Developing your marketing activities – video transcript

In this Ways to advertise and market your small business video, learn about drafting a marketing strategy and plan.

Now you've got your marketing strategy. It's time to put it in to action. If you haven't planned your strategy, please see the clip of marketing, strategy and planning. Without a strategy, you could be hurtling head first into a costly exercise that burns time and money.

At this point, you should have the following in place.

1. I know my business and the current market.

2. I've set clear, realistic and measurable marketing objectives.

3. I understand my customers and have defined meaningful target segments.

4. I've completed an analysis of my competitors.

5. I've developed a distinctive brand for my business.

6. I've identified the marketing programs I need to focus on.

These form part of your strategy, but it's now time to turn this into a marketing plan. A marketing plan is simply a practical document that sets out realistic and measurable activities you can put in to action.

This takes the guesswork out of your marketing. Keeps your marketing activities targeted and ensures you can monitor whether your efforts have been successful. A marketing plan will be implemented repeatedly and change over time.

The stages in this process are:

1. Write your marketing plan based on your strategy document.

2. Implement marketing tactics.

3. Measure against key performance indicators and refine your marketing plan to repeat what worked well and to change what didn't.

Which marketing tool to use in different circumstances is like knowing the right exercise regimes to address different fitness goals.

Advertising is about reaching your audience through targeted media channels and is generally about communicating with potential customers who your product will appeal to.

Direct marketing is considered below the line. This means it doesn't use mainstream media like television or radio. It's about connecting with customers individually via activities such as emails, phone calls or letterbox drops.

Sales promotions are limited time offers aimed at increasing exposure, capturing attention and driving more immediate sales of products or services.

Public relations is about managing perceptions or how people think about your business. It aims to increase awareness, reputation, attract customers and strengthen relationships.

Typically, the way to think about the marketing tools you'll use depends on the who, why, what, and where. Who your audience is, why you're talking to them. What, what's your message or call to action and where the channel you'll use to place this message.

Regardless of the communication, you'll need to think about the creative, which is the idea or story, the writing of the words, the memorable image or graphic.

The production, which could be recording the audio, building, designing and to printing or producing assets like posters, leaflets or videos. The media, which is buying or securing the ability to reach your audience in print, online, TV, radio, poster sites, or at events.

Detailed guides and tips are available in Ways to promote and advertise your business on the Business Queensland website.

Taking the time to plan your marketing rollout and measuring effectiveness is critically important. If you're not confident you have the time or skills, consider using a qualified consultant, freelancer or marketing agency.

Check out our guide on using professional marketing services and take the interactive marketing health check, which should take 5 minutes to complete.

Watch the Ways to advertise and market your small business video.