A Three Step Guide to Creating a No-Fuss Marketing Plan

Are you a business owner feeling unsure about how to create a marketing plan? People tell you marketing will grow revenue, but it might feel complicated and confusing. Marketing is somewhere between a science and an art, and it will vary from business to business. Marketing plans can be incredibly sophisticated and detailed, and that certainly has its merits. However, the basics are universal most of the time, and developing a marketing plan puts you leaps and bounds ahead of many of your competitors.

Chances are you have a business plan. A marketing plan should harmonize with that business plan.

If you want a no-fuss, easy to implement marketing plan, focus on the three basics – Goals, Objectives and Action Steps – and you’ll have a useful, strategic roadmap for marketing your business.

Let’s dive deeper into three basics, including examples of each.

1 – Marketing goals

Marketing goals are the broad, high-level statements that outline what the company aims to achieve through its marketing efforts. They provide long-term direction and focus for the marketing team and align with the overall business plan.

Goal Examples:

  • Generate high-quality leads.
  • Acquire new customers.
  • Increase website traffic.

2 – Marketing objectives

Marketing objectives are precise, measurable targets that support achieving a specific marketing goal. They are typically shorter-term and actionable within a certain period. Marketing objectives provide a measure that lets you know if you’ve reached your marketing goals.

Objective Examples:

  • Generate high-quality leads – find 200 new sales leads over the next 6 months.
  • Acquire new customers – increase the number of contract customers from 500 to 510 over 6 months.
  • Increase website traffic –Increase website traffic by 4% at the end of six months.

3 – Action Steps:

Marketing action steps are where the rubber meets the road. What are the specific tasks and activities that need to be implemented to achieve the marketing objectives which in turn contribute to achieving the goal?

Action Step Examples:

Generate high-quality leads – find 200 new sales leads over the next 6 months.

  • Attend two trade shows in 6 months.
  • Write three case studies that highlight each product’s benefit in the brochure.
  • Create layout for brochure.
  • Print five hundred brochures for each trade show.
  • Create signage for trade show booth that highlights product benefits.
  • Create a sales plan for each trade show including the roles of each employee at the booth.

Acquire new customers – increase the number of contract customers from 500 to 510 over 6 months by sending direct mail to contacts from specified industry categories.

  • Determine the top three business categories we will target.
  • Buy mailing lists for the three categories.
  • Meet with designer to create direct mail piece.

Increase website traffic – Test two different traffic generation methods each month for the next three months. Increase website traffic by 4% at the end of six months.

  • Include QR code on all printed materials.
  • Post on social media every week with links to current blog posts.
  • Include a link to the website in all email communications.

Creating a marketing plan may seem daunting, but by focusing on the fundamental trio of goals, objectives and action steps, you can develop a strategic roadmap tailored to your business’s needs. Thoughtful, simple planning will put you ahead of the competition and guide you to success.

Do you want a strategic marketing plan created? Lawton is here for you!  Contact us.