{"id":1844,"date":"2023-07-12T06:09:07","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T06:09:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/?p=1844"},"modified":"2023-10-04T11:05:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T11:05:07","slug":"10-steps-to-create-a-marketing-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/10-steps-to-create-a-marketing-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Steps to Create a Marketing Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Every business, no matter how big or small, needs a marketing strategy. It sets your path and keeps you on track. With a solid marketing plan, you can focus your efforts and time wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s delve into the details of creating a marketing strategy and ensuring that your marketing efforts yield results!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/freelance-digital-marketing.webp\" alt=\"Freelance digital marketing \ntarget affiliate program \nhigh ticket affiliate marketing \npinterest affiliate marketing \nis affiliate marketing legit\nbest email marketing platforms \naffiliate marketing programs \ncopywriting \nfreelance marketing \nmarketing strategy \" class=\"wp-image-2783\" style=\"width:606px;height:340px\" width=\"606\" height=\"340\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/freelance-digital-marketing.webp 1024w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/freelance-digital-marketing-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/freelance-digital-marketing-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 606px) 100vw, 606px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a Marketing Plan?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A marketing plan is a blueprint that highlights your business objectives, strategies, and tactics to engage customers, build brand awareness, and drive sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developing a marketing plan requires conducting extensive research, analyzing past performance and data, and devising innovative tactics to effectively achieve your business goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good marketing plan will answer questions like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cWhat is our brand mission?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWhat are our marketing objectives?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWho are our target audiences?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWhat are our competitive advantages?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cWhy do you need a marketing plan?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Does Every Business Need a Marketing Plan?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To speak in simple terminology, a marketing plan helps you put all your research in one place. It grants the opportunity to:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Define your core messaging, creating a more cohesive brand voice, vision, and style&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set a budget that aligns with your goals and agenda&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offers a stronger return on investment as you will create tracking processes to measure and optimize your campaigns&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Develops better future plans&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Organize and centralize your marketing plans&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create a Marketing Plan in 10 Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/marketing-plan-in-10-steps.webp\" alt=\"Freelance digital marketing \ntarget affiliate program \nhigh ticket affiliate marketing \npinterest affiliate marketing \nis affiliate marketing legit\nbest email marketing platforms \naffiliate marketing programs \ncopywriting \nfreelance marketing \nmarketing strategy \" class=\"wp-image-2784\" style=\"width:605px;height:339px\" width=\"605\" height=\"339\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/marketing-plan-in-10-steps.webp 1024w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/marketing-plan-in-10-steps-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/marketing-plan-in-10-steps-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Define Your Services<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to begin your Marketing plan, you need to be clear about what you intend to sell,whether it be a product or a service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to begin, you need to outline:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The features of each offer\/product&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How each feature benefits customers&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What makes each offering different from other similar offerings?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The price for each offering&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"2\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Define Your Brand\u2019s Vision and Mission<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019re certain of what it is you\u2019re selling, it\u2019s time to give an explanation of why you\u2019re selling it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should outline your brand mission by answering the following questions:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is it that you\u2019re hoping to accomplish through your brand?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why do you want to assist your customers?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why are your products or services important?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why you and not the competition?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"3\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Define Your Target Audience<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Now it\u2019s time to define who you\u2019re selling to. Start your outline with the following:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Demographics<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Age<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gender<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Income&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Education&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Location&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Professional Details:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Industry&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Job Title&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Company&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Psychographics:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Personality traits&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Beliefs&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attitudes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Goals:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What do they want to achieve?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Challenges:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pain Points&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are they afraid of?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are they in need of?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Influences:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Favorite media outlets?&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thought leaders<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Fear not, we always aim to assist our customers, whether it be with tips or insightful data. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve written a blog about <a href=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/1-guide-to-developing-effective-buyer-personas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">buyer personas<\/a> to best help you build your optimal customer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"4\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Conduct Market Research<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Market research and analysis involve the description of the total marketing environment in which your company competes. When creating a marketing plan, this analysis is an integral part as it answers questions that assist you in navigating your competitive market\u2019s landscape.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/high-ticket-affiliate-marketing.webp\" alt=\"Freelance digital marketing \ntarget affiliate program \nhigh ticket affiliate marketing \npinterest affiliate marketing \nis affiliate marketing legit\nbest email marketing platforms \naffiliate marketing programs \ncopywriting \nfreelance marketing \nmarketing strategy \" class=\"wp-image-2786\" style=\"width:582px;height:327px\" width=\"582\" height=\"327\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/high-ticket-affiliate-marketing.webp 1024w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/high-ticket-affiliate-marketing-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/high-ticket-affiliate-marketing-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 582px) 100vw, 582px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"5\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Do Competitor Analysis<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding your competitors is useful. With marketing analysis, you should be able to come up with the names of a few of your direct competitors. Now look a little closer at the competitors to see how you are able to differentiate your brand and drive traffic to choose you over the competition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Who are your competitors?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What is their market share?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are their strengths, weaknesses, and unique selling propositions?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How are you able to differentiate your brand from the competition?