Plan your marketing and sales process in 6 easy steps

Do you have a marketing and sales process for your business?

If you haven’t yet figured out what you are going to be doing in order to scale your business, then I believe this post will throw some light on what you need to focus on.

So, here are 6 steps you can use to plan a successful marketing and sales process for your business:

• Set achievable monthly goals
• Outline your budget and “test run process”
• Get specific on who your ideal client is
• Solidify your offer
• Create your unique system
• Be as consistent as possible

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#1 – Set Achievable Monthly Goals

Setting up a marketing and sales process for business can be a daunting task, especially if it’s for a 12-month period.

In order avoid overwhelm, be sure to first of all set a primary goal for the year and then breakdown what you (and your team, if any) are going to do each month to ensure that goal is achieved.

Be flexible as well, and leave room for tweaks in the process.

#2 – Outline Your Budget And “Test Run Process”

Setting up a budget is one thing, spending it wisely to achieve a good ROI is another thing.

If you have spent money on Marketing/Ad campaigns that brought in a poor or zero ROI, then you’ll understand what I’m saying.

Create a “test run process” and spend a small amount at the initial stage, in order to know where to pour in most of your Marketing and Ad Dollars for the year.

The worst approach is going into markets you haven’t tested, and spending blindly in the hope of making head way. It won’t work!

#3 – Get Specific On Who Your Ideal Client Is

If you have been spending money on Ads trying to drive traffic to your business with little or no success, then you need to reexamine your targeting and what you are sharing with them. Ask yourself these questions:

• Who’s REALLY your target audience?
• What problems do they need SOLVED desperately?
• Can you HELP them solve these problems?
• Where do they hangout the most (online or offline)?
• What information are they currently consuming (e.g. magazines)?
• Do they have MONEY to spend?
• Will you settle for just about anyone or will you be more selective?
• How are you going to ENGAGE and ATTRACT them to your business?
• How are you going to DELIVER your services?
• Do you have a SYSTEM in place to achieve this easier and quicker?

Ponder on those questions as you do your research for your ideal client base.

#4 – Solidify Your Offer

What you have achieved in 2015 should be doubled in 2016! If you are a progressive thinker, you will understand why I said that. Don’t become complacent when success is achieved.

Keep improving what you do; if not, your competition will sweep away your prospects.

Reach out to your existing client base to get feedback from them. Create engagement processes to attract new people who need the information you are sharing.

Based on what you gather, both from existing clients and your target audience, you can go back to your offer and improve things where necessary and your method of delivery.

Note: Be sure find a balance when making changes and avoid acting spontaneously. Be very critical as well when it comes to your offer and the advice you receive, because the aim is not to create something prettier than that of your competition, but something that will TRANSFORM the lives of your clients.

#5 – Create Your Unique System

One thing I have learned and applied very well in 2015 is the power of systems.

You’ve probably heard this before – “use proven systems” – and that holds true. However, industries vary and you have to find the system (i.e. business model) that works for yours and how to best apply it within your business.

Having a system will help you work smarter than harder because majority of the time, your system will be doing the heavy lifting for you (bringing in the leads you need).

If you have a system that runs on autopilot (within the online space), you can be rest assured that you will function a lot better in your business. All you need to do is keep an eye on it and tweak a few things when necessary (trust me, you don’t need a system that leaks… that’s throwing money down the drain).

If your business is running offline, this can work as well, but in a different way. To achieve good results, you need to find the right channels to distribute your content and track every call that comes in from that.

#6 – Be As Consistent As Possible

As cliche as that might sound, there is no doubt that consistency is usually the key to running a successful business. Don’t be a “one hit wonder” entrepreneur.

Keep doing what you are doing and until it becomes part of you. The more you test new channels, run effective campaigns, improve your offers, engage your target audience and existing client base, and create new or improve your existing systems, the more you will experience success.

We often talk about deep wallets of giant companies, and how they can afford to spend billions to run marketing campaigns for their brands every year.

As true as that may sound, the underlying fact is that if they don’t keep doing that, they will become obsolete. They need to stay relevant… their advantage is the huge budget they have; but don’t let that weigh you down. Keep doing what your are doing, and avoid comparing your business to others!

Today anyone can start a company and disrupt any industry (not just in technology), and if a brand feels they have “arrived” and do not need to do anything else, then a wake up call to reality is just one Startup away!

Conclusion…

Find your unique rhythm and dance to it! 2016 will only be a successful year if you make it, based on how well you plan and execute on the plan.

It won’t work overnight, but it pays to have a plan and a direction.

I hope this information was helpful. Let me know your thoughts on the comment section below, and be sure to share it as well.

Thanks for reading,