Marketing Plan

The web may be filled with helpful articles explaining exactly what you need to create a successful marketing plan, but I believe getting back to basics is the key to making marketing work for you both online and off.

Marketing is after all a continuously evolving discipline, with the latest and greatest trends shaping a strategy that can help you achieve those big and little goals in the short and long term. Before you forge ahead writing a marketing plan for 2023, you’ll want to read my guide on exactly what a marketing plan is…

What exactly is a marketing plan?

In short, a marketing plan is a document that details exactly how your marketing efforts will pan out over a predefined period.

Most businesses create or renew their marketing plans annually to ensure their marketing, advertising and promotional activities line up with their target audience, wider market and business ambitions.

How should a marketing plan be structured?

The structure of your marketing plan is a vital consideration, and one that can be as diverse and detailed as you like. A great marketing plan always begins with the objectives of the business – which should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely or ‘SMART’.

The marketing plan will progress into the current positioning of your business and its marketing strategy, before moving onto analysis of its market. This will include the current trends affecting your specific marketplace, the respective needs of the customers, sales experienced by the business and industry wide, the competitors you’ll be up against, and the predicted trends that are expected to influence your business and wider market. This section is referred to as ‘market research’.

Your marketing plan can then explore the activities that will enable you to meet these goals and satisfy your core demographic. Your marketing mix should also stipulate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will be measured throughout marketing activities to determine the next steps of your strategy. Include specific strategies, budgets, and monitoring and performance mechanisms to ensure your marketing plan is as precise as it can be.

Ready to get started with your marketing plan?

Now couldn’t be a better time to build a marketing plan for 2023, with the start of a new year offering a great opportunity to develop a clear and usable marketing plan for your business. You don’t have to devise a marketing plan and associated strategy alone however.

Contact me today for support and advice that will enhance your marketing prowess into 2023 and beyond!