How to write a good marketing plan

All businesses, no matter the size, need a strategy which outlines how their target market is going to be reached through marketing and PR. But what should it include?

Different Marketing Plans

There are several marketing plans to suit different companies and their needs.

These include a time-based plan, which focuses on a particular time period. It could be a certain time of the year or an annual or quarterly plan which looks at where the business is and the best strategy for growth during that period.
It could be the launch of a new product, which sets out who the product will target and how you will convince them to buy it through promotion and advertising.

Image credit

Or it could be a plan based around social media and engaging with users on various platforms.

Company Mission

The FSB says that as every business is unique, your marketing plan should be tailored to you and your services. However, there are several key elements common to all strategies, including a competitor analysis, a budget and goal setting.

You need to begin by establishing what you stand for – what are you offering and to whom? Once you know your target audience, you can set your goals. You’ll also need to look at your competitors and decide how you’re going to give your customers something unique.

If you don’t know where to start, you could consider using professional marketing strategy consultants such as https://www.reallyhelpfulmarketing.co.uk/specialist-services/marketing-strategy-consultant who can offer advice.

Image credit

How will you achieve your goals?

Setting key performance indicators (KPIs) is the best way of measuring whether your marketing plan is working. But these can’t be done until you know your budget, which determines what sort of plan you can afford and stick to it.