The Marketing Budget Nightmare

Budgeting for marketing, business development, and sales is a dilemma for start-ups, and small businesses, cash poor, and idea-rich Marketing is essential to your success. From SEO that gets your site seen to blogs and thought leadership articles, you need to budget time or money to outsource your marketing.

"A website without SEO is like a billboard on a deserted dirt road."  - Cheri Lucking

Marketing Opportunities - Content and Materials

From Marketing, Business Development (BD) to Sales, nothing will happen if you do not schedule the time and allocate a budget.  Do not skimp; it is your lifeblood and will generate income.

Identify Your Marketing

• Identify FREE opportunities and take them.

Opportunities.

• Lunch and learns:  Many professional firms have a continuing education component that is supported if you qualify.  The issue is, FREE lunches can get expensive, they are time-consuming, and the decision-makers are often not in the room.
• The Better Business Bureau we see more and more small firms moving away from this bastion of Business.  The issue false reviews, favored categories, and the BBB does not carry the power of Angie's list or Dave Logan
• Online Lists:  Wow! Everyone has a list there are lists of architects to lawyers if you don't use social media and can't be bothered to create your niche these are for you.
• Magazines and local News media: Think about submitting articles, you will be asked to take out an add these can range in cost from $1,200 t0 $5,000.
• Do not advertise in a Magazine List of the best "Dentists Magazine."  That is promoting to your competition.  It is only used by the dentist's offices and sits in the lobby!  The goal, advertise to your target market.
• Identify Where your Target Audience Gathers
  • Become a Keynote Speaker: Proposals identify when, where, and who will attend and submit the proposals in time to be included.
    • Identify Keynote Speaking Opportunities, the proposal due dates, and conference locations. Chose conferences where you are already in the market, then branch out
    • Research Guest Post Opportunities and Make Contact

Content Asset Creation and Budgeting

Yes, you can write a blog (500 words or more), create some unique images and SEO it.  But is it worth your time?  Is your time more valuable?

If you value your time at say $175, and it takes you 4 hours to write a blog, and create a "licensed image" then upload it and SEO, describe it with alt text, etc., it that is $700 if you blog twice per month that becomes $1,400, now blog it out across social media.  Update all the website plugins, and you can afford a monthly content marketing plan.   Our Silver Plan starts at $1,100.

Why not  pay someone else to ghostwrite it for you?   What are the costs of asset creation, and how might a content creator help you with your start-up or small business.

• Content Asset Creation. Someone must write the copy and content.  Do you have the time or should you outsource it, should you use a ghostwriter or expert niche writer and editorial services?  Decide on your Content Assets then develop a plan for delivery - In-house or outsourced:
  • Conference Speaker proposals
  • Webinars ▪ PowerPoint Presentations
  • Video
  • Thought leadership articles
  • Guest Posts
  • White Papers
  • Reports and Case studies
  • Authored Articles
  • Webinars ▪ PowerPoint Presentations
  • Ghostwriting
  • Keynote Speaking
  • Custom Content and Reports
  • Coaching You to Your Success
• Marketing Overview. You should now be ready to create your yearly and quarterly content marketing schedule and outlining your distribution, timing, and mix.  Don’t overstretch your team.  Consider a Partner.

Check out our Monthly Content Marketing Plans 

⬇ Scroll Down ⬇ They are Very cost-effective

• Sales Materials Branding and Messaging. You should take a cursory look at your sales materials, from cut sheets to team organization charts, to check that your messaging follows your marketing goals.  Also, identify pieces that would help in the creation of your Content Assets.

Budget

Setting a realistic budget that matches your marketing goals, promotion strategy, marketing content, and materials assets creation costs is key to success.

What Should Your Firm Budget?  Ballpark Numbers

Website Monthly Content Marketing Plans:

We recommend that you choose a plan as it will save you substantial dollars in the future.  You will get a discount for a yearly contract.

• Small Practice $1,100
• Medium Practice $2,200 (recommended for growth) this has all the bells and whistles most firms need, from white papers to SEO, and LinkedIn
• Large Practice $4,800 up. Three (3) partners or company thought leaders, etc.

If you can create your content in-house great, but a couple of thousand dollars will not get you a qualified niche writer.

Black Friday Exclusive 50% off $7,500 Now $3,750 on a single page landing page for Small business or Start-up