E-commerce Carts

Our ecommerce solution is trusted by thousands of successful business owners nationwide. Web-based administrator area and installation wizard make setup and maintenance of the shopping cart as easy as point and click.  No programming knowledge is required to run our ecommerce solution. Our shopping cart has no logical limitations on the number of products you can enter. Our cart is optimized for smooth performance with up to 20,000 products.

Below are some of the features our ecommerce solution has to offer:

• Wide range of ecommerce features
• Flexible “tableless” design
• Easy text content modification using WYSIWYG tools
• W3C XHTML 1.0 compliance
• SEO friendly product catalog
• Web-based administration
• On-line payment gateways support
• Real-time shipping cost estimation based on product dimensions
• Inventory management
• Full multilanguage support
• Reports management
• View Full Ecommerce Features

The Expanded World of Ecommerce

Ecommerce has thoroughly revolutionized the way commerce is conducted. The expansion of Ecommerce that coincided with the growth of the internet has made Ecommerce industries into multi-million dollar economic powerhouses. Part of the reason for this is that Ecommerce allows even the smallest, local company the ability to conduct business on a global scale. It is humorous, to a certain degree, when one realizes that Ecommerce is merely an updated version of the weird world of mail order purchasing that was en vogue in previous generations.

Remembering Old School Mail Order Purchases

Allow six to eight weeks for delivery. That is a lengthy amount of time to wait for a package. Then again, it is being shipped all the way from Battle Creek, MI. In fact, there will a million mail order products that were delivered from the mysterious, far off land known as Battle Creek, MI.

Comedian George Carlin once opined that there were no human beings living in Battle Creek, MI and that the area consisted of little more than a humungous amount of post office boxes that magically delivered products to all those strange people who enjoyed purchasing things through the mail. Yes, at one time in popular culture, it was considered “odd” to purchase things through the mail.

Conventional wisdom at the time seemingly wondered why people would send away for items in the mail that could be purchased in a store. Because of this, some of the most successful mail order items were also among the most bizarre items one could imagine (sea monkeys, anyone?) possible.

Web-based Control Panel

• Password-protected administrative access
• All changes are real-time
• Control the cart from anywhere in the world using your web browser
• Unlimited number of admin accounts
• Support for restricted “shipping/fulfillment” admin accounts
• User-defined date/time format
• Ability for administrator to act on behalf of other users (e.g. to place phone orders for customers and use X-Cart as web based point of sale system)

Design and Layout

• 100% template-based design with separate template sets for the storefront and back end
• Fully customizable CSS-based design & layout
• W3C XHTML 1.0 Transitional compliant code
• Intuitive navigation
• WYSIWYG editor for product/category/manufacturer descriptions, language variables and static pages
• Automated product thumbnails generation with a sharpness filter
• Category thumbnail images
• Side-bar “mini-cart” viewable at all pages
• Build-in template editor: preview, edit and restore templates
• WYSIWYG text editor (webmaster mode)
• Debug console: displays a tree of templates for all pages
• The possibility to find, create and modify static HTML pages
• Customizable heading tabs
• HTML emails

Product Catalog

• Unlimited number of products
• Unlimited number of categories
• Unlimited category nesting
• Products can be assigned to unlimited number of categories
• Ability to modify multiple products simultaneously
• Members-only categories
• “Featured Products” box
• Automated display of bestsellers
• Related products, up selling and cross selling
• 1-click enable/disable switch for products and categories
• Support for up to two different currencies in the products catalog (NOTE: payment processing is possible in one currency only!)
• Automatical currency conversion
• Configurable search by title, description, category, SKU, price and weight
• “Stop words filter” for product search facility (a special filter ensures that service and link words occurring in the search pattern are ignored when search by individual words is performed – available for English language only)

Split testing is a conversion-tracking method that separates your message into two or more variations to see which gets the best response. Different visitors see different versions of the message and the results are tracked to determine the best return.

We wanted to learn more about conducting split tests (also known as A/B tests), and so we corresponded with Paras Chopra, founder of Wingify, a company that produces Visual Website Optimizer, a split-testing tool for ecommerce merchants and other web operators.

