Write out each strategy, and beneath it, list key messages and tactics. Here's a sample:

Strategy: Position myself as market leader in lease purchasing in my community.

Key messages: DeFiore Enterprises is a reputable, trust-worthy name in lease purchasing your home.

Tactics: Approach local community colleges about teaching a home- buying class using niche of lease purchasing.

Propose a feature story to a local paper about "10 Things to Look for When Buying a Home," with you as expert to be quoted. Create a brochure entitled "Secrets of Buying a Home With The Lease Purchase Advantage." Offer it free to people who call.

Issue a press release about free brochure to local media. Send informational brochures to real estate agents and mortgage brokers who refer home buyers to you. For each step you plan, keep asking yourself, "Why should I do this?"

Don't decide to do big, splashy promotions if you really can't afford them. Smaller, more frequent communications are much more effective if your budget is limited. Don't forget to send communications to your networking partners.

Finally, be sure promotions you've selected project right image. If your audience is conservative, don't stage an outrageous promotion. Similarly, if you need to project a cutting-edge image, make sure your efforts are sophisticated. Also, be sure you have made friends with media. Update your press package to reflect changes you have made.

Step 6: Budgeting Your Resources

Home business owners believe marketing is an optional expense. This is one of most tragic myths in business. Marketing expenses should be given priority, especially in times of slow cash flow. After all, how are you going to attract more business during slow times if you don't tell customers about your business? Take a realistic look at how much money you have to spend on marketing. While you shouldn't overextend yourself, it's critical that you allot adequate funds to reach your markets. If you find that you don't have budget to tackle all your markets, try to reach them one by one, in order of priority.

For each of your tactics, break down each expense and outline estimated cost of each. For example, a brochure includes writing, photography, graphic design, film, printing and delivery. From there, you can beef up or pare down your plan, depending on your financial situation.

Step 7: Timing Your Projects

Now that you've broken down steps involved in each activity, be sure you set aside time to accomplish steps for each project and set a deadline for each project. Again, make sure you're not overextending yourself, or you may get burned out. It's better to start with smaller, more consistent efforts than an overly ambitious program you'll never complete.

Step 8: Ready, Set, Now Go For It!

With above steps you now have in your hands most effective "to do" list you'll ever write. You have prepared a document that can help you reach your market segments from a position of knowledge and expertise instead of from shoot-from-the-hip hunches.

Now you need to use your marketing plan. Make it a part of your "to do list" every day. Will it grow and change? Sure will. Also, as your business reaps benefits of your initial strategies, you may want to increase scope of your marketing. If you find something is not working, change it.

Remember, consistency and continuity, delivered with a dash of creativity, give you formula for successful marketing.

Copyright 2004 DeFiore Enterprises

So, here's what to do to write such an article: 1.Identify a problem your clients face, and create a solution. 2.Contact relevant publications and find out what their submission guidelines are. 3.Submit an article proposal. 4.Write article and submit it. 5.Get permission to use copies of article for your business. 6.Congratulations! You've just managed to get great exposure at minimum cost.

If you have any questions or would like assistance in creating an article, please email Frauke Nonnenmacher at frauke@creativecats.com

Copyright (c) 2004 Frauke Nonnenmacher