What is a marketing plan, what types does it include, how to develop and use it? In this article, we will dive into the topic of marketing strategies, analyze a number of examples and methods, and learn how to create a truly working marketing plan that will become the foundation for the prosperity of your business.

What is meant by the term "marketing plan"

This is a strategic action plan that prescribes the company's goals, what methods and tools will be used to achieve them, as well as ways to measure the success or failure of marketing campaigns. This also includes describing competitors, finding a unique offer, and distributing money.

Writing a marketing plan is not a simple result of creative invention of marketers. It involves meaningful analytics of existing market conditions, consumer behavior and brand profitability.

For this reason, creating a marketing plan is an individual process, and copying it aimlessly has no practical use.

A marketing document defines specific tasks for a given time period that need to be solved to promote the business. These intermediate tasks are an integral part of the overall concept, they are subordinate to the general logic and are aimed at achieving the main goal - increasing sales. The correct creation of a marketing plan helps to optimize marketing spending and makes it possible to control the ups and downs in this area.

Types of Marketing Plans

Based on the time period for which the document is prescribed, it is divided into 3 categories:

◼️ Long-term. It covers a period of 5-7 years and is focused on large-scale business tasks. Among them are expansion, the creation of new branches and significant investments. Such plans are called strategic and often contain generalized areas of development, without going into details for each stage. They involve breaking down long-term goals into shorter periods, including short-term plans. This type of planning will be important for large companies with stable positions in the market.

◼️ Medium-term. It covers a time period of 2-5 years and focuses on smaller tasks. For example, on the analysis of opportunities to increase the number of regular customers or the launch of a new product on the shelves.

◼️ Short-term. Usually covers a period of no more than 12 months. Such a plan is full of details, specific steps and activities. In fact, this is an organization checklist and a guide for responsible team members.

Another criterion for the classification of marketing plans is the branch of the organization's functioning. Thus, there are specialized plans adapted to narrow types of activity:

◼️ Retail: Refers to strategies aimed at attracting customers to retail outlets, building a retail assortment, creating showcases, and managing sales.

◼️ B2B: the main goal of this plan is to establish long-term relationships with business partners, to form strategies for selling goods for other players.

◼️ Technology companies: Include plans focused on the promotion of technology goods, their innovative positioning, and strategies to create sustainable competitive advantages.

◼️ Services: This plan focuses on the marketing, positioning, and communication of professional services such as medical, legal, or consulting services.

◼️ Manufacturing companies: Marketing plans focus on product promotion, supply chain optimization, and distribution and retail network management strategies.

Structural features of the marketing plan

The structure of the marketing plan is a multi-page document that spells out all the stages of the development and implementation of the organization's marketing strategy. Each part of this structure is key to ensuring the success of a business's marketing efforts. Usually, the document consists of the following points:

1. Introduction
   ➖ Overview of the global goals and target audience of the marketing plan;
   ➖ Summary of the main ideas and tasks for marketers.
2. Assessment of the existing situation
   ➖ Internal review of the organization (SWOT analysis);
   ➖ Industry analytics;
   ➖ Description of direct competitors and their approaches to marketing;
   ➖ Identification of trends and opportunities for growth.
3. Fixing strategies
   ➖ Formulating SMART goals;
   ➖ Establishment of the main strategic directions;
   ➖ Product positioning.
4. Tactical plans
   ➖ Writing marketing mixes (4P or other) for each product;
   ➖ Determination of promotion and distribution channels;
   ➖ Communication planning (PR, events, advertising).
5. Budgeting
   ➖ Distribution of money between different marketing tools;
   ➖ Search for resources for the implementation of the plan;
   ➖ Creating a business plan and forecasting results.
6. Monitoring and evaluation
   ➖ Installation of performance monitoring systems;
   ➖ Evaluating the effectiveness of marketing efforts and adjusting the strategy if necessary;
   ➖ Indication of indicators of success and the process of achieving the plans.

Popular Planning Models

SOSTAC Model

One of the most well-known planning models in marketing is the SOSTAC model, developed by expert Paul Smith.

