The Best Time to Start your Marketing Plan is NOW

In times of crisis and uncertainty, we all have our own ways of coping with challenges to move forward. Some of us started planning the next chapter right away in order to gain back a sense of control while others might feel discouraged for a little while longer and haven’t dared to write down any new creative ideas.

Now is actually the perfect time to start your marketing plan. This not only helps you to move forward and project yourself in the future but it also gives you the time and tools to truly understand the current situation and the ground you are stepping on.

Grab your pens and paper. Let’s get some clarity on your next steps and put intentions into your actions for maximal effects.

What is the purpose of a marketing plan?

This plan helps you stay on track when life shows up with things you weren’t expecting or when everything should be going fine but isn’t. It helps you move forward when you lose confidence in yourself or in the business. As entrepreneurs you have probably experienced a lot of ups and downs because it is a challenging journey. That is totally normal. Having a marketing plan is a tool that will help you keep a clear direction to achieve your goals and keep growing, especially during difficult times.

This is your creative roadmap to market your products and offerings to your target customers and to funnel all your ideas into a strategy. It lays down your goals with a strategic plan that includes clear tactics to attain these goals and it then allows you to analyze the results to make any adjustments necessary.

Having a marketing plan gives you a direction for your actions for today and the future so that step by step you can reach your wildest dream.

Is having a marketing plan obsolete since crisis like today shows that things don’t go according to plan?

NOT AT ALL. Having a strategic plan doesn’t mean that it is engraved in stone and you cannot make any changes to it. Moving forward with intentions helps you to focus on the important things versus being bogged down by details. It helps you keep the big picture in mind at all times. When you know your final destination you find a way to get there, even if you need to make adjustments along the way. Having a plan with clear goals helps you maneuver a crisis and rise stronger from it. 

Have SMART goals

What are your financial goals for the year? Don’t be afraid to be extra clear and to step a little bit outside of your comfort zone. Stretching your goals will give you room to try new things and to grow.

More than money what do you want to accomplish by the end of the year*? What products do you want to release, what connections do you want to make, what new contracts do you want to sign, do you want to speak at any conference or be published in any magazine?

To make sure you will achieve your goals, each one needs to be SMART:

Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Relevant – Time-bound

Click here to see how to make SMART goals to increase your chances to be successful.

*Note: you can decide at any time to start your marketing plan – trust me you don’t need to wait January 2021 to get yourself on track with a clear strategy.

What should my marketing plan have?

A marketing plan is an extensive document that includes a deep analysis of the current situation of your industry, competitions, products, and target audience.

Here are a few points to get you started:

1.       What is your why?

An important part of your marketing plan starts at the very beginning with one of the first questions you need to ask yourself:

-          Why are you in business for? What needs are you fulfilling and what problems are you solving?

Of course the reason you have a business is to generate income but what is your true purpose behind it? What makes you different from others?

Make sure to spend some time being really clear about your why and purpose. This will help you make decisions in the future and make sure your actions are aligned with your goals.

In times of crisis knowing your why can help you make decisions that will be beneficial for the future of your company.

2.       Who are your target customers?

Identify your ideal customers. Give him/her a name. What do they do, how do they dress, what type of coffee do they drink, how do they spend their Saturday afternoon? Be as specific as you can and have a clear image of who they are, how they look, talk, and act.  

This of course doesn’t mean that every customer will be that way but this is the ideal audience that you need to target. Before you do anything, before you launch a new product or promotion, put yourself in the shoes of that person and be honest with yourself on how you would perceive that campaign.  

Always keeping your customers in mind will help you in times of crisis to not make decisions out of fear. By establishing good relationships with your customers you are also in a situation where you can ask them and communicate about what they actually need, instead of guessing.

This can actually help you offer products and services that people will be excited about. You have the opportunity to be remembered as the one who made their life easier.

3.       What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Take time to be extra clear about your strengths, your weaknesses, what your competitors are doing that you aren’t and vice versa, why people should choose you over another company.

By knowing your strengths and weaknesses you also know where to focus your time and energy and where you may need to ask for help.

Once you have a clear understanding of what you are offering and to whom you are able to come up with the right tactics and techniques to have a strong strategy to market your products to your audience.

Analyzing & Recap

Don’t forget to reference your marketing plan often and analyze its results. Without analyzing it, you won’t know what to keep doing or change and what is working or not.

At the end of the year as well as at some decisive times make sure to analyze the direction and results you are taking and having. What is the current situation, has anything changed? Are your customers still looking for the same products and services? With a time like today for example, things obviously changed the course of your marketing plan. Does that mean everything is bad and you need to redo it all? No. But having room to make improvements is crucial. 

If you need any support in the preparation of your marketing plan, get in touch with us! Our team of experts can help you make this process more enjoyable and efficient. Click here to schedule a Complimentary Brand Consultation.