Why Every Business or Organization Needs a Marketing Plan
Cindy Kerr Principal, ckarma marketing

Would you build your dream home without first designing it and developing an architectural plan? Of course not. Without a plan, how will the builders and contractors work together to create the home you want? You can't just wing it and hope the house turns out to be everything you envisioned. An effective marketing strategy, like an architect's plan, lays the foundation for lead generation, sales and effective communications to meet your goals.

Too few businesses develop a marketing strategy and plan before they begin spending precious resources. They usually begin with vague ideas and tactics like "let's do an ad campaign" or "we need to update our web site and brochures." A plan becomes an afterthought when random marketing attempts are not getting the results they
want. This "shotgun marketing" approach usually leads to disconnected messages, confusing brand identity and too many dollars spent on marketing that goes down the drain.

An effective plan outlines what your company offers, who the ideal target audience is and the essence of what you provide to your key audience. Then strategies, or big actions, are mapped out along with the tools and messages that guide all creative efforts. This way, everyone is on the same page and progress can be measured
and plans modified depending on results.

Sounds like a simple enough idea, right? So why is it that most small and medium sized businesses spend more time and effort planning their travel policy than their marketing strategy?

For many business owners it feels daunting, expensive and more of a "nice to" than a "need to." But, it's Ok to admit that you need help.

Developing a marketing strategy is an expertise that uses the left and right brain. It begins with research, interviews and brainstorm sessions. Like a jigsaw puzzle, you discover the pieces and explore how they connect your company and customers together. It's important in the "discovery" process that you know about your
customer's needs and pains, the sales process, the competition, and trends.

The right messaging, strategies, and methods to reach your target become clear when you have a strategic plan. The insights guide and feed the creative process, so the design and copy is aligned and mirrors perfectly who you are and who you want to reach.

One reason businesses jump right into the "building" before the planning is that designing a web site or a logo is sexier than sitting down to write a strategic plan.
We like action and sizzle so we dive into the design process before we've decided why customers will visit the site and what information will be meaningful and valuable.

Whether you are launching a new product or service, developing a new web site, an e-newsletter, or want to generate leads or increase sales from existing customers,
there's good news. It does not have to cost a lot or take months to develop a strong and comprehensive marketing strategy that leads to tangible results.

Frank, the owner of a high tech firm, was in the process of changing his company's business model to introduce a higher level of service, with new pricing and benefits. When it was time for his team to think through the most important messages or key benefits, they weren't sure how to communicate the new service in a way that would compel customers and prospects to sign up.

Frank called in ckarma to help sort out the content strategy. We met with the staff and asked a lot of questions. What actions were required for customers and prospects to get what they needed from the site? What do we need first time visitors to know?

We worked with his team to set goals for sales and customers to convert to the new service. In a workshop, the team discovered key pieces of the puzzle that would drive the creative development and content. A profile of their ideal customers was created and specific vertical industries and channel partners identified. Strategies to get the
message across in all communications, sales presentations were mapped out and ideas about how to reach the target customer were introduced into the mix. We agreed on what was most important to show and tell.

When the plan was finalized, Frank's team had a road map for marketing that was focused on results. With the plan in hand, the web designer was guided to design a site that communicated the new messages perfectly. Content was easy to develop because the writers knew what the users needed to know.

The key points about the benefits of the new service were now consistently articulated in the collateral, sales presentations, web site and press materials. One tactic built upon the next. That's synergy.

To sum up, here are some benefits of a strategic marketing plan.

• It forces you to decide who your ideal customers are and how to reach them

• The plan is a roadmap for developing the right tools and tactics that meet goals

• Your marketing efforts and communications will be better integrated leading to more powerful marketing

• Planning drives the creative process and guides input to vendors and employees

• Focus marketing efforts and spending before you take action

Do you want your marketing strategy to be by shotgun or targeted to win? Don't fall into a spending spree without taking the time to develop a plan and focus to guide your efforts.


Cindy Kerr is owner and principal of ckarma marketing. ckarma is a full service marketing firm that helps businesses grow with marketing strategies and communications for emerging businesses. ckarma provides outsourced marketing including: strategic plans, identity/branding, messaging, collateral, web sites, SEO, permission based e-newsletters, and trade shows.

cKarma, Inc.
Cindy Kerr, Principal
1540 Race Street, Denver, CO 80206 303-377-0035 cindykerr@ckarma.com www.ckarma.com