Ilise Benun, author of 4 books, including "Stop Pushing Me Around," "Self Promotion Online," "Designing Web Sites for Every Audience" and "Public Relations For Dummies," has been teaching people to promote themselves and their services since 1988. She has been self-employed for all but 3 years of her working life.
Benun’s articles have been published in national magazines such as Inc. Magazine, HOW Magazine, Nation’s Business, Self, Essence, Crains New York Business, and Working Woman.
Benun has conducted marketing workshops for international organizations, including International Association of Business Leaders, Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario, Fox Valley Ad Club (WI), AIGA (several local chapters), Graphic Artists Guild (several local chapters), the HOW Design Conference, NYU Entrepreneurship Summit, the American Marketing Association, the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Family Business Council, the Usability Professionals Association, and the 92nd St. Y. (For more about speaking services, email Ilise at ilise@marketing-mentor.com
Your One-Page Marketing Plan
The truth is, you don't have to have a marketing plan. It is quite possible to run and even grow your business without one -- most people do. However, without a plan, your marketing is probably haphazard, scattered and disorganized. If you want to have more control over your flow of new business, you will need a plan. In fact you'll probably need more than one plan; you'll need a few plans running simultaneously. It's best to start with two plans that balance each other: one for the real, long-term goals, the work you really want to do, and another for the bread-and-butter work that is less interesting, but easier to get. Here's a standard format to work with:
Your One-Page Marketing Plan
The truth is, you don't have to have a marketing plan. It is quite possible to run and even grow your business without one -- most people do. However, without a plan, your marketing is probably haphazard, scattered and disorganized. If you want to have more control over your flow of new business, you will need a plan. In fact you'll probably need more than one plan; you'll need a few plans running simultaneously. It's best to start with two plans that balance each other: one for the real, long-term goals, the work you really want to do, and another for the bread-and-butter work that is less interesting, but easier to get. Here's a standard format to work with:
1. Why? What is your objective for this plan? Can you be any more specific? Whittle it down as far as you can, using numbers and dates. Here are a few examples:
- To get an article in a the local newspaper by 12/99.
- To create a quarterly postcard campaign that begins 1/2000.
- To get three new annual report projects by 9/99.
2. Who is the market? What list sources are available? Think about industry directories, lists to rent , lists published in trade publications.
3. What is the message you want to convey to this market about how you can help them?
4. How? Which marketing tools will you use? What combination of tools will they respond best to? What are they reading and watching; where are they going? How do you get this information? Where does all of this intersect with the tools you enjoy using?
Action Steps
These are the step-by-step strategies you need to reach your goal. Again, be specific. For example, don't plan to "send out a letter" during week one. Instead, list all the tiny tasks involved in sending out a letter.
- Week 1:
- Week 2:
- Week 3:
- Week 4:
- Week 5:
5 How Much? Time and money are the two main resources to allocate. Determine how much time and money are needed to work the plan you have just created. Is that reasonable for you? Remember that you will make adjustments as you work the plan.
I can spend ____________ per week and $___________ per month.
Hoboken-NJ based consultant, Ilise Benun, is the author of Stop Pushing Me Around: A Workplace Guide for the Timid, Shy and Less Assertive and Designing Websites for Every Audience. She is also co-founder of Marketing Mentor, a one-on-one coaching program for designers and other creatives. Sign up for her email tips here: http://www.marketing-mentortips.com/index.html