Chopra cited the example of a holiday A/B test conducted recently by MedaliaArt, an online art gallery specializing in Caribbean and Latin America art. “MedaliaArt put up a holiday sale where they offered 5 to 55 percent discounts on all paintings,” he said. “They wanted to determine the best location on the home page to put the message so as to optimize for bounce rate.”

The challenge for the company was to determine where to show the message. “Displaying it prominently on the home page will make more visitors notice it, but some visitors may find it too intrusive and leave the site immediately,” said Chopra. “On the other hand, putting it at a not-so-noticeable location may have no effect at all.”

An Example Split Test

For its split test, MedaliaArt created a couple of versions of its home page with “Holiday Sale” displayed at two different home page locations. One version represented what Chopra calls an “in-your-face ‘Holiday Sale’ message displayed in big, red font prominently on the homepage.”

“In-your-face” Holiday Sale message placement.

The second version was a sidebar “Holiday Sale” message in a smaller font.

Sidebar Holiday Sale message placement.

“Usually, split testing tools track conversion rates (percentage of visitors doing desired action). But, to track the bounce rate, MedaliaArt defined a click on any link on the home page as conversion. Thus the conversion rate of, for example, 40 percent corresponded to a 60 percent (100 percent less 40 percent) bounce rate.”

The first batch of conclusive results was available within two weeks.

“Clearly, the in-your-face, prominent promotional message has a dramatically lower bounce rate (60 percent) than the sidebar one (76 percent), said Chopra. “The reduction in the bounce rate of 21 percent is statistically significant (at 95 percent confidence level) so the in-your-face variation obviously represents a better version. The improvement in bounce rate means more interest by visitors in the paintings they are selling and potentially more sales.”

Without split testing the company could have never known the optimal position of its promotional message. And, fears that a prominently displayed promotional message might backlash by irritating visitors proved not to be an issue.

How To Improve A/B Test Results

Chopra had a suggestion for MedaliaArt (and other ecommerce merchants considering A/B testing). “Also include a variation without the ‘Holiday Sales’ messaging. If MedaliaArt had included such a variation, it would have provided a benchmark to see the effect of the sales message, irrespective of the position.”

Chopra said MedaliaArt could also have used different versions of text in addition to different home page positions. “Maybe a message with the word ‘discount’ (such as ‘55 percent discount on paintings this holiday season’) would have worked better than the default message (‘Holiday Sale’). And, optimizing for bounce rate is fine, but a better metric would have been to measure and optimize for sales, which is what really matters to an ecommerce site.”

Conclusion

Chopra said he believes split testing is the only way to really know what will work and what won’t. “It is essential to check assumptions related to promotional messages, checkout process, product category ordering, buy now button, and more.”

He suggested that merchants should be a little adventurous and test radically different home page designs and ideas. “You can always choose to include only a small percentage of traffic and can disable non-performing variations at a click of a button.”

by Kate Monteith

There is always a big discussion when it comes to comparing two of the best ways to advertise online: PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising and article marketing, otherwise known as “organic” or “natural” search engine optimization. There is no denying that both methods can be effective. However, which method is better? Which gives you a bigger bang for your buck?

You may get varying statistics on this issue, depending on which website you visit for information. Oh yes, this matters, because you have to consider the source of the statistics and who is sponsoring the article. For example, two sources of information (respectively, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and ComScore) recently produced studies indicating that PPC advertising was more cost-effective on average. However, did the fact that Yahoo/Overture and Google were sponsoring this major study play any role in determining the final outcome? Of course it did – those are the two biggest PPC companies on the net!

In figuring out which of the two is better, you have to consider cost-effectiveness as well as click-through-rates and direct conversion from visiting user to paying customer. We are going to review some statistics a little bit later on. For now, let’s consider some logical points that illustrate how PPC and article marketing differ.

Search engine result pages display more listings than PPC results, which does have a psychological effect on the user. For some users seeing ten search results (each one relevant to the search) is enough to convince them that there is enough web information on the subject and that “fishing” PPC ads might not be necessary.

The catch is that in order to actually rank in the Top 10 SEO results for your keyword, you have to have relevant website content, not to mention technical prowess in HTML coding. Search engines will be focusing on their proprietary algorithms, or the most relevant websites based on the search term queried. There is no “bribery” here, whereas in PPC, it is quite the opposite: whoever bids highest for each word usually gets the top listing. A quality algorithm definitely plays a part in PPC, but in the end money talks. In article marketing, we haven’t quite come to the point where “money talks”. The best websites still win the search engine contest and that is an important factor to consider in your marketing campaign.

