A marketing plan is an essential tool for business. Developing one will help you think about what makes your business unique and how to get the message out to desired audiences through a variety of channels which can result into strategic alliances, collaborations or partnerships.

Below is a list of my top five reasons, every entrepreneur should have a business plan.

1. A marketing plan directs your focus and keeps you on a clearly defined path that ensures that you make the most of your effort, brand and budget.
2. A marketing plan forces you to articulate concrete, measurable objectives so you, and the decision makers who make staffing and budget decisions, know what you are working towards (critical for buy in) and make the right decisions on how to get there.
3. A marketing plan provides a definitive means of tracking progress (or lack of progress) against stated objectives.
4. A marketing plan doubles as a pithy overview of your work to engage colleagues and funders. Marketing is an all-organization responsibility. But to engage your colleagues (or prospective investors or funders) you need to be able to show them what you’re doing and why.
5. A marketing plan makes it easy to draft your day-by-day work plan. By breaking down the big ideas that comprise the master marketing plan into executable steps, you clarify each element for your work plan and define roles and responsibilities. As a result, you’re able to focus on priorities and capitalize on each staff member’s or virtual assistant’s skill set.

Remember that the business plan provides the environment in which your marketing plan must thrive; therefore every business must also have a business plan.

If you really want to know more about the secrets developing a high-powered marketing plan, how to network high-end or how to market high-end, join the Global Association of High-Achieving Women’s Millionaire Success Club (Platinum Premier Success Circle).

If you want information that will allow you to maximize your footprint, business growth and career success go to the Freebies Page and sign up for a wealth of free information.

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

Twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
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© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: If you haven’t done so yet, become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women

PPS: The Global Association of High-Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. This newsletter has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™ please provide your name and e-mail address below.

With these few assets and a great sense of marketing, he turned a fledgling business into a $400 million corporation. He stated that as entrepreneurs, we should help define our unique selling proposition by looking at what makes our business different from our competitor’s business.

Mr. Pena said: “I am unique because I became know as the $400 million man”.  He indicated that he is the only business success coach in the country who has built a company from scratch into $400 million, so he uses that persona.

My challenge to you is to tap into what is distinctive about you.  This can become your calling card.  Oh by the way, I am known as an award-winning Million Dollar Solutionist™.  This tag has given me my unique selling proposition.

If you want to know how I landed on page one of Google or more about the secrets behind high-end positioning using your unique selling proposition, join the Global Association of High-Achieving Women’s Millionaire Success Club (Platinum Premier Success Circle).

Lastly, become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

Twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: If you haven’t done so yet, become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women

PPS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. Elevations™ has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™ please provide your name and e-mail address below.

Here is my thought:  create a personality for your business.  Give your business human qualities that can help you design a selling strategy.  Define your personality by looking at your prime customers and why they buy from you.  Once you know your company’s personality, you can focus your efforts on promoting those traits.

1. Develop a mission statement that shows your reason for being and the value you provide to your customers.
2. Develop a memorable tagline that expresses who you are and what you do.
3. Make a matrix of all those you’d like to reach in the next year and the potential influencers on those people. Develop a timetable and calendar of outreach.
4. Regularly write and issue press releases to the media and on your website.
5. Regularly write articles and pitch feature story ideas to the media.
6. Participate (attend, speak, host, present, show) in at least two national and local industry conferences.
7. Get known for niche expertise or specific industry knowledge (speak, write, present, and teach).
8. Participate and sponsor local charitable efforts; get your name in the program the charitable cause distributes; get your name in the press surrounding the event.
9. Get to know all potential collaborative and strategic alliance partners in your geographic area – let them know you and your areas of expertise and form relationships.
10. Develop tip sheets as to how your company is different than your competitors and why this makes a difference to your end users – your and potential clients. Include these differentiating tips as the basis for all your branding statements.
11. Develop a calendar of local and regional events in your locale and make your company visible in the areas most related to your company and your potential clients’ interests.
12. Post your calendar of appearances and participation on your website.
13. Plan a media release before and after each event.

Branding your company is key to influencing a memorable response in the minds of your chosen audience. It is not only the name recognition of your firm, but also the perceived value of your organization.

