Your marketing strategy should be focused on increasing the number of customers, expanding sales figures, and achieving greater profits. The best way to do this is to aim for specific results, measurable goals that can be realized in a specific period of time. If these goals are not met, then it may be necessary to refigure the marketing plan.

Market Analysis

The first thing you have to do is determine the nature of your target market. This may be done by performing research into demographics, statistical data on a target population; researching psychographics, the attitudes, likes, and dislikes of a segment of the population; and research into niche markets, small segments of a population that share certain traits.

At this point, it may also be useful to do research on your potential competition. The way they market their goods or services and their marketing and advertising materials may be able to provide insight into their strengths and weaknesses.

Market trends can be tracked through trade publications and work by industry analysts and academics. Research into your specific area may require questionnaires sent to potential customers, surveys done over the telephone and online, and through the use of focus groups, small groups of people in the appropriate demographic category who can answer direct questions about potential products.

Sales Strategy

In this section, you'll explain to your readers how you will connect with your customers. If you have a physical store, this is where you should describe it. If you plan to reach your customers by catalog or by a company website, give details of your sales material and how often it will be updated. If you sell a product you produce, then you should also discuss your packaging here.

Price is important in selling a product, and you must set forth your pricing policy and how prices can be adjusted in case there is a downturn in your business. You should also discuss the differences -- if any -- between your prices and those of your competitors.

Advertising and Public Relations

Most conventional advertising strategies call for a mixture of ads in television, radio, newspapers, and magazines. Depending on your market, you may also wish to place ads on billboards and T-shirts or in banner ads on the internet.

You have to pay for advertising, but if you have a news "hook" you can get free exposure on the television news or in a newspaper column. Your plans for media exposure, from skywriting to press releases, should be detailed here.