Think of it this way, your business plan is your travel itinerary, complete with destination while your marketing plan is the map and places you visit along the way that makes the journey more memorable.

A marketing plan assists you to be able to communicate your message to your audience. Without marketing no one will know you exist.

Business owners often get scared of a marketing plan, but it’s not as scary as you think. In fact, it can be as simple as one page (I’m a huge fan of Allan Dibbs One Page Marketing Plan – check it out here).

To get started, firstly, think of your ideal customers, perhaps your travel companion. Get to know them intrinsically – these answers will be the basis of your marketing plan.

• How old are they?
• Is gender important?
• What are their values?
• What is important to them?
  • Price?
  • Service?
  • Quality?
  • Time?
• What do you need to do to attract or maintain your ideal client?
• Why would they want my product / service?
• How do they like to communicate?
  • face to face?
  • telephone?
  • email?
• What is their family status?
• Where / how do they live?
  • city / rural?
  • house / unit?
  • alone / shared accommodation / with family?

Now that you have got a really good idea of your ideal client, it will make it easier to write your marketing plan… Here are the headings to get you started. It does not have to be long, remember it’s the places you visit along the way to get to your final destination of your travel itinerary.

Marketing Plan Overview

• Who – our Target Market
• What – our message, the problem we are solving
• How – getting our message to our market

Marketing Actions:

• When – What channels and platforms will you use to communicate to your target audience and how often?
• Develop – the systems, tools, and resources required to make it happen
• Implement – action your plan
• Review – what worked, what didn’t, improve your plan
  

Now that you have written it, set in your calendar key points to check along the way to help make yourself accountable for achieving your goals.

Your marketing plan and business plan need to work together cohesively, so make sure they meet at the final destination together.

If you need further help with your marketing plan, or perhaps you have the plan, but you need help implementing your marketing strategy, we at Creative Desk can help you with that. Schedule your call with us today, and let’s put your plan into action!