Why commit to a marketing plan?
"Why should I commit to a marketing plan?" Admittedly, I don't get this question very often. But, having written and presented more than a few marketing plans, my gut tells me that most clients have either made up their minds that they need one prior to talking with my company, or it's not even on their proverbial radar screen. What usually differentiates these two groups is their experience and level of success with the practice of marketing a business. Those with limited success (if they survive) eventually choose to approach it strategically, while those who've never marketed themselves are ready to jump past the planning directly to the doing.
If you've never had to market or advertise a business, I would strongly encourage you to consider thoughtfully planning any marketing prior to spending a dime on media. In years of helping clients with marketing plans, here are ten reasons why:
1. Your Customer: Who are you? What are you selling? Why should I care? What’s in it for me? You have 10 seconds to tell me. . . Can you?
2. Your Customer: What makes you better (different) than the other guy? You have five seconds . . .
3. Clearly define your customers so that you can assess their value to your business and understand what drives them
4. Define your competition at all levels so that you can clearly identify and assess their threat to your business (and your own opportunities)
5. The best, most successful marketers plan their marketing as a long-term, sustained investment; not as an occasional need or expense. Successful marketing requires momentum
6. Great brands evolve from a clear idea or a promise that resonates with its intended audience. Great brands don’t flit about, trying to be or say all things to all people. Know thyself – this takes a little time and a lot of introspective thought
7. Great companies are built on great ideas, but equally important is how successfully they are able to communicate an idea to their customers. Consistently successful communication is planned communication
8. You have one good opportunity to impress a customer. Everything after that is either living up to it or living it down. Also, remember: you cannot not communicate. Therefore, communicate thoughtfully.
9. Consistency, Consistency, Consistency (in message, in promise, in action) – simple, but rarely easy
10. You cannot reliably or consistently achieve success in a business endeavor unless you define it, formulate a way to achieve it, put it in writing and take ownership of it at every level
Talk with me if you want to learn more.
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Great idea, but can you sell it? If each of us had a dime for every supposed 'great idea' we've heard, right? Slipher Marketing… [More]
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Andy’s ability to codify goals and objectives and then deliver against those objectives is what makes him so valuable to the Agency Engagement Team at The Dallas Morning News. We’ve relied on him to create, manage and compile results from our agency relationships for the past year and he does not disappoint. His work is on budget, on time and on strategy. 
Kelly Christensen, Director of Marketing Strategy and Agency Engagement
The Dallas Morning News
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