6 Steps to Developing a Strategic Marketing Plan That Works

Why is it that I’e2’80’99m often met with those glazed stares when I’e2’80’99m brought in as a Strategic Marketing Consultant and I ask to see an organization’e2’80’99s ‘e2’80’9cCommunications Plan’e2’80uc0u157 . This should be as basic to any organization as an Operating Budget and yet it seldom exists as a comprehensive, integrated and well thought out document. Why is this so often neglected by organizations when it is clearly so key to success in today’e2’80’99s competitive and dynamic marketplace? Possibly because there are many misconceptions about what a Strategic Marketing Plan is and what is should do.\n\nBefore exploring the steps to developing a Strategic Marketing Plan, let’e2’80’99s first determine exactly what it means. The term ‘e2’80’9cstrategy’e2’80u157 is rooted in military tradition. According to Webster’e2’80’99s Dictionary, a ‘e2’80’9cstrategy’e2’80u157 is defined as ‘e2’80’9cthe science and art of military command exercised to meet the enemy in combat under advantageous conditions’e2’80u157 . The Random House Dictionary of the English Language defines the same term as ‘e2’80’9cthe science or art of combining and employing the means of war in planning and directing large military movements and operations.’e2’80u157 ‘e2’80’9cMarketing’e2’80u157 is then defined by Webster’e2’80’99s as ‘e2’80’9cthe act of selling or purchasing in a market’e2’80u157 , while Random House explains marketing as ‘e2’80’9cthe act of buying or selling in a market.’e2’80u157 \n\nTherefore, if you combine both of these terms to explain ‘e2’80’9cStrategic Marketing’e2’80u157 you arrive at ‘e2’80’9cwaging war to sell in the market’e2’80u157 . It’e2’80’99s no wonder we have come to describe our marketing activities as ‘e2’80’9cCampaigns’e2’80u157 and engage in ‘e2’80’9cGuerilla Marketing’e2’80u157 !\n\nI like to take a more peaceful approach to Strategic Marketing which can be viewed more as the art of influencing people. In the world of Non-Profit Organizations, this ‘e2’80’9cinfluence’e2’80u157 takes the form of convincing potential donors and members to identify with your organization enough and align themselves with your mission to the extent that they will ‘e2’80’9cbuy in’e2’80u157 by giving money and/or paying for membership. If you are thinking, ‘e2’80’9cwe have a marketing program that does this’e2’80u157 , I would encourage you to ask these questions:\n\n1. Is your organization currently raising the funds it needs?\n2. If no, are those you solicit capable to providing these funds?\n3. If yes, why isn’e2’80’99t your organization reaching its goals?\n\nThe answers to these questions can be twofold. If your organization is aware of what potential donors and/or members want but you’e2’80’99re not able to currently offer it, your organization must enhance your offerings to address this need. If your organization isn’e2’80’99t quite sure what potential donors and/or members want, or you’e2’80’99re just not sure why your message isn’e2’80’99t compelling enough to get results, the solution is to know your audience better.\n\nTo both of these points, a Strategic Marketing Study and Plan is the way to address the situation. It may seem ominous if you’e2’80’99re not a Marketing Professional, but by following a series of disciplined of steps, your organization can develop a Strategic Marketing Road Map that can get you where you need to go.\n\nStep #1: Form a Marketing Committee\nYour organization most likely has some type of marketing or communications committee. Keep this committee small since the work and direction generated by this group needs to be clear, concise and on target. Marketing by consensus, while necessary at times, can provide for weak and confusing messages in your advertising and marketing activities that speak to internal perceptions instead of real needs in the marketplace.\n\nStep #2: Set the Goals of your Committee\nKeep this to a short list with a timeline to expand your goals based on how the marketing is going. Taking on too much at once can derail the entire process. A singular focus and mission to start with can give your committee cohesiveness and some early successes that will provide the momentum to go forward.\n\nStep #3: Do Your Research\nThe committee may think they know what current and potential donors and/or members feel about your organization and what motivates them. However, organization boards and leadership can become very insular without even realizing it. It is of the utmost importance to stay current and aware of what those less involved and connected to your organization perceive about your organization and what they value about their mission. The only true way to know this is to ask. This doesn’e2’80’99t need to be a long and involved or expensive process. It can be as simple as 5 committee members contacting 5 to 10 individuals each and asking a series of well thought out questions. It is important that those interviewed represent a cross section of all those that will be targeted by any marketing efforts. This step is very important since all that follows will be based on what is learned during this process. Take it seriously.\n\nIn addition, with the internet we have access to an abundance of good information and research done by others. Committee members need to take on the responsibility of researching information and data available regarding your competitors, your market, your industry, your target audience and current trends. Much can be learned from simply borrowing from others who have often spent a great deal of time and money to learn just want you want to know. Become adept at on-line research and you’e2’80’99ll be surprised at what’e2’80’99s out there if you just look!\n\nStep #4: Establish your Mission and Vision\nIf your organization has a Mission and Vision Statement it needs to be carefully reevaluated based on your learning from the research. If your organization does not currently have an approved Mission or Vision Statement go no further until this step is completed. Everything that your organization does or is should be reflected in these statements. It should guide every activity and every communication and be used in evaluating both professional staff and volunteers be they board members or not.\n\nA Vision Statement inspires by articulating the future of an organization. A Mission Statement controls and clarifies what an organization does right now. It’e2’80’99s important that neither of these be an “Alphabet Soup” of all the elements that all the key players think are important for an organization to be. It needs to be practical and reflect reality. Clear and concise Mission and Vision Statements should contain at most 3 to 5 elements that live within the organization and be the standard by which all initiatives and standards are evaluated. If it is too broad it will be meaningless and if it is too narrow it will not inspire.\n\nStep #5: Develop your Strategic Marketing Plan\nBased on the above steps, your committee should now have a clear understanding and direction and can develop a Strategic Marketing Plan that details the following:\n’e2’97u143 Who is your target audience: what population or individuals provide the best chance for your organization to reach its goals?\n’e2’97u143 What is your message: based on your Mission/Vision statement what do you want to communicate the target audience? What is it about you that is unique and compelling and allows you to deliver on your mission?\n’e2’97u143 How to communicate your message: based on your target audience what is the best way to reach them?\n\nStep #6: Execute your Strategic Marketing Plan\nHere are some helpful hints that will enhance your Marketing Plan and ensure it has the best chance of succeeding.\n’e2’97u143 Give specific responsibilities to committee members, staff and volunteers for specific elements of the Plan. Create ownership of the Plan among individuals so it’e2’80’99s not the ‘e2’80’9cCommittee’e2’80’99s Plan’e2’80u157 but individuals have a stake in it as well.\n’e2’97u143 Track your results. Every marketing or programming initiative or effort undertaken as a result of this plan should be tracked to know what is working and what is not.\n’e2’97u143 Make sure your organization can deliver on your message. If you are highlighting new programs or features of your organization in your marketing, be absolutely certain all aspects are ready and available before going with the communications. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression! If someone is attracted to your organization because of something they saw or read and come to find out it’e2’80’99s not as they thought, you’e2’80’99ve lost a donor or member and will have an exceedingly difficult time getting them to reconsider.\n’e2’97u143 Build on your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Make sure all marketing activities highlight what your organization does best and excels at.\n\nBe bold and provide leadership. In almost all cases, some form of marketing is better than none. Get your organization out there and make sure it has the exposure it needs. In closing, I’e2’80’99ll pay homage to the military origins of my profession as a Strategic Marketing Professional by urging you to ‘e2’80’9cGet out there and market them before they market you!’e2’80u157