Developing a marketing plan can seem like a daunting task,
especially if you run a small business without the benefit of dedicated
marketing resources. As a business owner, you likely wear many hats and
frequently get pulled in many directions. It’s no wonder that building a
marketing plan can easily fall to the wayside.

But investing effort into planning will actually save you
time in the long run. It will also keep you focused on the end goal – growing
your business.

A solid marketing plan should be easy to understand and
provide you with clear direction. And it’s not as hard as you might think. To
get you started off on the right foot in 2019, here are five best practices to
creating a winning marketing plan for your small business:

1. Reframe the way you think about marketing.

If you approach marketing your business as one more task on
your growing “to do” list, it can seem tedious at best. Try shifting the way
you think. Look at more like planning a party. What you’re really doing is
finding ways to invite people to share in what you love – your business!
Changing the way you look at it could tap into your natural excitement and
enthusiasm about what you do.

2. Start with a clear
understanding of your target audience.

Who are you inviting to “your party” and why? Think about
who your best customers are today. What is the best way to reach them? Are
there other groups of potential customers you want to attract? Who are they and
how do you want them interact with your brand? Spending time identifying your
audience will help you to create a plan with an end goal in mind.

3. Know your call to action.

Once you know who it is you want to reach, decide what it is
you want them to do. Do you want them to visit your bricks and mortar store?
Engage with your company on social media? Join your mailing list? Defining what
you want your audience to do will help you figure out what messaging to use and
where to use it.

4. Be intentional
about what you want and stay focused on the goal.

It’s easy to become scattered when you are trying out new
strategies every other week. Set a plan, implement it and measure your results.
Figure out what worked and then repeat it. (Stay tuned for a future blog on
tips for being intentional with your marketing.)

5. Keep organized!

Using tools like an editorial calendar and a social media
content calendar will in the long run make day-to-day marketing tasks easier
and faster to perform. Set yourself reminders and keep yourself accountable for
delivering on your plan. It may even be helpful to make yourself “cheat sheets”
for things like social media image sizes for different platforms, advertising
specs for different publications or even contact names for local media.

Spending the time to create a marketing plan will make it
easier to stay on task, and quicker to change direction if you find yourself
straying from the path you created.

Of course if you find that you need professional help,
contact your local marketing experts at Infinite
Web Designs. Our talented staff can help take your small business marketing
to the next level.

It’s not to late to make 2019 your best year yet. Develop your
marketing plan now and let it guide your business to new heights.

The post 5 Best Practices to Building a Marketing Plan for Small Businesses appeared first on Infinite Web Designs.