Finally, establish your brand by regularly updating the financial value or potential value associated with your brand. Quantify results achieved and add these results to your brand value. Communicate through all methods the value of your brand to those associated with it.

If you want to know how I landed on page one of Google or the secrets behind brand identity and high-end positioning in the marketplace, join the Global Association of High-Achieving Women’s Millionaire Success Club (Platinum Premier Success Circle).

If you want information that will allow you to maximize your footprint, business growth and career success go to the Freebies Page and sign up for a wealth of free information.

Lastly, become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

Twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. This newsletter has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™ please provide your name and e-mail address below.

1. Who are your competitors?
2. What are their financial resources?
3. How do they market their products and services?
4. How many employees do they have?
5. Where are they located?
6. How do they treat their customers?
7. What are their pricing strategies?
8. What are their main strengths and can you meet or exceed them?
9. What are their biggest weaknesses and how can you do it better?
10. How will they react to your entry into their territory or the marketplace?

Once you have the answers – you will be able to develop a dynamic marketing plan that will allow you to stand out from your competition as well as outclass the competition. Thorough knowledge of your competition not only gives you a selling advantage early on; it continues to help serve you and your clients throughout the relationship.

Finally, Ancient Greek philosophy says to ‘know thyself’’ and Sun Tzu says to know your enemy. It turns out they are both correct. A key ingredient in the success of a competitive organization is knowing who you are and knowing how you fit in with your competitors. Only after you have done a thorough and honest analysis, will you be really equipped to establish a focused and effective marketing effort that will allow you to stand out and outclass the competition.

If you want to know how I landed on page one of Google or more about the secrets behind high-end positioning in the marketplace, join the Global Association of High-Achieving Women’s Millionaire Success Club (Platinum Premier Success Circle).

If you want information that will allow you to maximize your footprint, business growth and career success go to the Freebies Page and sign up for a wealth of free information.

Lastly, become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

Twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: If you haven’t done so yet, become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women

PPS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. This newsletter has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™ please provide your name and e-mail address below.

One thing about leisure time networking and marketing is that the leads will come your way from these venues without you having to do the hard sell — just because of the relationship you have built during your leisure time activities. Enjoy your leisure time and let the networking come naturally. Remember networking, listening and marketing are a joint effort.

By listening carefully to what’s being said during your leisure time activities, you can get some great promotional and marketing ideas and possibly augment what you are currently offering to your clients.  This is also a good way to learn which areas to focus your promotional ideas. Listening to the concerns, reservations or thoughts about various businesses’ services from your leisure time acquaintances can help you better market your products and services.

The other big benefit of listening more during leisure time activities is that your leisure time acquaintances and friends are likely to consider your business more trustworthy and they could eventually become a customer, simply because you have built the ‘know, like and trust’ factor.

If you really want to know more about the secrets behind high-end networking or how to market high-end, join the Global Association of High-Achieving Women’s Millionaire Success Club (Platinum Premier Success Circle).

If you want information that will allow you to maximize your footprint, business growth and career success go to the Freebies Page and sign up for a wealth of free information.

Lastly, become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women .

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

Twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. This newsletter has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™ please provide your name and e-mail address below.

What you want to remember is that the marketing plan should be defined in such a manner that everyone in your company, network and database can clearly understand the purpose, core values, products and services being offered along with the benefits. In today’s marketplace your marketing plan must include collaborations, strategic alliances and partnerships.

Most new businesses fail because they have not allocated monies for marketing.  They seem to think that just because they open a store front or create a website that the customers will come.  The truth of the matter is that you must advertise and promote you business daily.  Yes daily!

Here are three tips to complement your marketing plan (power tool #2):

1. Create the ‘Wow’ Factor

Define your ‘differentiation’ (it’s your WOW).  Create your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and your brand statement.  Whatever it is that separates your stuff – your products or services – from the similar stuff your competition is selling, that’s your ‘Wow’ — its makes your stuff better and why your stuff is better.

