Marketing Plan, Marketing Planning, Marketing Plan Template, Marketing Plans

A business plan that includes marketing strategies is not just the domain of big businesses like Starbucks or Nike – every small business, home-based business or Internet business should have a solid marketing and communications plan. But, this doesn’t mean you have to hire a marketing company or an advertising agency with a team of graphic designers and gurus you simply don’t need.

The first step is to define your business. Be as specific as you can, and make sure you fully understand exactly what it is you are offering to your customers.  Let’s say your business was making gift baskets. While you will want to list the different kinds of baskets you make, and for what occasions, you want to be realistic and not also include that you are a caterer, for example.

Then, think about who those customers are!  While you might dream about providing the whole world with gift baskets for every occasion, but really there are certain kinds of customers who want your services, and for specific occasions. So, make a list of your top three or top five ideal customer types.

Write down your goals.  You might be surprised by why you discover! So many small business owners get into their business with no idea where they want to take it, and this can be their downfall.  Don’t be one of them! What is your goal for your business for this year, and overall?

Your next step is to consider all the obstacles that might be keeping you from worldwide gift basket domination (or at least from becoming the go-to gift basket business in your community). Is it product variety? Is it that people don’t know what gift baskets are? Is the economic downturn making a difference in your business?

Now that you’ve gotten an excellent sense about your business, now it’s time to build an advertising campaign. Come up with as many marketing ideas as you can – even dumb ones.  You never know what will inspire you! Keep in mind that your ideas can be applied to newspaper advertising, Internet advertising, brand marketing, direct marketing and even free advertising where you can get it.

Get a budget together that can be spent monthly, and put together a marketing plan for the next year. Do what you can within your budget, and build in extra funds for busy times and expansion.

Your last step is to put it together and get started telling the world about your business.  They key to all of this is to stick to your marketing plan and only do the advertising that fits your budget.