The number one reason many entrepreneurs don’t have a marketing plan is because they don’t know where to start. Truth is, it doesn’t need to be scary or overwhelming.
If you follow the five steps below, you’ll be able to develop a simple marketing plan for your business and get your marketing pointed in the right direction.
Step #1— Print a sales report for the previous year.
Step #2—Organize the sales by where they came from: (add any additional avenues you use to this list)
• How many came from referrals from past clients?
• How many from word of mouth (not past clients).
• How many from Social Media?
• How many from direct mail?
• How many from an event you hosted?
• How many from a bridal show or any other consumer event?
Step #3—Circle the top two sales generating avenues. These are the ones you should continue to focus on.
Step #4—Based on your ideal client choose one additional avenue to try out this year. (I suggest you try your new “thing” for at least six months in order to get a good idea about what’s working and what you can tweak to maximize reach and performance.)
Step #5—Make sure you include a healthy mix of online and offline marketing. You don’t want to rely too heavily on one or the other.
Following these steps, you will be able to create a basic marketing plan that will allow you to focus your efforts on what works for your business. Keep in mind, marketing only works if we stay consistent.
If you’re still feeling stuck, it’s also a great idea to seek the input of experts who have walked this path before and who know through years of testing how to make the most of your marketing strategies.
In the Travel Expert Marketing Academy we walk you through the process of creating an effective marketing plan and automating it as much possible. If you’re not a member yet, come join us! We have tons of fun, and we get a lot done. Get the details here.
Love & Success,
Heidi and Your Marketing Team
