Put It In Writing

In 2001, I opened my first company.  Like any good strategic marketer, I prepared a WRITTEN business and marketing plan.

I've got to tell you, my business plan was AMAZING.  I was going to help millions of people; we were all going to make millions of dollars.  Yep, it was amazing...right up until I  put it on paper.  If you remember smelling something really bad in March of 2001, it was probably the first draft my business plan!

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The numbers in my head didn't add up.  I needed to see it in writing to realize it wouldn't work.  

Marketing plans are the same way.  It might look good in your head.  But if you don't write it into a document, you may end up with a big pile of nothing...or worse, a big pile of something that smells really bad.

I will share my thoughts on the elements of a successful marketing strategy in future posts.  But for today, my thoughts are limited to WHY you need to WRITE your marketing plan.  It is as simple as "Three Dos and a Did":

• Do it
  • Without a plan, intentional marketing often becomes a back-burner investment.  That is why my marketing company used Round Tuits instead of business cards for certain events, because people often say they "will do marketing when they get around to it".
  • Creating a written plan improves your chances of actually doing the marketing you PLAN, instead of whatever comes along.
• Do it right
  • Many years ago, a new business owner invited me to do his marketing.  In our initial meeting, I uncovered that he had already committed more than $20,000 in his first year to multiple sponsorships and "small" ads that were going to do nothing for his business.  Sales reps kept coming and he kept saying "yes" just to get his name out.
  • In the absence of a plan, it is easy to "throw spaghetti against the walls to see what sticks".  A written plan will keep your marketing efforts targeted and integrated so you spend LESS money with MORE impact.
• Do it within budget
  • Like the business owner referenced above, it is easy to spend a few dollars here and there until the total spend is larger than you anticipated.  
  • Creating a marketing budget for your year (or other period of time) gives you a measure of what you are willing to invest.  AFTER you write your marketing plan, any new opportunities you are presented with will need to (1) fall within your strategy; and, (2) be paid for with the not-yet-allocated portion of your marketing budget or will have to replace something in your plan. Either way, you are evaluating impromptu expenditures within your strategy.
• Did it work
  •  Random marketing tools and programs can be forgotten or their true cost may not be captured when you evaluate their return-on-investment (ROI).
  • With a written plan, you can measure the success of the integrated tools you employed to promote your business because you know what audience received what message during what time period in comparison to your leads/sales.

Just like writing your goals for each year, WRITING your marketing plan will greatly increase your chances for success.

If you need help writing and/or implementing your marketing plan, contact The Muse.