Make a profit and have fun at the same time by starting your own button business. All you need is a computer and a printer for designing button graphics, a button assembly machine, and a little marketing skill. Use this simplified marketing plan as a worksheet to get you started.
Target Market - Who are my primary and secondary customers?
- Churches
- Community organizations
- Corporations
- Fan clubs
- Group fund-raisers
- Hospitals
- Libraries
- Musical Groups
- Photographers
- Political parties
- Printers
- Restaurants
- Retail stores
- Schools and universities
- Souvenir shops
- Sports teams
Location
- Where will my business be located?
- What geographic range will I serve?
- Advantages and disadvantages of my location.
Competition - Research promotional product companies, trophy producers, printing companies, photography studios/labs, etc. in your area.
Strengths & Weaknesses - Compared to my competition what are my strenths and weaknesses?
- Unique Selling Proposition
- What will set me apart from my competition?
o Examples: creative designs, fast turnaround, low prices, high quality buttons, friendly service.
Marketing Objectives - What are my marketing objectives?
- Examples: launch my business, increase my client base, earn a profit after expenses, increase repeat customers, increase my staff, generate qualified leads, distinguish myself from my competition.
Marketing Budget - How much money will I allocate for marketing activities?
Advertising - What forms of media will I use to effectively advertise my products and services?
- Billboards
- Direct mail
- Flea markets or fairs
- Internet
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Personal contacts
- Radio
- Television
- Trade associations
- Yellow pages
Product & Service Pricing
- Are my prices in line with my image?
- Do my prices cover costs and leave a profit margin?
- How do my prices compare to the competition?
Evaluation - After 6-12 months have passed ask yourself the following questions and set new marketing goals.
- Did my marketing/promotional materials bring in expected customers?
- Did my marketing plan educate my customers about all my products/services?
- Did displays complement my overall marketing program and meet my objectives?
- How did my marketing efforts rate against my competition's?
- Did my business monitor the program to learn what clients were saying about our products/services?
- What kind of customer feedback/comments did I receive?
For equipments and supplies you can go to any arts & shops store, or you can visit ButtonBiz for additional information. source: http://www.buttonbiz.com/
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