Time and time again, new clients will come to me in need of marketing and PR help. More often than not, it’s after spending a ridiculous amount of money on advertising, without ONE response. By shelling out so much cash for an ad in the newspaper, they think leads are guaranteed. As many of us know, this is not so, especially if your company is not branded properly.

After this happening a number of times, I think I’ve figured out the problem: they’re in a rush and feeling anxious to increase their revenue stream. So much so, that they just jump in and try out a few ideas without setting themselves up properly.

One company brought me in to assess their current situation, and after reviewing all their efforts, budget, etc. I suggested we sit down and set up a marketing plan. It didn’t even have to be very time consuming or daunting, just a simple description of their goals and a generalized plan of how to move forward. Nope. The guys just wanted to move forward with some programs as quickly as possible, not taking into account the current economic forecast and their target audience’s psychographics and demographics. Pretty key if you ask me.

I’m a pretty spontaneous person, so I’m not against throwing up a Hail Mary, and seeing what comes of it. But not repeatedly with no vision or direction. Frankly, that’s a bad choice.

As with anything, if you want to achieve a goal, you first have to know what that goal is. Then, you need to outline what tactics are involved to achieve it. Yes, this means writing out each step-by-step detail of what you’re going to do and how. This is crucial because not only does it allow you to measure your steps, but it keeps you on track without feeling overwhelmed. When you’re wearing multiple hats for your business, streamlining your life with processes and defined purpose is key!

And, really, a marketing plan doesn’t have to be all that scary. For some reason, you add the word “plan” to anything and people run, as though it’s an impossible task. Even if you did extensive research, coming up with a viable marketing plan won’t take up all that much of your time. If anything, it will save you time, AND MONEY, by preventing thoughtless actions that amount to an empty wallet and meager clientele list!

Get started today, you won’t regret it!