Boost your business in 2016 with a strategic marketing plan!

Strategic planning should be done on an occasional, not frequent basis. If you’re revising your marketing plan every month or quarter, your business probably isn’t moving in the right direction. A strategic plan is a high level guide for tactical executions that are implemented regularly.

Most companies try to set aside strategic planning time each year and a few of them actually get to it. A strategic marketing plan is an operational business resource that should be designed or reviewed annually by most companies.

The holidays are the ideal time to get your marketing plans together and be ready to have a great year in 2016. Even if you’re one who likes to take time off to enjoy everything the holidays have to offer, just be sure to get that strategic marketing plan ready to begin implementing by the middle of January so you’ll have the full year to see it through. And that right there is the key! “…to see it through.” Without a plan to keep your marketing executions scheduled and implemented, they just won’t happen, or you’ll be back to good old (in reality bad old) reactionary style ad hoc marketing.

What makes up a successful marketing plan?

Do you want to grow in 2016? By how much, and what’s your plan to achieve that goal? If you have a plan set in place that is budgeted for both money and management/staff time, you’ll likely be amazed at how much your business can grow over the course of a year!

For a marketing plan to work, it must reach your target market through multiple channels with consistent messages relevant to your consumers/clients. Enough research should be conducted to gain a thorough understanding of the target audience’s priorities as well as the competition’s strengths and weaknesses. Then a marketing plan can be composed to include:

• ·       SWOT Analysis/Market Research Findings
• ·       Mission, Vision & Values
• ·       Positioning
• ·       Advertising Strategy
• ·       Social Strategy
• ·       Sales Strategy
• ·       Budget Allocation
• ·       Creative Development
• ·       Media Planning
• ·       Marketing Calendars
• ·       Creative Executions
• ·       Training

Not every company will need to include every component listed above in its strategic marketing plan, but we do recommend most or all of them for companies that want to grow to the next level. Of .

course, every organization’s marketing plan will be structured differently to meet that company’s specific objectives. We are always happy to help guide you through the maze of so many options for promoting your products and services today. Feel free to contact 2DiFore Marketing Solutions for a free marketing consultation at 603-505-8951