{"id":51925,"date":"2021-10-25T18:00:14","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T22:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=51925"},"modified":"2021-10-26T18:02:53","modified_gmt":"2021-10-26T22:02:53","slug":"1-page-marketing-plan-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/1-page-marketing-plan-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib: Book Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you looking for an overview of The 1-Page Marketing Plan<\/em> by Allan Dib? What key ideas can you learn from the book?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marketing expert Allan Dib contends that for a small business, the surest way to make money and grow is to have a simple, clear marketing plan defining who you\u2019re targeting as prospects and customers and how you\u2019ll reach them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find our helpful overview of The 1-Page Marketing Plan<\/em> below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The 1-Page Marketing Plan<\/em>: What You Need to Know<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of a business<\/a> is to make money and grow\u2014if you don\u2019t make money as a business owner, you\u2019re running a hobby, not a business, according to business coach and entrepreneur Allan Dib<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In The 1-Page Marketing Plan<\/em><\/a>, he shows step-by-step how to create a marketing plan<\/a> using a simple template that will drive business growth<\/a>. This guide explains Dib\u2019s method and compares it to other templates and marketing strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dib argues that many small businesses fail to thrive because they don\u2019t get marketing right. (Shortform note: Similarly, Michael Gerber contends in The E-Myth Revisited<\/em><\/a> that small businesses often fail because they lack business<\/em> skills such as marketing. Their owners have a technical<\/em> skill, such as a talent for baking, but don\u2019t know how to make money at it.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dib says that most small businesses either 1) neglect marketing entirely, hoping simply to attract customers<\/a> by word of mouth<\/a>, or 2) they do the wrong kind of marketing, using big-business strategies that don\u2019t work for small businesses. Dib argues that the answer to small business success is having the right<\/em> marketing plan, one focused on direct-response advertising designed to prompt the prospect to act. (We\u2019ll discuss direct-response advertising further in the next section.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Similarly, a Forbes<\/em> article lists not having a marketing plan as among the 10 most common small business marketing mistakes<\/a>. Others include not having a website, prioritizing social media marketing<\/a> over developing your website, failing to customize your marketing strategy, and ignoring competitors\u2019 marketing strategies.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Direct-response marketing<\/a> is a multifaceted topic that you could spend considerable time studying. But our overview of The 1-Page Marketing Plan<\/em> will help you write and implement a direct-response plan for your business without having to become an expert<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In The 1-Page Marketing Plan, <\/em>Dib focuses on three customer-focused marketing phases: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Awareness<\/strong>: In the awareness phase, you\u2019re dealing with prospects<\/em><\/strong>. You want to make prospects aware of your product and get them to show interest by responding to a call to action<\/a>, or an appeal to do something such as download a free report. <\/li>
  2. Familiarity<\/strong>: In this phase, you\u2019re dealing with leads<\/em><\/strong>, or prospects who\u2019ve moved to Phase 2 by showing interest and taking a step. You want to pursue leads with additional offers and get them to buy from you. <\/li>
  3. Enthusiasm<\/strong>: In the third phase, you\u2019re dealing with customers<\/em><\/strong>. Your leads have become customers by buying something. In this phase, you want to build enthusiasm so they keep buying from you, become superfans, and recommend your products or services to others. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    (Shortform note: Other experts also break marketing planning into three to five phases. But unlike Dib\u2019s template focusing on customers, these plans typically focus on a company\u2019s internal process, which can be more complex. For example, company process<\/a> steps may include mission, situation analysis, marketing strategy\/planning, marketing mix, implementation and control<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Dib writes that while his plan is intended to simplify and explain marketing, its second purpose is to speed up implementation. But many small business owners fail to implement plans or take action due to analysis paralysis, failure to delegate, or a belief that their business is unique and a particular approach won\u2019t work for them. However, knowing what to do is useless if you don\u2019t do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    (Shortform note: Analysis paralysis is also referred to as overthinking<\/a>. Causes include fear of making mistakes and simply having too much information. Some antidotes are trusting your instincts<\/a>, accepting uncertainty, and making small choices quickly.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Dib emphasizes that the strategies and tactics underlying his marketing plan are proven, and they work for all types of businesses because they address human behavior, which is common across industries. (Shortform note: Critics of Dib\u2019s book noted that it lacked examples of marketing plans for specific industries. However, on his website, Dib provides five examples of marketing plans created using his template: coach<\/a>, medical office<\/a>, e-commerce<\/a>, software company<\/a>, and real estate<\/a>.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Because marketing grows your business, Dib contends it\u2019s a key business activity you need to do daily if you\u2019re serious about succeeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s a deeper look at each of the three marketing phases from The 1-Page Marketing Plan<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Phase 1\u2014Create Awareness<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In the first marketing phase, you want people who\u2019ve likely never heard of your business\u2014prospects<\/em>\u2014to discover you and respond to an offer, thereby becoming leads<\/em> and entering the second phase. (Shortform note: As noted earlier, each marketing phase entails three steps. To create your own 1-page plan, fill in each step or square on the author\u2019s or your own nine-square template as you read this guide.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The three steps for reaching prospects are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Identify your target market<\/a>.<\/li>
    2. Develop a compelling message for this market.<\/li>
    3. Deliver the message through some type of direct advertising.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Phase 2\u2014Build Familiarity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The second marketing phase after creating awareness focuses on developing or nurturing sales leads<\/em>\u2014people who have indicated interest by responding to your message\u2014and turning these leads into customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Dib\u2019s three steps for increasing leads\u2019 familiarity with you so they buy your product are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Capture leads in a database.<\/li>
      2. Cultivate leads\u2014increase their interest with offers that build in value. <\/li>
      3. Convert them into customers (get them to like\/trust you enough to buy from you, moving into the third phase of the marketing process).<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Phase 3\u2014Build Enthusiasm<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        The final marketing phase after creating awareness and building familiarity focuses on turning customers who\u2019ve bought from you at least once into enthusiastic superfans who keep buying from you and make referrals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Dib\u2019s three steps for turning customers into superfans are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1. Give them an extraordinary experience.<\/li>
        2. Get them to keep buying more from you, increasing their value to your business.<\/li>
        3. Get them to make referrals.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          Dib notes that most businesses stop marketing to a customer once she buys something\u2014however, this way of thinking limits business growth. Developing customers into superfans generates ongoing revenue and can help you launch new products because superfans will test the products and evangelize for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Exercise From The 1-Page Marketing Plan<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          The following exercises will help you to apply the lessons from The 1-Page Marketing Plan<\/em> to your own marketing strategy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n