Ask any experienced marketer how to launch a product or scale a brand without a solid plan in place and they’ll all tell you the same thing: you can’t.
In marketing, having a strategy is just as essential as having internet access and a computer.
All those great ideas you have for connecting with consumers and getting the word out about your next big thing? They mean nothing unless you figure out how to knit them together.
The marketing strategy planning process is the first step in creating a roadmap toward success. Here’s what you need to know — and why you might want to hire help.
What does the marketing strategy planning process look like?
There are three steps to the marketing strategy planning process:
- Data collection and analysis: This step is all about the who.
- Who are you marketing to?
- Who will be buying your product?
- Who’s going to care?
The information you’ll ferret out now will help inform everything you do moving forward. Your marketing team will figure out not only who makes up your target audience but also what they like to do, where they like to hang out (internet wise), and what kind of messaging will help you connect with these people.
- Making a budget and allocating funds: How much you have to spend on your marketing mix matters, but what you’re going to spend your money on matters even more. Now you’ll decide your budget for things like
- marketing,
- advertising,
- public relations,
- and all your digital collateral.
This usually equals at least 5% of your total revenue, but a marketing pro can help you figure out the best way to spend and maximize your return. During this step, you’ll also pick your marketing channels and key performance indicators to help gauge performance moving forward.
- Create strategic marketing assets: All those things you want to share online to support your brand? Someone has to make them, and while your selfies and quick image edits may be nice to look at, there’s an entire wealth of knowledge that goes into crafting print ads, YouTube videos, and event flyers that look professional and are primed to convert.
Why does planning matter?
We get it. Planning is kind of boring. Deciding how much to spend on a Facebook ad and playing with five versions of the same graphic to see which one gets the most engagement isn’t nearly as exciting as watching a stream of purchase notifications hit your inbox.
But the planning part has to happen in order to make those sales appear. Guessing isn’t good enough. In fact, spontaneity in marketing is one of the best ways to blow your budget, tank your ROA (return on advertising), and sap your sanity.
How to get started
Interested in kicking off your own marketing strategy planning process? Partnering with experts ensures your brand is in good hands so you can amplify your efforts and reach your goals.
Work with the team at Aliste Marketing to create a marketing strategy plan that will take your business to the next level.