Even PPC proponents will admit that PPC is largely style over substance. With PPC advertising you are trying to grab attention in just a few loud and occasionally obnoxious words. You direct the user to a carefully crafted page that “sells” the idea. This operation contrasts with article marketing, which doesn’t necessarily sell an idea on a single page, nor does it grab attention with a few words. With article marketing, there is an entire article waiting for the visitor, which uses a methodical and “indirect” approach. Assuming you are listed in the Top #10, your listing means that the search engine agrees that your website is the best authority on the keyword subject – for the time being. People in a hurry or on a whim will probably click on PPC. People on a mission will be looking for relevant content on their chosen keyword.

Therefore, the question now becomes which methodology works better for your business? Are you appealing to the fast clicker or the thoughtful user? Let’s now consider two sources of statistics for a clearer view of the issue. First, one in favor of article marketing, the next in favor of PPC.

In Favor of Article Marketing

Jakob Nielsen, Ph.D. and principal founder of the Nielsen Norman Group researched the behavior of users who found search engine results pages and noticed some trends. Forty-two percent of users selected the #1 search listing for their result, leaving 58% that selected another Top 10 Result. The #1 site listed held the majority of clicks. This indicates that almost two thirds of Internet users were not content to choose even the #1 listing on a natural SEO search. That means that these users (and the majority of all users) are actually using independent judgment in deciding what links are most relevant to their needs.

Other related statistics (with sources from ComScore, Webxico, iProspect, SEOResearcher and Hotchkiss, Garrison, and Jensen) concluded that 77% of search users choose organic listings over PPC ads. There were also studies that suggested organic click-through generated 25% higher conversion rates than equivalent PPC click-through.

In Favor of PPC Advertising

Now to be fair, we have to consider some advantages that PPC advertising has. The best feature PPC has is that it gets instantaneous results. SEO advertising takes time, especially if you have a new website just submítted to the all of the major search engines. Yes, this can be frustrating. PPC brings you immediate traffic and sometimes brings in thousands of users. Seeing your Alexa ranking take a drastic jump certainly pumps up your adrenaline!

ComScore recently published statistics in favor of PPC, stating that their studied users had an 18.3% click-through-rate on “paid” search results versus a 4.3% click-through rate for organic search results. The conversion rate was also higher according to ComScore, stating that PPC had a 1.4% versus SEO’s 0.6%.

The Real Issue: Longevity

However, the downside here (even if you didn’t contest these suspicious results) is that instant and high volume traffic is, frankly, cheap and not as exciting as it first appears to be. Remember that when you use PPC ads you are making a pitch and capitalizing on your audience’s curiosity. When that curiosity fades, they forget your website – especially if it’s just a glorified advertisement. PPC campaigns can also be costly and time consuming when you consider your duties as a manager.

Another problematic scenario with PPC is that they have no staying power – unless of course you have thousands of dollars a month to blow in this recession. With article marketing you get more quality traffic, and perhaps more importantly to you, you earn customer trust over time. Internet users aren’t stupid, the popularity of Yahoo Answers notwithstanding. Most users know that PPC ads usually aren’t relevant to their search – they’re just there because someone is consistently paying to get noticed.

You can consider article marketing as an investment that continually pays all through the life of your company (or until you shut the website down) since it generates traffic forever. You can easily spend thousands a month on a brilliant PPC campaign and soon run out of money, meaning your ads go extinct. Therefore, we can conclude that article marketing does have specific advantages over PPC, which are intrinsic because of the differences in operation.

•     Article marketing generates traffic forever

•     Article marketing improves your natural SEO ranking and backlinks

•     Article marketing establishes trust – you appear as a professional in your industry

•     Article marketing doesn’t cost you extra on top of fees spent on websites, landing pages and superfluous domains

How About Return-On-Investment?

