One of the members of my networking group begins his weekly introduction with the reminder that "most people don't plan to fail, they fail to plan." While most large companies have a formal planning timeline and process in place, small companies often do not. If you're just "winging it" with your marketing program, a solid plan could make the difference between reaching your goals and coming up short. |
DO YOU HAVE A MARKETING PLAN? As the Cheshire Cat said to Alice in Lewis Carol’s Alice in Wonderland, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Your business’ marketing plan is your roadmap for success; without one you’re just wandering blindly through the forest. Your marketing plan can be a simple 1- or 2-page document or a detailed 60-page booklet, complete with charts and graphs. Either way, the exercise of creating a formal marketing plan can help you determine exactly what it is that you want your marketing program to accomplish, how you intend to reach these goals and what yardstick you will use to measure the results. A basic short-form marketing plan should include the following elements:
Do you have a marketing plan? If not, now’s the time to create this critical document. |