MArketing StrategyIt may be tempting to abandon your long term marketing plan when you do not see it working immediately. Don’t! Stick to it and work on it every day.  Be consistent in implementing it. Give it time to work.

These 5 steps can help you make the most of your long-term marketing plan:

  1. Focus on your niche.

Become the expert in all things involving your niche. Don’t limit your knowledge to the services you offer. The more you know about your niche’s priorities and challenges, the more valuable a resource you can become to them. Become familiar with other professionals who can assist your niche with challenges outside your expertise. When you’re tempted to work with clients outside your niche, make sure the time and payoff will be worth it and won’t draw you away from your commitment.

  1. Stay close to your ideal client.

Networking, surveys, online community forums, trade magazines, and associations are all great ways to keep sharp about the things that matter to your ideal client. Also, stay on top of the news, and ask yourself how your client’s needs will be affected by changes in the business and world environment.

  1. Keep your eyes on your competition.

If your clients stop think­ing that you offer a competitive advantage in addressing their needs, you lose and the competition wins. Don’t be the last to know what your competition is doing.

  1. Make sure you’re positioned to win.

If you’re doing the first four steps, you’ll know when it’s time to change your tune, tweak your message, and speak a new language that’s more in tune with what your ideal client needs. Ask yourself, “Is my unique selling proposition still unique? Does anyone do it better? What one thing can I do to serve my clients better?” That’s how you stay unique.

  1. Take action every day.

Follow your schedule. Complete the actions you say you’ll complete in your daily sched­ule. At the end of the week, give yourself a grade for effort. Then give yourself another one for accomplishment. If you’re getting A’s for effort and C’s for accomplishment, trouble­shoot.