ROI is another key issue, as short-term and long-term profit must equal out. Article marketing, by some authorities appears to have a slower ROI -(especially if you make revenue on CTRs). However, studies suggest that organic ROI is more consistent than PPC. Consider some independent research conducted by popular blogger Gord Hotchkiss who explained the situation in crystal clear terms. Let’s say you have 50 high traffic search terms. Now for these 50 terms, there are 2.8 million searches being launched in a month. If statistics like ComScore’s are correct and unbiased, that translates to 456,000 visitors thanks to PPC and 153,000 visitors thanks to article marketing.

The total cost of those 456,000 PPC visitors would amount to over $500,000 with an average CPC of $1.18. Even if you work with an SEO company that charges top dollar ($10,000 a month, let’s say) you’re still paying $10,000 compared to half a million. That means article marketing’s virtual CPC amounts to $0.07. Even if you apply PPC’s higher conversion rate, 3,647 converted visitors, you are paying $147.08 for each individual person. Compare that to 611 visitors you earned through article marketing – you are paying $16.37 for each visitor. And in doing so, you are also earning a higher quality of customer and generating traffic until the end of days.

Does your final ROI number take into account your total expenses? Absolutely! While both methods of advertising have their place online, when it comes to earning quality traffic, article marketing gets the last word.

About The Author
Words You Want is your one stop resource for all of your writing needs. Words You Want offers a variety of services including SEO packages, article directory submission, SEO article writing, ghostwriting, eBook writing, travel writing, equine writing and more.

Recognizing the need for IT professionals to have a truly independent tool for pricing telecommunications products, we created a site that utilizes the capabilities of many authorized independent agents representing all the major telecom carriers for voice data and colocation. We use real time quote tools connected to the different carrier’s databases and connect directly with the carrier’s agent channel for special promos and pricing.

Our goal is to provide you with timely and accurate pricing from all the carriers in your location.

Our approach to how we run our business is based on the highest levels of professionalism. We take great pride in being responsive, paying attention to details, and exceeding your expectations. Our service and support truly sets us apart from others. From the pricing we provide, to the support you will receive expediting your order, outstanding performance is key.

Carriers

• Access Point
• Nitel
• Time Warner Cable
• ACC Business
• Netwolves
• SAVVIS
• Sprint Nextel
• XO Communications
• AboveNet
• AT&T
• Optimum LightPath
• Level 3 Communications
• Global Crossing Inc
• Qwest Communications

T3 Providers Website -  Colocated Hosting

Twitter Tools
Below is a list of various tools for twitter, there are many many more. Please add your comments with tools you use. This list is meant to cover as many utilities as possible. A special thank you to the twitter users that gave me their recommendations, a list is at the end. Add to Delicious – Click Here.

Support this site by adding this
Support Bookmark to Delicious.

Desktop Applications for Twitter

• Seesmic – allows multiple Twitter (and Facebook) monitoring
• Twhirl – allows monitoring of multiple Twitter accounts
• Snitter – for Mac and Windows
• Twitterriffic – for Mac OS
• MadTwitter – for windows
• Spaz – open source twitter client

Twitter Organization

• Tweet Deck
• TweetMixx – shows tweets and summary of links out

Manage Multiple Twitter Accounts

• Splitweet

Twitter for Companies

• CoTweet

Firefox Plugins

• Twitbin
• Twitterfox

Send Messages to Twitter using Voice

• Twitter Fone

Blackberry Client

• TwitterBerry

iPhone Twitter Apps

• Tweetie for iPhone
• Twinkle for iPhone
• Twitter for iPhone
• Hahlo
• Pocket Tweets

Twitter on any Mobile device

• Tiny Twitter – phone needs java
• Twitter Mobile – only go here on your phone
• iTweet
• twibble

Twitter on Windows Mobile

• Pocket Twit

Post via Mobile

• Twitterscan

Send via eMail

• Twittermail

Counter to show your twitter followers

• Twitter Counter

Enhance your Tweets

• Twitter Keys

Un-follow Someone for Just a Few Days

• Twitter Snooze

Find out who Stopped Following You and Why

• Qwitter
• Twitterless

Manage who Follows You and Who You Follow, Recommendations Also

• Friend or Follow
• Mr. Tweet – Recommendations

Top Twitter Lists

• Twitter Counter Top 100 List
• twInfluence Top 50 List

Visual Map of Twitter Posts

• Twitter Vision

Share Files, Pictures & Videos via Twitter

• Tweetcube – files
• Twitpic – pics
• Visual Twitter – pics
• Twixxer

Share Quotes and Bits from Webpages

• Tweet All About It

Monitor Twitter for Keywords & Whats Hot

• PeopleBrowsr – filter, sort, follow, post, repeat
• Tweet Grid – monitor keywords
• Monitter – monitor keywords
• Twitscoop
• Flaptor Twitter Search – search twitter for a keyword
• Twitspy – monitor twitter public timeline in real time
• Tweetscan
• CityTweets – follow tweets by City

