have the time to deal with it." The key to creating your marketing plan and achieving your roadmap to success is to take one area at a time. Think about the question and take time to review and answer each one. Once you have answered it, go back over it again and have others in your company also look at the question and give their input. The next step is to implement the plan, setting up periodic reviews to see if it is working. If not, go back through the questions again and see if you overlooked something of if there have been any changes that are impacting the sales process. Remember, your marketing plan is not locked in concrete it is a roadmap to guide you to your company's success in achieving your sales and marketing objectives. Now more than ever it is key to have a marketing plan in place with the economy being what it is. It will quickly help you target areas that need improvement and the end result will be that you will increase sales which will reflect your bottom line. Robbie Motter is the owner of Contacts Unlimited and specializes in Marketing/PR Consulting, speaking/training and Coaching. She also is a partner in the ASLA/Contacts Unlimited Speakers Bureau, and serves as the Western & Mid Atlantic Regional Coordinator for NAFE the largest global business women's network with over 66,000 members. She can be reached by calling 888-244-4420 or email rmotter@aol.com her website is http://www.rmotter.com
Be the first to share your Comments...
Post a CommentOther Recent ArticlesBelief in yourself can get you through anything...Category: It's All About Showing Up Stories Published: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 I always wondered what people felt when their doctor gave them bad news. I myself have not been much of a doctor person over the years. Recently I had to give in and SHOW UP at my wonderful doctors office as I was having some knee pain. While I was there she asked me if I had any other problems and so I thought that I would share with her that I had been having a little breast pain on my left Breast for awhile. SHOWING UP IS LIKE A TREASURE MAPCategory: It's All About Showing Up Stories Published: Tuesday, April 12, 2011 SHOWING UP IS LIKE A TREASURE MAP, AND THE POWER IS IN THE ASKING...HERE IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE THAT ASKED, GOT SOME IDEAS AND THEN TOOK ACTION. COLLABORATIONS ARE THE SECRET OF SUCCESS IN TODAY'S WORLDCategory: Creative Entrepreneur Strategies Published: Monday, February 14, 2011 Personal Goal ContractCategory: Creative Entrepreneur Strategies Published: Monday, December 20, 2010 It's About Money Radio - Robbie MotterCategory: It's All About Showing Up Stories Published: Friday, December 10, 2010  June 2009
  S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 Robbie Motter |
