There are some staggering statistics on how few businesses actually have a marketing plan in place. Of course, I went looking for details including the definition each author gave "marketing plan". I was not surprised to find generalizations and conflicts. Which made me wonder:

There are some staggering statistics on how few businesses actually have a marketing plan in place. Of course, I went looking for details including the definition each author gave "marketing plan". I was not surprised to find generalizations and conflicts. Which made me wonder:

"What does the average business think when asked directly about their marketing plan?"

Most will tell of the advertisements, the websites and promotions. Those are the vehicles of a marketing plan, but if they are not directed by a marketing strategy it's more about hoping than planning. If you were going to drive from San Francisco to Washington D.C. would you just hop into your car and start driving? Even with GPS, planning a route that suits you would make the trip more effective and fun. That's the role of the marketing strategy: defining how your business will appear and to whom.

Business owners are unfortunately not versed in this important area of a marketing plan. Most simply use research, charts and a calendar (if that) and forge blindly into spending money on brochures and ads that have only general targets. Without the entire equation, you cannot reach the sum: leads!

Marketing strategy + Marketing plan = Lead Generation

Isn't that really what we all want? We don't want plans: bound tomes of demographics and statistical analysis. We want leads, opportunities, at-bats. Call it what you wish, but without creating leads to potentially close whatever you choose to call your "plan" is a failure. The lack of a sound marketing strategy accounts for more than half of the lacking lead generation. E.g. Most companies have been educated that their website requires some level of SEO or optimization to obtain top search engine placement. So you execute these techniques and get clicks, but they aren't converting into leads. Usually, the website is blamed. I would look back at the marketing strategy first. It's almost always the culprit.

This is why I focus my consulting on strategy. Without it your business is like a car without a steering wheel. There is a tremendous lack of specific teaching in marketing strategy. Everything I offer clarifies the three key areas of marketing: strategy, planning and lead generation. Plus, I work tirelessly to make it approachable for any business.

If you are lacking in any one of these areas, please review the ways I help clients fill the voids and increase their sales on my website.

After all, marketing without sales is failure.

Paula Pollock is Director of the Pollock Marketing Group, servicing private clients as their virtual marketing director along with a team of top vendor professionals.  Paula also offers self-motivated businesses products to create functional marketing strategies and plans producing tangible results that convert into sales.  With over twenty years of corporate sales and marketing experience, Paula offers knowledge and value that few can match. To receive her quick-read, weekly marketing tips and her Special Report, “7 Client Attraction Secrets That Will Double Your Income,” CLICK HERE and sign up.www.paulapollock.com

Comments

Add New Search RSS

Write comment
Name:
Email:	do not notifynotify
Website:
Title:
UBBCode:	-color-aquablackbluefuchsiagraygreenlimemaroonnavyolivepurpleredsilvertealwhiteyellow -size-tinysmallmediumlargehuge
	Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Powered by !JoomlaComment 4.0alpha3

!joomlacomment 4.0 Copyright (C) 2009 Compojoom.com . All rights reserved."