This month, I’m writing a series of articles that guide you through the process of developing your marketing plan for the year.
In last week’s article, I discussed the need for planning. Today, I walk you through the process of developing your high-level marketing objectives.
Define the problem you solve
No business will remain in business unless it solves a problem for a specific group of people. If you’ve had any marketing success at all, it’s probably because you’ve understood this principle.
However, over time, problems change. The people you serve change. The way your product or service fills a need may even change.
The first thing you need to do as you evaluate your plan for the year is to establish what problem you solve now.
Refine your message
If your tag line and value proposition are still working, leave them alone. But if they aren’t hitting the mark, or if they don’t address the problem you plan to solve this year, it may be time for an update.
For this exercise, I lean toward the Rule of One. There’s one message that will capture the imagination of your target audience. It doesn’t have to be creative or cute. You simply need to tell your prospects what they can expect when they do business with you.
Write down the one promise you want to make to them. Then follow it with a handful of smaller, off-shoot promises.
Decide on your media
How will you connect with your target audience? Consider any or all of the following:
- Website
- Mobile
- Newsletter, print and/or digital
- Blog
- Content
- Information products
- Ads, in print media and/or online
- Social media (list the platforms you’d like to target)
- Direct mail
- Television and/or radio
- Magazine or other print materials
- Articles in print and online media
- Press releases
Select your market
Who exactly will you target this year?
You may choose to enlarge your existing customer base, simply expanding your media options or adapting your messaging to reach more people. Or you may target a new audience, one that has shown a desire for the same product or benefits you’ve been providing.
Once you decide who your ideal customer is this year, if you haven’t already done so, consider making an avatar for this target. Then, list specific ways you’ll reach out to them or gain exposure. In particular, determine how you’ll develop your list.
Pulling it all together
Once you’ve nailed down your messaging, media and market, you’ll need to consider how you’ll approach each of them. For instance:
- Where will you get ideas for your content?
- How many new promotions will you run this year? How many old?
- Would you like to integrate a new method of content, say video or podcasts? Or of marketing, say mobile or social?
- Who will produce and manage these efforts?
Finally, you need to determine what success looks like this year, and how you’ll measure it. Will you know you’ve reached your goals when you have ten new customers, six figures in the bank or 40% click-throughs on your emails?
In my next post, I talk about how to plan your messaging across different channels. Until then, focus on the big picture, giving yourself a strategic overview for the coming year.
Need help creating your marketing plan? Contact me today to discuss your options.
photo credit: Antalya1997
