You can’t build a business without a solid marketing plan. This is part 5 of the Level Up Series, and today we’re upgrading your marketing.
We’ve gone over creating a signature style, offer, an up-leveled mindset and platform.
But without a marketing plan, your Leveled-Up brand will be invisible.
Today, I’m going to help you build a marketing plan that feels authentic and gets results.
Let’s get started!
Leveled Up Marketing Action Plan (MAP):
There are five key elements to creating your Marketing Action Plan:
Marketing Action Plan Element #1: Core Message
What is the central message of your business and brand? This is the driving force behind what you do and the offers you create. If you need help with this, the Values and Vision pieces of the Lane Jones Branding Framework can assist you.
This is the first step of the MAP (Marketing Action Plan) because your marketing materials and strategy need to be in line with your core message. Also, when done correctly, your core message will come through in your marketing.
Marketing Action Plan Element #2: Your audience/target market
Have you identified your target market base? Are you clear on who your marketing needs to reach? If not, use the model of Brand Archetypes to guide you.
The 12 Brand Archetypes
Here’s a quick layout of the brand archetypes. If you’re unfamiliar with them, or which one matches your brand, it’s a worthwhile investment of time to get clear on this.
The Magician. Magician brands create innovative, life-changing products and services. That’s the Ethos they stand for.
The Sage. Sage brands illustrate pure brilliance. You can rely on them for unending wisdom. Think of well-established institutions and thought leaders.
The Innocent. These brands are more virtuous. They often appeal to sentiments like nostalgia.
The Outlaw. Outlaw brands personify and encourage being different, unique, standing out.
The Jester. This brand personality lives in the moment. It’s a fun, playful brand. The marketing matches this outgoing, often comical approach.
The Lover. The lover brand typically aims to have patrons think of them when in thought about passion, pleasure, sensuality.
The Explorer. This brand epitomizes freedom, exploration, breaking free. Think of brands like Subaru cars.
The Ruler. Ruler brands are about exclusivity and luxury. Think top of the line Mercedes Benz. They make it known trough their marketing that they’re high-quality, and thus high price.
The Caregiver. This brand emphasizes caring, nurturing. Family brands, like Johnson & Johnson, reflect this personality in their marketing and offers.
The Hero. Hero brands are about bold, brave living. Think about the US Army. The marketing material is replete with people risking their lives, giving their all.
The Regular Guy/Girl. As the name implies, the regular girl or guy archetype focuses on the everyday consumer. They’re down to earth, relatable, non-pretentious
The Creator. This final archetype centers around brands that strive to create offers their patrons can’t live without. Their marketing messages emphasize the deep value of their products and services.
Marketing Action Plan Element #3: Brand Position
Where is your target market? This marketing step is about finding the right channels for promoting your brand and connecting with your ideal patron.
You’ll save wasted time and expenses by positioning your brand in front of your ideal client rather than trying to be everywhere.
Marketing Action Plan Element #4: Connection
You connect with your customers by embodying your brand archetypes in your marketing. Also use the common model called AIDA to guide you when creating marketing material, particularly material like sales pages.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, here’s a quick explanation. I’ve added an R to the end of the traditional model.
A – Attention -The product must attract the customer’s attention.
I – Interest- The customer’s interest must be maintained.
D – Desire/Decision – Inspire customer desire and prompt them to make a decision.
A – Action – Lead them to take action
R – Reaction -Spark customer reaction
Marketing Action Plan Element #5: Community
Build a community around your core message. Your brand means nothing without the community it serves.
Marketing is a powerful tool for building and nurturing community, whether through forums, social media, meetups, workshops, group coaching sessions.
You’ll notice a theme of ‘signature’ throughout this Level Up series. That’s because creating signature offers, styles and messages is about building unique, identifiable branding assets that set you apart.
Ready to put these to work?
Let’s start with the end in mind. What’s your goal? Where is your MAP leading to? If you’re on the Level Up journey, creating a brand and business that stands out, creates transformational results for clients, and fits your core values, your goals are around positioning yourself as a thought leader, expert, influencer. Someone who delivers premium products in your market.
With that in mind, what will you do day by day, week by week?
Here’s a simplified breakdown of actions to take
- Infuse your signature (core) message into your marketing. Look at your marketing material. Is your core message coming through? It may be time for an overhaul.
- Create consistent content (whether blog posts, podcasts, social media tips). Something relevant every week. The key, again, is consistency.
- Send branded emails to your subscribers.
- Engage with your social media community.
- Create branded advertising campaigns.
- Outlay a branded buyer’s journey. Have a clear step-by-step process that takes your audience from discovering to free to paid.
You don’t get to where you want to go by wandering aimlessly. That causes unnecessary stress and wastes time and energy. Instead, you follow a map.
Follow the MAP- Marketing Action Plan laid out for you here and you’ll get results. The key, with all of the components of the Level Up series, is consistency.