Create A Marketing Plan That Works
In order to succeed with a basic marketing plan you need to focus on some core elements of a plan that targets the right audience and produces a specific result including lead generation or sales. For your marketing to produce results you should consider using multiple media formats.
There is so much competition today that the messages you use need to be incredibly focused. The impact of any campaign is highly correlated to the quality of your list and the effectiveness of your offer.
Over the past twelve years I have found that marketing results are relatively consistent when sound marketing techniques are applied. These techniques can be effective in virtually any industry and with any type of campaign you have. Consider developing your marketing campaign using these strategies:
Set specific goals. Before you begin, think about the specific goals you wish to achieve. Many marketers gravitate towards conversion but you need to define what that means for you and your business. Some individuals are simply looking for a sale, others a lead or download. Before you begin, identify what action you want respondents to take and how you’re going to measure it.
Focus on segmentation. Do not attempt to market to all segments. Choose a specific segment and focus your energies there. If you do, your campaign will be more successful. You can increase your chances of success tremendously when you focus on a specific market or niche. Review your current customer and find others like them if you wish to generate a positive ROI.
Identify key messages points. What are the messages that resonate with your audience? Have you used headlines or email subject lines that have performed extremely well in the past? If so, use them to create a baseline and try to improve in later campaigns. You need to speak in the language that resonates with your customers if you are going to grab their attention and gain their trust.
Determine which offers you are going to test. The only way to ensure a successful marketing campaign is by testing various offers. The offer is a key component for driving results and can always be improved. Your best bet is to test multiple offers by splitting your list, your web visitors, or viewable audience. Once you find and offer that works, try to beat its results during the next campaign.
Use an integrated marketing approach. Dont settle for a single email, post card or ad. Rather, discover the media that your segment uses to get their information, do research, and buy their products. This will help you determine the best way to reach them. Once you develop a campaign, tie together as many of these media types to convey your message and offer.
I’ve discovered that using these marketing techniques are essential for producing a positive return on your marketing investment. In addition, be aware of campaign timing. Even if all of the above criteria are met, your campaign may still fall short if you havent exposed your audience segment to the right message at the right time. It all comes down to timing.
Review each of these steps before creating your next marketing campaign. Your marketing is only going to be successful if you set specific goals, segment your market, use key messages that resonate with your audience and create a compelling offer. I encourage you to experiment with different media to get your message across and deliver a winning campaign.
Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert, author, and website owner who helps small and medium sized businesses improve their marketing effectiveness. Discover helpful marketing strategies at The Marketing Blog. This and other unique content ‘marketing’ articles are available with free reprint rights.
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