If you can't meet your goals with existing marketing opportunities — or you want to aim even higher — you should probably be developing new market segments. That means checking your sales forecasts and expense budget.

If your Best-Case and Competitive Analyses revealed new marketing opportunities you've decided to integrate technology into your business, you've got some planning to do.

Determine if you can meet your production and income requirements by increasing market penetration, or if you'll need to identify and develop new market segments, or use new methods (high-tech or otherwise). At the same time, stick to your marketing budget, track every dollar spent, and be sure everything you do results in a payoff for your business.

Ask yourself:

How much new business (NAFYC) will you need this year?	$_____
What percentage of your new business do you expect from your existing on-profile client base?	_____%
Will you need to develop new market segments to achieve your goals?	___Yes ___No
What percentage of your production do you expect to come from new market segments?	_____%
What is your marketing expense budget?	$_____
What are your on-profile client acquisition costs?	$_____
What is a reasonable sales activity ratio for your market segments?	_____:_____
How much production (NAFYC) will you need from each new on-profile client?	$_____
How many on-profile referrals will you need from each new on-profile client?	_____

If you don't expect to meet your activity and production goals with the opportunities available to you now — or you need to raise the bar — your options may be to expand your base and profitability by:

(1) Developing high-potential new market groups;
(2) Controlling your marketing costs; or,
(3) Achieving greater penetration of existing markets.

Or, you may decide to do all three. (Who knows how far heads-up market planning can take you?) If so, remember to keep an eye on your expense budget (track every dollar spent), and your client acquisition costs and lead conversion rates. Review the numbers every month to be sure everything you do is resulting in a payoff for your business — and you'll be using this information in the Marketing Goals and Market Budget sections of your Marketing Plan.