Marketing without a plan often ends up costing more and returning less. A strategic marketing plan provides objectives and benchmarks to help you know what to do, when to do it, and whether or not your efforts are yielding results. Why expend time, effort and unnecessary resources on initiatives that aren’t growing your business?

Ideally, you will increase exposure, drive more sales, and ensure a greater return on investment. However, a viable plan also reduces cost by eliminating unnecessary expenses on campaigns that don’t deliver results.

To produce an effective strategic marketing plan, download our 6 Critical Questions Planning Tool. From SWOT analysis to consumer profile builders, there are a lot of resources available to help you create a strategic marketing plan. And, while all of these tools are helpful, the bottom line is deciding what you can do to best apply your investment and get maximum results. A plan that you stick in a filing cabinet until next year is simply a document; focus on what is viable and measurable from quarter to quarter and adjust regularly.

Whether you want to increase product sales, connect with more clients, or engage new donors for your cause, the critical formula is achieving reach and frequency. How can you reach the most people in your target audience the greatest number of times within the budget you have? Having a solid mix is ideal, but the channels you choose should be appropriate for your budget, your audience, and your ability to execute with consistency.

Getting the insights of a company that has proven expertise not only results in a plan that delivers, it prevents the time and money cost of “trial and error.” And, in today's competitive market you can’t afford to fall behind the competition with DIY strategies that may not get you any closer to your goals.