Articles
by Stacey Ackerman, M.A.
When business is good it is our natural tendency to quit marketing. When business takes a hit, we run as fast as we can to the printer, the newspaper and anywhere else we can find instant business. This can be a costly mistake. Building a business is not a game of instant gratification—it takes careful planning during both the peaks and valleys. Plant your seeds now for better returns in the future. Planning does take significant time and effort, but the savings down the road can be substantial.
With a well thought out plan you can avoid purchasing spontaneous advertisements that may not align with your overall strategy. Instead focus on creating what marketing gurus call a "campaign", or a set of ads that have the same look and feel and work in a series.
There may also be numerous ways that you may be able to market your business without paid advertising, so it helps to look at what happens in the community, in-store promotions, public relations activities, customer retention programs, donations, Web marketing and more.
Make sure that your marketing plan utilizes the proper marketing mix—that is a balance of advertising, public relations, customer relationship management, events, networking, in-store promotions, community relations and more. Some of these activities may or may not be appropriate for your type of business, so it is important to research your industry or hire a consultant who has experience in marketing.
By devising a well thought out marketing strategy, you will stay ahead of the game and avoid the pitfalls of reactive marketing.
Practical, affordable marketing that works.
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