10 Steps to Creating the Ultimate Social Media Marketing Plan

If you want to create a digital and social media marketing strategy, you'll want to follow these simple steps:

1. Create Something Worth Marketing. A product or service should be so good that it practically sells itself. This is the most important step....if you begin marketing your product before it is ready, you'll be destroyed in the marketplace. Just look at what happened to Microsoft.
2. Define Your Target Audience and Their Behaviors. Not only should you know who your target audience(s) is/are, you should begin researching how a future campaign will influence their behavior and their relationship to your brand. What kinds of things resonate with them?
3. Create a Holistic Strategy. How can you integrate other marketing platforms for a central message? How will you leverage print media? What does the overall picture look like?
4. Define the Channels. Select the channels that you'll be working with to push the right messages to the right audiences. You should have a specific strategy for each social media channel that you will be using.
5. Set Benchmarks and KPI's. Determine your key performance indicators for each of your marketing channels. Set benchmarks so that you can measure progress along the way. What do you want: more followers or engagement? Why?
6. Forge Partnerships. Do you have connections with other brands, organizations, or thought leaders? Think about how they can be incorporated into your marketing plan so that you can get endorsements, testimonials, and referrals from trusted sources.
7. Develop the Materials. Once you have the plan, you can begin designing the materials that you want. Go for a consistent look but also make sure materials are appropriate for each channel. Don't forget to also create a set of materials specifically for mobile campaigns.
8. Execute the Plan. Once all of the pieces are in place, your project is a go!
9. Measure and Adjust. Even the most careful plan can take some unexpected turns. Measure and optimize social media posts and ads. Google and Facebook ads allow for near-instant changes so that you can adapt to campaigns that are the most responsive.
10. Hire a Professional. If all else fails, work with a professional that a track record of success.

...and that's how you launch your brand.