Where are you now and where do you want to be? The challenges and problems your business faces are the best guide to setting objectives for your marketing plan.

Think through the questions that follow to determine the needs that are most critical to your business success. Then clearly list in your plan a series of specific, measurable objectives that will move you closer to your goals. At regular intervals in the future you can test the success of your marketing strategy by tracking the progress of each objective.

Are you just starting a business or launching a new product line? Are you trying to overcome problems with distribution, quality or customer service? Do you need to increase sales, generate higher profits, capture a larger market share, build brand awareness, create a more positive image for your company?

Perhaps your research indicates that only about 40 percent of your target market knows your business exists. Your objective might be to increase awareness to 60 percent in a year.

Or maybe you’ve found that your customers now spend an average of $25 on each visit to your store, so you set a goal of increasing that average purchase to $30 within six months.

Your objectives should be achievable but should also represent a bit of a stretch. Make sure employees and associates know which objectives are most critical so they can do their part.