Smart Marketing Planning: 10 Steps to Promoting Your Small Business Like a Pro

Smart Marketing Smart Marketing Planning:Planning:

10 Easy Steps to Promoting Your 10 Easy Steps to Promoting Your Small Business Like a ProSmall Business Like a Pro

Step 1Step 1Create a Marketing PlanCreate a Marketing Plan

“If you don’t know where you’re going, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi BerraYogi Berra

How far out should you plan?

Step 1Step 1Create a Marketing PlanCreate a Marketing Plan

“If you don’t know where you’re going, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi BerraYogi Berra

It’s not a plan if...

Step 1Step 1Create a Marketing PlanCreate a Marketing Plan

“If you don’t know where you’re going, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi BerraYogi Berra

It’s not a plan if...it’s not in writing

Step 1Step 1Create a Marketing PlanCreate a Marketing Plan

“If you don’t know where you’re going, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.” – you’ll end up someplace else.” – Yogi BerraYogi Berra

It’s not a plan if...you don’t make a commitment to it

Step 2Step 2Take Stock of Your Strengths Take Stock of Your Strengths

& Weaknesses& Weaknesses

“Progress is not made of doing one thing 100% “Progress is not made of doing one thing 100% right, but by doing 10 things 10% better.”right, but by doing 10 things 10% better.”

Step 3Step 3Set Your GoalsSet Your Goals

“Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot “Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur

off a skunk.” –off a skunk.” –Troy MooreTroy Moore

Step 3Step 3Set Your GoalsSet Your Goals

“Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot “Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur

off a skunk.” –off a skunk.” –Troy MooreTroy Moore

Goals are...

Step 3Step 3Set Your GoalsSet Your Goals

“Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot “Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur

off a skunk.” –off a skunk.” –Troy MooreTroy Moore

Goals are...Measurable

Step 3Step 3Set Your GoalsSet Your Goals

“Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot “Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur

off a skunk.” –off a skunk.” –Troy MooreTroy Moore

Goals are...Time Based

Step 3Step 3Set Your GoalsSet Your Goals

“Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot “Aim High! It’s no harder on your gun to shoot the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur the feathers off an eagle, than to shoot the fur

off a skunk.” –off a skunk.” –Troy MooreTroy Moore

Goals are...Realistic

Step 4Step 4Check Out Your CompetitorsCheck Out Your Competitors

“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” a mistake.” Napoleon BonaparteNapoleon Bonaparte

Step 5Step 5Target Your MarketTarget Your Market

“USA Today“USA Today has come out with a new survey. has come out with a new survey. Apparently three out of every four people make Apparently three out of every four people make up 75% of the population.” up 75% of the population.” - David Letterman - David Letterman

Step 5Step 5Target Your MarketTarget Your Market

“USA Today“USA Today has come out with a new survey. has come out with a new survey. Apparently three out of every four people make Apparently three out of every four people make up 75% of the population.” up 75% of the population.” - David Letterman - David Letterman

Possibly the Most Important Step in Your Plan

DemographicsDemographicsTake AimTake Aim

DemographicsDemographicsTake AimTake Aim

DemographicsDemographicsTake AimTake Aim

DemographicsDemographicsTake AimTake Aim

DemographicsDemographicsTake AimTake Aim

DemographicsDemographicsTake AimTake Aim

DemographicsDemographicsTake AimTake Aim

DemographicsDemographicsTake AimTake Aim

Baby BoomersBaby Boomers

Step 5Step 5Target Your MarketTarget Your Market

Step 5Step 5Target Your MarketTarget Your Market

Become an Expert in Your Target Market

Step 6Step 6Understand WhatUnderstand What

You Are You Are Really Really Selling!Selling!

It probably is not what It probably is not what you think.you think.

Step 6Step 6 Understand WhatUnderstand What

You Are You Are Really Really Selling!Selling!

Features vs. BenefitsFeatures vs. Benefits

Step 6Step 6 Understand WhatUnderstand What

You Are You Are Really Really Selling!Selling!

Features vs. BenefitsFeatures vs. Benefits

What is does or has

Step 6Step 6 Understand WhatUnderstand What

You Are You Are Really Really Selling!Selling!

Features vs. BenefitsFeatures vs. Benefits

What is does or has The emotional pay off

Step 7Step 7Think Like a GeneralThink Like a General

“Ads are the cave art of the 20“Ads are the cave art of the 20 thth Century.” – Century.” – Marshall McLuhanMarshall McLuhan

Step 7Step 7Think Like a GeneralThink Like a General

Step 7Step 7Think Like a GeneralThink Like a General

website

Step 7Step 7Think Like a GeneralThink Like a General

website

Step 7Step 7Think Like a GeneralThink Like a General

Step 7Step 7Think Like a GeneralThink Like a General

All of the above on your website

Step 8Step 8 BrandingBranding

Pre-Selling & Pre-Selling & Spin DoctoringSpin Doctoring

If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, If you can’t get rid of the skeleton in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance.” – you’d best teach it to dance.” –

George Bernard ShawGeorge Bernard Shaw

Step 8 Step 8 BrandingBranding

Perception is Reality

Step 8 Step 8 BrandingBranding

Reverses the Selling Process

Step 8 Step 8 BrandingBranding

Makes People Show up Already Sold

Step 8 Step 8 BrandingBranding

Turns a Negative into a Positive

Step 9Step 9Spending Your MoneySpending Your Money

“Growth costs money.”“Growth costs money.”

Free Marketing is Worth Exactly What You Paid for it

Step 10Step 10Tracking Your ResultsTracking Your Results

“The best predictor of the future is the past!” “The best predictor of the future is the past!” Judith Greer EssexJudith Greer Essex