2. Leverage Online Forums

There are many communities that have online forums/bulletin boards that offer varying levels of paid memberships.  Purchase a membership that allows you to advertise your business and USE IT. Don’t forget to leverage other social media opportunities (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

3. Collaborations

Pick one or two charitable organizations or causes and donate only to them for one year.  This is a great way to get recognized and link your company to a particular cause or charity.  You should create a letter that says why you chose those organization(s) so when you get inundated with requests for large donations, you can politely and formally say ‘no’ and still send a respectful message that you are committed to your community.  You not only build your brand in the community but also the brand of your favorite charities and you now have a collaboration or strategic alliance that is a win-win for your company and your charity of choice.

If you really want to know more secrets of developing a high-end marketing plan, join the Global Association of High-Achieving Women’s Millionaire Success Club (Platinum Premier Success Circle).

If you want information that will allow you to maximize your footprint and potential for business growth and career success go to our Freebies Page and sign up for a wealth of free information.

Lastly, will you become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women?

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

Twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: If you haven’t done so yet, will you head over and become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women?

PPS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. Elevations™ has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™ please provide your name and e-mail address below.

Here are 5 great ways to get started:

1. Keep a career journal: Journaling is an extremely effective way to manage your career transition and maintain a healthy perspective. This should be done consistently every week for at least two nights per week.  Don’t forget to include your thoughts about your transition.

2. Set boundaries and maintain the set boundaries: Life can get overwhelming when you’re in transition. You must remember to set boundaries for yourself as a way to curb the feelings of overwhelm on a daily basis.

3. Exercise your body while you expand your mind: Regular exercise is critical to your well-being, especially during career change when stress levels are much higher. You must make it a priority to engage in some kind of aerobic exercise at least three times a week.

4. Get and keep support: It’s easy to get discouraged by the terrifying statistics about the job marketplace. During this time more than ever, you need to surround yourself with positive optimistic people who will support you during the transition.

5. Emphasize the positive, eliminate the negative: When you’re in transition, sometimes it can seem like there are those naysayers at every turn. Keep the ‘Negative Nellies’ and other defeating influencers at bay.

Remember that you deserve a healthy well-balanced life of learning, new experiences and ventures, solitary time and spiritual growth, especially during times of transition.

If you would like to know more about the ‘art of’ collaborations, strategic alliances, partnerships, high-end list building, getting noticed in the job marketplace or how to position your company for growth, I invite you to become a member of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women.

If you want information that will allow you to maximize your footprint and potential for business growth and career success go to our Freebies Page and sign up for a wealth of free information.

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

Twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: If you haven’t done so yet, head over and become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women?

PSS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. Elevations™ has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™, please provide your name and e-mail address below.

Lessons on Leadership

• Lesson 1: Remember where you come from and be yourself.  Be humble.  He said: “Pedestals are for flowers and not leaders”.

1. Establish and follow your core values.
2. Take responsibility for your actions and ownership for the results.
3. Take care of your customers and fellow associates and treat them with respect.
4. Work together; build trust and value in every idea.
5. Work efficiently and stay on task until the job is complete.
6. Move quickly to create change and stay ahead of the curve.

• Lesson 2: Listen and learn.   By listening, you’ll learn more than by talking.
• Lesson 3: Know your audience. This includes your customers, associates, shareholders, suppliers and analysts.
• Lesson 4: It’s easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission. He said: “I can’t think of a single instance when I regretted taking action.  But I have regretted not taking action.”
• Lesson 5: Know your numbers. OfficeMax associates are expected to know sales figures from the prior day, quarter and year to date, to take responsibility, accept the numbers and move on.
• Lesson 6: You pay for a training program whether you have one or not. Training harnesses the built-in motivation most people already have to do good work.  Investing the time and money for training results in lower turnover and lower shrink.
• Lesson 7: Just be honest. No matter how much it hurts.
• Lesson 8: Encourage constructive criticism.
• Lesson 9: Remember that a leader’s job is to serve. His motto: “Help other people every day” (HOPE).  Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
• Lesson 10: Don’t give up: Don’t ever give up.

I would add just one more Lesson.  I hope Mr. Duncan doesn’t mind  – Lesson 10.5: Build relationships: To reach the ultimate in crating long-term relationships that lead to maximum growth and success, it is necessary to form collaborations, strategic alliances and at times partnerships.

