Before you can effectively start working on any part of a marketing plan, you need a clear statement and understanding of what makes your business different from your competitors. You have to be able to enumerate the ways you can stand out in the minds of your prospective customers. If you haven’t already, make sure you read our Business Plan section before you tackle a marketing plan.
There are many marketing resources available that discuss the standard components of a marketing plan. While each resource may be slightly different, the core components of any marketing plan include:
- Market research (and ways to carry out that research – i.e. market surveys and focus groups)
- Target market identification
- Pricing
- Promotion
- Channels of distribution
- Product packaging
- Direct mail
- E-mail marketing
- Signage
- Advertising
- Trade shows
- Networking
- More specifically, social networking
- Public relations
- Customer service
Defining what makes your business different from the competitors can help you, your team and your clients focus on the ‘specialness’ of your business. You need to always remember you don’t sell goods and services – you sell solutions to problems. You aren’t selling Tylenol or diamonds – you’re selling pain relief or status.
When you have defined the unique core differentiators for your business, you will need to evaluate the various components of your marketing plan listed above to determine the aspects that best allow you to communicate your differences to prospective customers.
Still feeling lost? Contact us for a meeting. We can help you refine your ideas and we also have a list of expert marketers who can help you reach your target.