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"6\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Define Your Brand Positioning<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve compiled your research and outlined your brand, market, and competitors, use the information to decide how you will position your brand in the market:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Outline your unique selling propositions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define what marketing differentiators you will highlight&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Specify what market segment you will target&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define your brand&#8217;s tone and voice&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"7\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Outline Your Goals<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Define your short-term and long-term goals. Think of it this way: where do you want the business to be in three, five, and 10 years?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/pinterest-affiliate-marketing.webp\" alt=\"Freelance digital marketing \ntarget affiliate program \nhigh ticket affiliate marketing \npinterest affiliate marketing \nis affiliate marketing legit\nbest email marketing platforms \naffiliate marketing programs \ncopywriting \nfreelance marketing \nmarketing strategy \" class=\"wp-image-2787\" style=\"width:582px;height:327px\" width=\"582\" height=\"327\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/pinterest-affiliate-marketing.webp 1024w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/pinterest-affiliate-marketing-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/pinterest-affiliate-marketing-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 582px) 100vw, 582px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Some popular Marketing goals are as follows:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Attract Customers&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Retain Customers&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increase Website Traffic&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increase Social Media Following&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increase Online Sales&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Generate More Leads<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve Online Conversions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"8\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Outline Your Marketing Strategy<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Outline your marketing strategy to showcase your approach to reaching your specific goals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look at your goals and figure out what type of marketing tactics will help you get closer to your target objective. They might include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Online Advertising:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pay-per click advertising&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Banner ads&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Text ads on partner sites&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email Marketing:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sending electronic newsletters&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adding Subscription tools&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Print Advertising:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Newspaper or Magazine ads<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Business cards&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Direct mail postcards&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brochures or Flyers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social Networking:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Maintaining business profile&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Engaging with customers and prospects&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Blogging:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Writing your own blog&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Responding to or submitting articles&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RSS feeds&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Online Directories:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Business listing (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.google.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"www.google.com\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Google<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.yelp.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"www.yelp.com\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Yelp<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Local listing sites&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Live Networking:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Handing out Business cards&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Professional memberships&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Public speaking&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search Engine Optimization:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Editing and refining website content to attract organic traffic&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/1-guide-to-mastering-meta-descriptions\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/1-guide-to-mastering-meta-descriptions\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Meta Description <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trade Shows:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sending your team to attend or present at industry conferences and events&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public Relations:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Getting mentions and features in the news&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"9\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Set a Budget<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>With the research, buyer personas, and marketing analysis outlined, you are better able to set a budget. In order to help refine it, ask yourself:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is your current revenue?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What percentage of your revenue have you allocated for marketing?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What set marketing costs do you have?\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Software&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Team Members&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much money will you need to reach your goals?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are your competitors spending on their marketing?&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Through strategic and goal-focused marketing campaigns, you will be able to set marketing budgets. After multiple campaigns, you will be able to measure costs and return on investment (ROI)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cost Per Lead<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cost Per Customer&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that consistency is key to achieving your goals If it doesn&#8217;t make sense, consider scratching it from your strategy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Outline the cost, time, and tactics for each campaign.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\" start=\"10\">\n<li class=\"has-large-font-size\">Define Metrics and KPIs<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/analytics-and-key-metrics.webp\" alt=\"Freelance digital marketing \ntarget affiliate program \nhigh ticket affiliate marketing \npinterest affiliate marketing \nis affiliate marketing legit\nbest email marketing platforms \naffiliate marketing programs \ncopywriting \nfreelance marketing \nmarketing strategy \" class=\"wp-image-2788\" style=\"width:556px;height:312px\" width=\"556\" height=\"312\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/analytics-and-key-metrics.webp 1024w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/analytics-and-key-metrics-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/analytics-and-key-metrics-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To reach the final step, you must decide what metrics you will use to evaluate your campaigns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common metrics are surveys, however, you will also need to understand things such as the cost of customer acquisition or marketing share.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create Your Marketing Strategy&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve got your 10 steps to creating a marketing strategy, including why you need one and how to start, you\u2019re ready to start outlining the path you will take to launch, market, and grow your business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every business, no matter how big or small, needs a marketing strategy. It sets your path and keeps you on track. With a solid marketing plan, you can focus your efforts and time wisely. Let&#8217;s delve into the details of creating a marketing strategy and ensuring that your marketing efforts yield results! What is a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3289,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[40,39,69,64,7,4],"class_list":["post-1844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing","tag-business","tag-ecommerce","tag-marketing","tag-seo","tag-website","tag-wordpress"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1844"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1844"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3396,"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1844\/revisions\/3396"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gurudesk.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}