Planning your Web site, print project or communications project is an opportunity to assess your marketing goals as well as determine how your project will help achieve your goals. Here's a list of topics you'll need to consider (click on the links to read the checklists):

Marketing Communications Checklist for New and Existing Companies.
Checklist for launching a new Web site.
Checklist for plannning your brochure.
Checklist for planning e-Commerce or database development.
Checklist for planning your corporate identity and business cards.
Checklist for planning your animation.
Checklist for planning your Web banners.
Checklist for plannning audio and video for the Web.
Checklist for planning your PowerPoint presentation.

Marketing Communications Checklist for New and Existing Companies

• What business are you in?
• What are your business goals?
• What are your marketing goals?
• Who is your target market?
• Have you performed research to find out your target market is?
• Who is your target market?
• How many new products and services are you planning for the next 12 months?
• What is your company's overall positioning strategy?
• Where do you imagine your potential customers finding out about your products and services (i.e. Web, tradeshows, print, radio, television, etc.)
• Do you have a logo?
• Do you have a web site?
• Do you have business cards?
• Do you have existing artwork for the logo?
• Do you have any current marketing materials (brochures, datasheets, white papers, Web site)?

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Checklist for Launching a New Web Site

• Do you have a URL (i.e. www.yourcompany.com)?
• Do you have a hosting provider for the URL?
• Is the host Unix or [other]?
• Do you have exisiting marketing materials and copy you could leverage for your Web site?
• Do you have a site structure developed?
• Do you have a logo?
• Do you need a database or e-Commerce developed for your Web site?
• Do you want/need photographic elements on your Web site?
• Do you want/need animation on your Web site?
• Will you need audio or video elements on your Web site?
• Who is your target audience?
• What speed does your target audience connect to the internet at (T1, DSL, 56K)?
• How many visitors do you anticipate visiting your Web site any given day?
• Do you need the META tags optimized for search engines?
• Do you want/need a Flash intro to your Web site?
• When do you want to launch the Web site?
• What is your budget for the Web site launch?
• Do you have your company information in written out (About Us, Contact Info, Team, PR, etc.)?
• How often do you anticipate making updates to your Web site?

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Planning Your Company Brochure

• What is the target audience for your brochure?
• Do you have the copy for the brochure written?
• Can you leverage copy from exisiting marketing materials (i.e. presentations, etc.)?
• Do you have a corporate look and feel developed already (i.e. on your Web site, business cards, etc.)?
• Do you have graphic images and elelments you'd like in the brochure?
• Did you want to have the brochures printed on a press or digitally?
• How many brochures do you want printed?
• When did you need to have the brochures finished by?

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Planning Your Web Database and e-Commerce

• What information did you want to collect from your Web site visitors?
• Do you want to create a client name and e-mail database?
• Do you use Excel or Access?
• Is your current Web site running on UNIX or ?
• How large do you anticipate your client database to be?
• Do you need to track orders?
• Do you need to be able to update certain parts of your Web site on your own?
• Do you need e-Commerce functionality on your Web site?
• What countries would you be selling products and services in?
• Do you currently have a merchant account?

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Planning Your Corporate Identity and Business Cards

• Do you currently have a look and feel for your company's communications (brochure, letterhead, Web site)?
• How many employees did you need cards for?
• Do you have all of their contact information gathered?
• Do you want a one-sided or two-sided card?
• Do you want a one-color, two-color or four-color card?
• Do you have PMS colors that you need the cards matched to?
• What quantities of each card do you need?
• When do you need the cards printed by?
• Do you need letterhead?
• Do you need envelopes (#10 and larger)?

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Planning Your Animation

• Why do you want animation on your Web site?
• Who is your target market?
• At what speed does your target market connect to the Internet (T1, DSL, 56K)?
• What technologies are you considering (Flash, gif, video)?
• Do you have the idea scoped out?
• Do you have the copy written?
• Do you have graphics you'd like to use or do you need them developed?
• How long do you want the animation to last?
• When did you need your animation completed by?

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Planning Your Web Banners

• Who is your target market?
• Where will the banners be placed?
• How many banners do you need?
• Do you have the required specs (Flash or gif, dimensions, file sizes)?
• Do you need static or animated banners?
• If you need animated banners, are you looking for Flash or gif banners?
• What are the key marketing messages?
• What is the call to action?
• Where will visitors end up when they click on a banner?
• Do you have the copy for the banners written?
• Do you have existing artwork for the banners?
• Do you have the images in electronic form?
• When do you need the banners completed by?

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Planning Audio and Video for the Web

• Who is your target market?
• What is the purpose of the audio and video you'd like added to your Web site?
• What format does the audio currently exist in (CD, tape)?
• What format does the video currently exist in (CD ROM, VHS)?
• What speed does your target audience connect to the Internet at (T1, DSL, 56K)?
• Does your Web hosting company offer streaming technologies (Windows Media, Real)?
• What formats do you want users to view the video in (Windows Media, Real, Quicktime)?
• How long are the audio and video clips?
• How many audio and video clips do you want added?
• When did you need to launch the audio and video clips on your Web site?

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Planning Your PowerPoint Presentation

• Do you currently have a PowerPoint presentation or template already developed?
• If not, do you have the copy for the presentation written?
• Do you have graphics and logos you want added?
• Do you need custom images and photographs?
• How many pages would you like the presentation to be?
• Do you want the presentation to have animation, audio or video?
• When did you need to have the presentation finished by?

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