SOSTAC is an acronym that is a systematic approach to developing a marketing plan. This model includes six main stages:

1. Situation Analysis: This stage includes an analysis of the current situation, the external environment and the market atmosphere in which the business operates. It also includes a SWOT analysis (analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and an assessment of market trends.
2. Objectives: The second stage involves defining clear, measurable goals that the company plans to achieve through its marketing efforts. Goals should be SMART (specifc, measurable, realistic, time-bound) – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound.
3. Strategy: This stage involves developing the general steps to be taken to achieve the goals. Key issues include audience selection, defining a unique offering (USP), and identifying key insights to develop a business strategy.
4. Tactics: This stage is the study of various tools for implementing the strategy. This includes specific marketing techniques, advertising campaigns, promotions, the use of social media, and other tools to achieve your goals.
5. Action: This is where an action plan is developed to implement the chosen tactical approaches. It covers who and what should be done to achieve the expected results. This includes defining responsibilities, resources, and time frames.
6. Control: The last stage of the SOSTAC model involves the development of a system for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the marketing plan. It includes the establishment of key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics to evaluate performance, and a system for making adjustments if necessary.

This model provides a convenient and consistent framework for developing a marketing plan, which helps companies attract and retain customers with a more conscious approach to their marketing efforts.

Model 4P

The 4Ps in marketing, also known as the marketing mix, represents the basic elements of a marketing strategy that include Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.

1. Product: This is the first item that deals with a company's products or services. It is important to identify the features of the product, its value, design, packaging, and other factors that affect the success of the product in the market.
2. Price: The second "P" defines the pricing strategy for the product. This includes analysis of production costs, competitive prices, selection of optimal price levels, discounts and promotions.
3. Place: This "P" refers to the distribution channels through which the product reaches the consumer. It is important to choose the right points of sale, logistics and distribution.
4. Promotion: The fourth element is the strategies and means to promote a product or service. It includes advertising, PR, sales, Internet marketing, and other ways of interacting with the audience.

These 4 elements are interrelated and influence each other, forming the basis for a successful marketing strategy. It is important for companies to balance and coordinate each of the 4Ps, taking into account the specifics of the market, target audience, and competitors.

Allan Deeb's model

Allan Deeb's marketing model is based on his book "The 1-Page Marketing Plan", which fundamentally simplifies the marketing plan, concentrating exclusively on key aspects and strategies. The main principles of this model can be described as follows:

1. One-page strategy: The main idea is to put the entire marketing plan on one page, making it concise yet informative and result-oriented.
2. Simplicity and clarity: The Allan Deeb model aims to remove unnecessary complexity from marketing strategies by focusing on clarity of goals and how to achieve them.
3. Active Engagement: Allan Deeb actively promotes his model and books through a variety of marketing channels, including conference attendance, collaborations with renowned marketers, and building an image as an expert in his field.

Keller's Brand Equity Model

The Keller Brand Equity Model, also known as the Customer-Based Brand Equity Model (CBBE), was developed by Kevin Lane Keller. This model is a pyramid that represents four levels through which organizations can develop a strong and meaningful brand.

1. Brand Identity: The first level of the model asks the question, "Who are you?" It also means understanding how a brand relates to certain products and services in the market.
2. Brand Meaning: The second stage answers the question "What do you represent?"
3. Brand Response: The third level involves questions like "What do I think or feel about you?"
4. Brand Resonance: This is the highest level in the brand equity model. It represents a deep and conscious connection between customers and the brand, including their active engagement, commitment, attachment, and behavioral loyalty.

The Keller Brand Equity Model is a useful tool for identifying, building, and growing brands, helping companies build meaningful brands for their consumers and establish a reliable position in the market.

Hunt Ladder Model

The Hunt Ladder model in marketing classifies customers based on their level of engagement with the business. The essence of this model is to divide customers into four levels: leads, customers, customers, and advocates, and hopeful. Each level of the ladder describes the increasing degree of customer loyalty to your brand.

1. Leads: Leads are potential customers who show interest in your product or service but have not yet made a purchase.
2. Customer: When a lead makes repeat purchases, they become a customer. It is important to provide good customer service and work effectively on customer retention.
3. Client: Customers are customers who regularly use your products or services, making them loyal customers. They choose your brand repeatedly and show loyalty.
4. Advocate: By becoming an advocate, the customer becomes an active advocate for your brand. Not only does it purchase your products regularly, but it also recommends them to others, which helps you attract new customers.

The Hunt Ladder model helps businesses understand the stage of customer experience and build strategies to maintain and increase brand loyalty.

The "Customer Journey Map" model

A method that is used by companies to visualize the entire journey that a customer takes, from the initial acquaintance with the brand to the purchase and subsequent support.

The main purpose of a customer journey map is to understand how customers interact with your brand at different stages. This helps companies understand what steps can be taken to improve the customer experience at each of these stages and create more engaging marketing and sales strategies.

A customer journey map includes several key stages: brand awareness, information research, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, purchase, and follow-up. At each of these stages, the client may face different problems or be in different emotional states, which is important to consider when developing marketing strategies.