Monitor Conversations

• Tweet 2 Tweet
• Twitalks – find out what two users are saying about you

Monitor Trends

• Twist

Autoresponder & Setup Automatic Tweets

• Tweet Later

Autopost your Blog entries to Twitter

• Twitterfeed

Evaluate your Twitter Profile

• Twitter Grader
• Twitter Ratio
• Tweet Value

Twitter Statistics and Graphs for a Twitter Account

• Tweetstats
• Twitgraph

Twitter Dictionary

• Twittords

WordPress
There are a bunch of plugins for twitter and wordpress, will make that another article.

Special Thanks
Thank you to the following for their suggestions:
@iamrasa, @sumaya, @zebb, @tessneale, @SeanMarler, @david_tinney, @officemate.

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6023f3/us_small_business) has announced the addition of the “US Small Business Broadband Services Expenditures by Size of Business, 2008-2013″ report to their offering.

This Excel-based Data-rich Deliverable (DRD) that is part of the Business IP subscription includes market intelligence on business expenditures on Business Broadband services by size of business. The report defines Business IP as services used to carry and/or connect to the Internet. This category include Full and Fractional T1 and T3 connections, broadband services, dial-up Internet access, OC-X services and both TDM and VoIP-based Integrated Access. The report defines broadband as DSL, satellite Internet, Cable modems and fixed wireless Internet services. Size of business includes Small Business (5-99 employees). The Expert Guide for this deliverable is Kneko Burney. Forecasts are from 2008 through 2013 and include annual growth rate, as well as percentage of total market.

Sources: Our segment and market forecasts, which include business expenditures, market demographics, and usage and adoption statistics, are built using multiple sources, including our proprietary research.

These sources include, but are not limited to:

We select data sources to provide greatest degree of perspective on each market or segment, in addition to the highest level of data accuracy, stability, and consistency over time.

Please Note: Due to the brevity and/or nature of the content posted, there is no table of contents available for this report. —

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6023f3/us_small_business

Press Release Contacts

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager Fax from USA: 646-607-1907 Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716 press@researchandmarkets.com

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  “People look around at the economy, and what they thought were safe and secure positions are no longer safe or secure,” says George Solomon, associate professor of management and director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence at The George Washington University. Solomon saw the number of startups increase during the recessions of 1983 and 2001 and predicts they’ll increase in the current economy as well.

So if you’ve just been laid off or think you’re about to, get inspired by these entrepreneurs who turned their pink slips into a green light to start businesses.

Attitude is Key
No time is ever a good time for a layoff, but for Gadnis, it couldn’t have been a worse time. With a new home and a new baby, losing his job was definitely not part of the plan. However, after receiving the news, Gadnis soon found a business partner, thought up a business name, Forward Hindsight Inc., and registered his new strategy and risk management consulting business all before the day was over.

That was in 2004. Today, Forward Hindsight boasts an impressive list of clients, including Northwest Airlines, and has even expanded into the Middle East and India. In 2008, the Minneapolis-based company made about $3 million in sales, and Gadnis aims to increase that number in the next couple of years.

With extensive experience as former director at United Health Group and head of software development for an e-learning company, Gadnis was equipped with contacts and know-how, but his attitude was the key to getting back on his feet so quickly. Instead of feeling frustrated or incompetent, Gadnis kept his ego in check. “In the past four years, I’ve learned that in addition to a zero basis for fear, you have to have a zero basis for ego,” says Gadnis, 39. “If you have no ego, you can get through any difficult moments.” Now, with a successful business under way, Gadnis has set his sights on a much bigger goal: He wants to be working to solve world hunger full time by the time he’s 45.

