Create a DIY marketing plan
‘DIY Marketing plan – This is a marketing plan that you create yourself. It gives you the steps required to achieve your goals.’
When one year ends and another starts it is a great time to review the year than has been and set some goals for the year ahead. Perhaps you need to review last years goals and carry them into the New Year with a new plan. 
If you are carrying over goals from last year make sure to review them and see why you are needing to carry them over and do they need adjusting.
You want to make sure that you are in the best position to attract new customers to your business and having a marketing plan will help you do this.
It doesn’t have to be difficult and you can create it in a way that makes sense to you. On paper, on a whiteboard, computer spreadsheet – the choice is yours!
What are your goals?
You need goals and then you can create a plan to get there, otherwise, your goals may never be achieved! Make your goals S.M.A.R.T (see infographic)
With S.M.A.R.T goals, you then create and review your plans to see if they are going to help you get closer to your goal. If a plan is not going to, it is time to create a new plan.
Example goal: I want 15 new clients from my website over the next 12 months.
By reviewing this statement you can now say…
- How can I ensure that my website is optimised for conversions?
- What can I do to get more people to see my website?
- How can I look after prospective clients and convert them to new clients?
- What is my budget?
- Is my budget realistic?
These are going to be your plans and you need to make them specific to achieving your goals.
Make sure you are honest with yourself when it comes to creating your plan and achieving your goals. It is going to take hard work, time and money to achieve your goals, they won’t happen without it!
Note: You can have more than one goal and plans that suit each goal.
Who are your ideal clients
Have you created personas for the people who will want what you have? Who will benefit from your product or service? Be specific!
- Age
- Location
- Work
- Financials
- Blocks to purchase
- Social Medias they use
- and more…
Your website
It is essential that you understand your website is the storefront for your business. It is the first view most of your ideal clients will have of your business and it can push or stop them from purchasing from you. As a must-have for ANY business, you want to ensure that it is the best it can be.
Design – Ensure your website is easy to navigate and it is consistent with your business brand. Your website should be regularly reviewed and kept modern. If you have a website that is still not mobile responsive you are throwing away business and wasting opportunities.
SEO – Search Engine Optimisation is key to getting found in the organic search results of Google. 70-80% of the clicks are on the organic search results, and not the paid ads.
Content – Make sure that it is easy for people to clearly see what your business is about from your home page. Ensure that your about page provides the benefits of doing business with you. Your contact information should be easy to find and have all your relevant details.
Blog – For many businesses having a blog or article section on their website is a great way to provide information. It is the perfect opportunity to share knowledge and show you are an expert in your chosen field. Plus a blog can really help with SEO for your website.
Social Media is a must
I cannot think of one business that would not benefit from being active on social media. It is incredibly cost-effective, easy to manage in-house or to outsource and spreads your brand awareness.
The more you put into social media the more you will get in return, however even just sharing the bare minimum will expose you to your ideal clients. Having a budget for paid advertising on social media will help to expose you to new clients and remind older ones about your business.
Ensure that you are on the same social media platforms as your ideal clients – remember that even if you are B2B, the people in that business are using Facebook.
Google My Business
It is vital that your business is listed here and it is free. Ensure that you verify your listing, add photos and post to your timeline just as you would on any other social media, however, your posts don’t have to be as frequent. Google offers you this tool to give your business a better presence within the search results and is a must for local business, however, all business will benefit.
Choose the categories your business is listed in and choose to show or not to show your location.
Are you listed and when did you last update your information, add a photo or share an update?
Paid Campaigns
Google Ads – While Google ads can be expensive, they can also be very effective to attract people to your business. Contact us to see how we can set up a campaign for your business.
Social Media Ads – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin all provide options for paid campaigns.
Networking
Networking happens both on or offline and it is a great addition to your marketing toolbox. Perhaps you attend networking events for face-to-face introductions and this can be one of the ways you are working towards achieving your goals. Going to more networking events could even be one of your goals for the future.
Online networking can happen within Facebook groups or in Instagram communities.
Are you a member of Business Entrepreneurs Australia? Within this Facebook group, you can promote your business each Monday and post freely without marketing on all other days.
Do you network online or offline for your business?
Conclusion
Creating a DIY marketing plan doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, you just have to work out what you should be doing to achieve your goals.
If you need help with any or all of these things, contact Kelly @ My Sassy Business
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