When you’re starting a new business in New York, you are likely to be confronted by several hurdles, which can range from not having a solid business strategy to lacking a customer base. A previous post talked about the importance of putting together an effective business plan. Part of that plan concerns marketing, which is one of the most crucial aspects of getting your business off the ground. To stay on track as you begin operations, your company will need a marketing plan. What are the most important elements that go into such a plan?
According to Entrepreneur, your initial marketing plan doesn’t have to be anything fancy – a well-organized, yet concise, document may be preferable to one that is overly detailed and complicated. You could begin by listing the goals you wish to achieve in the upcoming year, as well as the attributes of your target customer base. This might also be a good time to create your mission statement.
Developing your marketing plan gives you the opportunity to identify your company’s strengths and weaknesses, and to fine-tune the steps you need to take to reach your goals. At this point, you can begin working on a budget for marketing your business. In addition to commercials and print advertisements, your low-cost marketing options could include social media. Having active accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other popular outlets is a great way to interact with your customer base and reach a wide range of people.
As your business grows, you can continue to make changes to your marketing plan as necessary. It can help you to keep your goals on track to refer to your plan often, at least once every quarter. If you have business partners or employees, sharing your marketing plan with them and encouraging input can be a valuable way to keep the members of your team excited about the business and willing to help it succeed.