One of the biggest components of a marketing plan is the allocation of resources. How much time or money will you allocate, and on what? This will depend on the marketing methods you use, your practice areas, your target market, your objectives, and other resources available to you, such as your staff and your contacts.
Your plan might call for something like this:
- 25% prospecting (networking, advertising and lead generation, speaking, content creation, working with referral sources, etc.)
- 25% following up (scheduling consultations, return calls/email, closing, newsletters/staying in touch, etc.)
- 25% client relations (added value for clients, cross-selling, up-selling, stimulating reviews and referrals, creating offers or incentives, etc.)
- 25% promoting (your services, your website, your content, events, etc.)
You might have these same broad categories, but different sub-categories. You might advertise primarily for lead generation or to build name recognition in your niche. You might might allocate more time for certain marketing activities and little or none for others.
You might invest 50% of your “marketing time” working with existing clients and prospects, or include working with your referral sources, joint venture partners and professional contacts.
The point is, you get to choose how to spend your marketing time (and dollars), and on which activities. Figure out what works for you and schedule everything.
Start by making a list of the activities you currently do (or plan to) and put these in appropriate categories. Then, consider the total time and dollars you do or will invest each week or month, and then divide up that total by category, as above.
This is, of course, just one way to do it. It may not be the right way for you, but it is a place to start. And that’s all any plan gives you.
