Marketing plan: from planning to development

• What is a marketing agency and what services does it provide?
• Prospects for opening a marketing agency
• The main source of income for marketing agencies
• Additional sources of profit
• Pros and cons of a marketing agency
• How to start a business? Company registration
• Office space
• Purchase of equipment
• Personnel

The marketing agency specializes in studying and analyzing market situations in order to effectively carry out marketing activities and campaigns. Cooperation with a marketing agency allows companies that produce various types of goods and provide services to the public to attract new customers, increase sales and make a profit. The business plan of a marketing agency contains a description of the main stages of organization and registration, requirements for rented premises, necessary equipment and hired personnel, recommendations for finding and attracting clients, as well as financial analytics of the business project.

What is a marketing agency and what services does it provide?

A marketing agency allows small, medium and large businesses to survive the competition by developing and implementing effective marketing programs, advertising campaigns and events. For effective practical implementation of advertising activities, the market situation, the level of supply and demand, and the strengths and weaknesses of competitors are carefully analyzed.

The marketing agency provides the following types of services:

• outdoor advertising, which is the placement of advertising offers on shop windows, signs, banners, posters and billboards;
• release of souvenirs;
• conducting marketing campaigns aimed at enhancing the client’s image and reputation, increasing its consumer attractiveness;
• advertising in traditional media;
• SMM marketing and advertising of the client in groups of popular social networks;
• creation and promotion of the client’s website;
• printing and production of leaflets, flyers, booklets;
• other services.

Prospects for opening a marketing agency

The possibilities for organizing and promoting your own marketing agency in various regions and cities of the country are limitless and are adjusted only by the level of competition in a certain region. Small, medium and large businesses are ready to become clients of a professional marketing agency so that participation in competition is as effective as possible, and the company’s marketing policy allows them to attract new clients and make a profit.

Not all companies have their own full-fledged marketing or advertising department and are ready to resort to the services of third-party organizations and agencies, thanks to which a marketing agency finds clients in any city and region. If we are talking about Internet marketing, the range of services and client audience are many times wider, due to the possibility of remotely providing services to our own clients from different regions of the world.

Production plan

The office will require minor renovations to operate. Some landlords rent out excellent premises, already furnished.

The equipment includes the cost of purchasing specific devices. Namely:

• Set for printing and presentations.
• Photo and video equipment.

Office equipment includes 3 computers and an MFP.

The furniture you will need is as follows:

• chairs;
• tables;
• cabinets;
• chairs for clients.

State:

Total wage costs – 153,200 rubles .

I would like to note that the manager partially performs the duties of a secretary. Makes calls and answers phone calls. He is also actively looking for clients and maintaining a database.

The marketer conducts market research, identifies the most effective methods of advertising, and, together with the manager, draws up a plan for further action.

The artist is engaged in the development of layouts and layout.

A computer technology specialist works with graphics, photo and video editors. He is also involved in developing the site and filling it out.

The operator is engaged in printing the necessary attributes. If necessary, negotiates with other companies to provide support services.

The main source of income for marketing agencies

The company's source of income is client fees and deductions in the form of interest for the attracted target audience for small, medium and large businesses. Often, marketing agencies receive a percentage of sales or services. In this regard, the amount of income directly depends on the effectiveness of the marketing agency, the impact of ongoing advertising campaigns and events on the target audience and the sales volumes of its own clients.

Pros and cons of a marketing agency

The main advantage and advantage of a business project over other types of entrepreneurial activity is the regular demand for services and a wide target audience of potential business client companies. Among other things, the advantages of a marketing agency include the high market value of services, the ability to work through remote collaboration and thereby reach an even larger number of clients from different areas of the world. In most regions in this business area, the level of demand significantly exceeds supply.

At the same time, the disadvantages of organizing this type of business activity are the high level of competition in developed regions, large cities and metropolitan areas, the lack of qualified personnel in small provincial towns, as well as difficulties in establishing one’s own agency in the market for similar services.

Competitor analysis

Researching the activities of competitors operating in the same industry or related fields is an essential part of any business plan. The business plan should reflect the analysis of competitors in as detailed and clear a manner as possible. Divide your competitors into direct and indirect. Indicate their position in this market segment, their share in the overall sales picture, income level, advertising methods, equipment and technologies used, human resources - in general, everything that can be found out.

