Perhaps the single most profitable day that you could spend each year is the day you devote to developing your marketing plan. It may seem obvious...or maybe not. But, less than 1% of all contractors actually do it.

Research studies have repeatedly shown that businesses with a marketing plan continuously out perform those that don't by 24%-30% on an annual basis.

Most contractors have no plan at all and make their advertising decisions based on which ever advertising rep may catch up with them that day.

Or even worse, they see that business is slowing down and decide that they've got to "pull something out of the hat" in order to get that next job.

You cannot just wait for the next advertising rep to come in or for your business to slow down. You must plan and budget.

Your marketing plan is the vehicle that will take you wherever it is that you want to go.

Of course, you have to have a "business plan" and a vision (those are topics for another day), but marketing brings us new clients, and without clients there is no business.

That's why THE most important function in your company is the marketing.

I have found that it works best to take a whole day (for me it's always in January) and review last year's performance of my company. Based on that review, I can then start to think about where I want to be at the end of the next year, and how I'm going to get there.

Developing a marketing plan can actually be a simple process. It doesn't have to be an elaborate undertaking. I use a simple marketing calendar and this serves as my "marketing plan".

You can develop your marketing calendar by following these simple steps:

1. Establish your sales goals for the year.

2. Review what type of marketing and advertising worked last year. (Hint: If it didn't work last year, do not do it again because chances are it won't work this year either).

3. Develop a marketing budget based your sales goals based on successful marketing strategies that you have used in the past, and other new strategies that you believe to be worth testing or trying this year. When budgeting your marketing money, leave about 20% available just in case some new opportunity comes along, or in case you decide that you should invest more into a certain program.

4. On a 12 month calendar, plan out all of your marketing promotions so that you have something in place to generate business for you at all the key times of the year.

Each promotion that you do, whether it be an ad, flyers, or sending out a direct mail campaign should include the following:

a. Goal for gross sales volume
b. Goal for number of jobs
c. Average sale price of each job
d. Total dollars needed to accomplish the promotion

By completing you marketing calendar, you accomplish several things. First, you have taken time to consider your marketing needs throughout the year and are far more unlikely to get caught in a situation where you have no business and no marketing in place. Secondly, you have a document that you can review regularly to stay on schedule.

Finally, by getting this down on paper, you can hold your self accountable and make certain that everything gets done.

After you have completed each promotion throughout the year, go back to your calendar and write down specific comments about each promotion. Record your results and make notes as to what you may do differently if you decided to use this promotion again. This year's calendar will be a very helpful tool in preparing next year's calendar.

This is not complicated stuff and it will pay huge divdends for you. Get it done this week!

Best,
Larry

Larry L. Brown, CLP
Green Industry Success Systems