Q: I’m looking to set up my own scuba diving centre. I'm already a qualified instructor and am looking for advice on developing an effective marketing plan. Any tips?
May 22 2007
Answered by: Jackie Jarvis Ask a question
Good idea. I have outlined the important steps you need to take to create your marketing plan.
Each step contains a set of questions that you will need to be able to answer to complete a really comprehensive plan.
Understanding your market
- What is the marketplace within which you are operating?
- What is happening within that market place?
- How is the market moving?
- What are the issues?
- Where are the gaps?
Understanding your competition
- Who do you consider a competitor?
- What are they selling?
- How do they position themselves?
- What is their unique selling proposition?
- What is their competitive edge?
- How much do they charge?
- What marketing literature do they use – what is it like?
- Where are their weaknesses?
- What is their website like?
- What are they not offering that you could?
Understanding your customer
- Who is your target customer?
- What are some of the problems your target audience has?
- What is really hot on their agenda right now?
- What is being talked about a lot in the field that you are involved in?
- Where is there a ‘gap’ in the market you are in?
- What would you most like to find out from your target customer?
- What questions could you ask them to uncover their problems and desires?
Your potential buyers
- How are potential buyers currently buying what you are selling?
- What are their buying criteria?
- Where do they go to find out what is available?
- When do they tend to buy?
- What do they tend to respond to?
- What problems do they have?
- What solutions are they looking for?
Positioning your business
- What are your strengths and skills?
- Describe your best and most enjoyable customers to work with?
- What are your broad areas of business and expertise?
- What do you know about the lives and challenges of your customers?
- Describe a number of potential niche customer groups?
- What are these niche groups’ problems?
- What could you sell them that would solve their problems?
- How are you positioning this business?
- What are you selling?
Developing your marketing message
- What is your brand?
- What is your unique selling point (USP)?
- What is your value proposition?
- What is your strap-line?
- What are your marketing slogans?
Determining your marketing methods
- What marketing methods do you know that your successful competitors use?
- What can you do to raise your profile in the market place?
- Which methods can you use to directly attract new customers?
- What potential value do the following marketing methods have for your business?
For example, PR, radio, TV, vehicle, bus, posters, billboards, newspapers and magazines advertising, internet, direct Mail, sales letters, direct sales, telephone marketing, window displays, personal contact, referrals, host relationships and joint ventures.
- What is most likely to work best for you?
Setting your direction and your marketing goals
- What is your vision for your business?
- What do you want to achieve with your marketing?
- What are your specific and measurable goals for each type of marketing you plan to do?
- Can you make each goal SMART- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound?
- What are the priorities?
- What are your timescales for the achievement of your goals?
Developing your budget
- Which marketing methods have you chosen to implement?
- What is it going to cost to utilise your chosen marketing methods?
- What resources are going to be required to implement these methods?
- What will you need to invest in each segment to achieve your goals?
- What return would you expect?
- How will you measure the return on your investment?
Planning your strategy
- How are you going to progress each element of your plan?
- What needs setting up?
- What are the priorities?
- What specific practical actions need to be taken to make it happen? By whom and by when?
- What are the steps?
- What are the milestones and deadlines?
- How will you monitor, evaluate and review your strategy?
Hope this helps.
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