Goal Setting
As with any project, before getting started, it’s best to first decide where you want to go. A marketing campaign is no different. Analyze where you want to increase business, then determine which market segment (potential customers) or segments are going to increase sales, and what methods are going to resonate best with that market segment.Unfortunately, too many small businesses take haphazard approaches to marketing, relying on past habits or industry-standard marketing. How many brochures have you received in the mail, in your local paper, or on your doorknob, only to toss them away seconds later – and yet how many small businesses continue to print out expensive brochures that get a 1% response and a terrible return on investment?
Set concrete goals for your business, such as: “I want to grow revenue by 10%”, or “I want to open a new location 15 miles away in two years,” or “I want to make my business attractive to larger investors.” Then you can devise straightforward plans that outline the kind of clientele that will make your goals realistic, and the methods by which you can attract that clientele.