Economy, Business and Investment

Marketing plans, for most companies is still regarded as trivial and trivial. So that the company often makes it just as an annual routine. But afterward, the result of the formulation does not become a reference in the work program, and just kept neat and never touch it until the end of the book.

In fact, if companies want to optimize the benefits that can be obtained from the marketing plan, they will be able to get an increase in profits. This is obtained by using a marketing plan as a way to do research. This has been evidenced by several scientific studies that show a positive relationship, between making marketing plans with the success that can be achieved by the company.

This is in harmony with the business phenomenon that happened recently, where all sectors of business must have the ability to change quickly. This change was done in order to keep abreast of the ever moving dynamic era. For companies who are not able to follow these changes, companies undoubtedly will be displaced by a company that is able to move dynamically follow the phenomena that exist in society.

Many examples of this case, where the company is already large even have to be closed because it is not able to keep up with the times. One of the world's great that the company name in the end have to go bankrupt is the Polaroid. Companies that produce instant cameras are to be closed in 2001. Whereas at the beginning of its emergence, the company is thought to shift the civilization of the world through the introduction of instant camera technology. So someone can take photos with practically without having to wait a long time to see results as film cameras.

However, when the shift toward digital cameras, Polaroid company is not able to follow such changes. As a result, the public interest to use a Polaroid camera is getting thinner. In addition to reasons of practicality, a digital camera valued easier and cheaper in use.

In the world of the Internet itself, had known the name of Altavista. The company is engaged in the field of search engines as is currently dominated by Yahoo and Google. This company was established in 1970, which in those days the internet is still a rare commodity. In addition to the two companies, there are many names of other major world companies, which have disappeared from competition for failing to follow the changes and the times.

Importance of Marketing Plan
From there the story, suggests that a company must have a clear and purposeful steps to achieve their success. In particular, if they want success occurred in the long term and sustainable.

One of the firm can do is to create a marketing plan that is right for their company. Companies that do not want to create a marketing plan for their company, surely tantamount to dig graves for their corporate survival.

There are several reasons that make a company must have a good marketing plan for their company. Some of those reasons include:

- Such rapid technological developments have an impact on the increasingly short life cycle of a product. So to address this need a good planning process for our products. Thus, these products will not be quickly eroded by competitors' products that bring the latest technology.

- Changes in business regulations, which at this moment the world is facing a period of trade liberalization. The impact of this condition include the opening of free trade between countries, economic deregulation and the opening of opportunities to get into in a particular business. Condition condition is believed to be one of the causes of the high rate of competition in the business world and the increasing number of attacks from rival products that we sell.

For countries like Indonesia are still evolving, it is a threat in itself. Therefore, large companies from various developed countries will seek to develop their products through distribution channels to developing countries. Therefore, developing countries have a potential niche market for cultivation by big multinational companies.

- An increasingly segmented market. Thus, there will be differences of treatment on each different market. Existing markets are increasingly tapped to narrow the existing market.

- Increased customer knowledge. With the disclosure of information, customers have the flexibility to access information on the products they need. So they can compare one product with another product using the sources of information, such as the internet or mass media. Thus, the loyalty of consumers will be increasingly hard to come by just relying on brand alone. Consumers prefer the advantages that can be obtained than the mere pursuit of brands of a product.

Important Elements of Marketing Plan
From the above conditions, it can be concluded some important things that must exist in making a marketing plan. Some of these include:

- The existence of adequate marketing information valid. One is through the availability of accurate data, both from within the company or from outside the company.

- Clear direction in determining what may and may not be firm. It is considering the limited resources of the company.

- Implementation of the marketing plan should be able to create sales and profit. The sale will not bring meaning to the company if the sale does not bring benefits to the company.

- Routine evaluation. In this evaluation process, it takes a parameter as a standard size. Thus, in the evaluation process will be obtained information about the level of success of the program of work that has been dilakuan. Does managed to reach the target or has not reached the desired target.

Step Marketing Plan
From the explanation mentioned above, shows how the marketing plan is not just a mere discussion of the marketing division. But the marketing plan is a basic concept that will be the direction and corporate objectives in selecting the strategy to be applied.

Thus, in the future making this marketing plan is no longer only used as a mere routine agenda without any real step in implementation. Yet further, it should be a tool to be used in the face of competition from existing competitors and also become a media to win the competition and won the best position in society.

Of the four main components of the preparation of marketing plans, can be determined seven steps that must be done in preparing the marketing plan. the seven steps are:

- Determining the business insights that will dipiliih by company
- The company's strategy in winning the competition
- A determination in a concrete sales targets.
- Marketing Mix consists of the four P's of Product, Price, Promotion and Place.
- Determination of the company's financial budgets in all divisions
- Implementation planning
- Evaluation of all activities planned and their implementation.

Knowing the importance of marketing plans, then back to yourself, is still reluctant to make marketing plans and planning failures, or vice versa, making trouble at the beginning of the marketing plan, but is optimistic of success in sight.