• Which media will be the most effective?


• Which media will be the most efficient?


• Which media will integrate well with each other?


• Which media do I have the resources to implement now and sustain?


• How frequently should I communicate with my audience?


• What combination of effectiveness, efficiency and simplicity will best suit reach my audience while keeping in mind the resources I have available?

When you're ready, summarize your conclusions in your Marketing Plan. But can you do all this yourself? Should you?

As marketing consultant Kirk Lowe points out, "As an agent/adviser you should spend most of your time doing what it is you do best – revenue generating activities. Your staff should be doing what it is they do best – administrative tasks. If you and your staff are busy doing what you do best, you should hire someone who specializes in other areas such as marketing, including planning, implementation, and branding. Of course, hiring a full-time marketing professional for your small business may not be feasible. That's why outsourcing might be your best fit."