Every business needs a marketing framework - but many new small businesses get confused about which steps they need to take first.

I define a marketing framework as the basic structure of your overall marketing action plan that also encompasses the core marketing strategies you need.

It's like when you're building a house (my Dad and brother are carpenters so I've seen a lot of houses being built!) and after you've poured the concrete for the base, you start framing...which means you start building the framework of the house with wood 2 X 4's.

Once that framework is done, then the carpenters start filling in the wood framework with insulation, plywood, sheets of gyproc and so on.

Marketing your new business is the same way...you start with a marketing framework - the basics for marketing your business - and then you start building from there.

There are 3 main reasons why it's important for you to have a marketing framework:

1) a marketing framework will ensure that you have the necessary building blocks to start marketing effectively and keep marketing

* we all need a place to start and figuring out your marketing framework will give you that place to confidently start marketing your business

2) a framework gives you the ability to make a plan of action

* in order to make a successful plan of action for marketing your small business, you need to have a starting point from which to build and start adding action steps that you need to take to keep your marketing momentum going

3) a marketing framework makes it easy to figure out which marketing strategies to add

* once you have the basics in place, it's easier for you to add tactics that will work with and build upon the marketing tactics you already have in your marketing framework

You can see a theme running through these 3 reasons and it's all about being systematic, consistent and building upon what you currently have.

When you start with a marketing framework and have the basic marketing building blocks in place, it makes marketing your business easier, faster and more enjoyable (because it's less work and you have time to check out other exciting business and marketing opportunities).

There are 3 components that you need in your marketing framework:

1) a website

2) free giveaway and opt-in box

3) marketing tactics based on your core marketing strength

Let's look at each of these in more depth:

The first component you absolutely need in your marketing framework is a website. I'm sure you've heard this again and again, and are probably sick of hearing about it....but that's because it is so important!

A website is crucial for building credibility, trust, a relationship with prospects and clients, and also as the key means for building your list. This leads us into the second component you need in your marketing framework.

The second component is a free giveaway and an opt-in box. These go hand-in-hand - you need to have an opt-in box on each page of your website that gives people access to a free giveaway in exchange for their name and email address. This is the way you start capturing names and build a list of prospects that you can communicate with on a regular basis and build a relationship with them.

A free giveaway is a piece of valuable information that your prospective clients would find useful. There are many different formats you can provide your free giveaway in: a report, audio lesson, tips & tricks, a checklist, an audio recording and so on.

The third component that you need in your marketing framework is tactics built around your core marketing strength. There are 3 main areas that most marketing tactics fall under: writing, speaking and networking.

All of us are usually stronger in one of these areas, we enjoy one area more, or it comes easier and we can therefore do it quicker.

Once you figure out that, you will start to add marketing tactics that are built around that core strength of yours, and then grow from there.

So if you're just starting out or you are not achieving the results that you want, take a look at your marketing framework. Make sure you have these 3 components working smoothly and rest assured you've got a solid marketing base from which to go forward.

(The author is a freelance writer. The views expressed by the author in this feature are entirely his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of SME Times.)