by Brenda Cobeaga, ENTERCOMM

 
Create a marketing plan involves developing tactics that can be tailored to the qualities of a brand and the products or services it offers. When it comes to technology companies, this requires the application of a particular methodology that helps transmit your corporate identity and achieve more effective results.

Do you want to know how to do correct planning and enhance your business reach in 2024? Don’t miss this note where we tell you all this and much more. Additionally, you will find a free downloadable which will help you understand even more the importance of this resource.
 

A brief review: what is a marketing plan?

 
It is a document written in text format that details the strategies and tactics aimed at achieving marketing objectives of a company. It is not just a roadmap, but is presented as a dynamic tool that allows adapt and respond quickly to market changes.
 
Although a general plan is usually made, a special one can also be developed for the launch of a particular service or product.
 

Steps to create an effective marketing plan

 
Below we present each of the stages that you must follow to prepare this document successfully:
 

Internal and competitive analysis

 
Being clear about the panorama in which your organization finds itself is essential, as is knowing what your competition is doing in the market. This is achieved through an internal analysis that evaluates the situation of the brand, considering aspects such as its positive and negative characteristics, economic situation and target audience. Additionally, analyzing major rivals is crucial to anticipating the impact of their actions.
 

Audience segmentation

 
Divide your target audience in smaller and more defined groups, based on shared characteristics. This will allow you to more effectively target specific users within the market, resulting in more focused campaigns, relevant messages and a greater connection with potential customers.
 

Establishing objectives and KPI’s

 
The best way to ensure that the objectives and KPI’s chosen are the correct ones is to use the method SMART. And it is very important to previously define a period that indicates what period it is prudent to wait to measure the results.
 

Preparation of the value proposition

 
Communicate and differentiate the benefits and unique features that make your products and services attractive to your customers. This will be the basis for the value added be part of your marketing planning. Find what differentiates you and exploit it. Show everyone what makes your brand different from the rest!
 

Content strategy design

 
Create relevant, quality material that demonstrates how your products and IT solutions can benefit people. Blogs, infographics, explanatory videos, webinars and success stories can be excellent options.

 

Don’t forget to choose the appropriate channels to distribute your content. Establishing materials for the different stages of the sales funnel will be very useful, since not all resources are valid at any time. Our recommendation is that you work with a content team specialized in IT to make your marketing strategy an example that everyone wants to follow.
 

Budget

 
Allocates financial resources efficiently considering selected tactics. If you want to know good practices for managing marketing funds, read this note.

Development of the action plan

 
To do so, it is very useful to guide yourself through the different phases of the sales funnel since, as we mentioned previously, it is of utmost importance to approach consumers depending on their position within it.
 

Implementation

 
And this is a task that requires time and care. Written proposals are very important, but when putting them into practice it is necessary to have an ideal and committed team.
 
In this step it is essential to pay attention so that the actions respect the plan 100%. The image of a company is everything when we talk about exposure on such popular platforms as, for example, social networks. For this reason, working respecting the corporate identity is a key factor for the strategy to work.
 

Evaluation of the results

Measuring results not only allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing plan. It is also useful to detect errors and correct them in the future. If you know where you went wrong, you are more likely to not make the same mistake again.

 

What should not be missing from your marketing plan in 2024?

 
Below we provide some tactics for each of the stages of the customer journey. They will be very useful if you want your IT business to meet its objectives and organize its priorities.
 

Content Marketing

 
For your strategy to be effective, you can include the following components in your planning:

• Industry blogs.
• Downloadable resources.
• Webinars and educational videos.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

If you are looking to improve the positioning of a website, don’t forget these tips:

 

• Conduct keyword research.
• Take technical optimization into account.

 

Social media marketing

 
With 59% of the world’s population on platforms as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and more, it is essential that your company develop an effective social media strategy to reach the target audience. Here are some considerations you can keep in mind:

 

• Mark an active presence on relevant channels.
• Makes social selling.
• Do segmented advertising.

Don’t forget that the #1 social media challenge for marketers is create engaging content, so always pay attention to them and develop interesting material for the audience!
 

Influencer marketing, UGC and content creation

 
Use these resources for your 2024 marketing plan and enhance your strategies.

UGC (user generated content) refers to any type of material, as text, images, videos, reviews, etc., that is created by ordinary people rather than professionals, influencers or companies. .

For their part, content creators are those who produce original, high-quality materials for various brands.

And influencers are those “digital personalities” with a large number of followers and a marked online presence.
 

Email marketing

 
Your planning cannot exclude email! They can be:

 

• Informative newsletters about technology.
• Sequences of lead nurturing.

 

Podcasts

 
Although it is a resource that does not have much experience in the world of marketing planning, it is important to keep it in mind for what is to come.

According to Hubspot, 28% of marketers is already including the podcasts within their strategies

Do you want to know the latest news from the tech world in the voice of its protagonists? We invite you to listen to IT Leaders, our technology podcast.

Marketing offline

 
The traditional marketing is still strong and you cannot fail to include it in your planning.

• Participate in technological events.
• Perform print and direct advertising.
• Position your company in the media.

4 keys to developing a successful marketing plan

To reinforce everything we have talked about previously, we present four conditions that every marketing plan must have:

1 – Specificity

Marketing objectives must be concrete enough to be able to determine whether or not they have been achieved. For example, a specific goal could be to increase your website views by 20% in the next quarter.

2 – Realism

The goals set must be realistic and clarity in establishing them will ensure that the company can focus on actions that increase the chances of achieving them.

3 – Flexibility

And it must be like this to be able to adapt to changes in the market or the company. This condition helps the organization to be competitive and relevant. It also helps ensure that each team and department is prepared for unexpected changes.

4 – Communication

 
Finally, it is key that the marketing strategy is informed to all employees so that they are on the same page and can work together to achieve the objectives of the plan.

Keep in mind that no strategy works in isolation, so it is key that everything that is part of it has a purpose. If you work in the IT industry, you know that the competition is tough, which is why you must stand out from your rivals.

Do you want to create the best strategy for your IT company? Download here our complete guide and learn about the key trends and content that will make a difference in each phase of the sales funnel.

In Entercomm We have more than 18 years of experience in the design and execution of marketing strategies. We can help you develop a plan that meets your specific needs and helps you achieve your business goals. ¡Contact us today to learn more!