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CREATE A MARKETING ROADMAP TO SUCCESSHow can creating a "Roadmap to Success" help in your 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 and other marketing materials contribute to the image of the company. Everything from the receptionist to furnishing creates an impression. The following four strategies are important in defining your target market. Definable: It should have specific
characteristics to identify what the potential customers have in common.
Where do they live? What is their income level? What Sex? Age? 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 or 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 the 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 CPA firm showed that when the question was asked, "what needs improving in your business" 1,300 executives - 70 percent of them at small firms - indicated marketing and sales capability. In a variety of training classes that I have conducted, 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, and had no idea they needed an additional marketing plan for their business. It is important that you take the time to know your products or services, customers and prospects. It is also important 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, take the time to ask yourself some questions that will help you define the answers needed for your outline preparation. Here are some of those questions: - What business are you in? You are probably thinking that there are just too many areas to look at and you 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. Next step is to implement the plan and set up periodic reviews to see if it is working. If not, go back through the same questions again and see if you overlooked something of if there has 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 in your company's success in achieving your sales and marketing objectives. *********
Robbie Motter |