Analysis of the sales market and competitors, analysis of the company’s position in the market should reflect all the strengths and weaknesses of competitors in order to determine ways to effectively combat them. In the same section, indicate your advantages in comparison with competitors in the sales market, justify why the consumer will choose your product.

That's all for today. Let's meet in the next topic - “Writing a marketing plan in a business plan.” I wish you success!

How to start a business?

Company registration

Modern conditions in various regions of the country make registering a marketing agency business simple and accessible. A new entrepreneur needs to submit a package of documents to the registration authority, select the form of an economic entity, as well as a suitable taxation system. A businessman can choose from three suitable forms of state registration of a business: an individual entrepreneur without forming a legal entity, a limited liability company and an open or closed joint stock company.

The best option would be to register as a limited liability company and choose a simplified taxation system that provides for monthly payment of taxes in the form of 6% of income or 15% of the organization’s net profit. After submitting all the necessary documents and paying the state fee, the company will be registered - as practice shows, on average the registration procedure takes about a week.

Office space

If we are talking about organizing a promising and reputable business that involves not only remote provision of services, but also cooperation with clients directly, the face of any marketing agency will be the company's location office. It is recommended to rent a room; it should be spacious and bright, in good repair and presentable in appearance. It is almost impossible to get cooperation with a major client in your own portfolio if the solidity and status of the organization is not emphasized by a presentable, comfortable office.

Purchase of equipment

When choosing suitable equipment, you should definitely consider equipping your office with the necessary computer equipment, especially if the main activity of the agency is remote Internet marketing. You will also need other office equipment and furniture, without which the functioning of a full-fledged office is not possible. The costs of their acquisition will make up a certain part of the initial investment in the business project.

Personnel

In this type of business, unlike some other types of entrepreneurial activity, the qualifications of specialists play a vital role in the growth and development of the company, affecting the flow of orders, the number of grateful clients and the reputation of the organization. Not only the current popularity and turnover of the company’s orders, but also the future development of the business directly depends on how quickly, responsibly and efficiently the employees approach the fulfillment of client orders.

In this regard, it is necessary to approach the selection of hired personnel with full responsibility: it is important that the applicant not only has special education and experience in such work, but also profitable contacts, an established client base and other business relationships useful for a marketing agency. At the initial stages of development of the organization, the following specialists will be needed:

• manager and curators of individual projects and large orders;
• managers searching for clients, tracking orders and consulting the target audience;
• marketing specialists, as well as designers and artists.

This is the minimum number of employees required at the initial stages of organizing and developing a marketing agency. In the future, the staff will increase.

It is recommended to entrust accounting services and legal support at the initial stages of an organization’s formation to third-party or remote specialists as an alternative to forming full-fledged financial and legal departments, respectively. Thus, not only the necessary space for accommodating employees is saved, but also the organization’s current expenses in the form of wages and tax deductions associated with the remuneration of accountants and lawyers.

Characteristics of the sales market

A sales market is an economic space in which an organization sells its goods or services. To become a successful player in this market, you need to know its current state, prospects and other participants. The sales market is the space where you will earn profit. Therefore, it is very important to study it carefully and provide a detailed description in the business plan. The description of the sales market has several components.

2.1 General characteristics of the sales market

Here it is necessary to describe the sales market according to the following parameters:

1) Geographical location;

2) Estimated market size – estimated number of consumers;

3) Characteristics of competition in this market - low, high or average;

4) Current state of the market;

5) Trends in its development.

This information can be obtained from the Internet, as well as from specialized periodicals. In addition, it will be useful to receive and display in the business plan expert comments on the state and prospects of your chosen sales market.

2.2 Overview of the competitive environment

This part should contain a detailed description of the competition in the market for your product. It is necessary to assess the number of competitors, identify the strongest among them and characterize these organizations and the goods they produce (services they provide). A correct and realistic assessment of the competitive environment allows you to correctly determine the target market segment, develop effective marketing activities and ultimately obtain the desired profitability of the business.

