How to write a marketing plan

Your marketing plan must do more than just say what you want to happen. It must describe each step required to make sure that it happens.

Schedule

The plan should include a schedule of key tasks. This sets out what will be done, and by when. Refer to the schedule as often as possible to avoid losing sight of your objectives under the daily workload.

Resources

Evaluate the resources required to put in place your plan effectively. For example:

• Do you need brochures, and should they be available digitally (via email or your website)?
• Do you have enough time and staff to handle sales and meet customer needs?

Knowing your resource needs early ensures you're ready to carry out the plan efficiently.

Cost

The cost of everything in the plan needs to be included in a budget. If your finances are limited, your plan will need to take that into account. Don't spread your marketing activities too thinly - it is better to concentrate your resources to make the most of your budget. You may also want to link your marketing budget to your sales forecast.

Control

As well as setting out the schedule, the plan needs to say how it will be controlled. You need an individual who takes responsibility for pushing things along. A good schedule and budget should make it easy to monitor progress.

From time to time, you need to stand back and ask whether the plan is working:

• Is the plan delivering the expected results?
• What lessons can you learn from mistakes?
• How can you improve future plans based on what you’ve experienced?

However, if tasks fall behind schedule or costs exceed expectations, you need to adapt quickly.