We recently signed on a new client. We’ll be providing marketing consulting services as needed.

We appreciate his patronage for he has decided to get serious about his marketing plan vs. throwing money at marketing and expecting immediate lottery like results. Business owners must be careful not to fall in to more or less “get rich quick” schemes when it comes to marketing. Regardless of how many times the local fast food restaurant tells me they’re serving “black angus” burgers, the fact is, it’s not a well aged porterhouse steak. That takes time and business owners quite often don’t have the patience to wait on the results of a well thought out disciplined marketing plan.

Marketing is an investment. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does have to be consistent, disciplined and well thought out.

The following items are my suggestions to my new client.

Define your target audience and then define the best marketing channels to appeal to that audience. I see it all the time. Businesses select billboard advertising, or the elect to go with social media marketing. Those are great marketing channels if they reach the audience. Would I use social media marketing to appeal to senior citizens? Probably not.

Build a calendar that documents the next three quarters and the products and services that should be marketing during those quarters. Execution is key. If a business does not have a documented plan, then it’s marketing will be hap hazard.

Be disciplined in how you use your logo, company name and any tag lines. Organizations will sometimes use alternative logos. This confuses your target market. If your business cards, vehicle wraps, billboards and online marketing are not a consistent brand, then don’t be surprised when your audience doesn’t recognize you. Create a corporate styles guide if necessary that documents the appropriate usages of the company name and logo. Consistency establishes legitimacy. Legitimacy encourages contacts from your target audience.

Quarterly and long term planning require patience and planning. Taking the time to define your target audience regards thought. Marketing is a test of endurance and discipline. Results take time and cannot be ordered through a drive through window.