4:32 PM
Lanee' Blunt
By Lanee' Blunt
A marketing plan is
important because it is the best way to help you prepare yourself. It will
ensure that you stick to your schedule and that you are spending your money
wisely.
It will serve as a road map
to making you achieve your company goals.
Marketing Audit
Take a look at your
marketing collateral materials. You will need to review all of your marketing
activities that have occurred in the past three years. Review every
announcement, advertisement, phonebook ad, brochure, flyer, and evaluate if it
were successful.
Situation Assessment
Under this section you will
write the market analysis and segmentation. Write a competitor analysis. For
example, what are the similarities of your company and your competitors? What
sets your company apart from the competition? What are the major trends in the
environment? What are the internal capabilities and current position in served
markets?
Financial Summary
Write a cost and profit
analysis. Write your budget information the amount that you have set aside
either per quarter or per annual for marketing. Set your prices for your
product or service as a competitive rate. For example, price your product or
service at a higher rate than your fixed or variable cost. Evaluate the process
of the marketing plans effectiveness. Measure your results against the
standards that you set when you made or set your goals. Develop a schedule for
which gives a timeline for each marketing actions.
Reference:
AAFP; Nine Steps to a
Strategic Marketing Plan; Rebecca Anwar, PHD and Judy Capko; 2001
SBA: Developing a Marketing
Plan
Posted in: Marketing
