How was 2024 for your business? Not what you thought it could be? Not what you WANTED it to be? Maybe a little disappointing. You just didn’t hit those growth or revenue goals. You know you should have done. The opportunity is right in front of you and it’s abso-fkng-lutely frustrating to know you let another year slip by. Sound familiar?
We know. We’ve done it ourselves. We’ve spoken to a ton of people who have done it too. More importantly we’ve helped them avoid doing it again. And here’s how…
It’s actually pretty simple. Not easy. Not sexy. But simple. And as the new year begins it’s the perfect time to reassess where you’re at, refocus your attention on what you want this year, and then create a roadmap to get you there.
There are loads of ways to create a marketing plan. And over the years we’ve tried a stack of them. I’m not saying this is the only way to create a successful plan, its the way we do it and it works for us.
“PRO TIP: You need a customised plan, not a copy and paste template. That’s why we’re giving you this blueprint to help you create your own. Why do you need a customised plan? Because your business is unique. You’re not the same as any other business owner. The way you deliver your product or service is not the same as any other business. Your team, your set of skills, your personality, values, purpose and your clients are not the same, so why on earth would your marketing plan work if it’s the same as someone else’s?“
So let’s dive in and start by setting some goals.
Setting Goals: The S.M.A.R.T Way
Goals are the backbone of your marketing plan. They provide direction and a benchmark for success. When setting your goals, consider each stage of the buyer’s journey:
- Awareness Stage: Aim to increase brand visibility. A goal might be to grow social media followers by 25% in the first quarter, or increase the reach of your posts by 1000 per day using paid content.
- Consideration Stage: Focus on engagement. Set a goal to boost website visits by 30% through targeted content, or grow your email list by 200 over the next 3 months with a free offer.
- Decision Stage: Drive conversions. A goal could be to increase sales by XX% by mid-year, or grow your number of sales to X per day, week or month by the end of quarter 1.
Use the S.M.A.R.T framework to ensure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For instance, instead of saying “increase sales,” specify “increase online sales by 20% in Q1 through targeted email campaigns.”
How to set marketing goals
Developing an Ideal Customer Profile
An ideal customer profile (ICP) is a detailed description of your perfect customer. It includes demographics, behaviors, preferences, and pain points along with a host of other details. Here’s why it’s crucial:
- Targeted Marketing: With a clear ICP, you can tailor your marketing efforts to attract and engage the right audience.
- Efficient Resource Allocation: Focus your resources on channels and strategies that resonate with your ideal customers.
- Improved Customer Experience: Understanding your customers’ needs allows you to create personalized experiences that foster loyalty.
To develop an ICP, gather data from customer surveys, social media insights, and sales records. Identify common traits and challenges your customers face. Read competitor reviews and forum sites like reddit.
To create a really useful and detailed profile We’ve developed a handy workbook which you can download free HERE.
Creating Offers That Resonate
Offers are pivotal in guiding potential customers through the buyer journey. Here’s how to craft effective offers:
- Lead Magnets: Free resources like e-books or webinars that provide value and capture leads. Ideal for the awareness stage and perfect for building your database with people who are more likely to buy from you in future.
- Tripwire Offers: Low-cost, high-value products that encourage small commitments. Perfect for the consideration stage when people are interested, but not sure they want to commit fully. A tripwire offer should be a small, stand alone offering that people can buy, consume and get value from so they start to trust you enough to buy your core offer.
- Core Offers: Your main products or services that solve significant pain points. These are for the decision stage. If your product or service costs more than a few hundred dollars, these offers are best made using direct marketing, either via email, SMS or a meeting. Most of these will be sold to people who have already engaged with you, or been on your marketing lists for a while. This is why your free offers and tripwire offers are so important.
Each offer should address a specific pain point identified in your ICP. For example, if your customers struggle with time management, offer a free guide on productivity hacks as a lead magnet to get them on your marketing list. Remember, each offer should be specific to the particular stage of the buyer journey you’re targeting. Asking someone to buy from you who is still in the awareness stage of the journey is unlikely to get you a great result.
Crafting Compelling Messaging
Messaging is the art of communicating your offer’s value. Here’s how to craft it effectively:
- Focus on Benefits: Highlight how your product or service improves the customer’s life, don’t just talk about it’s features. Talk about what life will be like AFTER they have used your product or service.
- Use Storytelling: Create narratives that resonate emotionally with your audience. Share success stories or testimonials. Put your customer at the centre of the story so they can visualise themselves enjoying the benefits and the transformation you’re selling.
- Be Clear and Concise: Avoid jargon. Use simple language that clearly conveys your message. Go back to your client persona and use the language your client would use.
For instance, instead of saying “Our software has advanced analytics,” say “Our software helps you make data-driven decisions effortlessly.” Remember, you’re selling a transformation so focus on the outcome people are looking for.
Selecting the Right Marketing Channels
Choosing the right channels is crucial for reaching your audience effectively. It’s no good spending all your time and money posting and advertising on LinkedIn if your customers are using Facebook or Instagram. Consider these factors:
- Audience Habits: Where does your audience spend their time? Are they more active on Instagram or LinkedIn?
- Content Type: What type of content do they prefer? Videos, blogs, or podcasts?
- Stage of Buyer Journey: Choose the channel you’re going to use based on each stage of the buyer journey. For example, social media is good for for awareness, while email is good for nurturing at the consideration stage (and for offers at the conversion stage) while Google ads are great for sales and conversions.
For example, use Facebook and Instagram to build brand awareness with engaging visuals, educational videos and ads that drive traffic to your website to read a blog or download a free offer. Use email campaigns to nurture leads with personalized content and make offers. Use Google to drive conversions and generate sales from people who already engaged with you and may even be on your list, but are now actively seeking supplier options.
Preparing to Nurture Leads
Lead nurturing is about building relationships and guiding prospects towards a purchase. Only a small percentage of your inquiries will turn into sales right away. Adding those who don’t convert to a database and nurturing them can easily double or triple (or more) your conversion rate, which is where the REAL profitability comes from. Here’s how to do it:
- Email Campaigns: Send regular, value-packed emails that address customer pain points and offer solutions. Three out of 4 emails should be useful helpful and value based and not too salesy. However, it’s always important to bring your story or email content back to your offer and how that relates to the way you can help the reader.
- SMS Marketing: Use SMS for timely updates and exclusive offers, ensuring messages are concise and relevant. Use this sparingly. Overdoing SMS will have people unsubscribing from your list FAST!
- Personalised Marketing: Personalize direct marketing with offers that resonate with your Ideal Customer. Segment your lists if you have multiple products and services so your emails and SMS are relevant to the people reading them. Use their names in the email and SMS (most automation platforms have the ability to insert personalisation into the messages) and when you write, do it like you were speaking directly to someone, not like you’re emailing a big group.
Create a nurturing sequence that gradually educates and engages leads, moving them closer to a decision.
By investing time in crafting a customized marketing plan now, you’re setting the stage for a successful year. This detailed approach ensures your strategies are aligned with your audience’s needs and market trends. Ready to take the leap? Let’s make 2025 your most successful year yet! Need more help? Grab our free Six Step Marketing Plan ebook HERE and create a plan that will grow you leads and sales in under 90 days.
If you’d like to take the fast track to success, why not book a chat with one of our maekting sueprstars and see how we can help by creating and launching a campaign that genuinely grows your leads and sales in under 90 days! Book a no-obligation chat HERE