You cannot market what you cannot deliver and you cannot deliver what you make without marketing.  So which comes first?  Answer:  Operations always comes before Marketing.  

“Operations management is a fundamental part of any organization.” Operations Management for Dummies

Many startups founded by sales driven individuals quickly hit a wall the first time someone asked them to show them what they are selling.  The majority of the time the product or service is still in a conceptional form which does not make it real.

Make a sale is exciting and if you are one of these individuals who has an awesome money making idea you need to find someone just as exited about formulating the operations around whatever it is you are excited to sell.  Without operations….a business is not going anywhere.

Why is Operations Important?

If anything is going to go wrong in during the development of a marketing plan it is going to be due to the operations is not developed correctly.  Operations determines everything about the product or service being sold.  From how the contracts are written to how the products is shipped and all steps in between.  Everything the business does has to be completely thought out well in advance of the development of the marketing plan.

“Operation management ensures that an organization is conducting business at peak efficiency and ability. Operation management includes the development and use of resources that are necessary for a company to deliver goods and services to its customers.” Reference.com

Why Operations First?

Many things will be discovered during the process mapping of operations.  The most frequent things found are costs. Costs effect pricing.  

Operations is concerned with how you buy, build and prepare your product or service for sale. That covers a lot of ground, including sourcing raw materials, hiring labor, acquiring facilities and equipment, and shipping the finished goods. entrepreneur.com

Everything that goes into the operations of a business has a cost related to it.  The more accurate the costs can be determined the more competitive the pricing can be.

The process mapping will also determine human resources and workspace needs.  Operations can even make discoveries on the brand’s image.

“Operation management professionals deal with a wide range of responsibilities. This includes designing products and managing their development, as well as handling supply chain concerns. In the manufacturing industry, the operation management team will also be responsible for determining the location and size of manufacturing facilities, as well as the structure of supply chains. It can also include tactical elements such as how projects are managed within the organization and the selection of specific equipment.” Reference.com

Before you start your journey to building a massive marketing plan get help thinking out the operations first.  A sound operations will make for a sound business plan which leads to a rock solid marketing plan that leads to greater profits.

Bottomline: Hire an experienced operations management consultant.  Let me know how I can help.