Plan to do it right

Marketing is a process that requires accurate research and careful planning. Everyone’s need will vary so it is critical to identifying from the outset what your customers’ needs are and what sets you apart from your competitors before starting any type of marketing activities.

A good place to start is to establish:

• A detailed description of your products and/or services
• Who are your target customers?
• Pricing – Will you have a pricing matrix? Are your prices high, low or competitive? What is the reason for them being priced this way?
• Will you offer specific packages and will they have their own brand identity?
• The Competition – Who are your they (list in priority order)? Do they offer anything unique? Have you reviewed their strengths & weaknesses?
• What is your USP, e.g. what sets you apart from your competition?
• SWOT – Evaluate you strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

Once that is complete, the next logical step is to identify the right marketing mix, exploring all the marketing channels and identifying which ones will help you reach your target customer. Beware though, a common trap to fall in to is believing that you need to do a bit of everything; only use the channels that will work for you.