A marketing plan can be a very simple document with key elements
to keep your growth strategy in perspective. It is a very
important tool for your organization, serving as a reference for
all individuals working with the service or product.
Keep in mind that the content should be very dynamic. Updating
the document when significant changes are made is key,
incorporating important learning along the product or service
development.
Here is a basic and effective template:
I. Overview
1. Situation
1.1
Trends/Key Changes in the macro environment: economic and social facts
that affect your industry and audience.
1.2
Customer profile.
2. Strengths and Weaknesses of your company
and top competitors.
3. External Threats and Opportunities for your
company during the designated period of time.
II. Targets: revenue and volume for the time frame. Break it
down by shorter periods, if your business involves seasonal variances,
and by sales channel, online, offline, etc. That will allow you
to track results closely. In addition to numeric targets, try to establish
parameters to measure the effectiveness of your programs.
Determine what to evaluate, and establish standards of
performance. That will allow you to take periodic
corrective action.
III. Key Objectives: list here the broad actions that will lead
your company to reach your numeric targets. List a minimum of three
but no more than six or seven key objectives for the period. Be
aggressive but realistic.
As an example of a Key Objective, “Increase your online sales
within the channel mix.”
IV. Strategies: now it is time to start planning how you will
apply resources to implement and achieve those Objectives.
As an example of a Strategy related to the Key Objective above,
“Increase unique visitors to your website.”
V. Tactics: list the programs that will turn your strategies
action oriented.
As an example for the Strategy above, “Optimize the use of
keyword search on top search engines.”
IV. Attachments: Add to this section your communications
schedule, funds allocation chart, and any other charts that will help
your team visualize and compare results.
When building your Marketing Plan, make sure you include your
team members in the process, and pay close attention to what
competitors are doing. Try to look at your brand, services,
strategies and programs with the eyes of your audience.
© Lima Lerch Consulting 2006-2008. All Rights Reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Renata L.Lerch, founder and managing director of
Lima Lerch Consulting, has worked with strategic marketing for over 16
years. Before starting Lima Lerch Consulting, she managed
marketing and business development in large multinationals, covering
the US, European and Latin American markets. She holds 2 MBAs
Lima Lerch Consulting
(www.limalerchconsulting.com) provides leading marketing consulting services to
companies in the US
and Latin America.
