Small Business B2B Marketing Blog

Small Business Marketing Plan Checklist

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Small business marketing plan...never start marketing without one.

Step One – Have a Written Marketing Plan
A written small business marketing plan will allow you to follow a blueprint of your marketing strategy and tactics that you set out to accomplish. Included will be the marketing benchmarks from which you can measure success and evaluate changes necessary to meet your marketing objectives.

• It helps elucidate the reasonableness & viability of your marketing plans
   
• It is a prudent way to consider all options before you invest your money
   
• It is the road map of how you will achieve and measure marketing success

Step Two – Define Your Target Audience

• Do not assume everyone could be your customer
   
• Identify your target audience as narrowly as possible
   
• Develop one or more marketing personas of the people who actually purchase your products/services

Step Three – Gather Important Data

• Realistically evaluate your company strengths & weaknesses
   
• Identify any new or expanded product/service or market opportunities for your business
   
• Assess your key competitors' marketing materials, perform competitor website audits and marketing positions
   
• Research current industry trends that will or may impact your business

Step Four - Define Customer Business Problems

• Short, medium and long term issues
   
• Formulate client problems from a customer centric marketing prospective

Step Five - Outline Client Solutions

• Short, medium and long term customer solutions your firm can offer
   
• Formulate marketing solutions from a customer centric marketing prospective

Step Six - Create Customer Centric Communications Messages

• Why your company is best suited to provide a particular business solution
   
• Your customer centric solution/benefits
   
• Develop benefit claims from a customer centric point of view
   
• Craft your product/service benefits
   
• Create a unique selling proposition that differentiates you from your competitors

Step Seven - Provide Specific Marketing Recommendations

• Strategic marketing recommendations both, short and long term
   
• Tactical recommendations for immediate marketing action items
   
• Assessment of marketing distribution methods e.g.,(trade advertising, direct mail, email marketing, telemarketing, etc.)
   
• Develop customer centric promotional offers - offers that benefit your customers’ first not you
   
• Outline a timetable of specific marketing activities

Step Eight - Establish Realistic Marketing Goals 

• Set your sales goal
   
• Set your profit goal
   
• Set a realistic and affordable marketing budget that allows you to market your small business everyday
   
• Calculate & state your projected return-on-investment

Step Nine – Set Up a Marketing Benchmark Analysis

• B2B Marketing Campaign Analysis
   
• Monitor your progress monthly verses your plan
   
• Review your marketing plan every six months to consider adjustments, if necessary

Takeaway:
The small business marketing plan is the quintessential personification of the balance between desired results and available resources. The exercise of planning your marketing success and the discipline of reconciling affordable resources to achieve your desired outcome is the essence of responsible marketing.