The first step to growing a successful online business is to have a marketing plan and strategy that supports your business goals. Your marketing plan is the foundation of your business. Developing a marketing plan will help keep you focused on where you are going and the blueprint of how you plan to get there. It should include your goals and the exact steps it will take to accomplish them. Also, include how you plan to inspire, engage and serve your audience.
Many business owners fail due to a lack of planning and they do not have a marketing strategy. They jump right into promoting their business without a clear vision of what they truly want to accomplish. To me, that’s just like throwing spaghetti on a wall hoping that it will stick. Winston Churchill once said, “He who fails to plan, plans to fail”.
Reasons Why Some Business Owners Do Not Have An Online Marketing Strategy
- They do not know how to put one together
- They do not have time to make one
- They have one but do not really use it
- Some think that they don’t need one
Here are a few key things to help create an effective marketing plan & strategy for your online business.
1. Begin With The End In Mind
What exactly are you trying to accomplish online? What is the end result that you are wanting? What are your Income goals -daily, weekly, monthly, yearly?
Before you start mapping out your marketing plan, be very clear about the goals that you want to accomplish. Develop a brief description of what you do, who you do it for and why. Once you are clear on your WHY, you should be able to quickly and easily explain to someone else what your business is all about and what you are offering.
2. Target Market & Your Message
Before you begin to share your business or brand, you must be clear on your target audience and the message that you are trying to convey to them.
Frame Your Message
When you create your content and marketing materials, each piece of content should be crafted in a way to grab the attention of your target market. Focus the majority of your online marketing efforts on your target audience.
Here is a formula for How to tell people what you do, who you do it for and the type of results they will get from working with you.
“I (what you do) for (who you serve) so that they can (master, overcome, defeat) their (struggling point) to gain (a huge benefit)”.
Target Market
Describe in detail your target market and Ideal Client.
Other resources:
- How To Define Your Target Market
- Places To Find Clients & Customers
- 10 Ways To Attract Customers/Clients
Once you are clear on your target market and your message, then your marketing will be much easier. You will not struggle to attract new clients, customers and opportunities.
3. Marketing Strategy
After you are clear about your message and your target market, then decide which media you will use to reach them.
There are several ways to market your business online. You do not have to implement every marketing strategy and overwhelm yourself, just pick 1 or 2 to start. The smart thing will be to target the places where your target market hangs out and where they are already looking for what you have to offer.
Here are a few marketing techniques to drive traffic, generate leads and sales.
- Social Media Marketing -Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest
- Blogging
- Email Marketing
- Video Marketing
4. Systems & Automation
Systematize & automate areas in your business. Leverage online tools & technology to grow your business, save you time & create FREEDOM! Have a system for how you manage and run your business on a daily basis. Within your marketing plan, have a systematic way to engage your audience, client intake, payment processing and a system to capture your leads converting them into sales.
Read these articles – “3 Tips To Creating Systems, Strategy and Automation In Your Business”…
- Creating Strategy, Systems and Automation In Your Business
- Leveraging Technology and Internet Marketing To Build Your Business
Erica Mathews
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