If you’re like me, marketing plans can be tedious. Although I am not saying that a marketing plan should be overlooked, forming an effective online marketing plan is a lot easier when you draw out each step a prospect is taken through as they engage with your website.
Let’s start with a typical marketing plan:
- Executive summary
- Industry analysis
- Target market
- Marketing strategy
- Forecasts
- Financial analysis
- Measurements
Most of the elements involve research and soul searching on what you stand for, who you are trying to attract, and how you’ll profit – but if the marketing strategy is weak, the plan will fail.
Drawing each step allows you to visualize how you’ll create an experience online. On the Internet, it’s a cold place. People need to be captivated, motivated and encouraged to act now.
If your plan doesn’t include any elements that will encourage a prospect to act now – give you their information or buy – you’ll see discouraging results.
When drawing your online marketing plan, it should include:
1) Primary offer – is it a free trial, a free report, or a registration for a “club” that provides tangible benefits? This offer should be strong enough to drive allow all your advertising/marketing efforts to. You want to get the maximum momentum – so don’t try to please everyone – just your target market.
2) A communication plan for all those that take you up on your offer – an autoresponder email series, a series of one-time web page offers that you’ll drive them to, and finally un upsell program for every initial purchase. Offline and online selling strategy for the leads you capture.
3) A traffic plan to get the right people to your website’s offer: Social media, affiliate marketing, email marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Pay-per-click, video marketing, offline marketing programs, etc. You need to drive drive traffic t be successful.
4) Testing plan. It’s relatively easy to test offers, copy and layout of your offer and home page. Use the tools Google provides for free, and get real time results.
Draw your plan on a whiteboard to start – put the ideas in boxes and connect each step. You’ll quickly see the flow evolve and what elements need to be added, or removed.
