Creating a solid marketing plan is essential for any business, but especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where every decision counts. A strong marketing plan offers direction, maximises your return on investment, and helps your brand to stand out in a competitive marketplace.
If you’re currently looking to build on your own successes and create a marketing plan, here’s how to tackle your plan, setting the foundations for marketing success.
When taking your first steps in outlining your marketing strategy, it is worthwhile taking the time to reflect on the difference between plan and strategy. Your marketing strategy provides the big-picture thinking: for example; who your ideal customer is, what makes your business unique, and how you intend to position yourself in the market.
Your marketing plan on the other hand is your actionable roadmap. This will include the specific tactics, campaigns, channels, and timing you’ll use to bring your marketing strategy to life.
Having both to hand is essential for your business. As a marketing plan without strategy provides little direction. Similarly, a strategy without a plan is simply theory for you to consider.
The first step in building your marketing plan is knowing where you want it to take you. Learning how to set marketing goals that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) is the first step.
What marketing goals have you set for yourself and your business in the past? Have they been clearly linked to outcomes? How clearly can you pinpoint the correlation between the actions you have taken and the results you were hoping for?
Your marketing goals will inform every decision you make—from your budget to your social media schedule.
Creating a marketing plan is empowering for you as a business owner. With the right structure, it is a powerful tool for decision-making and growth. A marketing strategy for SMEs helps you get clear on your goals, and use a marketing plan checklist (found in the FAQ’s below) to stay on track.
Remember: A great plan doesn’t just sit on a shelf—it drives action, adapts with feedback, and evolves as your business grows.
Would you like some guidance when approaching your own marketing planning? Talk to us today to discuss your marketing planning needs.
What are the key components of a small business marketing plan?
You can use the following checklist (as referenced above) to ensure that you’ve covered all of the key components of a small business marketing plan. These include the following:
How do I create a marketing plan on a budget?
Get clarification on the costs of each element of your marketing strategy so that you are able to confidently add them into your plan. Allow a contingency fund for unexpected costs that may occur over the campaign.
How often should I update my marketing plan?
Ideally, you should review your marketing plan on a regular basis. The frequency of review will depend upon the overall timescale of your campaign and what you are looking to achieve. For example, social media content will need to be reviewed much more frequently than a printed brochure.
What’s the difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan?
As above, a marketing strategy is the theory that sits behind your marketing plan. Your strategy sets out the background information that helps you to populate your plan and ultimately deliver on your objectives.
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