Marketing Tactics with an Eye on Strategy

On my list of "things to do", key marketing tactics for success:

• Marketing Plan, keep it simple, listing purpose in marketing, key benefits, target audiences, marketing weapons, niche (value proposition), and identity.
  
  
• Marketing Calendar, for the next 12 months, including media, metric to measure and results.
  
  
• My "Name" or "Brand", something easy to spell, pronounce, remember, believe in and share.
  
  
• Value Proposition (niche), what makes me special, what do I stand for, what makes me different, what can I "own".
  
  
• Key Benefits, a simple list of all the benefits offered.
  
  
• Research, References, Referrals, what people say about me, what I've done in the past that shows my successes.
  
  
• Friendly Guerrillas, designate several friends, viral and otherwise, to share my brand.
  
  
• Competitive Advantages, listing why someone should come to me if I offer some of the same benefits as others.
  
  
• Networking, online and off.
  
  
• Elevator Speech, 30 seconds, 75 words (preferably less) that I use to into myself and makes others want to know more.
  
  
• Contacts Database, customers, prospects, suspects (prospective prospects) and friends.
  
  
• Vision, Values-define who I am by what my customers want me to be.
  
  
• Email Program, for higher response rates than USPS mail, less intrusive, eco-friendly, easy to "pay it forward".
  
  
• Money Back Guarantee, 'cuz I believe in me.
  
  
• Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up! On average 70% of business is lost is not due to poor service or bad quality, but because of apathy and lack of follow-up.
  
  
• It's All About the FREE! Start offering a free one-hour consultation to prove my expertise.
  
  
• Speaking at professional and trade organizational meetings, and for free (see above).

Social Media Business Marketing Plan

1. What is the goal? Prioritizing the goal(s) will help determine the proper tool(s) and to help stay on track vice diluting efforts by jumping at every networking opportunity.
   
   
2. What is the budget? While most services are free, the professional time required to be successful, according to researchers, can be as much 10 hours per week. Time has a value and must have a real, measurable ROI.
   
   
3. What is the message? The objective, obviously, is to make connections and build relationships, but the key is to find that common bond.
   
   
4. What is the next step? Make it real. Time to lead the network into the real world. Figure out how to meet outside of the web. Coffee? Picnic? Happy Hour? Dinner? An event? Take it to the next level.
   

Business Development Certification with Peter Brinckerhoff

November 17-18, 2005

I will be at NISH National Headquarters in Vienna VA for a very important class en route to my certification.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 1: THE PLANNING PROCESS

Purpose:
In today’s changing business environment, sound business planning is essential as CRPs seek ways to expand their current business activities and diversify into new areas and markets. CRPs list business development and developing additional contract opportunities as their greatest need. In this course, we will learn to successfully develop business strategies and conduct business planning from a nationally known trainer who has helped hundreds of notfor-
profits with business development initiatives.

Audience:
This course is designed for executives and senior and middle management staff responsible for planning, program development and decision making as they relate to business development in the CRP.

Take Away Value:
1) Learn how to make decisions about new business ventures.
2) Learn how to develop a feasibility study.
3) Learn how to write a business plan.
4) Learn how to finance a new business endeavor.
5) Develop an understanding of the rules surrounding Unrelated Business Income.
6) Gain an understanding of the corporate structuring options available to CRPs.

Instructor:
Peter Brinckerhoff is an experienced instructor who has provided training for NISH for over ten years. He is a highly sought after consultant in the not-for-profit arena and has helped hundreds of nonprofits develop business plans and revamp their marketing efforts. Peter is an award-winning author of ten books for not-for-profit managers including Mission-Based Marketing and Social Entrepreneurship. You can learn more about Peter at his Web site www.missionbased.com .

Marketing Plan Templates

For PDFs of the following documents, click HERE.

Template 1-Process
Template 2-Goals
Template 3-Objectives
Template Budget-to-Actual