A Marketing Plan Is The Single Most Powerful Business Tool On The Planet.

Very few business owners use a marketing plan but those that do, can't live without it. "Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan!"

Let me get right to the point. The single most powerful small business marketing tool on the planet is a marketing plan. Before you start to think oh no I need to do this big drawn out BS document that no one will use anyway, that is not the case.

When I talk about a marketing plan I am not referring to those things they taught in school or what you find in marketing books, or even the version found in most business planning software. Most business owners just need to figure out how to get ten more customers, or get ten you already have to do what you want more often. Once you figure that out you simply do it again and at the same try something else to get ten more, ultimately you have a bunch of things working for you and your job is simply to plan the next fun and exciting marketing idea that will get you another ten.

A marketing plan is a simple (in many cases one page) document that specifically answers who you are, what you do, who needs it, how you plan to grab them by the throat, when you plan to do it and how you plan to pay for it...in a way that everyone in your organization, network, and client base can clearly understand.

Now that was a mouthful so let me back up a moment. Many business owners are doers, not planners. While doing is better than, say, mildewing, without direction, it leads to "marketing idea of the week" syndrome which stunts any chance a small business has for real growth.

Take one day, follow these 7 simple steps to creating the most powerful business marketing tool on the planet, and your life will become a much simpler affair.

Step 1: Narrow your market focus

Look at whom you are currently doing most of your business with. Figure out why they do business with you and what it is about them that is unique. Write one paragraph that describes what they look like and what they want out of life. Take a good hard look at the rest of your clients and customers and decide if they fit that description of your best client. Start saying no when the phone rings and it's not your target market calling.

Step 2: Position your business

Figure out what it is that you do best, figure out what your target market longs for and tell the world that you do that like no one else ever thought of. Maybe it's serving a niche, maybe it's a form of service, maybe it's a way you package your products. Here's a hint: you probably don't know what it is. Call up 3 or 4 of your clients and ask them why they buy from you.

Step 3: Core messages

Create several very compelling benefits of doing business with you and find ways to work them into everything you say and do. Just remember it's not a benefit unless your clients think it is. Your clients don't buy what you sell...they buy what they get from what you sell.

Step 4: Marketing materials

Recreate all of your marketing materials, including your website, so that they speak only of your core messages and your target market. Take it one piece at a time and get it positioned using our Marketing basics.

Step 5: Connect with your Guest and prospects

Make sure that all of your advertising is geared to creating prospects and not customers. You must find ways to educate before you sell. Your target market needs to learn how you provide value in a way that will make them want to pay a premium for your services or products

Step 6: Expect referrals

You must create a referral marketing engine that systematically turns clients and referral networks into 24 hour marketing powerhouse. The first step in the system is to reward people for any referrals they send your way.

Step 7: Live by a calendar

After you complete steps 1-6, determine what you need to do to put them into action and then schedule them on a calendar. Pick a month and pledge to get it done that month. The mistake most business owners make is to get overwhelmed when they realize how much they really need to do.

You Must take Massive Action - To Get Extraordinary Results.  Plan it and start somewhere and I Guarantee you every month will get better and easier.  You will end up getting more done in less time and people that know you will be asking you "How do you do it, how do you come up with all the stuff you do? Never mind how do you get it all done" You can do it, I can help.

Steady effective implementation wins the Race

If you can begin to schedule one or two activities each month you will look up at the end of six months and find that you have a fully developed customer list, referral system, new website, and a lead generation system. Slow and steady wins the race!

So how much of your new marketing plan will you have completed by next month?