Advantages of use:

✔️ Improved customer experience: Understanding how customers interact with a brand allows businesses to improve customer service at all stages.

✔️ Creating more accurate and personalized marketing strategies: With information about what customers are experiencing at each stage, businesses can create more accurate messages and offers for their audience at all stages of the journey.

✔️ Bottleneck detection: Understanding where customers are experiencing the most difficulties allows companies to better focus on solving problematic points in the customer experience.

Stages of marketing planning

A step-by-step breakdown of marketing has several important reasons:

✔️ Separation allows you to better structure the process of developing a marketing strategy, making it easier to manage each stage and improve control over the progress of work.

✔️ The stages of marketing planning represent a logical sequence of actions, helping the participants in the process to follow a reasonable and consistent plan.

✔️ The stage allows you to set specific goals, methods of measurement and control, which contributes to a more accurate assessment of the results and correction of the plan if necessary.

✔️ Dividing into stages makes it easier for the team to work together, allowing each participant to focus on specific tasks, sharing responsibility and expertise.

✔️ A clear definition of the stages of marketing planning allows you to improve planning, resource provision, control and evaluation of results, increasing the effectiveness of the company's marketing efforts.

So, the main stages of marketing planning:

1. Situation analysis:
   ➖ Study of the external and internal business
   ➖ environment SWOT analysis (identification of strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats)
   ➖ Analysis of competitors
   ➖ Determination of the needs of the target audience
2. Definition of goals and objectives:
   ➖ Formulation of specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and limited goals (SMART method)
   ➖ Setting objectives arising from the objectives set
3. Choosing the target audience and creating a marketing strategy:
   ➖ Determining the ways to present the product on the market
   ➖ Choosing the best channels for promotion and communication with customers
4. Budget and resource allocation:
   ➖ Efficiently allocate funds across different marketing tools and customer communication channels
5. Development of a system for monitoring and evaluating results:
   ➖ Tracking the achievement of goals
   ➖ Evaluating the effectiveness of marketing actions
   ➖ Making adjustments to the strategy as it is implemented

Marketing plan examples and templates

The following frameworks can be used to organize and develop your own marketing strategy. To do this, you need to review each example and determine which elements are particularly relevant to your company and goals. Tailor these examples to reflect the individual needs of your business and products.

Choose the marketing techniques from the examples that best suit your target audience and budget. Integrate them into your marketing plan, considering their effectiveness and applicability:

1. E-commerce marketing plan template:
   ➖ Description of the business, product or service
   ➖ Analysis of the target audience
   ➖ Assessment of the competitive environment
   ➖ Marketing goals and KPIs
   ➖ Marketing strategies (e.g. content marketing, social media advertising, email marketing)
   ➖ Budgeting and resources
   ➖ Methods for measuring success and results
2. Example of a short-term marketing plan for a small business:
   ➖ A structured schedule of monthly events
   ➖ A plan of specific activities (advertising, promotions, participation in community events)
   ➖ Definition of key goals and key products/services
   ➖ Budget estimation
   ➖ Projected KPIs and methods for measuring success
3. Example of a marketing plan for a new product:
   ➖ Analysis of demand and target audience
   ➖ Development of a unique offer (USP)
   ➖ Methods for attracting attention to a new product (promotions, teasers, pre-orders)
   ➖ Advertising and media planning
   ➖ strategies Development of methods for evaluating effectiveness and their practical implementation
4. Marketing plan template for a startup:
   ➖ Defining startup goals and audience
   ➖ Analysis of the competitive environment and SWOT analysis
   ➖ Strategies for attracting the first customers (for example, growth through social networks, PR campaigns)
   ➖ Definition of promotion channels and budgeting
   ➖ Metrics to evaluate effectiveness and adjust the strategy
5. An example of a content marketing plan for a B2B company:
   ➖ Research of key topics and needs of the target audience
   ➖ Development of a content strategy for lead generation and customer
   ➖ acquisition Content creation and distribution plan (articles, cases, webinars, research)
   ➖ Content calendar management and distribution of responsibilities
   ➖ Evaluation of ROI and effectiveness of each content element
6.  Example of an integrated marketing plan for a retailer:
   ➖ Drawing up marketing strategies for online and offline sales
   ➖ channels Market and consumer behavior
   ➖ analysis Development of a multi-channel advertising campaign
   ➖ Planning promotions, seasonal sales, and loyalty programs
   ➖ Evaluating conversions, sales, and ROI for each channel and campaign