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'Tis the Season for Marketing PlanningFor many businesses, the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year. For others, the holidays are a bit slower. Regardless of which category your business fits into, you should be looking ahead to 2008. Why now? Year end is ideal for reflecting on what you've accomplished during the year. What new products, services or programs did you implement? What customer service strategies did you employ that increased business? Which marketing strategies successfully put your business in front of your target customer, and what didn't work and why? Armed with this information, take a look at your goals for next year. What do you want your business to accomplish next year? Do you want to increase revenue? Grow your client base? Venture into a new niche market? Now think about how you're going to get there. This is where your marketing planning for 2008 comes in. Spend some time thinking about what marketing tools you can implement next year that will help you to reach your goals. Although some marketing planning techniques are complex and require weeks to fine-tune, I've found that a simpler method works for my clients. To develop a marketing plan that will work for your business, try the following. First, identify the types of marketing you want to do next year such as advertising (print and online), events, promotions, referral programs, newsletters, press releases, coupons, online marketing, direct mail, e-mail marketing, etc. Choose methods that have worked well for you in the past as well as ideas you'd like to try. Next, decide how often you will do each type of marketing. Some methods like advertising, newsletters, and online marketing will require consistent use and implementation to be successful. Others (press releases, events and promotions) can be done less frequently or can be implemented when you're expecting a cyclical slowdown in activity. Third, pull out your calendar and start penciling in marketing ideas. As you tentatively post items to your calendar, consider what marketing methods are going to yield the best results. Most of my business, for example, comes from my website and client referrals, so I want to focus my efforts on posting new content to my website, networking with potential business partners and clients, and regularly communicating with my existing client base (newsletters, postcards, referral program, etc.) Here's a sample to get you started: January: Send cards to clients thanking them for 2007 business and wishing them well in the New Year (2nd) Advertise in Sunday real estate section of local newspaper (weekly) Advertise in local Homes & Land publication (15th) Send out e-newsletter to existing clients and prospects (20th) Networking lunch (22nd) Post new content to website (25th) February: Hold customer appreciation open house (5th) Advertise in Sunday real estate section of local newspaper (weekly) Advertise in local Homes & Land publication (15th) Send out e-newsletter to existing clients and prospects (20th) Networking lunch (22nd) Post new content to website (25th) March: Distribute press release about latest award won or new product/service launched Advertise in Sunday real estate section of local newspaper (weekly) Advertise in local Homes & Land publication (15th) Send out e-newsletter to existing clients and prospects (20th) Networking lunch (22nd) Post new content to website (25th) Now compare your ideas and your initial marketing schedule to your budget and staff. Can you afford to do all of the marketing you'd like to do? If not, scale back the list. Retain items that will most often put you in front of your target customer and that offer the best return on your investment. If you have a wildly successful year, it is much easier to add a marketing tool than to take one away, especially if your customers have gotten used to it. Based on what's left on your list, do you have the staff to implement your ideas? For example, who will write your monthly newsletter? Who will make sure postcards get mailed to prospects, and how will you get website content updated regularly? If you don't have the staff or you are a one-man show, can you hire an intern to help out, exchange services with a colleague or hire an independent contractor to fill in the gaps? Finally, review your 2008 marketing plan on a quarterly basis to see what's working and what may need tweaking. The document can be adjusted as needed, depending on your changing needs. As you evaluate your plan, be sure to note which marketing methods worked well for your business and which ideas didn't yield the expected results. Keep this in a folder marked "2008 Marketing Results." Also, note the items that you would like to try and save them in a folder marked "Marketing Ideas." This information will help you to plan for subsequent years. For small businesses, this simple marketing planning formula is an easy way for you to look ahead to 2008 without distracting you from the holiday business at hand. Here's to an incredibly successful 2008! Virtually Yourz, Dana Blozis Copyright © 2007 by Dana E. Blozis Other articles by this author »
About Dana Blozis
Dana Blozis of Virtually Yourz (http://www.virtuallyyourz.com) is a freelance writer, editor and marketing professional based in the Seattle area. In addition to writing for publication, she offers writing, editing and marketing services to small businesses and nonprofits. For more marketing ideas, subscribe to Dana's monthly marketing newsletter at http://www.virtuallyyourz.com/index.php#subscribe. Related
And here is another random article you might be interested in... The Truth About MoneyHow much money do you want? How much is enough? How much money is too much? The Truth is --- You don't need money! Let's find out why? Money is really just a form of exchange. Here is an example. 10 people are in a room. Only one person has $1. Person #2 had a pocket knife he was willing to sell to person #1 for $1. Person #1 buys it, giving the dollar to person #2. Person #3 has a book, which person #2 wants and buys it giving the dollar to #3. Person #4 has a watch that #3 buys, so #4 got the $1. #5 has some earrings #4 bought. This goes on until finally #10 has the dollar. $10 worth of transactions took place with only $1. The only thing that money can buy is LABOR. Well, think about this. The price you paid for your home buys nothing but labor. The labor paid for the felling of trees, reducing them to lumber, labor for making the concrete, and other materials that came from the earth. When you buy food, you are paying for the labor that is involved for growing, cultivating, transporting the foodstuffs. Actually the Earth supplies everything we need in abundance for FREE -- trees, ore, raw materials for clothes, metals, food. We pay people to bring it to us. In your daily life you are not working for money (working for yourself or someone else), you are working for what it buys! Keep that in mind. Money has nothing to do with happiness. Make an agreement with yourself and the world to spread your abundance around. It will be returned to you. Then you will be successful, prosperous and happy. What is important to you? Kathy Thompson is a writer, speaker, profiler, coach who can help you reach your goals for wealth and success. Contact her at; coaching4u@faceuptoit-youcan.com. Now If you want to make and move more money and start out right, check it out at: http://www.faceuptoit-youcan.com/money4u.html Other articles by this author »
About Kathy Thompson
With 8 years of teaching and 15 years in Toastmasters, Kathy Thompson really enjoys writing and speaking. She has a B. S. in Business Communications and has taught her programs around the country at various businesses and Adult Education Centers. She writes and speaks about succeeding in business and life. Her unique specialty of "Face Reading" has brought her plenty of media attention. Kathy's goal is to help you be all you can be and reach your potential. Reach her at: Related
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