BUSINESS: How to put together a marketing plan

Today we are pleased to reproduce with kind permission this fantastic article by marketing guru Katy Cowan; Editor of Creative Boom and owner of PR and Marketing agency Boomerang PR. Invaluable advice from an expert!

Katy Cowan

Marketing is one of the most important elements of running a business. Without a proper marketing strategy, a business is likely to struggle and fail. But it's amazing to think that so many freelancers and business owners still don't have their own marketing plan.

If you've never sat down and put together a proper marketing strategy because you're time poor or you just don't think it's worth it, think again! A marketing plan will really help you to get to grips with your own business. It will make you consider your goals, your competition, your target market - even yourself!

A marketing plan will help you to discover more about yourself and your business like never before. It will help set you off along the right path and ultimately attract new clients while winning more work from existing ones. But it doesn't have to be complicated or formal. A good marketing plan is really just about solid research and understanding.

Here's my top 10 tips on how to put together a decent marketing plan:

1) Assess your goals: Before you do anything else, sit down and think about where you want your business to be. Consider what you want and write your goals down. Take a moment to really think about what you want to achieve, the clients you want to attract and the way you want your business to move forward. This simple step will set you off along the right marketing path.

2) Look at your competition: A crucial part of the marketing process is to consider the competition:

• Who are they?
• What are they selling?
• How are they selling their products or services?
• What's their unique selling point?
• How much do they charge?
• What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• What are they not offering that you could?

It's always good to research and check out the competition to help shape your own business goals.

3) Understand the customer: Next, look at your target customer:

• Who are they?
• What problems do they have that you could offer to resolve?
• Is there any 'gap' in the market you could be filling?

Really try and get to grips with your target market to assess how your business can offer something they want and/or need. Remember, people are always looking for solutions. If you can help them, that's where your business should be focused.

4) Consider potential buyers: Another crucial step is to assess how people are buying what you are selling:

• Where do these people go to find out what's available?
• Do they go online? And if so, what do they look for?
• When are they likely to buy?
• When are they more likely to part with their cash?
• What problems do they have and what solutions are they after?

There's no point in going full throttle with a marketing plan without first understanding the wants and needs of your target market, so make sure you do plenty of research.

5) Position your own business: Don't just research your competition and customer base. Have a look at your own business and consider what your own strengths and weaknesses are. Look at your skills and expertise. Uncover whether you have any niche customers or potential niche markets. Think about what you could be offering to target any niche markets. If you discover everything you need to know about yourself, your competition and your target market - you'll be able to position your own business in such a way that it makes you a success.

6) Getting your marketing message right: Now you've done all your initial research and know more about who you are and what your customers want, you'll be able to get your marketing message right. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What is your brand?
• Do you have a strap-line?
• Do you have any slogans?
• What's your USP?

Come up with a defined marketing message for your business that will show potential customers what you're about while satisfying their wants and needs.

7) Set some marketing goals: Before you launch a full marketing campaign, put together some goals. Ask yourself this:

• What do you want your marketing to achieve?
• Are you going to give yourself any timescales?
• How are you going to measure your marketing goals?

Set some goals that are easily measurable and ensure you have the systems in place to keep track of all your marketing.

8) Determine your marketing methods: There are many ways to market your business but not all of them will work for you. Consider which methods you're going to use and always bear in mind anything you've done in the past that has or hasn't worked. Look at new ways to raise your profile and if in doubt - look to your competition to see what they're doing. Remember, no two businesses are the same, so while an expensive advertising campaign might work for someone else, it doesn't mean it'll be right for you.

9) Put together a strategy: Now you're fully prepped and you know who, what, where, when and how to target your market, it's wise to put an official strategy together. Something that you can refer back to, so you're always on the right track. Consider what needs setting up, your milestones, deadlines and next steps. And always ensure you have systems in place to monitor and evaluate your marketing, so you're able to review in future.

10) Creat a marketing plan: A marketing plan will help you to stick to your marketing goals and ensure you're not wasting any valuable time or money overall. It usually involves an initial 'business description' which outlines who you are and what you do. It can then also include details of your target market, competition, marketing goals and marketing methods along with your overall budget and strategy. Basically, everything you've researched to reach this point. Once you've put together your marketing plan - and it doesn't have to be fancy, a Word document will suffice - make sure you keep it on file and refer back to it at every opportunity. It will keep you on the right track and help you achieve your marketing goals.