No time or resources to put together a major marketing plan? Build a simple and effective one with Stéphanie’s advice in this revisited column, initially published in 2013 in partnership with the blog Lesaffaires. We’ve updated it to incorporate the latest practices and trends in B2B marketing. Happy reading!
The importance of the marketing plan… even express!
I know it’s probably the last thing you think about growing when you’re running a young B2B business, but investing a little time in a marketing plan can be the difference between normal scaling and turbocharged growth. . So it’s worth spending a little time on it, right?
I ask you to think about 7 very specific elements:
- The format
- The objective
- The targets
- Your benefits for businesses
- Your positioning
- Your budget
- Your tactics
No, this is not a complete marketing plan. It’s an express version!
1. The format
I reassure you right away, your plan does not have to become a novel. It’s important to keep it on your desk all year round and that’s why I want it to fit on a single page (double-sided). You will have this page laminated if necessary, but keep it close to you, in sight. Your marketing plan must become an obsession.
2. The objective
The first thing to write in bold at the top of your sheet is the goal of your marketing plan. I’ll make it easy for you and write it for you: increase your profits. There’s no other reason to do marketing anyway. You might as well remember it. It will make everything else easier.
3. Targets
Your products and services will not be suitable for everyone. And if so, some market segments will be more likely to purchase more or before others, reducing your go-to-market costs. Here are some tips for defining your targets:
4. Positioning
The positioning of your business comes down to the unique space you want to occupy in the minds of targeted businesses. This is your identity in the marketplace; it is therefore defined, in part, in relation to your competitors. This is the time when you need to think about your differentiation. Some tips:
- Be careful if you position yourself only with a price, because there will always be someone cheaper than you.
- If you order a purchase premium, validate with the market the perceived value of your “added value” before positioning yourself more expensive than your competitors.
- Branding is essential to your success, but positioning yourself with branding alone is risky in the long run.
- If you can’t find any distinction for your products and services, consider inventing one! A service-based or approach-based concept can set you apart.
5. Benefits
One of the basic mistakes of young companies (and more experienced ones too!) is to forget that they do not sell products and services, but profits. You must develop a value proposition that will convince your targets to choose you. In a few sentences, you explain who you are, what you do, how you do it and for whom, followed by a short list of the main benefits of your product or service. This text must follow you everywhere: website, ads, packaging…
6. Le budget
Most SMEs don’t want to commit to a marketing budget and this is a big mistake. We don’t decide our budget based on the good ideas we have during the year or on a whim because we are approached by a radio station one morning.
Your budget should be in relation to your projected sales. The height of the ratio is up to you, but no planning is possible without a budget range. In traditional marketing plans, the budget is decided at the very last place. I suggest you work on it before determining your tactics because we will say what we want, money comes before ideas.
Also read: Quel budget investir en marketing?
7. Tactics
Once you have established your budget, you will know the parameters within which you can maneuver. If your budget is limited, there’s nothing stopping you from re-evaluating your tactics as your sales increase and money becomes less tight.
There is a range of marketing tactics at your disposal, here is an overview:
- Content marketing (case studies, testimonials, website, natural referencing, pillar pages, promotional videos, competitions, etc.)
- In the information desk
- Google Ads and traditional ads
- Trade fairs
- Content on social networks
- Loyalty programs
- SEO Program
- Brand Ambassador Program
- Display (motorway signs, car wrapping, etc.)
- Printed content (brochures, leaflets, packaging, coupons, etc.)
- Networking and public relations
- Free demonstrations and consultations
- Events, conferences and webinars (here’s an example!)
Also read: Study on B2B marketing trends in Quebec
Establish your priorities and avoid chasing several hares at once if your human, material and budgetary resources are limited! Each of your actions must be carefully planned and above all evaluated. Over time, you will accumulate marketing intelligence that will allow you to maximize your return on investment.
So, are you ready to invest some time in an express marketing plan?
