Does your marketing plan include these checkpoints?

Sales don’t happen magically, but you can’t get the cart before the horse…you have to have sales to have a marketing plan and a marketing plan to have sales!  So let’s take a look at the 6 basic “checkpoints*” of building a marketing fire that will not only bring warmth and life to your business, but will last through the months to come.

• Take an honest look at your marketing and advertising.  Are you still using blind mass marketing?  Are you still trying to reach everyone through a blanket, generic blast?
• How are the best customers for your service different from everyone else?  Make a list.  Which of those differences don’t really matter and which actually contribute to their purchase decision?
• Does your current marketing try to serve or sell?  Are you giving your prospect or customer information they can use, are you providing meaningful content?  Imagine yourself as the consumer.  How would you like to learn about your services?  Does your answer resemble your current marketing tactics?
• What is the cost per thousand of your most recent advertising campaign?  What is the cost per customer?  How would your advertising tactics change if you shifted your focus from reaching lots of people to reaching the right people?
• Have you engaged social networking into your marketing?  Are you developing relationships with your future customers online?  Are you afraid of the Internet?  Do you understand and embrace the new marketing technologies?
• Is your current advertising designed to create interest or appeal to it?  Does it try to make people thirsty or does it offer a drink to those who already are?  How can you make your advertising more relevant?  Do you need to change your message?  Your audience?  Both?
• Does your advertising make exaggerated claims?  Why?  Are you worried people won’t come to you if they know the truth?  If you are then…

* Maybe your advertising is reaching those who don’t need what you’re selling.  Try reaching out to your existing customers and build referrals from their experience with you.  There’s nothing wrong with preaching to the choir.  The choir will listen.  (The “Choir” is your best audience!)

* Perhaps it’s time to direct your message to an audience who cares about what you are saying…hummm?