Learn from marketing experts on how to create a comprehensive marketing plan for your business. They discuss client retention, finding new clients, and implementing an autopilot system for lead generation. Discover the strategy of making an upfront offer to increase sales over time. Understand the phases of a marketing plan, including email marketing and long-form video. Learn about a simple and effective marketing plan that tracks leads, prospects, and revenue using Google Docs or Google Sheets.
Simplicity is key when it comes to creating a marketing plan, focusing on execution and tracking its effectiveness rather than extensive templates or university-style plans.
An effective marketing plan should be structured around five phases, including establishing fundamental elements, fixing leaky buckets, creating an autopilot system, lead generation, and implementing evergreen systems, with phases one to three being crucial for success.
Deep dives
The Importance of Having a Simple Marketing Plan
Having a simple marketing plan is crucial for freelancers and business owners. It is recommended to steer clear of overly complicated marketing plans and focus on simplicity. Instead of extensive templates or university-style plans, a one or two-page plan can be sufficient. The key is to focus on executing the plan and tracking its effectiveness. It is important to understand that planning is not the main focus; execution is. By keeping the plan simple and flexible, it allows for adjustments and optimization based on what works.
The Five Phases of an Effective Marketing Plan
An effective marketing plan can be structured around five phases. Phase one is the foundation, where fundamental elements such as branding and offers need to be established. Phase two involves fixing any leaky buckets in the sales process to ensure client retention. Phase three focuses on creating an autopilot system through email marketing to nurture prospects over a long period of time. Phase four involves lead generation through ad campaigns, while phase five emphasizes evergreen systems such as social media and SEO. Many marketers often skip phases one to three, but these are crucial to setting the groundwork for success.
The Role of Emotion in Marketing
Emotion plays a significant role in marketing. Excitement and energy can lead to immediate sales, while trust, confidence, and security build long-term relationships. It is important to make the offering known upfront to capture the excitement of potential clients. Social media is not an effective channel for building trust and nurturing relationships, as it is based on short-term engagement. Instead, email marketing and long-form videos are recommended for creating emotional connections with prospects over time. By understanding the different emotional triggers, marketers can effectively communicate with both ready-to-buy and future clients.
On today’s show, where do you start when it comes to making a marketing plan for your business?
That’s what Thomassina asks us and—since Clay and I both have extensive marketing backgrounds—we end up having a lot to say about it. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to marketing, then this episode is for you.
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