Mr. Duncan said: “the value statement that OfficeMax follows includes ‘integrity and accountability’. I’m not going to run an organization without either…..  ‘teamwork and trust’… Other tenets include ‘think company and customer first’…’focus and discipline’ and ‘sense of urgency’.  This is my favorite: “If you are trying to work on today’s or tomorrow’s problems, you are too late.  You must read and anticipate trends”.

This article has truly inspired me.  Hats off to Sam Duncan for his 10 Lessons on Leadership Strategy.  I hope it has inspired you as much as it has inspired me.

Love, Success and Greatness

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

Twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: If you haven’t done so yet, will you head over and become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women?

PPS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. Elevations™ has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™, please provide your name and e-mail address below.

1. Get clear on your mission and  priorities
2. Build your network map and identify key influencers and connectors
3. Collaborate or build relationships with people that the ‘A-Listers’ recognize
4. Start adding value to other people’s projects and find ways to promote them
5. Speak in public and always mention social programs and projects you support (hopefully it is something the ‘A-Lister’ supports)
6. Buy their products, support their causes and utilize their services
7. Hold events and cultivate all relationships
8. Be a good listener and follow up fast

Finally, remember that success is not a destination we arrive at; it is an attitude we hold along the way.  The enjoyment of our lives is not in the outcome, but in the process.  Do not rob yourself of the satisfaction that lies on the path along the way; just enjoy every step of the journey.  Find fulfillment in the process of being a success today.

If you really want to know the entire secrets of building a high-end database, join the Global Association of High-Achieving Women’s Millionaire Success Club (Platinum Premier Success Circle).

If you want information that will allow you to maximize your footprint and potential for business growth and career success go to our Freebies Page and sign up for a wealth of free information.

Lastly, will you become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women?

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. Elevations™ has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™, please provide your name and e-mail address below.

One thing that must be remembered is that some giving will never be repaid, and if you are not okay with this up front, you’re going to be miserable. Accept it as a cost of doing networking to build your high-end database.

Remember, this is not about creating a debt that must be repaid.  You are not giving because you want to “get your slice of the pie”. You are giving because you know that when you show people how valuable you are, many of them will want to share that value and will want to connect with you mainly because you are willing to expand the pie for everyone. People sometimes repay those whom they owe – but they almost always reward those whom they respect.

If you really want to expand your reach and build a high-end database, you must be prepared do some serious work. This process requires a considerable amount of time and effort.  To rapidly build a powerful high-end database, you must develop the following mindset:

• Give to people who can receive immediate value and appreciate it strongly enough to value your contribution. The longer it takes for that value to mature, the harder it is to establish a strong emotional bond with a person.
• Give to people who have the immediate potential to improve your position in a material way. Yes, “givers get” and that is still true; but you have to give to people who can actually give back in a meaningful way or that emotional bond will fade.
• Give in ways that can be made public or at least public to the receiver’s peers so that word of your contribution has room to be recognized.
• Give in ways that don’t drain resources away from your own growth but instead complement it. You want to become better known for your “signature value” and you can’t do that while doing tasks that don’t add value.
• Give in ways that don’t look desperate. Confidence is key – you must come across as giving because you have an abundance of value to give. People can smell fear and desperation, and the way to avoid this is to accept that some giving will never be repaid – and then decide you’re going to be fine with that.

Be sure to read my next post, Tips for Building a High-End Database – Part 2 where you will discover the 8 tips for building an high-end database quickly. If you really want to know all of the secrets of building a high-end database, join the Global Association of High-Achieving Women’s Millionaire Success Club (Platinum Premier Success Circle).  

If you want information that will allow you to maximize your footprint and potential for business growth and career success go to our Freebies Page and sign up for a wealth of free information.

Lastly, will you become a Fan (Like) of the Global Association of High-Achieving Women?

Dr. Laureen

Million Dollar Solutionist™

twitter: DrLaureen  
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaureen
Facebook: http://profile.to/drlaureen

© 2010 Dr. Laureen

PS: The Global Association of High Achieving Women and Masterpiece Solutions are the sponsors of the free monthly newsletter: Elevations™. Elevations™ has three focus categories:  Your Career – Your Business – Your Life and You. If you would like to receive free monthly issues of Elevations™, please provide your name and e-mail address below.