Exit Strategy
When Wonacott lost his job in April 2007, he was prepared. He had caught wind of possible cuts and, having been through a layoff before, wanted to be in the driver’s seat this time. He prepared a proposal and, when the fateful day arrived, approached the company’s CEO and vice president of marketing with a deal they couldn’t refuse: He would continue doing their PR work but wouldn’t require the salary or benefits of an employee. They agreed and not only became his first client, but also leveraged their networks to win him two other clients. “I have never professionally been so scared,” admits Wonacott, 36, who, thanks to his courage and a good severance package, was able to walk away from the layoff with the beginning phases of Wonacott Communications LLC, a full-service PR and integrated communications practice in Los Angeles.

After holding several PR positions, Wonacott knew the industry well, but wasn’t so familiar with owning a business. “Going into a position where you don’t have someone else paying you every two weeks, you have to change the way you think,” he says. He had also long relied on having the assistance of IT specialists, HR experts and office managers at his fingertips, but when he went out on his own, those responsibilities fell on his shoulders. To cope, he turned to his network, where he found a friend of a friend who could offer tech support when needed. He also found his business accountant and attorney and got business leads for the first six months.

Now Wonacott is preparing to move into a bigger office space and projects 2009 sales to reach about $500,000. “We’re not huge, and I don’t want to be huge,” he says. “But it’s really gratifying to see that level of both personal and professional success.”

Passion Pays
“Usually people pick something they have a passion for, and that passion gives them a certain set of knowledge,” says Bryan Howe, CEO and founder of business planning firm MasterPlans.com.

In May, when Marchuska fell victim to the financial crisis and lost her job after working in the finance sector for six years, she did exactly that: She went after her passion and started Marchuska, an eco-friendly clothing line in Endicott, New York, with her brother, Justin Marchuska, 35. A few months later, she launched the women’s line Cmarchuska on her own. “I love fashion and have a strong love for the environment,” she says, “so I wanted to figure out a way I could tie that together.”

Never mind that Marchuska had no experience in the fashion industry. She signed up for a sewing class so she could understand what goes into constructing a garment, bought DVDs and books, researched online, met people in the industry and found a pattern/sample maker as well as a Canadian mill that produces organic cotton.

Marchuska started the venture within months of being laid off. She landed her products on the shelves of retailers, developed an e-commerce site and now projects 2009 sales of about $100,000. “Everyone’s feeling the tough times right now,” says Marchuska, 28. “It’s not one industry or one country that’s suffering. But if you’re going to try something and you can afford to, now is definitely the time to go for it.”

When Ashish Gadnis was laid off from his position as president of a Minnesota software development company, he managed to launch his new life before even leaving the parking lot. On the way to his car, he ran into the vice president of operations who had also been let go, and the two decided to start their own business.

The week Jason Wonacott lost his job as director of corporate communications for a Los Angeles online game publisher, he became his own boss and signed on his former employer as his first client.

When news of the Wall Street crash hit every U.S. household, Christine Marchuska felt the effects directly. Working in Manhattan at a major U.S. investment bank, Marchuska saw her layoff as a sign that it was time to become an entrepreneur.

Firms that are successful in marketing invariably start with a marketing plan. Large companies have plans with hundreds of pages; small companies can get by with a half-dozen sheets. Put your marketing plan in a three-ring binder. Refer to it at least quarterly, but better yet monthly. Leave a tab for putting in monthly reports on sales/manufacturing; this will allow you to track performance as you follow the plan.

The plan should cover one year. For small companies, this is often the best way to think about marketing. Things change, people leave, markets evolve, customers come and go. Later on we suggest creating a section of your plan that addresses the medium-term future–two to four years down the road. But the bulk of your plan should focus on the coming year.

You should allow yourself a couple of months to write the plan, even if it’s only a few pages long. Developing the plan is the “heavy lifting” of marketing. While executing the plan has its challenges, deciding what to do and how to do it is marketing’s greatest challenge. Most marketing plans kick off with the first of the year or with the opening of your fiscal year if it’s different.

Content Continues Below

Who should see your plan? All the players in the company. Firms typically keep their marketing plans very, very private for one of two very different reasons: Either they’re too skimpy and management would be embarrassed to have them see the light of day, or they’re solid and packed with information . . . which would make them extremely valuable to the competition.