You can research competitors using two methods: desk and field. The desk method consists of researching competing organizations and their products by studying Internet sites, information in the press, statistical data, etc. The field method involves directly studying the activities of competitors - for example, walking around stores and inspecting goods. To obtain the most complete information, you need to research the market using both methods.

The results obtained must be displayed in the business plan so that when reading this section, a clear picture of your organization’s competitors arises. It is advisable to highlight several key parameters and evaluate your competitors and your organization for each of them.

2.3 Consumer research

It is consumers who determine whether your product is needed in the market and whether your business will be successful. To develop the right tactical actions, you need to know to whom, why and how often you will sell the product. To do this, you need to conduct consumer research and reflect it in your business plan.

The main point in consumer research is market segmentation. You need to divide the consumer market into several groups (segments) united by some characteristic. Signs may be the following:

1) Demographic (gender, age, marital status);

2) Geographic (region, city, population density);

3) Attitude towards the product (interest in purchasing, awareness of the product);

4) Consumption style (for example, frequency of purchasing a product);

5) Psychographic (values, interests, personality traits and lifestyle)

Having divided consumers into groups in this way, you need to select one or more segments on which you will focus your efforts. There are three types of target market selection strategies:

1) Undifferentiated (mass) marketing

The organization approaches the market as a whole, i.e. doesn't actually use segmentation. The emphasis is not on the differences between potential consumers, but on the characteristics that unite them. This strategy allows you to save on marketing costs, but its use is difficult, since not every product can satisfy all consumers.

2) Differentiated marketing

The organization selects several target market segments and develops a set of marketing activities for each of them. The result is deeper penetration into each target segment. A differentiated marketing strategy allows you to take into account the needs of specific consumer groups and create a sustainable image of the product.

3) Concentrated (targeted) marketing

The company focuses its marketing efforts on one market segment and tries to satisfy it. The goal of concentrated marketing is usually not to maximize revenue, but to gain a stable market share. This strategy is most often used by small or highly specialized organizations.

The consumer groups to which you direct your marketing activities are your target audience. These are the main consumers of your product who will bring you income. To better study the target audience, understand their habits and behavior patterns, it is useful to draw up a general portrait of the consumer. To do this, you need to remember what characteristics you used to segment the market and make a list of the values ​​of these characteristics among the target audience. For example: a married woman, 35-40 years old, with 1-2 children under the age of 10, lives in Moscow, has a car, and holds a leadership position. If you have chosen a differentiated marketing strategy (that is, you have several target segments), it is better to create a portrait of a representative of each segment.

Consumer research is also carried out using desk and field methods. The desk method in this case involves, first of all, the study of statistical information (gender, age, socio-demographic characteristics, etc.). The field method allows you to contact consumers directly and see them “live.” It involves the use of surveys, questionnaires, observations, and experiments. With their help, you can get answers to your questions directly from representatives of your target audience. To obtain complete, up-to-date and comprehensive information, you need to use both desk and field research. The result is displayed in the business plan in the form of tables, graphs, diagrams that characterize your target audience, its consumer preferences, etc. In addition, consumer research allows you to quantify your market: how many people will buy your product, how much money they are willing to spend, how often, etc.

How to find clients: effective methods of advertising and marketing

A marketing agency looks like a shoemaker without boots if it does not conduct effective and efficient advertising and marketing activities aimed at attracting a large number of interested customers and increasing the organization’s profits. Cooperation with large customers forms the main income part of the company, therefore all advertising events and the overall marketing campaign of the organization should be aimed primarily at attracting and retaining such customers.

Thanks to affiliate programs, outdoor advertising, and cooperation with organizations with a similar field of activity, the marketing agency finds its first clients. Traditional ways of advertising your own services will also be advertisements in local media, online advertising, and maintaining groups on popular social networks. In this business, as in most other types of entrepreneurial activity, one should not underestimate the beneficial impact of such a traditional method as word of mouth on an organization’s advertising campaign.

Marketing funding

Effective use of external sources of financing helps the company not only fulfill its loan obligations in a timely manner and in full, but also gradually develop, expanding its product line and increasing its market share. In this case, studying the relationship between marketing costs and quantitative sales characteristics helps determine the effectiveness of the measures taken.

