Small businesses owners should produce a business plan which includes specific objectives and actions to be taken to achieve the objectives. The marketing plan is a statement of those marketing activities necessary to achieve the business plan objectives.
Marketing can be complicated and expensive. Small business help to produce a plan that includes suitable marketing activities for SME (small medium enterprise) is outlined below.
Small Business Help With Marketing
Marketing is about two main elements:
- Knowing what will be sold – the details of the products or services
- Knowing who the products and services will be sold to – the market
A marketing plan includes what will be sold to a market and how that will be done.
All businesses have limited budgets. For a small business, help to find low cost marketing activities that bring results can be the difference between business success and failure. There are many books that describe low cost, effective marketing, such as Dee Blick’s Powerful Marketing On A Shoestring Budget: For Small Businesses
Example marketing plan elements could be:
- Weight loss product A will be sold to new mothers in the local area by advertising in the local newspaper and including a free sample with a leaflet drop.
- Cost cutting service package B will be sold to local, small, retail businesses who attend networking event C.
The marketing plan should also take account of the marketing touches, the number of contacts a new customer typically needs with a business before making a purchase. Estimated costs should also be included for all elements, to keep control of the budget.
Results should be measured and the marketing plan amended if needed.
SME Marketing Activities
One marketing activity that can be particularly effective for small business is networking. It is important to make business marketing effective and not just a vague social meeting. Networking doesn’t have to cost a lot but can generate business.
Online networking is also a marketing activity. Online marketing that supports offline marketing activities can generate improved results. For example, if an interview is published in a magazine, then using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to raise awareness can lead to an increased response.
Email campaigns can be cost effective, especially if they’re seen as part of the marketing touches. It’s important that the email addresses are accurate and reach the right people. A marketing plan allows progress to be measured and can help a small business succeed.
Dawn Brewer - I have a portfolio career - as a writer, management consultant, instructor and coach - after twenty years in the corporate world. My ...
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