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Entrepreneurial Marketing
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- WEEKS 6-9 - PROJECT OR CONTINUE WITH PREVIOUS WORK Thu, 2011-03-31 01:53
- Course admin msgs Fri, 2011-03-25 02:22
- ** NEED YOUR HELP ** Mon, 2011-03-21 21:17
- WEEK 5 - Social media (and webinar tools) Thu, 2011-03-17 18:30
- WEEK 3 - Your enterprise's web presence Wed, 2011-03-16 01:11
WEEK 2 - The Marketing Plan
Go back to: General discussion
Outline and/or develop the marketing plan for your enterprise.
(Since this could be a fairly lengthy assignment, I'd suggest just posting some notes on approach here in the forum and then if you do more work an actual plan, do it in Google Docs or on a wiki or something, and link to it in your forum post.)
- Find, adapt, or create an outline of the right kind of marketing plan for your enterprise. It might be a full-blown marketing plan that you could present to outside funders or it might be a few bullet points that are enough for your purpose. (If you already have a marketing plan, dig it out and review and revise it.)
- If you feel ambitious, start writing one or more parts of the actual plan (and let us know if you want input). Note: This assignment could also be expanded into your final project.
- Review and respond to at least one other participant's post.
Hey Karen, Like the MS youtube example, do you have any good examples of a Marketing Plan we can take a look at?
Thanks!
There is a slideshow and a template (doc file) in the week 2 materials. Here are a few more examples from different kinds of businesses:
http://www.mplans.com/sample_marketing_plans.php
Ok wow.. that was a BIG one.
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=19nQwqiljCbYfO3vncMHKgSBbPq-Y6D-...
Nice work, Stoney. You have a good plan here that will really help guide your marketing efforts! I like that you did it in Google Docs because that makes it a "living document" that you can go back and add to as you grow.
You have given a lot of great information here Stoney! Love it!
Jane
We talked in the chats what a BIG task writing a marketing plan is. You don't to write the whole thing this week though. :) Try thinking through what questions you might need to answer (some of which you probably already know the answers to).
- What is your mission? (We already did this one.)
- Who are your target customers? (profile, geography, etc.)
- What is your core product(s) or service(s)?
- How will you price your product/service?
- How will you distribute your product/service? (online, retail, etc.)
- What mix of promotion strategies make sense for you? (face-to-face, direct mail, email, web, social media, etc.)
- How will you measure the success of each of these?
- How much time and money do you have to spend?
May I suggest a great resource I have used in the past at http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com.
This is a powerful tool for business model design and innovation on board level (CxO). The power of it lies in the fact that it manages to capture the complete set of the most essential elements of a business model in a simple way, express it well by means of visualizations and easy-to-understand schemes, enabling management to “design a business model on one A4 page”.
Ziv Baida,
Managing Consultant Technology Strategy at IBM
This resource helps put a business plan together by helping create and work through your business model by defining: customers, value proposition, key relationships, etc...
I am enclosing the link for your review and consideration..
Respectfully yours,
Excellent resource. Thanks for sharing.
This is an outline for the marketing plan for my open dictionary. It's still very much a work in process but I'm adding to it all the time.
http://www.k12opened.com/wiki/index.php/Dictmktgplan
Great job Karen! I am wondering though, I have been teaching kids creative writing for many years on a volunteer basis. Part of this is encouraging kids to make up words and create meanings to them. Would this be a side aspect of your dictionary you would want to include?
talk to you soon!
Jane
Yes, I've seen this technique and like it. We have also had a group suggest we add pictures that kids draw for word images (invented imagery that they associate with the word). I think both of these things would be great side aspects (along with multilingual support, audio, video, etc....we have a big list.) I'd love to get the crowd sourcing aspect of this going a little better. We have had some participation, but I have not been very successful with this part of the project.
Hi, I have a inicial draft for my marketing plan:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iew0Lg4s7Xl0x-Nn2IEAGp1_B6_QTYXX5c_-...
Cristina - I like how simple and straightforward yours is - inspires me to write more directly and simply!
This is just the very beginning of my marketing plan, I have so much more to do! (:
http://bit.ly/eHg4k8
Jane,
Thanks for sharing your marketing plan. You have a very clear definition of your capabilities and your most valuable proposition with your mission statement which defines you as well giving meaning and purpose. I like that you are looking at several social and video websites to promote your message. Maybe I missed it in one of the previous postings but do you have a website an I wanted to ask you if you have been able to gather testimonials of those you have already worked with to showcase and make it part of your marketing strategy. Based on your document it seems our revenue may come from trainings, consulting and one-on-one sessions as well as publications and online media.
There are many ways to deal with stress, what is your value proposition or unique advantage that sets you apart?
Thanks,
Hi Javier, Thank you for responding and asking for more clarity! I do have a website, www.ThePowerofSelfHelp.com, and I do have testimonials although I have not posted them as of yet. That page of my site is presently in the works.
There are several things that make me different from others: The processes I teach are practical and after the first session people are able to begin using the processes to feel relief. There are many who say it is important to do this or that, but dont explain why people should do it this way, or the mini-steps toward the teachings.
