How to create your
Marketing Masterplan Blueprint By Simon Clayton Marketing Coach
© Copyright 2019 Marketing Skills Academy
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Is this you? You know marketing is essential to the success of your business, but you’re not sure where to start. Or... You may have even tried a few marketing activities but they’re just not working – adding unwanted costs to your bottom line!
Yes?
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
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Purpose Intelligence
Tools Conversion
Proposition
Results
Introducing the Marketing Masterplan blueprint A six stage process to help you plan, create and implement your marketing strategies and grow a profitable business:
How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
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Before you dive into creating your marketing masterplan, you first need to answer four important questions regarding your business’s ‘purpose’: WHY does your business exist – what are you values?
WHY should people buy from you?
Where are you now and what do you want to achieve with your business?
1 Purpose
How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
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The purpose of marketing is to plan the path your business will take to reach its destination and achieve its business aims. WHY do you need a marketing plan – what are your business aims? Think about the fundamental desires you have for your business and list them below: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Where are you now and what do you want to achieve with your business?
1 Purpose
How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
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Marketing objectives say specifically the steps you take to get to reach your business aims. The success or failure of a strategy is very much defined by setting measurable objectives. To achieve this, objectives need to be: S = Specific: must have a specific outcome. M = Measurable: must be able to apply a set of quantifiable metrics to track and evaluate the success of the objective. A = Attainable: must have achievable outcomes to reach your overall goals. R = Relevant (or realistic): make sure the resources are available to achieve the objective i.e. people, funds, equipment, materials and time. T = Timely: what is the specific timeframe to reach your objectives – days, weeks, months or even years?
Where are you now and what do you want to achieve with your business?
1 Purpose
How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
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My SMART Marketing objectives: 1. 2.
3.
4.
Where are you now and what do you want to achieve with your business?
1 Purpose
How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
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I understand my business’s purpose and the role it plays in the marketplace. My values align with my target customers’. I have set clear business aims that will help achieve my company mission. The marketing objectives I’ve set meet every element of SMART and contribute to achieving the overall business aims.
Purpose checklist:
Where are you now and what do you want to achieve with your business?
1 Purpose
How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
Now it’s time to gather intelligence and use it to analyse the market you’re operating in.
Who is your IDEAL CUSTOMER / CONSUMER? The chances are, you’ll have a wide variety of people buying from you. Use the template below to create a customer persona for each type of customer.
CustomerPersona
Demographics
Interests
Buying Cycle
Pain Points
Roles & Responsibility
(if B2B)
Solution
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
DEMOGRAPHICS (Gender, age group, status, location):
INTERESTS (i.e. sport, leisure, hobbies, etc.):
MEDIA CONSUMPTION (i.e. Facebook, LinkedIn Twitter, Blogs, videos, etc.)
IF BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS - JOB TITLE / DEPARTMENT / ROLES / RESPONSIBILITIES / GOALS / OBVJECTIVES:
Who are your customers / consumers?
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
BUYING CYCLE (How often could / do they buy your product / service – daily; weekly; monthly; quarterly; annually) including AVERAGE SPEND:
HOW DO THEY PURCHASE (i.e. online, telephone, instore, face-to-face, etc.)
PAIN POINTS (What challenges do they experience and how often) 1.
2.
Who are your customers / consumers?
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
YOUR SOLUTION (What product / service can you offer them and how will it help with their pain points) 1.
2.
3.
Who are your customers / consumers?
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
Who are your COMPETITORS? Sometimes the intelligence we need is right in front of us: competitors can be an invaluable source of information and inspiration. Analysing them helps you set a firm basis for your marketing planning. COMPETITOR NAME:
PRODUCTS / SERVICES THEY PROVIDE:
PRICING STRATEGY:
Who are your competitors?
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence Who are your competitors?
RISK/S TO MY BUSINESS:
ANY FURTHER INSIGHT (i.e. they have launched a new product; currently recruiting or making people redundant; etc.)
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence What existing data do you have regarding your marketplace?
