How to Implement & Manage a Marketing Strategy

Implement a marketing plan with careful planning.

An effective marketing strategy has a positive effect on a company, boosting its profits, increasing awareness and building desire in the customer base. To make the best use of your business' resources, lay out a plan for the implementation of a new strategy that takes into account your finances, staff availability and company goals. By rolling out a marketing campaign in an organized manner, you can ensure that your time and money will not be wasted on needless activities.

Instructions

1. Choose your target audience. Keeping in mind your company's business objectives, develop a profile of your ideal customer. Gather information about the customer's educational background, shopping preferences, personal goals, economic status, family and buying power. Conduct surveys, read through the results of published studies and talk directly to customers to find out as much as you can about the factors that affect their purchasing process for your type of products or services.

2. Select a media outlet that will be effective for your ideal customer. Consider the customer's age, school or work schedule, the way they receive information, electronic devices and daily habits; find media and a delivery time that will put your marketing message in front of them when they are the most open to new ideas. While posters in coffee shops might work for college students, for example, they might not be as effective for new mothers who don't have time for themselves between work and baby duty.

3. Design marketing materials that are appropriate for the target format. Hire a professional agency to create your materials if you do not have the necessary graphic design skills or software. Write copy that is targeted to appeal to the sensibilities of your ideal customer, and edit it so that it is short, easy to process and memorable.

4. Build in monitoring systems to the campaign and track its progress. For an Internet campaign, use web analytics to see how traffic to your website changes after the launch, or include specific coupon codes for discounts. Watch how sales change, and ask your sales team to report on the number of qualified leads that come in. As time passes, tweak each campaign to see what brings in the best results.

5. Eliminate marketing efforts that do not move your company toward the end goal of each strategy. Because a marketing strategy often involves several campaigns, eliminate those that do not have a high return on investment. Replace eliminated campaigns with new efforts until you have a marketing strategy that is targeted, refined and effective.

References

• Inc.: How to Write a Marketing Plan
• "Entrepreneur"; Implement a PR Strategy in 7 Days; Al Lautenslager