I recognize there is a big difference between 'knowing' and 'doing,' For example, people generally know what they should be doing, although many people do completely the opposite.
I am able to explain not only the 'what' but also the 'when, where, why, and how' by breaking things down into smaller pieces.
One of the key factors I have learned as a life coach (and an avid student of life) is to lose the judgment. Lose the judgment in myself, and of others so I can teach the process of non-judgment. Once that's out of the way, the mind is open to explore and change what you want.
My revenue will come in all of the areas you expressed, at this point though, I don't know what areas will be higher than the others.
Smiles to you,
Jane
Here is my draft of the Marketing PLan http://bit.ly/mKPlan it has been a pretty hard, interesting and fun labor. I have being working with this for days and it is not complete yet but is something I have enjoyed.
I really like the chart that shows the use of different marketing tools for different customer groups. This is a very helpful way to think about this.
Indira,
Great job, your writing shows your thinking. I really like the table you put together showing what channels you are trying to reach and market through. You want to reach a wide audience and attract support. At the present moment what channels are you prioritizing and how are you organizing the people already on board? I also wonder, as you meet with your team, what is your action plan for the next 90 and how it integrates with your business plan.
I am sure it was tough to put the document together but it shows you really thought a lot that you are trying to truly convey the spirit and the mission of your goal.
Business Plan
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1BhquoyMdLd-tanjMM0h1EK7K13_lLqP...
Business Model Canvas
http://www.netprofess.com/canvas.php#3e4fb22b9c839a4dc7fdd3fb1f429558a09...
I am enclosing the link to Google Docs and the link to the Business Model Canvas
Customer Segments.
Small to medium businesses and enterprises looking to have or enhance their web to better capitalize on their brand, their content and their value proposition.
For whom are we creating value?
We create value for our clients and their customers by increasing our client’s sites and products awareness through online marketing strategies. Our goal is to attract more leads to our clients and help in converting those leads to paying customers while enhancing our client’s brand and products in a positive manner through the different web channels.
Who are our most important customers?
Our most important customers are small to medium sized businesses and enterprises looking for consulting, design, marketing, social media management and above all a cohesive internet strategy.
Value Propositions.
Our value proposition is based on the knowledge, expertise, marketing experience, Internet platform business acumen as well as IT operations and back office technology consulting which can provide our customers with key advantages, cost savings and above a strategy to address their information technology needs on the Web or in their back-office operations
Which customer needs are we satisfying?
Internet marketing
Web page design
SEO-Search Engine Optimization
SEM- Search Engine Marketing
Social media management and marketing
Back-office operations providing office to cloud computing solutions, consulting and operational savings in hardware, software and licensing.
While other firms specialize in Web design and Internet Marketing. OBS take a holistic approach and are big proponents of open source solutions and cloud computing in order to take advantage of savings in licensing, hardware, software and IT costs helping businesses break the costly upgrade and licensing cycles.
Our operating philosophy revolves around four major principles:
Branding
Execution
Efficiency
Results
We deliver value to our clients through customization, design, newness, cost reduction and performance.
Channels.
Channel phases: Awareness-Evaluation-Purchase/Commitment-Delivery-After-Sales
Awareness-. OBS markets its services and expertise through the web and one on one networking and marketing.
Evaluation-OBS helps clients evaluate solutions by offering free consultation to analyze, gage and qualify their needs.
Purchase- Clients can choose to purchase one of our three Internet Packages or our personalized one-on-one consulting to customize their solution.
Delivery: Delivery of our services is done in person or electronically through a pre-determined project schedule that provides the client with the road map to the delivery, setup and implementation of their solution or individualized Internet marketing strategy.
After Sales: Delivering and obtaining results from an Internet marketing solution takes time, follow up, measurement and refinement which OBS offers as part of their consulting. We build our reputation on the results we deliver and the wins we obtain for our clients.
Customer Relationships:
Our business model approach is based on dedicated personal assistance. Although there are many solutions and technologies our mission is to get to know your clients to find and recommend the best fit for their web marketing needs and budget.
Revenue Streams:
Usage fee
Subscription
Licensing
Our revenue strings will come from flat rate pricing oun our three basic internet design packages and from consulting as well as revenue sharing arrangements.
This is a well-thought out plan. I especially like the pipeline breakout of Awareness-Evaluation-Purchase/Commitment-Delivery-After-Sales. I think a lot of people focus on purchase and forget how important the other steps are to having a solid on-going business.
In particular with business that require more customer education (like open course), there are tremendous opportunities (and a necessity for) awareness building. This is a value-add for customers in terms of marketing,and on that I've seem lead to big contracts in the past.
Javier - really clear, strong, direct - compels respect, as a feeling of capacity to deliver. Makes me want to explore how your services might benefit my our projects.
Hello! Here is the link to my initial draft for my marketing plan:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15ahaXoyC0tXpOsfBix3zEJJboNMX6ZgmkvUD...
