Creating The Perfect Marketing Plan
Greg Murray for Radio Ink Magazine 

I love a perfect composition: a Van Gogh painting, a Frank Lloyd Wright building, a Tiger Wood’s two-iron…a well constructed marketing plan?!?  Granted, perhaps not all are works of art.  But while Tiger, Frank, and Vincent are nice to look at…it’s the latter that can put money in the bank.

Creating The Perfect Marketing Plan is easy when you have a system.  And with a system you can turn your prospects into clients.  The Perfect Marketing Plan is a balance of pages and material that turns a dispassionate prospect into a long-term advertiser.

A prospect only wants to know if you can help them generate revenue.  They don’t care about our stations, our morning team, or the latest ranker.  They want you to listen, they want you to come up with a well thought out plan; they want to have confidence in your ideas. 

To develop The Perfect Marketing Plan you must first know two key ingredients.  First, the prospects needs and second, their budget.  Without asking efficient questions in your initial meeting, your marketing plan will fall on apprehensive ears.  Through a comprehensive needs analysis, you will discover all the answers that will allow you to create The Perfect Marketing Plan.

When it is finally time to sit alone at the computer, incorporate the following ingredients and create your stations next big client.

Introduction Page

A prospect appreciates their name and business logo large and up front.  Under their heading add your station logo, the date, and your personal contact information.    

Team Commitment Page

Providing names of key staff members from business, traffic, continuity, production and management creates a personal touch.  This will also allow your prospect to feel there is a team working for their success.   

The Timeline

Include your prior needs analysis date, the presentation date, your proposed start date, and several follow up meeting dates.  This will assure your prospect that you have a start date in mind to begin the campaign, and clear intentions to follow up and keep the campaign fresh and effective in the future.    

Analysis Recap

This is your opportunity to show how much you have listened.  Include a recap of the needs analysis in bullet points.  Include details regarding their business profile, customer profile, competition, sales territory, current marketing partners, and most importantly…their unique selling positions!       

Research Page

Show off key statistics regarding their industry from sources such as Simmons or the Radio Advertising Bureau.  Sharing a few industry facts will display the depth of your knowledge regarding their business category.

Station(s) Page

Now it is time to discuss your stations.  But, not without expressing how your audiences tie into their needs.  Don’t allow yourself to share a station feature without a corresponding benefit to your prospects business.

Creative Plan

If you’ve been wise enough to create a demo commercial, now is the time to let them hear the final product.  By playing their ad and providing them a written script, you may just sell your plan right now!  Remember, if the prospect begins reworking copy, it’s a major buying sign and you are on your way to a new client!

Promotional Plan

Have any promotions tied to the campaign?  Let them know and make your ideas as tangible as possible.

Return on Investment

By discovering your prospects desired growth, closing ratio, average sale, and weekly gross sales, you can create a ROI that will make your proposal an undeniably efficient investment. 

Recommended Schedules

Show me the money!  Based on all you’ve learned, show your prospect three easy to comprehend campaign and investment options.  After you’ve shared your recommendations, ask your soon-to-be-client which one he or she feels would work best.  Then…shhhhhhhhh!

Signature Page

Always be ready with a contract.  Having an agreement with the flexibility to write in the chosen campaign will create an immediate opportunity for your new client to commit to your plan.  Congratulations!

There are several ways to add spice to your work of art; present your plan with a flip chart or go pro with a PowerPoint slide show on a laptop.  Displaying your plan professionally gives you an edge when you want to ask for more money and a longer commitment. 

Show your prospect you’ve listened and your plan just might sell itself.  Follow these tips and you’ll end more presentations with a handshake and the words, “I like it…let’s do it!”  And that is the ultimate conclusion to The Perfect Marketing Plan.