By Robert Cavanaugh
Are you still trying to understand why some marketing plans are successful while others are dismal failures? I’ve studied every imaginable kind of plans over the years, and I’ve concluded that there are five keys to a winning business marketing plan.
Virtually every business marketing plan failure I have seen misses the mark on one of these keys. You will need to incorporate all five of the keys in a way that allows them to support and enhance one another to achieve maximum results.
1. Goal orientation. Your business marketing plan should be created around the marketing goals you want to achieve during the period covered by the plan. This keeps all activity focused on results and provides a basis for measurement of achievements.
2. Reach potential customers where they are. Putting ads here and there and sending somewhat random promotional efforts into the world does not mean the right people will ever see them. More than ever before, you must go to where your customers are if you expect to have any hope of getting their attention.
3. Parts of the business marketing plan need to address potential customers at each stage of the buying cycle or decision-making process. People need different information at each stage of the process. Your strategy needs to systematically move each prospect through the process. Continue Reading
