If you keep meaning to put together a marketing plan, but never get around to it, limit yourself to 15 minutes right now and use this outline. The bullet points are just ideas to get you thinking.
Even if you are way beyond Marketing 101, take a fresh look at who you want as clients and ask yourself how you can sharpen your focus. Take a fresh look at your tactics and your tools and ask yourself how you can be more effective.
I. Your Target Market - Who Do You Want To Reach?
- Who needs your services?
- What kinds of people or situations do you like to service?
- Where do you already have opportunities, a lot of connections, a knowledge base, or a reputation? (i.e. Based on your work history, education, extra curricular activities, family, etc.)
II. Your Marketing Tactics - How Will You Reach Your Market?
- Networking through personal contacts, associations, etc. related to your target market?
- Referral sources (list them by name and/or by occupation)?
- Online technology (website, blog, email, e-newsletters, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.)?
- Writing and/or public speaking?
- Advertising?
- Low tech, low cost placement of marketing material (community bulletin boards, etc.)?
III. Your Marketing Tools - What Will You Use?
- Register your name as a domain name. Even if you don't use it, no one else can.
- Create a Google profile for yourself.
- Business cards.
- LinkedIn - a simple, no cost way to start a professional presence on the web.
- Prepare a 30 second elevator speech.
- Website
- Blog
- Brochures
Choose marketing tactics and marketing tools that fit you. Put your plan in writing. It's not a plan unless it's in writing. Go with your strengths, stay focused on your target market, and get started by taking one small action step and then another and another . . . . The key is to stay focused on your target market.
If you would like coaching to develop a marketing plan that works for you, please contact me.
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