What's the Point of Planning?

Dear Reader

Do you spend time planning where you're going with your business? Do you think about what you want to achieve and work out how to get there? Or do you just go with the flow and see what happens? Do you plan your marketing and work out how much you can spend and where, or do you just jump in and pay for that great deal you're offered?

Some people spend a lot of time planning their marketing, while others would rather use their time for other things. Which one are you? Do you believe in planning your marketing or is it a waste of time?

Let me know by clicking here to answer my question on LinkedIn.

Best wishes,

Chantal

What's the Point of Planning?

Here are some of the pros and cons of planning your marketing.

Money Matters

People who sell advertising love people who don't plan. They rely on the fact that you don't have a marketing budget and will jump in with a 'great offer' for you. They have some space that they need to sell in a hurry and are offering it to you at a fantastic knock down price. You'd be mad to miss out on it. But will your ideal clients even read the magazine? Will you get any work from it?

Ideal Clients

Speaking of ideal clients, do you know who yours are? Do you work with anyone with a pulse and a cheque book? Can you do anything for anyone? Or have you done some planning to find out who you really like working with and what you're good at? Do you have a niche and stick to it, or do you wander all over the place?

Missed Opportunities

If you stick rigidly to your plan, could you miss out on some great opportunities? If you've decided your budget and who your ideal clients are, what do you do if something different comes along? Do you turn down an opportunity just because it doesn't fit with your plan?

Trial and Error

What's the best marketing you can do for your business? Don't worry if you don't know, because you can just try anything. A bit of trial and error never hurt anyone, did it? Don't worry about learning from other people's mistakes - just spend time and money making your own!

So there are pros and cons to planning your marketing. Which route do you prefer - the safe, planned route, or the journey where you don't know exactly where you're going?

Click here to answer this question on LinkedIn.

Planning in Practice

I've been doing some planning and have noticed that I really like working with coaches, consultants and trainers. I've also noticed that many of these businesses ride the roller coaster of 'feast and famine' not knowing where the next pay cheque will come from.

To help, I'm writing a book about how to use Marketing Planning to save time and money and help you get off the roller coaster. It will be available in the autumn for £15. You can order a pre-launch copy now for just £10 and it comes with a free Marketing Plan template you can start using straight away and a free half hour telephone mentoring call, worth nearly £50. Not bad for a tenner! Click here to order your pre-launch copy of the book.

Want Some 1-2-1?

If you'd rather have a 1-2-1 planning session instead of reading a book, get in touch!

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