Copywriting I

The Marketing PlanHow it helps us choose our words.

The Communications Process

• Sender• Message• Channel• Noise• Receiver• Feedback

The Communications Process

Where is all that Noise coming from?

Market researchUnderstand your market

Are there segments in my market that are being underserved?

Are the segments big enough to make money?

How much share of that market do I need to capture, to just break even?

Is there too much competition in the segment of my market to be competitive?

What are my competition’s weaknesses?

Target Market

A defined segment of the market that is the strategic focus of a business or a marketing plan. The members of this segment possess common characteristics and a relative high propensity to purchase a particular product or service.

Because of this, the members of this segment represent the greatest potential for sales volume and frequency. The target market is often defined in terms of geographic, demographic, and psychographic characteristics.

Pricing, positioning and branding

From the information you've collected, establish strategies for determining:

• the price of your product • where your product will be positioned in the

market• how you will achieve brand awareness.

Budget

• What strategies can you afford ?• What can you do in-house, what do you need

to outsource?

Marketing goals

• Establish quantifiable marketing goals.• For instance, your goals might be to gain at

least 30 new clients or to sell 10 products per week, or to increase your income by 30% this year.

• Your goals might include sales, profits, or customer's satisfaction.

Monitor your results

• Test and analyze. Identify the strategies that are working.

• Survey customers. • Track sales, leads, visitors to your web site,

percent of sales to impressions. • Establish ROI (return on investment).

Body Copy:New Spudz Stix are air-popped, not fried, and contain zero trans fats. Of course the only thing kids care about is that they’re delicious. They come in great flavours like Ketchup, Cheesy Nacho, and Ranch - and they’re from Quaker, so Mom’s going to love them too.Slogan:The only thing kids know is that they’re delicious

Define the product or service

• Describe the attributes of your product in terms of features and benefits

FeaturesBenefits Positioning

The Marketing Plan

1. Market research

2. Target market

3. Product

4. Competition

5. Mission statement

6. Market strategies

7. Pricing, positioning and branding

8. Budget

9. Marketing goals

10. Monitor your results

The Seven-Stage Marketing Strategy

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats

The Seven-Stage Marketing StrategyDefine the product or service and describe its attributes

The factFeature: The coffee cup has a no-spill lid

The promise:Benefit: You will never stain your clothes ever again

The value:Enjoy a cup of coffee without worrying

Choose your target market

• Age • Gender• Income• Other Factors

Know your competition and USP

• Competition• USP (what we have that the competition does

not)

Unique Selling Proposition

• Your USP is the key to everything• Once determined, your slogan, advertising

campaign, and design projects all reflect it

Understand business environment

• Economic • Political • Legal• Social/Cultural• Technological

Promotional Strategy Objective

• Fulfillment• Target Market’s Desire• Brand Awareness

Write your sales message

Inform target market what they can get

Slogan: There are 364 practice days but only one St Patrick’s Day.

Select Promotional Media

• Media must reach defined target market and allow us to accomplish our promotional strategy.

The Marketing Plan

1. Market research

2. Target market

3. Product

4. Competition

5. Mission statement

6. Market strategies

7. Pricing, positioning and branding

8. Budget

9. Marketing goals

10. Monitor your results

How marketing plan applies

• Situation – where am I?• Objectives – where am I going?• Strategy – how am I getting there?• Tactics – details of strategy• Action – who does what?• Control - Metrics

Put customers 1st

Problem = solution

Use language the customer understands (SEO)

Pain points

• 1927 – 1945 = Traditionalists• 1946 - 1964 = Boomers• 1965 – 1983 = Gen X• 1984 – 2002 = Gen Y (Millennials/Echo

Boomers)• 2003 and on = Gen Z

The inverted pyramid

W5

• Set up the most important information at the top

• Don’t state the obvious• Don’t get distracted• Get to the point

Call to action

• Make people act• Get to the point. Save 15% or more…• Back up your copy with numbers• Keep it simple• Test

Cluster exercise – word cloud