Create your marketing strategy
Introduction
Developing a marketing strategy is vital for any business. Without one, your efforts to attract customers are likely to be haphazard and inefficient.
The focus of your strategy should be to make sure that your products and services meet customer needs and that you develop long-term and profitable relationships with those customers. To achieve this, you will need to create a flexible strategy that can respond to changes in customer perceptions and demand. It may also help you identify whole new markets that you can successfully target.
The purpose of your marketing strategy should be to identify and then communicate the benefits of your business offering to your target market.
Once you have created and implemented your strategy, monitor its effectiveness and make any adjustments required to maintain its success.
This guide helps you identify which customers to focus on and your key objectives in reaching them. It explains what to include in your marketing strategy and how it can be used as the basis for effective action.
Subjects covered in this guide
- Introduction
- Key elements of a successful marketing strategy
- Understanding your strengths and weaknesses
- Developing your marketing strategy
- Tips and pitfalls
- Here's how I chose the right marketing mix

Actions
- Marketing e-courses on the learndirect business website - Opens in a new window
- Strategic marketing course on the Chartered Institute of Marketing website - Opens in a new window
- Manage your personal list of starting-up tasks with our Business start-up organiser
- View local and national events linked to this topic
- View grants and support schemes linked to this topic



