Most people, in my experience, write a business plan and then file it away. These are the ones I’m talking about here that probably can’t “get out of a paper bag market!” They spend time properly researching the market and their competitors, but don’t have a focused plan on how to effectively use this information to their advantage. What a waste of time! It may have helped you achieve your goal of obtaining financing, but a business plan is much more than that. It must also be a ACTION PLAN. The action part should include marketing, social media, and sales strategies.
Please note that I have included social media here. This is because today it must be included as an integral part of any marketing strategy. Along with any strategy, there should be a detailed timeline of actions with deadlines to help you stay on track as you plan to manage the implementation of business development through your strategy.
The reason for having a detailed strategy and action plan is to ensure that all your efforts to promote your business and increase sales are focused and directed to the areas that will generate your greatest potential. However, a word of warning:
Marketing is the prelude to sales. A sales strategy is also required even if your business is conducted entirely online (online stores are notably harder to get off the ground and win sales than retail stores).
So what should you include in this Marketing Action Plan?
- Development and design of brand image and logo – only one image and logo or you confuse your brand image. Use color or design to differentiate different parts of the business if necessary.
- The design and production of marketing material. – business cards, brochures, etc.
- The design and development of your website – with potential for interaction and sales/reservations whenever possible and applicable.
- An event action plan. – launch party, etc., to promote the business (if necessary).
- An advertising action plan. – press releases and a list of media contacts you have made to ensure a better chance of getting free publicity.
- A content schedule and action plan for each of your social media platforms – This should include a plan for how you post, share and comment and how often, as well as how you will use analytics to assess the effectiveness of your strategy and make changes to improve it.
- A sales strategy for both online and offline sales – without this all marketing actions are wasted.
In the same way that you review the turnover and financials of your business against your cash flow projections, as a means of staying on track and making necessary adjustments, a month-by-month analysis of marketing actions, social networks and sales helps reduce risk and improve business. growth.
