Over the last 10 years in running Hyperactive, I have been amazed at how few companies have a marketing plan before we begin working with them. The reality is that successful marketing for any organizations invariably starts with a marketing plan, a blueprint for action.
As budgets get tightened, a marketing plan is critical to prioritize and select the best promotion opportunities. And it can directly impact the bottom line. Research shows that companies with a marketing plan can create a 24 to 30 percent improvement in sales compared with those with no plan.
You don’t have to wait until the beginning of a calendar or fiscal year to develop a marketing plan. But developing a plan is something that many companies tend to think of when they are heading into a new year. So in honour of the coming new year, I thought I’d provide some considerations for your 2010 B2B marketing plan.
Is there a new market you need to pursue?
- Database development
- Contact strategy
- Promotional plan
- Public relations/media coverage
Are there new marketing tactics to consider?
- Blogging
- Microblogging (Twitter)
- Search engine optimization
- Social network participation (Facebook, LinkedIn)
- Email marketing
- Social media monitoring & outreach
- Pay per click
- Video marketing
- Social media advertising
Is there a different way to do things?
- Partnership stategy
- Referral sources
- Outsourcing marketing tactics
- Pay only for what you use
- Farm a new or different field
- Improve customer response process
These are just a few considerations as you consider what you need to do differently or better in the new year – just designed to get you thinking.
Lisa Kember
