No business succeeds by fluke. We all know that, in order to ensure your success, you have to create a plan that maps out your path. And you must revisit and amend that plan, when necessary, along the way. This philosophy holds true for both your business and marketing plans.
The problem is, many businesses cringe when they hear the term ‘Marketing Plan” because all they can think about is their hard-earned money being spent. It’s such a catch-all phrase. Sure, you have to spend money to make money, but now more than ever there are cost-effective, easily accessible ways to market without spending a fortune.
Your marketing plan should outline numerous ways for you to reach quality contacts within your budget, including various advertising and local community initiatives. Below are three ways for you to kickstart your marketing plan right away.
Social Media Presence
When social media came along, it opened up so many options for businesses to reach clients and referral partners without spending a fortune. But just because you can now reach more people at a fraction of the cost doesn’t mean you can just throw anything at them. Your social media marketing plan needs to be well thought out as well. How often you show up in people’s feeds and what you say when you do end up there are so important. You want to educate and offer thought-provoking information that will make people think of you the next time they or someone they know are in the market to use your products and/or services.
You may also want to try some paid social media advertising to boost your posts and see how that pays off for you. The great thing about social media advertising is that campaigns can be targeted to your ideal client type and you can spend a bit of money at a time to try things out as opposed to the old days of allocating all of your funds at once.
Client & Referral Source Communications
Your database is a goldmine. If your contacts have given you the okay to communicate with them via email and you’re not taking full advantage of this opportunity, you need to start right away.
Email communications with past and current clients and referral partners offer you the chance to remind them how and why they or someone they know should be using your products and/or services. Always offer some useful information and then include a call to action, such as Call Me Today to Find Out More. It doesn’t have to be a hard sell. If someone is reading an article or communication you have passed their way, it’s because something grabbed their attention.
Local Event Sponsorship
Regardless of where you live and/or work across the country, there are local events you can support to help give back to your community and entrench your business in your neighbourhood.
And each event – be it sporting-related, a fair, and so on – offers a variety of ways for you to get involved depending on your price point. The key is to look at options early so you can choose what works best for you. And, if there’s nothing that suits you, never be afraid to ask them for some creativity with involvement… like being the photography sponsor for the day, feeding people after a marathon or walk, etc. Regardless of how you sponsor, however, it’s important to be present at the event and add value to the day.
Succeed on Purpose
The sky’s the limit when it comes to marketing your business these days. And whether you choose to spend time brainstorming on your own or hiring a professional to help out, the important thing is to get started right away to help boost your business and ensure a constant stream of business. You never want to experience a dry spell where you have nothing to do because leads aren’t coming in. Effective marketing offers you the opportunity to control your own destiny.