The key to success in any business relies a large part in your ability to market your product or service. Often MBA students spend years studying marketing as it encompasses and relates to nearly all business operations. If you own a small business you know the value of marketing, even if you do not have an MBA or a specialized MBA in Marketing.

One thing I found helpful in our company was to thoroughly outline what steps we would take to market our products and services. Our company is a franchise company, which specializes in mobile car washing. Although our company which generally provided services with only a few actual products, this marketing outline will help you design an over all marketing strategy for your company. You need one, even if you are a small company and one-man or Woman show.

It helps to draw on past experiences and to think on things, which worked in getting new clients. Ask yourself where have my best clients come from, because obviously you would like to get many more of those. Here is a sample outline we used; yours will be different of course but if you print this out and then make comments in the margin, then redesign yours to fit your specific knowledge, expertise and business model you will be able to use this as a launching board to designing a World Class Marketing Manual.

MARKETING MANUAL

I. FREE PUBLICITY

A. Newspaper

B. Radio

C. T.V.

D. Cable

E. Newsletters, email newsletters

F. Publicity Stunts

II. FUNDRAISERS

A. Credit Cards Pre-Paid

B. Give aways and fundraising events

1. Social Booster Clubs

2. Churches

3. Non-Profit Groups

4. Student Groups

5. Service Clubs

C. Walk-A-Thons

D. Bike-A-Thons

E. Dollar Distribution

F. Co-Offers (Other Businesses)

G. Publicity

H. Marketing Opportunities

III. FAX, E-MAIL MARKETING

A. Fax Lists and E-mail lists

B. Fax On Demand

C. Fax Etiquette and the Law, Do Not Registries

D. Sharing Faxing and servers

E. Sharing Lists

IV. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

A. Membership Drives

B. Neighborhood Watch Programs

C. Red Ribbon Week

D. Internet Virtual Stores

E. Door Prizes

F. Open Communications

V. PROMOTIONS

A. Car Wash Clubs, Customer Discount Clubs

B. Fleet Sales and Corporate Discounts and Programs

C. Ride Share Programs

D. Corporate Employee Program

E. Coupon Books

F. Gift Certificates

G. Good Fax Letters

H. Detail Direct Sales Coupons

I. Bingo Certificates

J. Ladies Day

K. Run For City Council or sponsor a small business candidate

L. Contests

VI. CO-OP

A. Types Of Businesses

B. Domino’s Pizza

C. Car Clubs

D. Kinko’s

E. Other Franchises

F. Leads From Franchisor

G. Distribution

H. Reasons And Savings

I. Potential Contacts And Referrals

VII. SALES

A. Franchisor

B. Teams

C. Methods

D. Mail

E. Phone

F. Faxing

G. Rainy Days

H. Competition

I. Direct Sales/Telemarketing

J. Competition

K. Contract Selling

L. Employee Sabotage

VIII. ADVERTISING

A. Yellow Pages

B. Newspaper

C. Radio

D. Newsletters

E. Programs

F. T.V.

G. Cable

H. Signage

I. Flyers

J. Distribution

K. Key Chains

L. Pens-Pencils, refrigerator magnets

M. Word Of Mouth

N. Press Releases