Simple preparation involved before writing a marketing plan.

by Ed Camp

A famous philosopher from our childhood  -- Winnie the Pooh -- provided some very good advice when he said, "The beginning is a very good place to start."  Believe it or not, the only way to begin writing a marketing plan is to start.  Every business needs a marketing plan, even tiny businesses hoping to become small businesses.  Also, every business owner has a marketing plan whether he or she realizes it or not. The plan may be a few ideas written on a piece of notebook paper, or a collection of sticky notes that form a "to do" list, or ideas that have been swimming around the brain for years.

Write down everything!  Take those thoughts and ideas swimming around in your head and put them on paper.  You are not writing a term paper, just putting your thoughts down so you can remember them later.  Use words, phrases, partial sentences - anything!  And, of course, keep adding to it as you keep living your life . . . as you are driving, taking a shower, watching TV.  You never know when the thoughts will come. Put your notes in a folder labeled "Us."

• Collect ideas.  As you read newspapers, surf the web, watch TV and read magazines you will look for other ideas that can help you.  Collect them in a file folder labeled "Ideas" and keep stuffing the ideas you have in there.
• Your competition.  Create another file folder that is labeled "Them."  Put anything and everything you see about your competitors in that folder, from newspaper ads and news articles to comments you hear from people in passing.
• Your customer.  Use a folder labeled "Our Friends" to include any information you collect about your customers.  It can be articles from business journals about potential growth in your hometown to positive notes or comments you receive from customers. 
• Advertising.  You will no doubt be solicited by all sorts of advertising opportunities.  Put the information you receive in a folder and label it "Ads."  It would be a good idea to include samples of any advertising opportunities you want to investigate on your own as well.  Having information about costs will help, too.
• The web.  It's amazing the amount of information that you can find on the Internet.  What a wonderful resource it has become, and it's virtually free.  As you find different web sites you think will help you, print out the home page and be sure to have the address in this file folder.

Collecting information represents an important step in creating your own marketing plan.  Better yet, it gets you started and will inspire you to continue.  Once the ball is rolling, it will pick up speed and you will be on your way to a great marketing plan.