| When taking a road trip to a new destination, smart | | | | spending levels, motivations, etc.) |
| travelers invest preparation time to identify the best | | | | - A list of your strengths, weakness, opportunities and |
| route, make note of rest stops, research hotels and | | | | threats (also referred to as a SWOT |
| restaurants that satisfy their needs and budgets, check | | | | analysis)TARGET AUDIENCES |
| weather conditions, and so on. You get the idea. In | | | | Fully understanding your new and existing customers - |
| other words, they have a thoughtfully developed plan | | | | and their needs and desires - is at the core of every |
| before they go.Their plan may change along the way | | | | successful marketing plan. For each target audience, |
| based on opportunities or circumstances beyond their | | | | detail in your plan demographic information, buying |
| control. Yet, they are equipped to effectively handle | | | | behavior, motivation, price sensitivities and other |
| the unforeseen and make the most of their situation.To | | | | pertinent information related to your product or |
| maximize marketing effectiveness, you've got to have | | | | service.MARKETING STRATEGIES |
| a road map to reach your destination. To ensure | | | | This section provides the high level strategic view or |
| success, every organization must have carefully | | | | approach you will use to achieve your objectives. Be |
| researched and developed plan with quantifiable | | | | sure to include specific information on |
| objectives and measurement systems. Without a plan, | | | | - Product or Service Strategies -- including changes |
| you won't know how to get to where you are going -- | | | | and enhancements |
| and you may not even know when you've arrived.To | | | | - Pricing Strategies - detailed by target audiences and |
| help with your planning process, here are the essential | | | | competitors |
| elements that every marketing plan should have. The | | | | - Distribution Strategies - channels or methods by |
| more detail you provide in your plan, the greater | | | | which you deliver and make your product available to |
| precision in your execution... and that leads to better | | | | your customers |
| outcomes.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | | | | - Marketing Strategies - your approach to |
| Think of this section as the "cliff-note" version of your | | | | communicating and getting the message heard by |
| plan with emphasis on strategies designed to meet | | | | your target audiencesMARKETING ACTIONS |
| your objectives. Write this section as the last thing you | | | | This section drills down to specific initiatives that relate |
| do before plan completion.OBJECTIVES | | | | to your marketing strategies. For example, you will |
| Each objective needs to be specific and measurable | | | | want to include details on marketing methods (i.e. web, |
| based on the mission and goals of your organization. | | | | print and broadcast advertising, public relations, |
| Here are some examples of quantifiable objectives | | | | promotions, telemarketing, direct sales, referral |
| and how success is measured.- Increase gross sales | | | | programs, partnership programs, etc.), timing, budgets, |
| by $450,000 by June 30, representing a 10% increase | | | | and other key information that relates to the |
| over prior year. (Measurement: June 30 sales reports) | | | | implementation of each action step that supports each |
| - Achieve a customer retention rate of 80% by year | | | | strategy.OTHER INFORMATION |
| end. (Measurement: Customer retention reports) | | | | You may want to add an appendix or other |
| - Increase awareness and recall by 5 points among | | | | categories to your plan for key information that adds |
| three target audience segments. (Measurement: | | | | value to your plan document. For example: |
| Monthly customer awareness research)SITUATION | | | | - Short and long-term financial projections |
| ANALYSIS | | | | - Calendar of action steps |
| This section discusses your organization and the | | | | - Research data that supports your strategies |
| environment or marketplace in which you compete. It | | | | - Organizational charts |
| should include the following. | | | | - List of suppliers or vendors that will support your |
| - Background on your organization and product, | | | | initiativesThis article was written by Jules S. Sowder, a |
| mission, descriptions of current product and/or | | | | brand marketing advisor with 20-years of experience |
| services, performance results, market share, strategic | | | | developing strategic marketing and sales solutions for |
| alliances, etc. | | | | large corporations, start-up companies, and small |
| - Current and future competition with information on | | | | businesses. She also has a resource web site to help |
| proven and forecasted impact | | | | marketers and trade show exhibitors maximize |
| - How you are perceived by your customers relative | | | | marketing and sales effectiveness: . For further |
| to the competition | | | | information, Jules can be reached at . |
| - Current customer information (i.e. number, description, | | | | |