How to create a marketing plan for your small business - build a brand, target customers and set prices that will maximise sales.
The internet has transformed business marketing. No matter what you do, the internet is likely to be at the heart of your marketing strategy.
Good advertising puts the right marketing message in front of the right people at the right time, raising awareness of your business.
Customer care is at the heart of all successful companies. It can help you develop customer loyalty and improve relationships with your customers.
Sales bring in the money that enables your business to survive and grow. Your sales strategy will be driven by your sales objectives.
Market research exists to guide your business decisions by giving you insight into your market, competitors, products, marketing and your customers.
Exhibitions and events are valuable for businesses because they allow face-to-face communication and offer opportunities for networking.
Good advertising puts the right marketing message in front of the right people at the right time. Advertising can increase awareness of what your business offers, help you find new customers and boost your sales.
Successful advertising starts with knowing your target customers.
A clear picture of exactly who you are trying to reach is vital to your advertising strategy. Established businesses can use their customer knowledge to look for similar, profitable targets. New businesses may rely on market research to help identify the most promising market segments. Advertising works best when you can identify publications or other media that reach your target audience cost-effectively.
Your advertising campaign needs specific, well-defined goals. For example, you could advertise a clearance sale to make room for new stock, or you might run a series of ads to support the launch of a new product. Longer-term goals can include building awareness of your products and services or strengthening your brand.
Before committing yourself to advertising, you should consider other ways of promoting your business. Direct mail, door-to-door leafleting and PR are all options. In any case, you should think about how your advertising ties in with your other promotional activities, such asonline marketing. Make sure you're ready to respond to any increase in enquiries or sales prompted by your adverts.
A successful ad will be tailored to the audience you are addressing, the media you are advertising in and the goals you are trying to achieve. If you follow a few key rules, writing an effective advertisement is straightforward. Alternatively, you can use an advertising agency, or a freelance copywriter to help.
Bear in mind that timing can be an important part of a successful advertising campaign. You usually need to repeat your ads regularly to achieve long-term objectives such as raising awareness of your company.
Finally, make sure you measure the effectiveness of your advertising. When you get an enquiry or make a sale, ask the customer how they heard of you. Keep track of the responses each ad generates: a campaign that yields a small number of high-value sales is far more cost-effective than one that prompts lots of enquiries that come to nothing.
Understanding which messages and which media work best will help you ensure that your next advertising campaign is even more successful.
