Just as a company needs a business plan, it needs a marketing plan. Here's how to write a five-part marketing plan that works as well as you do:
Section 1: Analysis of the situation
This introductory section provides an overview of your current situation and will provide you with a useful reference to adapt and refine your plan in the coming months. Start with a brief description of your current product or service offering, the marketing benefits and challenges you face, and an overview of the threats posed by your competitors. Describe the external forces that will affect your business in the coming year. it could be a reduction in traffic due to construction, if you are a retailer or inventor it could be a change in the law that could affect the launch of a new product. , For instance
Section 2. Recipients
All you need here is a simple bulleted description of your target audience. If you advertise to consumers, your target audience profile is based on demographics, including age, gender, and any other relevant characteristics. B2B marketers should list your target audience by category (e.g. lawyers, doctors, centers) and include eligibility criteria for each.
Section 3. Objectives
On one page or less, outline your company's marketing goals for the next year. The key is to make your goals realistic and measurable so that you can easily measure your performance. "Increase device sales" is an example of an ineffective goal. "Increase sales by 10% margin in the first quarter, 15% in the second quarter, 15% in the third quarter and 10% in the third quarter", you will be in a better position to measure your marketing progress. fourth quarter ".
Section 4: Strategy and tactics
This section will be the heart of your plan and you should devote all the space necessary to outline your marketing strategies and describe each tactic you will use to implement them. Here is an example. My client sells videotapes and hardware. One of its goals is to increase sales by 20% for major departments in three states. Together, we developed a strategy that involved making a special offer to this potential group every month, and one of their tactics was to use a monthly email.
Your tactical section should include any actions you intend to take for advertising, public relations, direct mail, trade shows, and special promotions. You can use a paper calendar or use a contact manager or spreadsheet to plan your tactics; The most important thing is to stick to your schedule and stick to it. A paper plan is only useful when it is implemented.
Section 5. Budget Allocation
The last section of your plan includes a brief description of the costs associated with each of your tactics. So, for example, if you plan to exhibit at three exhibitions a year, you will include the cost of attending the exhibitions and setting up your booth and marketing materials. If the tactic you choose seems too expensive, you can go back and make changes before reaching the final budget.
You can adapt this plan as your business grows and your marketing plans evolve. You will find that it is a simple tool that you cannot do without.
