For a small business, it is easy to let days, weeks, or even years go by without making a marketing plan. Making statements like it’s too expensive, too complicated, or my marketing is by word-of-mouth are all excuses. As valid as they may be, these excuses avoid the inevitable need for writing a marketing/business plan. 

When things get slow, panic sets in, and then there seems to be an urgency to hire a marketing consultant. Before you do that, it is time to consider taking charge of your business!

Here Are The Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Hire a Marketing Consultant.

• They do not know your business as you do.
• Marketing consultants may convince you to do something that you can not afford or understand.
• Most marketing consultants do not do the work themselves, so your costs will increase, and you may lose even more control.
• Who owns the marketing materials? Most consultants fiercely guard their intellectual property, so if you part company, all marketing efforts go with the consultant.
• It may be helpful to blame someone for a marketing failure; however, you do not have time for failures!

Reasons To Take Charge Of Your Marketing Plan.

• You know your company best.
• You know your strengths and weaknesses.
• You manage the marketing budget.
• You own all intellectual marketing property created.
• When you are ready to hire outside help, you can manage the results better.
• You set the terms and key performance indicators for your marketing campaign.

How to Get a Marketing Plan Started?

• There are tons of marketing plan creation tools on the internet; search for “creating a marketing plan.”
• There are amazing online Book Outlet companies where you can purchase high-quality marketing books at a fraction of retail cost.
• Go to your public library, borrow books for free, and most have free online learning tools!

Getting The Time To Get It Done!

• Take a day off, draft a marketing plan, push through the writer’s block, and make it a goal to complete it in 1 day.
• After you have the draft marketing plan done, sit on it for 24 hours, take a second look, and do a second draft.
• Then sit with your partner, employee, or friend and read it aloud so you can hear the plan. Make notes of what to change and turn it into your final draft. You may need to repeat this process a couple of times to get it right.

What’s Next?

• It’s time to set a budget, a period of implementation, and determine what outside help you might need.
• Oh, do not forget to set KPI, Key Performance Indicators, so that you can monitor and adjust the plan accordingly.

Final Thoughts: Monitor, Adjust, Monitor.

It is not enough to have a great plan, a sufficient budget, and the time to implement it. You will need to monitor the program against your KPI, and make the necessary adjustments as required. 

Your success is in your hands, take control, and make it happen!

If you have any questions, please call hughesagency.ca.

Nicholas Hughes.