Earlier this week, Emily wrote an excellent post on the importance of having a marketing plan, and some of the most important data you should include in your plan. I thought a nice follow-up to her post would be providing you with a sample marketing plan template that you can use in your own business.
Simple Marketing Plan
The purpose of this simple marketing plan is to:
Streamline the marketing planning process
Help you identify the most important research you need to gather
Provide an easy-to-update format for organizing your information
Give you a simple and clear way to see the big picture for your marketing activities
Outline the actions you will take to reach your marketing goals
The sample marketing plan also includes targeted questions to help you fill in each section with the right information, as well as a few links to more explanatory articles.
I actually created this as a one-page marketing plan for my own use earlier this year as we prepared for the launch of the Small Business Bonfire (the blank template is only one page, but it should extend beyond a page once you start filling in your data).
While there may be areas you want to add in that are specific for your business, it’s a fairly well-rounded, simple marketing plan template that can be used for just about any type of business. Add it to your swipe file along with this new customer welcome letter.
Want more free downloads?
Check out our Self-Employed Resume Template to kick-start your small business marketing. And join the Small Business Bonfire Community for even more free small business help.
Great follow-up post Alyssa and a fantastic Marketing Plan Template document. I’ve already started to integrate it and add it to my existing Marketing documents. This and Emily’s post are very timely as I’ve just started my own Direct E-Mail Marketing Campaign!
Great information, a lot of hot, hot hot marketing plan tips.
Keep em coming, great stuff.
And you are so right on that simple marketing plan template that can be used for just about any type of business.
By the way, if it’s OK with you I’d like to add that no marketing plan or marketing calendar should be set in stone!
If history has taught us anything, no matter how effective your plan may be, chances are, it will have to be altered at a given time; due to what your competitor(s), clients, future clients or suppliers are doing.
Here’s the kicker, don’t feel as if you have to be a psychic.
Don’t feel overwhelmed at the thought of needing a business and marketing plan so flexible that it takes away from the overall aim and goals that made you ‘hungry’ to market your particular business, product, service or idea in the first place!
No doubt about it, there’s an easy way to be sure that you can continue to have success in the future – if you just start off with flexibility in mind!
The best way to do so is to have a marketing plan and marketing calendar that is flexible and built to adjust itself when the time comes to do so.
Respectfully,
Sandy Barris
Fast Marketing Plan.com
http://www.FastMarketingPlan.com
Agreed on all points, Sandy. Both a marketing plan and a business plan should be considered working documents that are referred to often, updated regularly and never considered “finished.” The most useful plans are those that can breathe and grow as your business and marketing needs change. Plus, that perspective does take away a lot of the pressure of needing to create a “perfect” plan. Imperfect works here!
I reviewed your sample plan, and added points I was missing. I am writing a online marketing plan for one of my MBA E-commerce class. Should be interesting.
This is the best Marketing Plan template I have seen yet. Thank you so so much. So simple, direct, not intimidating, yet very very effective…. I am not into stuffy starched-shirt-and-tie lengthy write ups that are riddled with jargons (techie language) and page 100+….this works for me and trust me i have downloaded scores & even purchase quite a few….all stuffy & intimidating. Who says you cant hit the bull’s eye with just one dart….This one does it… Thanks so much again…
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Great follow-up post Alyssa and a fantastic Marketing Plan Template document. I’ve already started to integrate it and add it to my existing Marketing documents. This and Emily’s post are very timely as I’ve just started my own Direct E-Mail Marketing Campaign!
Andrew Cooper
That’s great, Andrew! Good luck with your campaign.
Great information, a lot of hot, hot hot marketing plan tips.
Keep em coming, great stuff.
And you are so right on that simple marketing plan template that can be used for just about any type of business.
By the way, if it’s OK with you I’d like to add that no marketing plan or marketing calendar should be set in stone!
If history has taught us anything, no matter how effective your plan may be, chances are, it will have to be altered at a given time; due to what your competitor(s), clients, future clients or suppliers are doing.
Here’s the kicker, don’t feel as if you have to be a psychic.
Don’t feel overwhelmed at the thought of needing a business and marketing plan so flexible that it takes away from the overall aim and goals that made you ‘hungry’ to market your particular business, product, service or idea in the first place!
No doubt about it, there’s an easy way to be sure that you can continue to have success in the future – if you just start off with flexibility in mind!
The best way to do so is to have a marketing plan and marketing calendar that is flexible and built to adjust itself when the time comes to do so.
Respectfully,
Sandy Barris
Fast Marketing Plan.com
http://www.FastMarketingPlan.com
Agreed on all points, Sandy. Both a marketing plan and a business plan should be considered working documents that are referred to often, updated regularly and never considered “finished.” The most useful plans are those that can breathe and grow as your business and marketing needs change. Plus, that perspective does take away a lot of the pressure of needing to create a “perfect” plan. Imperfect works here!
Thanks Alyssa
I reviewed your sample plan, and added points I was missing. I am writing a online marketing plan for one of my MBA E-commerce class. Should be interesting.
Thanks
I’m thinking about making a marketing plan for a new business and this article has been really helpful. Thank you very much for posting it.
Thanks so much!!! Great Help
This is the best Marketing Plan template I have seen yet. Thank you so so much. So simple, direct, not intimidating, yet very very effective…. I am not into stuffy starched-shirt-and-tie lengthy write ups that are riddled with jargons (techie language) and page 100+….this works for me and trust me i have downloaded scores & even purchase quite a few….all stuffy & intimidating. Who says you cant hit the bull’s eye with just one dart….This one does it… Thanks so much again…
Great marketing plan, thanks for sharing. I just got inspired