Is Your Marketing Plan Ready for an Update?
by Bobette Kyle
Published on this site: September 9th, 2005 - See
more articles from this month
With summer vacations over and schools back in session, marketing
plan "season" is fast approaching. This is a time
when you reflect on the effectiveness of your business marketing
programs. You will be planning to improve performance of some
marketing programs, discontinue some, and try others for the
first time.
Each Marketing Plan is Unique
For those writing a marketing plan for the first time, it
is important to know that there is no "magic formula"
to an effective marketing plan. Formats and procedures vary
widely, and your marketing plan will be one-of-a-kind.
Your company, customers, competitors, and suppliers interact
to create a unique and ever-changing business environment.
Because of this, your marketing plan should also be unique
and frequently changing. What worked wonderfully for one company may be a dismal failure for you. What worked yesterday
for you may not be the thing for you to do today. By thinking
of your plan as a unique and perpetual work in progress, you
can be better prepared to change direction when the business environment changes.
A Plan Makes a Profitable Difference
Ultimately, your marketing plan is a compass by which you
navigate your day-to-day business. As opportunities arise
or your business environment changes, the objective and strategies
in your marketing plan will point you toward the best action.
Without a marketing plan, you are guessing what might be best
for your business. And don't forget to address your Web site
in the marketing plan. Without a marketing plan your Web site
may be a drain on your finances rather than a business builder.
Also, understand you do not need a marketing degree and a
lot of experience to update or create a marketing plan for
your business. Once you have a structure to follow, the rest
is a matter of rolling up your sleeves and getting it done.
There is no single approach to developing a marketing plan.
There is a wide selection of books, toolkits, and software
to help you through the planning process. Some approaches
require a great deal of time and others are "quick and
dirty." All can be applied to your business as a whole,
an individual product, or your Web site.
So, in all the hustle and bustle of everyday business activities,
don't forget to take the time to update an existing marketing
plan or write a new one. Your future profits depend on it!
Bobette Kyle has been proprietor at http://www.WebSiteMarketingPlan.com
since 2002. For tips on how to make the marketing plan process
go smoothly, visit http://www.MarketingPlanArticles.com
and read "Tips to Help Calm `Marketing Plan Panic.
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