People don’t understand abstractions well. The ecommerce marketing platform strategy is an abstract concept. Ecommerce marketing plan is a abstraction as well. But people understand specific examples.
1. Determine the initial position of marketing.
Imagine that an Internet marketing plan may be depicted on a map. Then the current state of the Internet marketing project will be the initial position (point “A”). It is important to understand the starting position in order to properly assess your strength. If you underestimate, you will dig in unimportant trifles and lose time. If you overestimate, you can set impracticable goals, overwork, and, again, lose time.
2. Set a measurable goal.
It is impossible to mark the point “somewhere far away” on the map. A point on the map is indicated by coordinates. Likewise, the end of the marketing plan (point “B”) is a specific state of Internet marketing over time. Coordinates help estimate the distance to a point on the map. Only the measurable point “B” gives feedback to the work done: leads the plan to the goal or to failure. No matter where to go if you don’t know where you want to go. Therefore, the goal of Internet marketing is better to be put in the number of leads or customers received via the Internet. Regarding it, the marketer will evaluate the performance. Imagine that the points “A” and “B” on the map are cities. It is likely that several roads lead from the city “A” to the city “B”. Similarly, the goal of marketing leads to several strategies. In real life, you cannot go all the roads at once. In Internet marketing, however, you can work on several strategies at once. And this should be used.
3. Formulate how to achieve the goal.
Poorly formulated strategy is confusing. It has too much abstraction. Before doing it, you have to think over. It is likely not to do it at all or to do it in the best way. To formulate a strategy well, answer two questions: Where do we get people from? What shall we do with them later? If your strategy does not answer these questions, it is too abstract and will interfere with your work.
Think over the execution to get rid of the abstraction.
1. Determine the initial state of internet marketing.
2. Set a goal in the number of leads or sales you want to achieve over time.
3. Think of strategies that will help you achieve the goal.
4. Formulate strategies by answering the questions “Where will I get people from?” And “What will I do with them later?”
More than a half of entrepreneurs do not think at all before launch about how they are going to attract customers. Up to 60% of respondents have never been engaged in online sales. Only a third of the respondents have a preliminary marketing plan that includes participation in exhibitions and forums, search for the right bloggers for collaboration, and order articles in printed editions. At the same time, those startups that, when launched, have a competent marketing plan worked out to the smallest detail, initially have a strong competitive advantage over everyone.
Tommy Walker concluded: if a startup gets at least 100 clients in the first month, then the project will actively grow and develop during the next three years. If there were no more than 30 clients per month, the development will be slow if not die at all. And what do we know about marketing strategies in terms of attracting and retaining potential buyers? How many startups are honest with themselves and understand what their goals are (to earn as much as possible or become a powerful player in the market)? You will not get far on hopes. Before starting, you need to clearly identify three important points:
· Budget. How much are you going to invest? All expenses are taken into account: from advertising to employees
· Resources. What are the benefits of your team? This can include everything from sales skills to work in the design program
· Disadvantages or limitations. Is there enough money, time, people, ideas?
Think about everything that can stall the matter. Making a complete marketing plan is not easy. But if you are just starting out and see yourself as a major player in the market, it is helpful to get an unbiased look at the state of things. Such a plan will allow you to see in advance, where you can expect financial problems, where sales will go down and which distribution channel may not give returns. Good luck!
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