Sales and Marketing Plan

[SageMother]

Presenting a marketing plan only works if youa ren't being innovative. Potential success is ALWAYS based on information that usually dosen't address niche markets but looks that the broadest sampling. What doesn't work, on paper, often works better in practice.

[Hispanicus]

Originally Posted by Stanley

I agree with you. I would also like to point out in this era, that niche disappears within a year.

I think you could be right on that point. So, what are you supposed to do when that happens??? Then you just have to show people that you are their best option??

Sorry, if the question is very stupid. I find marketing really interesting and I'd like to know more about it.

[Tracy123]

I just wrote an article on Strategic Approach if anyone is interested

http://www.businessservicesuk.com/viewarticle.php?id=17

[geti]

I just wrote an article on Strategic Approach if anyone is interested

I'm sure it's all good stuff, but the small font made it difficult to take in and I lost interest after reading
less than a tenth of the article.

[BumerM]

Good article! But before this plan you should realise what you want, why you need it, and how to get it. Because any successful business following by the strong idea.

[figurewizard]

The opportunities from Xerox and Microsoft were spurned by IBM because neither they nor their advisors felt that they fitted in with what they saw as their perceived market strategy at that time. We now know in hindsight that they were spectacularly wrong.

The point is that such misjudgements are common. Very large corporations devote huge resources to protecting their market position and the way that these resources are distributed is usually the work of a committee. When it comes to being light on their feet and spotting emerging or future demand however they simply don't have the sort of people who can deliver what it takes. Hence for anyone looking to enter a market, their first exercise should be to look for the vacuums that the big boys have created.

Joe

[youngy10]

Great posts people, thanks.

[youngy10]

Will put into practise v. soon.

[figurewizard]

Getting the marketing plan right is the first step. The second however is less inspirational but even more important and that is the financial plan. What any new business must avoid is thinking that if sales revenue is going to be good enough, so will profits while cash will somehow take care of itself. The Official Receiver's archives are full of what were good profitable businesses that went bust because they simply ran out of cash.

This is not to denigrate the importance of the marketing plan, because that must be how every successful business begins its life but it doesn't stop there; especially where cashflow is involved. This is even more important at a time when the banks are pulling in their horns and house prices are starting to head South.

Joe

[harding125]

Hi,
A good basic introduction to marketing. Not too sure if it explains how to do it. A good start nevertheless.

Gary