5 Steps To Make A Marketing Plan You Can Actually Execute
Do you have a marketing plan for your small biz? A marketing plan covers not only what you’ll say and where you’ll say it, but how you plan to attract customers to your business in the long term.
Of course, writing a marketing plan and acting on that plan are two pretty different things. Sometimes you just can’t make the time to market your business, or you aren’t sure if the plan is even working.
We’ve all been there, friend. That’s why it’s best to create an execution-friendly marketing plan that makes it as easy as possible for you to achieve your marketing goals. If you aren’t sure where to start, follow these 5 steps to make a marketing plan you can follow through on.
1. Create SMART goals
If the goal of your marketing plan is to “find more customers,” that’s too vague. Try setting SMART goals so it’s easier to execute your plan. For example, instead of “find more customers,” you would “increase sales by 25% by Q4.”
See the difference? When you make a specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, time-bound goal, it’s much easier to chart a path forward. If you’re struggling to implement your marketing plan, make it as SMART as possible.
2: Make your goals visible
But it isn’t enough to create a SMART marketing goal. You need to make your goals as visible as possible—after all, the more you see your goals, the more likely you are to follow through on them.
Regularly remind yourself about your marketing goals by:
Posting them on the wall with a Post-It.
Setting a daily reminder in your phone or calendar.
Writing them out on a window or dry-erase board.
3: Plug everything into PM software
Another way to follow through on your marketing plan is to plug all of your marketing goals and to-dos into project management (PM) software. Solutions like:
… all come with free options so you can see which is right for you. A PM tool will keep you on track by reminding you about upcoming due dates, creating task dependencies, and a lot more.
4: Hire help
Pssst, you don’t have to do everything yourself! You’ve got enough going on. If you just don’t have the time or desire to market your business, hire some help.
You don’t need to hire a full-time employee, either. A freelancer or contractor can get a lot of work done—and they don’t require the costs that come with hiring an employee.
5: Make time to review your plan
The best marketing plans evolve over time. You need to review your plan at least once a year to make sure that A) it’s working and that B) you’re continuing to make progress on your plan. Book time on your calendar, whether it’s monthly, quarterly, or yearly, to hold yourself accountable to your marketing plan.
The bottom line
Marketing is essential, but it can become an afterthought for busy business owners. If you follow these 5 tips, you can create a marketing plan that’s easier to execute—no matter how busy you get.