1. On Target Group Coaching
Your Marketing Plan
On Target Group Coaching

2. Marketing
Marketing is a key component of your business plan and achieving the results you are aiming for
A Market Analysis shows your understanding of the market, your customers and your competitors.
A Marketing Plan to present the strategies to develop the leads for achieving the sales forecasts you are projecting.

3. Steps to a marketing plan
Define your market
Analyze your market and industry
Identify your marketing and sales strategies
Describe your advertising and promotional activities
Your marketing plan is a key component of your business plan

4. Market Research – Why do it?
Obtain data about your geographic market
Obtain data about your customers and potential customers
Obtain data about your competitors
Ensure you are on the right track with your marketing efforts

5. How to do Market Research
Primary – Do your own research
Identify competitors via Yellow Pages or online
Conduct surveys
Do focus group interviews
Secondary – Use other people’s research
Published Information: Industry profiles, trade journals, newspapers, magazines, census data etc.
Sources: Trade Associations, Vendors, Chamber of Commerce

6. Document your research
Show statistics, numbers, and sources.
Your marketing plan will become the basis, for your sales projection.

7. Market Analysis - Economics
Facts about your industry
Total size of your market and Percentage share you have
Current demand in target market
Growth history
Trends in target market — growth trends, trends in consumer preferences, and trends in product development
Growth potential and opportunity for a business of your size
Barriers to entry for new competitors
Other factors that can affect your business
Change in technology
Government regulations
Changing economy
Change in your industry

8. Products and Services Features - Tangible Benefits - Emotional
What does your product/service do?
What is special about it?
Benefits - Emotional
What does it do for your customer
After sale services
Warranty, service contract, support, follow-up
What is your Unique Core Differentiator???
What is really different about you and what does that mean for your customer
Try to think of things that your competitors can’t or don’t say

9. Who are your Customers? Identify your customers
Characteristics
Geographic Location
More than one customer group?
Are there intermediaries?
Identify most important groups
Construct demographic profiles for each

10. Demographic Profile - Consumers
Age
Gender
Location
Income level
Social class/occupation
Education
Other

11. Demographic Profile – Business Customers
Industry (or niche)
Location
Size of firm
Quality/technology/price preferences
Other

12. Competitors Who are your competitors? List your major competitors
Products/services
Companies
List your major competitors
Do they compete in all areas of your business or just for specific customers or services?
What are key competitive factors?
Analyze your strengths and weaknesses

13. What is your niche?
Your unique corner of the market

14. Marketing Strategy Promotion Advertising Other Marketing Methods
How do you get the word out?
Advertising
Media
Frequency
Effectiveness
Other Marketing Methods
Networking
Home Shows
Website/Online/Social Media
Customer Communication Plan
Marketing and Advertising Budget
Pricing Strategy

15. Distribution Channels
How do you sell your products or services?
Retail
Direct (mail order, internet)
Wholesale
Your own sales force
Agents
Independent reps
Has your marketing strategy proven effective?
Do you need to make any changes or additions to current strategies?

16. Location
Here in the Marketing Plan section, analyze your location as it affects your customers.
If customers come to your place of business:
Is it convenient? Parking? Interior spaces? Not out of the way?
Is it consistent with your image?
Is it what customers want and expect?
Where is the competition located? Is it better for you to be near them (like car dealers or fast-food restaurants) or distant (like convenience food stores)?

17. Sales Forecast
Provide a month by month sales forecast for the next year based on
Historical Sales
Market Research
Seasonal Flow
Growth Assumptions
Consider providing two forecasts
Best case
Worst case .

18. Implementation Steps Define Target Market(s) Identify Your Niches
Describe the features of your services (tangible)
Describe the benefits your clients receive from your services (emotional)
Define your Unique Core Differentiators
**These exercises help you to craft an effective message to your target market!!