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         Marketing strategies come after the objectives and visionand mission statement and before the action plan and tasks.The marketing strategy is how you are going to carry out theobjective.

         Tasks contain the detail. Tasks are what you want to listand keep track of in your day timer system not yourmarketing plan. Whether that is in Outlook, a Franklin-typesystem, or in your electronic appointment system like a PalmPilot. It doesn't matter if you prefer to start with a taskand work your way up into the objective or work from theobjective down. Both should accomplish the same result.

         After creating the objectives, and making sure they areS.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, action-oriented andachievable, realistic, and timely), focus on one andprogress to the Action Plan and Tasks. Completing one at atime in this manner will expose any gaps or duplicates.

         Occasionally, there may be several strategies to oneobjective or several objectives for one strategy. If thisoccurs look for duplicates. Duplicates say the same thingin different words. This review will keep the plan clearand concise.

         In my consultant role, I consistently see two mistakes madeduring the strategy clarification process. Keep these inmind as you define yours:

         1. Timeframe not considered or matched so that it candeliver the results desired.

         2. Choosing what is comfortable but doesn't reach a largeenough profitable target market.

         Timeframe

         Strategies need to be designated as short-term, medium-term,or long-term. The length of time for each depends on thebusiness focus, market, and its maturity stage. For a newbusiness owner, maybe all you can handle is a 3-month plan-- short term. Whereas an established business may statetheirs in longer times: short-term 1 year, medium 3 years,and long-term 5 years. A mature business may be 3, 5 and10.

         Operating in a 30-day vacuum for too long creates flashfires that consistently need to be distinguished. Whenthis occurs the business is running you. At day 31 it? ascramble to create the next 30-day plan and the cyclerepeats. After so many of these cycles even the mostpatient person will give up on planning.

         Balance for a new business will have more short-termobjectives and strategies and less medium and long-term.This normally occurs because testing and finding what worksis still a big part of their process and the marketingsystem is still in flux.

         Balance for an established business (5-10 years) would havemore objectives and strategies under medium-term. Whereas amature business (ten years up) would be striving for moresmoothness in their long-term strategies except for newproduct or service development which begins its heaviest setof strategies in the short-term.

         Choice

         Choosing the right strategy isn't always about setting astrategy comfortable for the solopreneur. The correctstrategy is one that is right for the prospects. The bestone delivers the results desired. Normally, one thatreaches the market in the fastest and easiest manner usingthe least amount of resources.

         I hear comments from solopreneurs like this: "I don't liketo do that." "I simple can't possibly do that." "I refuseto do that." "I don't have the time." This closed mindjust because its uncomfortable is their saboteur to success.Afterwards they justify it with, "Money isn't everything."They logically know that its natural to justify any decisionwe make but they don't see the connection. Some figurethis out years later, others never get it and go out ofbusiness, and others finally get themselves to thatcomfortable place.

         The perfect strategy services both the comfort level and thebroadest market possible so it may deliver the desiredresults.

         don't waste time doing what you are comfortable with thatdoesn't reach a profitable enough market. This wastesvaluable and limited resources and creates failure.

         Once you incorporate these important features into yourstrategy development you will your plan easier to follow andimplement.

         Catherine Franz is a master business coach, author andspeaker. For the next week, there is a 2 for 1 sale on herbooks. http://www.Abundancecenter.com