Hi All,
Please find attached my initial plan. Still lots of work to do on it. As I continue to learn about marketing I anticipate that my ability to write a plan with clarity will improve.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lmJYMu2prb9yLX5OF9ke7-yCZjfjn9P_zLlz...
Hi Karen,
Your marketing plan looks great! I like the way you broke down the components of the product and the benefits to give a very clear idea of what your enterprise will offer.
Hello classmates,
My marketing plan is in a developmental stage, but you can check it out what i've come up with here:
http://bit.ly/hQuppz
Hi Gang,
Sorry for the delay - new job and no time!
I have looked at a few of everyone's to gain some idea of how to write a professional marketing plan. The link is below any feedback is greatly appreciated:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hdleRAysSBijfBwBnP-Xs7Vfi2xHF4lYjIvT...
Thanks,
Lori
This would be a lot of services to have under one roof. It sounds like a formidable task, but your vision is inspiring.
Is the yoga studio a profit-making part of the business?
On the marketing side, I'd ask whether you are going to only serve the women who are interested in yoga and alternative lifestyles, or will you serve their husbands and children as well? How welcoming will the business feel to women who are only interested in hair care, but not yoga?
Likewise, will it be accommodating to men who need a buzz cut because they are on the way to Gander Mountain? Or do you want to really focus on the niche market?
mission: To write (nonfiction) stories that are difficult to forget because of the interesting characters and situations; to have them read by as many people as possible; to consequently make the world a better place to live, in some small, measurable way.To write (nonfiction) stories that are difficult to forget because of the interesting characters and situations; to have them read by as many people as possible; to consequently make the world a better place to live, in some small, measurable way.
target customers: Smart people who like to read, regardless of location or income level. I'll probably end up with an audience that is close to home because some of my promotion will be in person.
Core product: Reading material that is interesting and informative.
Pricing: At or above the price for similar new books online.
Distribution: Ebooks and paperback books, sold online through established sites like Amazon and CafePress.
Promotion: through social media, including facebook, twitter, linked in, and smaller online forums. Also a blog and a constant contact newsletter.
The success of these will be measured in terms of how much two-way activity takes place. I'll expect that a post in a social media forum should generate a certain number of comments, and that if I mention a book for sale or an event, then it will generate a certain number of people clicking through or attending the event. Or if I link to an article that I wrote, I'll expect that a certain number of people will click through. I'll expect that creating new content will help me to add new friends on facebook, because when I write up a literary or social justice event that I attended, the people who were there will add me.
(Not sure about promotion outside of the internet. So far no plans to advertise, but I'll reach people by writing about events and letting people know in person that they can read about the event on facebook or my blog.)
Time and money: This will be a part-time endeavor to begin with, because it may not pay anything. On the other hand, it won't cost much either.
Clarence,
Thanks for posting the notification in regards to your assignment on Unit 4. I was able to come back and take a look at your business plan. I think your idea is genuine and will provide you with a way to fulfill your higher calling to making a difference. The business plan will definitely need further refinement. It is a living document that will receive subsequent revisions, additions and grow or change according to your progress. As you wish to reach as many people as possible it helps at the beginning to define your audience and profile your customers so you will market and attract the audience you wish for your books because you know who they are.
It helps to add as much detail as possible and continue adding to cover every detail of your enterprise and business model. This is reminiscent of a scene of the movie "Dude where is my car" with Ashton Kutcher http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbHISRY0sr8 - ordering food at the Chinese restaurant drive-through having to go through an endless order taking process because he cannot get away from the question "and then?"...
Clarence, I like this and think I would be a potential customer. Please put me on your mailing list! :)
I think that with mostly online promotion, you would have a far-reaching audience.
Would this all be in book format, or are you thinking about a possible monthly serial? My husband buys a lot of monthly lit mags online in an ebook format. And ereaders are so popular now that the audience is growing quickly.
I love publishing as a business. Even though it's tougher now, there are also some really great new opportunities. I think that a model that mixes some free "samples" (blogs, podcasts, etc.) with a product that can be purchased is a good model.
I'll be anxious to see you product!
Hey y'all. Playing catchup. Here is my working draft for a marketing plan: http://bit.ly/gVfpXt
I still have much to develop but welcome any and all feedback! Pam
Very detailed and seems well thought out. I wonder whether you could make it easier for people to test-drive the audio and learn more about it. Maybe a youtube trailer that plays 15 second samples and also explains how they work?
Sounds like a product that could work out well.
Pam, this looks good. I like Clarence's suggestion for short teaser/trailers that you could post on YouTube and FB. (I'm just finishing a big social media project. FB was challenging for me, but the videos we did were well received.) And 25-30% conversion on demos is great! That speaks well of your product.
Re: trade shows, I'm not sure my enterprise experience maps to your consumer business, but I have had phenomenal luck doing sessions and workshops at shows (instead of having a booth). It is *much* cheaper and had brought in some really great leads for me.
Strategic partnerships strike me as a strong avenue as well. The school connection seems a good one. There should also be some opportunities for some kind of huge endorsements as well (formal or informal). I'm not sure what "mobile company" refers to, but this seems like a natural for the iTunes store, maybe your own mobile app, etc.