Cost analysis begins with the study of real and statistically sound values ​​based on financial statements under the condition of cyclical production. Next, revenues from the sale of goods and gross profit are compared with all costs. After this, the costs of marketing activities are recalculated: advertising, analysis and planning, and all costs are associated with specific activities. Then all costs are broken down by individual goods, resource sources, sales territories, market segments, methods and forms of sales.

Marketing cost planning

Marketing is a powerful production tool that, through effective planning and statistical analysis, can lead an enterprise to a leading position in an industry niche.

How much can a marketing agency earn?

The bulk of the revenue side of the budget of a business project for the organization and development of a marketing agency includes income from cooperation with customers - small, medium and large businesses, as well as funds received as a result of the provision of additional related services. Net profit is formed from the revenue side of the business project budget minus the organization's current expenses.

Initial investments in the project consist of costs associated with searching and renting premises for the company's office, state registration of the business, purchasing and installing the necessary equipment, and a starting advertising campaign. Depending on the expected scale of the registered organization, the starting investment in a business project will range from 2 to 10 thousand US dollars.

The organization's current monthly expenses are formed from costs associated with rent for office space, employee salaries and tax deductions, as well as costs associated with maintaining and servicing equipment and replenishing consumables.

As practice shows, on average, in the first few years of project development, you should expect a profit of 100 to 300 thousand rubles per month.

Selection of premises for an advertising company

The first thing you need to understand when choosing an office is what functions it will perform. If you plan to meet clients on their territory or in neutral zones, you may prefer more budget-friendly options. If you plan to receive clients in the office, it is better if it is respectable and solid. The good thing is that, unlike most lines of business, for an advertising agency the office will not play a key role, especially if you can work with clients remotely or on neutral territory.

If you are just opening an advertising agency and do not intend to conduct large-scale activities, the first option will be more preferable for you. First of all, you can save a lot. To do this, look for a room in a residential area, but with good transport links.

If you plan to receive clients in the office, things will be a little different. Accommodation suitable for you:

• in the business center;
• in an office building;
• in the mall;
• prestigious areas of the city.

In order to impress the client, you need to take care of the office interior. If you want to show off your creativity, you can opt for vibrant trends and furnish your office space in a modern or kitsch style. However, don't overdo it. Clients prefer a serious approach. Remember that everything in the office should always be neat and clean, it should be furnished depending on the requirements of the staff.

A good solution would be to use it as a presentation of your work; you can create a special stand on which your portfolio will be placed.

When it comes to decorating your office space, you also need to think about purchasing the required equipment. First of all, you need to make sure that a comfortable area is created for receiving clients. Also, you cannot do without:

• office furniture for employees;
• professional computers and equipment for designers;
• printer for independent development of printed materials;
• telephone line and high-speed Internet;
• photo and video equipment;
• purchasing the necessary software that will be required for work.

Ready-made franchise business

If you lack experience in this area of ​​business activity, it is not recommended to open a business from scratch; the choice should be made in favor of joining a ready-made marketing franchise business. In this case, a novice entrepreneur is able to protect his own business in advance from difficulties with registration and opening, as well as attracting first clients and gaining a place in the market and a positive reputation of the organization.

Marketing business, as well as other types and areas of entrepreneurship, has its own risks, advantages and disadvantages, the need for start-up investments, a competent approach, qualified personnel and management decisions. If the necessary conditions are met and the ability to carefully analyze and evaluate the market situation, opening a marketing agency can lead a novice entrepreneur to managing a profitable and stable, in-demand organization.

The Importance of a Marketing Plan in Business

In a market economy, a competent business can be built with the help of marketing. Nowadays, it is important for any company to first satisfy the customer’s wishes. Thanks to competition, people have demand, and they begin to analyze the market and look for the most advantageous offer. The marketing policy of an enterprise is aimed at convincing customers that they need the product offered and creating a need.

To collect specific products that the company will offer, it is necessary to analyze the market and people's desires. Only through analysis can you reach the right decision and determine what and how to provide to the client.

Thanks to marketing, it will be possible to effectively present a product on the market and interest buyers in it. A well-drafted promotion policy will help to adequately present the product on the market, noting the advantages over customers, in this case the person will have a good opinion about this company.