Creating a Marketing Plan

Methodology

The methodology I use to create marketing plans is detailed in my book The Marketing Plan Handbook (Entrepreneur Press, 2010).

The basic steps include:

• Writing a vision statement.
• Creating a unique selling proposition.
• Finding your niche.
• Profiling your ideal customer.
• Calculating lifetime customer value.
• Analyzing the competition.
• Building out a product line.
• Assessing your marketing tactics.
• Integrating online and offline promotion.
• Using analytics to measure key performance metrics.
• Writing the formal marketing plan.
• Implementing the plan.
• Reviewing and troubleshooting the plan.

To learn my marketing plan methodology in detail, you can buy The Marketing Plan Handbook online, just by clicking on the front cover image at right.

Formal Marketing Plans

The most detailed and expensive planning process is to retain me to create a formal marketing plan for your business, following the outline and methods used in The Marketing Plan Handbook.

The least expensive option is to buy the book (it’s less than $20) and do the plan yourself following my methods and guidelines.

Marketing Recommendations

A more affordable option is to eschew a formal plan and have me make informal marketing recommendations – ideas on how to promote your product and increase sales, presented in writing.

Marketing Audit

Another affordable option, the marketing audit is a review of your current marketing programs with a critique and recommendations for improvement.

The Next Step

If you seek help in planning your marketing, call Bob Bly at 201-505-9451 or e-mail rwbly@bly.com