Developing a marketing plan ensures that your company has a solid strategy to effectively reach your target audience. As a marketing leader, it’s important to understand the process of creating a marketing plan. Considering both the internal business and external consumer-facing environment is a big part of creating a successful marketing plan. Focus on creating a strategy for your business that helps you effectively connect with your target audience.

Check out GROWL’s top 5 tips for creating a marketing plan, and download our FREE marketing plan template today!

 

 

1. Be Your Customer’s Advocate

When creating a marketing plan, be sure to consider your customers’ needs and pain points. Remember, you are your customer’s advocate. Being your customer’s advocate means your business is there to help them solve their problems. Focus on selling your solution, rather than your product. Your marketing plan should be centered around the entire customer journey from acquisition to engaging and delighting them over and over.

2. Don’t Forget the Funnel

A marketing funnel is a customer-focused marketing model that illustrates the customer journey. Your funnel measures your conversion rates, covers your channels and strategies, and brings people into your pipeline. The funnel is one of the most important assets of your entire plan. It ensures that your company has built awareness and interest through the channels used in your strategy. Then, incorporating other touchpoints and personalized elements into your customer journey will strengthen your overall plan.

3. Focus on Your Message

It’s easy to get lost in all the possible channels and forget about your messaging and positioning. Without strategizing your brand message, you will miss out on potential consumers who go to your competitors. It is important to build your messaging around your individual channel strategies to effectively sell your product/service. Companies can clarify their message and optimize their strategy by utilizing A/B testing across various channels. This helps create relevant and authentic content that resonates with their customers.

4. Consider Internal Feedback

Your marketing strategy should involve your entire team, not just the executives. Your team provides valuable insight and ideas that you might not have considered. Include feedback from your marketing team, sales team, and customer service team. By including insight from these diverse stakeholders, you’ll gain valuable information that will elevate your marketing plan.

5. Be flexible

Even though your plan may be detailed and carefully thought out, it’s important to be flexible. Sometimes, you will need to adjust your marketing strategy. Consider potential risks in advance and develop a plan B for those variables. Then, if something needs to change, you are already prepared. Don’t lock yourself into your marketing plan; leave some room to adjust, and switch gears when needed.

Creating a marketing plan could seem challenging at first, but once you have your playbook mapped out, everything will come together. Knowing your target audience and their objectives is essential when creating your marketing plan.

Ready to start your marketing plan? Download our FREE marketing plan template to start identifying customer personas and setting your SMART goals!

Need help getting your marketing plan off the ground? Reach out and take flight with GROWL today!

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