4 Questions To Ask Yourself About Your Marketing Plan

By Michael Bryksa

Some people have a talent for acronyms. A few days ago I overheard a person tell his friend, ‘You know what the word ‘job’ really means? Just over broke.’

Who could blame the person, or the joke? It’s true that a growing number of people these days have to juggle between several jobs just to make ends meet. Some people who had saved up a little invest their money on business, which is a good thing. But let’s not forget the world is going through a financial crisis. Your dream business could fall apart before it’s even begun if you don’t have a marketing plan in place.

For small- to medium-sized businesses, a solid marketing plan is vital, almost crucial, in both the short-term and the long-term. Take a long hard look at your marketing plan, and ask yourself these questions.

1. Does it define my customer base?

Every business has a market niche. A few businesses claim they intend to serve everyone. But we all know better than to take those kinds of statements seriously.

Your marketing plan should focus on a specific market niche, a customer base. Are you going for a lower service fee than your competitors? Or are you aiming for the ‘high end’ neighborhood side of town? Your marketing plan should tell you this and how you should go about it.

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2.Does it define my product/service?

The marketing plan should describe your product/service in great detail. It should also explain how your product/service relates to the market. What are the needs of your market niche? What similar product or service are they using right now? How is your product or service better than your competitors’ and why should your market niche make the switch over to you?

But don’t be discouraged. In some cases competition is actually a good thing. Brian Graham has this to say about product competition.

‘Competition creates better products, alliances create better companies.’

3. Am I being innovative in a business sense?

There’s one too many businesses out there trying to sell the exact same thing. If you want to stand out, if you wish to stand out, you need to push the boundaries a little bit and see where that takes you.

‘Businesses need to realize that marketing isn’t an expense, it’s a legitimate business building activity,’ Cecelia Haddad says, director of Marketing Elements in Sydney.

A good marketing plan serves as your guide so you don’t overextend yourself. And this marketing plan should be revised periodically. You can’t afford for your marketing campaign to go stale.

4. Does it promote a brand?

The brand is the tangible form of the company’s promise to its customer base. When you create a brand, you are making a promise that customers can expect the exact same experience from their previous visits, which goes a long way into retaining patrons and increasing repeat business.

So you wish to create and promote a brand to give yourself that much-needed business edge. Question: is your marketing plan doing the same?

Taking the time to research your market niche and investing on a solid marketing plan is definitely to way to go. You’d be surprised how many small business owners think they could get along without any sort of plan whatsoever. By writing up a good marketing plan, you put yourself in the position to be more successful in the long-term, and secure a brighter future for both you and your business.

About the Author: Jon Orana is a Canada-based internet marketer and social media specialist who writes informative blog posts on the subject during his free time. You can visit his website at

Calgary Internet Marketing

for more info on his services. You can also visit his website

Calgary Internet Marketing

for more articles and tips on internet marketing.

Source:

isnare.com

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The Elements Of A Mortgage

By James Copper

Many first time home buyers have heard this word, but simply dont really know anything about it. The word is: mortgage. As a first time buyer, you really need to understand what a mortgage is before you can even attempt to buy a home. Far too many people lose their homes because they really dont understand what a mortgage is. Being too young, too immature, or too irresponsible can wreck havoc on your financial future if you try to take out a mortgage. Being ready and mature enough to handle a mortgage is a big deal and one that should not be taken lightly. Thus, it is vital to understand the elements of a mortgage before getting one for yourself.

A mortgage is composed of three basic parts, the sum, the interest, and the term. Sounds simple right Well it actually could not be any simpler than that. Let us dive a little deeper to see what each of these actually mean for you the buyer.

The sum of the loan is how much it is worth. This number can range greatly depending on the amount that you require. It is important not to go too high over the amount you will need for the home. Many mortgage brokers will help you determine the size that is needed in order for you to purchase the home without going too far over your budget.

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A mortgage is like any other loan you must make a monthly payment on the interest. This amount will be different depending on the lender you choose to go through. Be sure to shop around with different lenders to find out which offers the lowest interest rates to insure proper payment. If you do not make this monthly payment on time, it could result in loosing your home.

Every mortgage has an allotted amount of time in which you are to pay back the loan. This amount of time is referred to as a term. Typically loans are offered in two terms, 15-year and 30-year terms. If you choose a 30-year term, your monthly payments will be lower because you are paying the loan off over a longer period of time. A 15-year term would mean that you are making higher payments. It would seem that picking a 30-year term would be popular because you wouldnt have to pay that much monthly. While you are paying lower rates each month, you will be paying more interest throughout the life of the loan. The 15-year term will be a little easier in the long run because you are paying the interest and not building up any principal.

The most important tool to understanding how a mortgage will affect you is to have a good mortgage broker who is willing to explain things to you. Let them know whenever you have questions and never be afraid to ask anything that may seem simple. Aside from money issues, many people lose their homes due to the fact that they did not understand the mortgage and they never asked any questions to their mortgage broker.

About the Author: James Copper is a writer for any-loans.co.uk where you can find uk mortgages

Source: isnare.com

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