Marketing: First & Most Importantly
Ask yourself these questions
Before you splurge on that pricey search engine promotion or a flashy new website, ask yourself these questions (and write down your answers).
- What's my schedule? Marketing takes time—what part of the day, week and year can I regularly dedicate to marketing?
- What's my marketing budget? Come up with an estimate for your monthly and annual costs. (You may feel compelled to compare how much you're spending versus how much you're earning.)
- Which marketing piece do I need soonest? What's the next most important/urgent? The next?
- What are my goals for each piece? Be specific. Be realistic. For example, "I want a website that's just enough to create a web presence, but really brings in online reservations."
- What's my timeline to accomplish the above pieces? When/how will I best be able to contribute the time, photos, text, information, etc. that my vendors will need to fulfill my projects?
Use your answers to form a plan
Few things waste your money faster than an unfocused marketing plan. Avoid that pitfall! Start by looking at your answers. They will guide you in creating a schedule for working on your marketing issues, from most urgent to least. Put it on your calendar! "Marketing" should be as much a part of your day-to-day business as buying supplies, as much a part of your annual cycle as doing taxes.
If you need a fresh perspective on your plan, InsideOut's Pat McCauley is happy to help. She and her team have over 12 years of marketing experience to help you form a successful plan.
