Do you have a marketing plan for your business? If not, now is the time to get one. All brands need marketing and having a plan that clearly lays out goals and methods will ensure your marketing efforts are successful.
A marketing plan is your roadmap for all your marketing and promotions plans. It should be well-written, strategic, and clear on your goals and how you intend to get there. A strong marketing plan can help your brand achieve growth and increase revenue.
Read more to find out the steps to creating a marketing plan and how a digital marketing agency can help.
Marketing Plan Steps
Putting a marketing plan together is easier than it looks. Often, getting started is the hardest part, especially if you’re new to spearheading your marketing plan or working without the help of a digital marketing agency.
There are lots of ways to put together your marketing plan. These tips offer a great way to get started and build a marketing plan that’s right for you.
Decide on Your Goals
Your marketing plan is going to look different if your goal is to get a million Instagram followers vs increasing your in-person retail sales. Marketing should support your business and your bottom line, so it’s essential to have your goals firmly in place before even starting your marketing plan.
Ask yourself these questions:
- How do you plan to make money?
- What marketing initiatives will help you get there?
- What resources do you have to devote to marketing?
- Do you want to tackle digital marketing? What platforms will you use and how will you judge your success?
Hint: this is a great time to bring in a digital marketing agency, especially if you’re a newbie. A marketing agency can help you define your goals and take the following steps in this guide.
Do Your Research
You can learn a lot from marketing data. Getting ahold of data or conducting your own research can help you learn about your target audiences and your competitors.
You can conduct research independently if you have the tools and resources and a specific question in mind. Remember that this approach requires precision and high time investment. If that’s not right for you, consider investing in market reports from places like GWI, MarketResearch.com, or the Pew Research Center.
There are also free resources out there. You can get data from Trend Reports and Statista and utilize tools like SurveyMonkey. You can also search for specific topics in Google Scholar and find free reports.
Conduct an Audit
Once you do your research, set your goals, and know your direction, the next step is to check your existing marketing to see if you have any tools or assets that fit into your new plan. Keep what you can use going forward and be clear on how it can fit into your new strategy. Offload any tools you don’t use and shop around for better options if you’re not satisfied.
Now is the time to create your ideal marketing plan, so don’t hold back on getting rid of things you don’t need. Be honest about what you use, and take the time to make upgrades even if they seem simple - like tweaking your logo, for example.
Hire an Agency
If you haven’t already done so, hiring a digital marketing agency is a great next step. A digital marketing agency can fine-tune your plan or help you make one. Digital marketing agencies have the power and expertise to turn your marketing ideas into a winning marketing plan.
Your marketing plan is the backbone of your business, and a good marketing plan can make the difference between a successful year and one where you struggle.
Check out our guide on the 4 Reasons Why You Need a Digital Marketing Agency, or contact us to see how we can help.
Get it Done
This last step is the most important - follow through. Marketing is a huge investment, and one of the most important ones you’ll make for your brand. For new businesses, marketing may not feel as urgent, but it’s important for you to get it right.
As you go forward, make sure your team and your business are on the same page at every step. Your marketing plan is in place, and now you have to get your head there, too. Don’t drop the ball or let anyone involved do so either. You may have a great plan, but it’s on you to make it a reality.
Ready to get started? Send us an RFP or let us know how we can help.