There are five easy steps to having a successful marketing plan.

Step 1. Set your personal and business goals.

Step 2. Develop a plan to assits in achieving these goals.

Step 3. Put you plan into action.

Step 4. Monitor Results to see whats succesful.

Step 5. Do it all over again.

Step 1. Goals

What are your personal and business goals?
It has been proven that people in business who have written goals out-perform those who don't .
Remember to set goals for 6 months, 1, 2, 5 and 10 years. Set your goals and put dates on when you plan to achieve them.
There are Four Key Areas:

Personal Goals

Financial...... Income, investments, net worth, etc.

Recreation...... Hobbies, Holidays, etc.

Comminity / Spiritual...... Charities, Health, etc.

Personal / Family...... Family Time, Retirement, Fitness, etc.

Business Goals
What are your business goals and what are your plans and time frames to achieve them in?

Sales Targets, Growth, Budgets, Capital, Staffing, Profits and Marketing.

Get a clear picture of your priorities.

Does your business have a mission / purpose that excites and motivates you?
What would you like to be remembered for? Business, Charity, or something else? Encorporate this into your business and personal goals.

Step 2. Plan

Do you have a plan to help assist you in achieving your goals?
Any Plan, even if it is a bad one, is better than nothing.

Consider your Target Market?
Age Range______________ Sex______________ Income______________
Business to Business__________ Business to Public__________ Wholesale or Retail__________

What is your Market Size?

What are your current expenses and how much advertising can you get from you advertising dollar? Remember to consider unconventional forms of advertising appropriate to your business.

Where do I advertise at present?

What are the results of this advertising? What advertising worked well?
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What products do I wish to promote?
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How can I increase the number of times the customer buys?
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Where can I expand my business?
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What can I do to increase the value of each sale?
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What other products or services can i cross sell to my existing customers?
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Talk to your client base and find out the top reasons they use your business. Then take that information and use it to promote your business.
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Consider how long you advertising products will last as to what you promote with it.

With all advertising you MUST
1. Create curiosity for your product or service
2. Make an offer to your customer
3. Get the customer to act now

Why should action ads by in your marketing plan?
1) We can help with advice on which promotional products suit my business and budget.
2) We can help you develop a customer loyalty program.
3) We can show you the benifits of promotional products over tv, radio, newspapers and yellow pages.

Step 3. Take Action

Set your plan in motion.

Test your ideas.

If something is working for your business, keep doing it.

Plan 90 Days in advance with any promotion. Plan annual leave, school holidays and public holidays.
Do i have quiet peroids? When am i busiest? Work your plan to stretch every last cent from your budget. Your customers need to see, feel, hear, touch and even smell your promotions for best results.

Make a calander to keep track of up-coming promotions and prepare for them.

Keep the customer interested by spicing up your promotions.

Step 4. Record Your Results

Monitor the results of your advertising.
Ask your customers how they heard about your business or promotion. Ask "Do you mind if I ask how you heard of us?", or "Do you mind if I ask what is your number one reason for shopping here?".

Look at your results and decide what you can do next time to improve your next promotion.

Step 5. Do it all over again.

Set Goals - Develop a Plan - Take Action - Monitor Results