EXISTING DATA What do you currently know about the market you operate in? Other:
A database of previous customers Research you’ve carried out yourself, such as surveys Your own knowledge and experience of the industry Information on competitors and their activities Research on the industry, such as from marketing reports, Figures and statistics, Trends and forecasts
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
Combine the research from your intelligence to create a SWOT analysis for your business
STRENGTHS
A strength is a positive internal factor such as
your specialist expertise, innovative product or high
quality service.
WEAKNESSES
A weakness is also an internal factor such as lack of knowledge or expertise, location of your business
or poor brand image.
OPPORTUNITIES
An opportunity is a positive external factor
such as a new developing market where you have
experience, or where competition is weak and
unstable.
THREATS
A threat is a negative external factor such as a
new competitor operating in your market, aggressive pricing wars, launch of a new innovate product or service which supersedes
your own.
SWOT analysis model:
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
Combine the research from your intelligence to create a SWOT analysis for your business
Your SWOT analysis model: STRENGTHS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. WEAKNESSES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
Combine the research from your intelligence to create a SWOT analysis for your business
Your SWOT analysis model: OPPORTUNITIES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. THREATS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 2 Intelligence
Intelligence checklist
Gathered intelligence used to analyse the market you’re operating in.
I know my customers and consumers, and what pain points my products/services solve for them. I have examined my competitors and understand what factors we are competing on and why customers may choose to use them. I am confident I have a good range of data on which I can base decisions. I understand how customers and consumers respond to marketing messages that solve their pain points. I have carried out a SWOT analysis to understand the internal and external factors that affect my business.
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose Defining your proposition with a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) 3 Proposition
What is your USP? Your unique selling proposition should be what sets you apart from the competition. What do your target market want that your competitors aren’t offering them? For example...
Product differentiation – your product offers better features, functionality, performance, style or design.
Service differentiation – you offer extra service, such as fast delivery, longer opening hours or better customer care.
Channel differentiation – differentiating your channel’s coverage (i.e. how you market and deliver your product or service), expertise and performance.
People differentiation – hiring and training better people than competitors do, to offer a better purchase experience – post, during and after purchase.
Image differentiation – your brand is a status symbol, e.g. BMW or Audi.
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose Your differentiation and Unique Selling Proposition (USP) 3 Proposition
Solving problems to create your USP You know your customer personas – concentrate on one or two major problems you can solve: 1.
2.
Now, what benefits does your company offer that solves these pain points? 1.
2.
3.
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose Your differentiation and Unique Selling Proposition (USP) 3 Proposition
Your Positioning Statements Positioning Statements help you communicate and deliver your USP to the target market. Here’s a really simple way to break down a Positioning Statement to summarise your company or brand positioning: For (customer persona and need), (business / brand) offers (concept) because (point of difference). Based on your USP and the model above, what is your positioning statement?
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose Your differentiation and Unique Selling Proposition (USP) 3 Proposition
Proposition checklist
I have established my competitive advantage I have defined my USP I have created my positioning statement
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose
It’s surprising how many businesses still use lots of different marketing tools – often at great expense – and still don’t know the effectiveness of each one. Carefully selecting the tools we use to communicate with and engage audiences means that waste is kept to a minimum, and conversion rates are pushed to their maximum. Based on the graphic below, choose the tools you plan to use. Remember – does it aligns to your customer or consumer personas (this is the acid test: if it doesn’t align, why are you using it?).
4 Tools
Choosing your ‘target-focused’ marketing tools
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
BRANDIDENTITYLogo;
Personality&toneofvoice;
Signage&livery;Workwear;Merchandise
DIGITALMARKETINGWebsite;SEO;
Onlineadvertising;Pay-per-click;
Forums;Socialmedia;
Email;Webanalytics
CONTENTMARKETING
Blogs;Influencers;Videos;
Whitepapers;Infographics;Podcasts;Webinars
PRINTSalesliterature– brochures,direct
mailetc;Packaging;Coupons;
Pullupbanners;Point-of-Sale
PUBLICRELATIONSPressreleases;Event&trade
shows;Publicspeaking;Word-of-mouth;Casestudies;
Crisismanagement;
SALESSUPPORT
Advertising–radio,press,TV,magazines,etc.;
Networking;Samplesandgiveaways;
Competitions;Marketresearch;Telemarketing;Sponsorship;
Salespromotion;Guerrillamarketing;
CRM
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose
Your chosen marketing tools:
4 Tools
Choosing your ‘target-focused’ marketing tools
BRAND IDENTITY PUBLIC RELATIONS
CONTENT MARKETING
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose
Your chosen marketing tools:
4 Tools
Choosing your ‘target-focused’ marketing tools
DIGITAL MARKETING PRINT SALES SUPPORT
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 5 Conversion
You know your business aims and marketing objectives, your target market and what customers want.