You can’t do a marketing plan without getting many people involved. No matter what your size, get feedback from all parts of your company: finance, manufacturing, personnel, supply and so on–in addition to marketing itself. This is especially important because it will take all aspects of your company to make your marketing plan work. Your key people can provide realistic input on what’s achievable and how your goals can be reached, and they can share any insights they have on any potential, as-yet-unrealized marketing opportunities, adding another dimension to your plan. If you’re essentially a one-person management operation, you’ll have to wear all your hats at one time–but at least the meetings will be short!

What’s the relationship between your marketing plan and your business plan or vision statement? Your business plan spells out what your business is about–what you do and don’t do, and what your ultimate goals are. It encompasses more than marketing; it can include discussions of locations, staffing, financing, strategic alliances and so on. It includes “the vision thing,” the resounding words that spell out the glorious purpose of your company in stirring language. Your business plan is the U.S. Constitution of your business: If you want to do something that’s outside the business plan, you need to either change your mind or change the plan. Your company’s business plan provides the environment in which your marketing plan must flourish. The two documents must be consistent.

A marketing plan, on the other hand, is plump with meaning. It provides you with several major benefits. Let’s review them.

• Rallying point: Your marketing plan gives your troops something to rally behind. You want them to feel confident that the captain of the vessel has the charts in order, knows how to run the ship, and has a port of destination in mind. Companies often undervalue the impact of a “marketing plan” on their own people, who want to feel part of a team engaged in an exciting and complicated joint endeavor. If you want your employees to feel committed to your company, it’s important to share with them your vision of where the company is headed in the years to come. People don’t always understand financial projections, but they can get excited about a well-written and well-thought-out marketing plan. You should consider releasing your marketing plan–perhaps in an abridged version–companywide. Do it with some fanfare and generate some excitement for the adventures to come. Your workers will appreciate being involved.

• Chart to success: We all know that plans are imperfect things. How can you possibly know what’s going to happen 12 months or five years from now? Isn’t putting together a marketing plan an exercise in futility . . . a waste of time better spent meeting with customers or fine-tuning production? Yes, possibly but only in the narrowest sense. If you don’t plan, you’re doomed, and an inaccurate plan is far better than no plan at all. To stay with our sea captain analogy, it’s better to be 5 or even 10 degrees off your destination port than to have no destination in mind at all. The point of sailing, after all, is to get somewhere, and without a marketing plan, you’ll wander the seas aimlessly, sometimes finding dry land but more often than not floundering in a vast ocean. Sea captains without a chart are rarely remembered for discovering anything but the ocean floor.

• Company operational instructions: Your child’s first bike and your new VCR came with a set of instructions, and your company is far more complicated to put together and run than either of them. Your marketing plan is a step-by-step guide for your company’s success. It’s more important than a vision statement. To put together a genuine marketing plan, you have to assess your company from top to bottom and make sure all the pieces are working together in the best way. What do you want to do with this enterprise you call the company in the coming year? Consider it a to-do list on a grand scale. It assigns specific tasks for the year.

• Captured thinking: You don’t allow your financial people to keep their numbers in their heads. Financial reports are the lifeblood of the numbers side of any business, no matter what size. It should be no different with marketing. Your written document lays out your game plan. If people leave, if new people arrive, if memories falter, if events bring pressure to alter the givens, the information in the written marketing plan stays intact to remind you of what you’d agreed on.

• Top-level reflection: In the daily hurly-burly of competitive business, it’s hard to turn your attention to the big picture, especially those parts that aren’t directly related to the daily operations. You need to take time periodically to really think about your business–whether it’s providing you and your employees with what you want, whether there aren’t some innovative wrinkles you can add, whether you’re getting all you can out of your products, your sales staff and your markets. Writing your marketing plan is the best time to do this high-level thinking. Some companies send their top marketing people away to a retreat. Others go to the home of a principal. Some do marketing plan development at a local motel, away from phones and fax machines, so they can devote themselves solely to thinking hard and drawing the most accurate sketches they can of the immediate future of the business.

Ideally, after writing marketing plans for a few years, you can sit back and review a series of them, year after year, and check the progress of your company. Of course, sometimes this is hard to make time for (there is that annoying real world to deal with), but it can provide an unparalleled objective view of what you’ve been doing with your business life over a number of years.

Source: The Small Business Encyclopedia and Knock-Out Marketing