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rtroxel · 25-04-2006, 11:57 AM

I've never had a business or marketing plan

Really? How do you know when you've made a profit?

Anyway, here is how my current venture relates to your criteria:

1. What is my USP?

I don't really have one. I'm an investor. I use the Web to look for investment opportunities - mostly in businesses that I understand, like, well, Web technology.

2. Target Market
Who are your customers?

I don't have any. I've never been good dealing with clients.

3. Market Research

I read a lot of prospectuses (prospecti?) of publicly-traded companies. I also examine the services of various Web enterprises, but I examine them completely - their products, services, privacy policies, affiliate programs, etc.

4. Who are your competitors?

I don't have any. There are just other investors.

5. Advertising and promotion

For the most part, I don't advertise or promote. Spent a lot of money on Google last year to promote my site. I was hoping to attract other investors to share their knowledge (bad idea, probably). Also, I was hoping to make a few dollars from various affiliate programs, including Amazon.

These days I belong to several forums, and I try to learn from the various visitors there.

6. Marketing Tools

Don't really have any, except for the forums I belong to. For example, if you run a Google search on my name, Platinax pops up in the #7 spot. (Good work, Brian!) Rick Contrata's DevNIC appears in the #3 position. (Thanks, Rick.) Amazon appears in the #1 and #2 positions. (But they've cut they're commissions in half!)

25-04-2006, 11:57 AM	#15 (permalink)
rtroxel Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bel Air, Maryland Posts: 414	Re: Sales and Marketing Plan I've never had a business or marketing plan Really? How do you know when you've made a profit? Anyway, here is how my current venture relates to your criteria: 1. What is my USP? I don't really have one. I'm an investor. I use the Web to look for investment opportunities - mostly in businesses that I understand, like, well, Web technology. 2. Target Market Who are your customers? I don't have any. I've never been good dealing with clients. 3. Market Research I read a lot of prospectuses (prospecti?) of publicly-traded companies. I also examine the services of various Web enterprises, but I examine them completely - their products, services, privacy policies, affiliate programs, etc. 4. Who are your competitors? I don't have any. There are just other investors. 5. Advertising and promotion For the most part, I don't advertise or promote. Spent a lot of money on Google last year to promote my site. I was hoping to attract other investors to share their knowledge (bad idea, probably). Also, I was hoping to make a few dollars from various affiliate programs, including Amazon. These days I belong to several forums, and I try to learn from the various visitors there. 6. Marketing Tools Don't really have any, except for the forums I belong to. For example, if you run a Google search on my name, Platinax pops up in the #7 spot. (Good work, Brian!) Rick Contrata's DevNIC appears in the #3 position. (Thanks, Rick.) Amazon appears in the #1 and #2 positions. (But they've cut they're commissions in half!)