You’ve developed a USP and chosen your marketing tools – excellent!
The next step is to pull this all together to produce your marketing campaign.
To do this, we’ll use the Conversion Funnel shown below. It’s the perfect blueprint to map our activity into stages to ensure the customer journey is clear, communicated and effective.
How to use the Conversion funnel to build a successful campaign This funnel maps all of the thinking and intelligence we’ve developed earlier and brings it together so everything happens in the right order - right place - at the right time.
Converting ‘cold’ prospects into ‘hot’ leads
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 5 Conversion
Converting ‘cold’ prospects into ‘hot’ leads
Cold prospects start at the top, and we need to pull them through the funnel so they emerge a paying customer.
For example:
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose 5 Conversion
Converting ‘cold’ prospects into ‘hot’ leads
Your Conversion Funnel:
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose Monitoring the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns
Marketing activity should be a continuous loop of planning, assessing, doing, monitoring, refining and doing some more. What we’re saying is, results don’t come at the end of your campaign. Monitoring must happen regularly to allow you to continue planning for the future. Choose your metrics The best way to measure success is often to choose metrics that demonstrate whether you’ve achieved your marketing objectives. We can use a range of metrics to measure conversions across all levels of the Conversion funnel.
6 Results
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose Monitoring the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns
For example...
Awareness: • Website visitor traffic volume • Website traffic referrals • Inbound links from external sources
Engagement: • Number of enquiries via website contact us / landing pages • Number of enquiries via email marketing • Number of enquiries via social media
Education: • Number of estimates provided to potential customers • Number of specifications created for potential customers
Evaluation: • Number of views of Testimonial website page • Amount of traffic from third party review sites such as
Trustpilot
Sales • Number / volume / frequency of sales • Average purchase price per customer
6 Results
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How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Purpose Monitoring the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns
Your marketing metrics:
6 Results
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Purpose Intelligence
Tools Conversion
Proposition
Results
Congratulations! Your Marketing Masterplan blueprint is complete! Remember – this is a working document - so keep reviewing, updating and making changes where applicable.
How to create your Marketing Masterplan blueprint
Need some further help and support planning and creating your Marketing Masterplan?
244 pages including worksheets, templates, charts and guides to help you plan, create and implement your marketing strategies and grow a profitable business. Order your copy here:
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Get the book!!
The Marketing Masterplan 1-1 coaching program has been designed for those who know their business has potential, but need guidance on marketing. Further information here:
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Need some further help and support planning and creating your Marketing Masterplan?
Join the coaching program!
Simon Clayton is a professionally qualified sales and marketing coach with over 25 years experience planning and implementing brand management and strategic marketing communications’ campaigns for a wide and diverse range of organisations from SMEs to large well-known national and global organisations. In 2016, Simon launched his own coaching and training consultancy under the name, Marketing Skills Academy, which provides a range of training workshops and coaching programs aimed at entrepreneurs and business owners covering strategic marketing planning, personal branding and social media management. Simon is also a part-time lecturer at Teesside University Business School; Member of the Direct and Digital Marketing Association (MIDM); The UK Marketing Network; and Member of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). For further information about Simon, view
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Simon Clayton Marketing Coach
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© Copyright Marketing Skills Academy 2019
This document is intended for the recipient only. It must not be disclosed, copied or printed without prior permission from Marketing Skills Academy. All information is correct at time of going to press. Marketing Skills Academy is the trading name for Elevation Marketing Limited.