| Have you created a marketing plan for your | | | | marketing challenge(s)?" in broad, general |
| Website? If not, it is time to think about | | | | terms. If your company's main site-related |
| developing one. An Internet marketing plan | | | | challenge is figuring out how to use your |
| helps you make the right day-to-day and long | | | | Website to help build client business, for |
| term decisions. Without a marketing plan, it | | | | example, an objective for your Website |
| is more likely your Website will be a drain | | | | marketing plan could be "To enhance online |
| on finances rather than a business | | | | client service as well as build site |
| builder.Creating a marketing plan need not be | | | | awareness and interest with clients."Step 4: |
| scary or difficult. It does not require a | | | | Create strategies for the marketing |
| marketing degree or a lot of experience. You | | | | plan.Strategies support your objective, |
| do, however, need to put some quality time | | | | defining the general approaches you will take |
| into writing your plan. There are different | | | | to meet your objective. For example, |
| ways to write a marketing plan, one of which | | | | strategies to support the objective outlined |
| is to create a marketing plan outline (or | | | | in Step 3 could include 1) improve online |
| single summary page) through a five step | | | | communication, information, and education, 2) |
| process.5 Steps to Creating a Marketing | | | | build awareness of and interest in your |
| PlanThose five steps are:1. Gather and | | | | company on the Internet, and 3) communicate |
| Analyze Information2. Verbalize Your Main | | | | the Website's existence and advantages to |
| Challenge(s)3. Develop Your Website | | | | existing clients.Step 5: Choose marketing |
| Objective(s)4. Create Strategies5. Choose | | | | programs (tactics).Marketing programs are |
| Marketing ProgramsAs you create your | | | | where the action takes place - these are the |
| marketing plan, fill in the knowledge you | | | | things you will do to bring your strategies |
| gained while developing the five steps.Step | | | | to life. Marketing programs to support |
| 1: Gather and analyze information.You will | | | | strategy 2 in the above example (improve |
| need information about your company, | | | | online communication, information, and |
| competitors, customers, and other industry | | | | education) could include 1) sharing |
| players to reference while creating the plan. | | | | experience and observations in your industry |
| This includes all you can find about how the | | | | through participation in discussion boards, |
| Internet is currently being integrated in | | | | 2) offering an email newsletter, and 3) |
| your industry with respect to products, | | | | listing/submitting your site to targeted |
| promotions, pricing structures, and | | | | search engines and directories.The Write |
| distribution channels. From this information, | | | | UpOnce you have created a marketing plan |
| you can complete industry and SWOT analyses | | | | summary by working through the five steps, |
| as well as identify your target | | | | there are numerous ways to create an expanded |
| customers.Step 2: Verbalize your main | | | | write up. If you are a company employee, |
| challenge(s).Write down the main Internet | | | | there may be existing format and content you |
| related challenges you want to overcome as a | | | | must follow. You can find some write up |
| result of your plan. Referring to these main | | | | suggestions in "What to Include in Your |
| challenges will help keep you focused while | | | | Marketing Plan Write Up" at the initial plan |
| creating your marketing plan. You may even | | | | is created, you should treat it as a work in |
| want to write your challenges down in | | | | progress. Tweak and adjust as needed in |
| question form - "How do we _____________?". | | | | response to changing conditions. Many |
| When your marketing plan is completed, it | | | | companies update marketing and business plans |
| will answer the question "How do I address | | | | annually when developing budgets for the |
| these challenges?"Step 3: Develop your | | | | coming year.Whether you are a one-person shop |
| Website objective(s).The objective addresses | | | | or part of a good-sized company, having a |
| the "big picture". Your objective answers the | | | | Website marketing plan can help your business |
| question "How will I overcome my main | | | | prosper on the Web. |