Developing a Viable Marketing Plan
Once you have a business plan in place for your company, you may think you are done with the paperwork. Not so.
If you want your small business to succeed, you need a marketing plan to figure out how to get your company to the top of the market.
The first things you are going to need in your marketing plan are an analysis of your competition and your customers.
Customers
Know who these people are (gender, age group, specialty field, etc), how to attract these customers, and what they need.
Competition
You need to know who else is trying to take the business you want. Many small business owners think they can ignore their competition and succeed just by doing their job.
While this may work from time to time, it is best to know your competition and what they may be offering to your customers so you can have a plan to counter them.
Attract More Customers
The next part of your marketing plan should be ways to get more customers to come to you.
You will need to come up with a strategy to get the attention of potential customers and convince them to give your small business a try.
Anticipate Changes
The business world is always changing. Those who do the best in times of change are those who were ready for it. Knowing the types of changes that could come in your field and how you will deal with them is key.
Making a list of ‘what if’ scenarios is a great way to consider possible changes in your market and how your company will react. By planning this in advance, you will have a plan, instead of panic, when the time comes.
There are plenty of online resources and software programs that will help you create an in-depth marketing plan to get your small business on the right path
