Every company needs a marketing plan. Unfortunately, it’s often the case that the plan in place is not fit for purpose, is out of date or is not reviewed often enough. All of this means that your marketing plan probably isn’t delivering as well as it could be.

Having a plan in place that is looked at and altered regularly can put you in a better position than your competitors. Research has shown that businesses with plans succeed, outperform competitors, and retain staff, more than those with no plan. This is because a plan provides your company and its employees with a direction, informing decisions, highlighting opportunities and making everyone aware of potential threats.

But deciding you need a marketing plan is only the start, you actually need to create a marketing plan. So where do you start?

Types of marketing plan

Unfortunately, there is no one type of marketing plan to use, which can make your starting point a little bit more difficult. Before you can start planning, you need to consider what type of marketing plan will best suit your business.

This means gaining an understanding of what the different marketing plans are, how they differ and what plan is best to use in different situations.

You need to look at:

• What the plan is: What is its scope compared to other plans?
• When to use it: Is it an annual, long-term or a short-term tactical plan?
• What should be included: How should you structure it?
• Recommended resources: What resources are available to help your create or use the plan?

On top of this, when looking at different types of marketing plans and considering which is the best fit for your needs, you should consider:

• Purpose: What is the primary function of the plan you need to create?
• Timeframe: How long does your plan need to be in place for?
• Scope: What areas of your business should your plan affect? Which departments and personnel will be affected by the plan and when will they have input into the plan’s construction?
• Channels: Which online and offline channels will you utilize?
• Key outputs: What are your major objectives, KPIs, and other measurables that will determine success?

Aligning your marketing plan

If you don’t currently have a set of plans – or aren’t aware of other plans in place across your business – it is worth assessing what plans you need throughout the broader company. You need to create a marketing plan that is aligned with overall business strategies, as everything works better when this is the case.

On top of this, your campaign plans and digital marketing plans should be aligned with your overall marketing and business plan.

Keeping everything joined together and bearing each other plan in mind when creating or actioning a new marketing plan will help you get the best results and ensure you’re working toward the right goals.

How can Smart Insights help?

We have a range of blogs, guides and templates to take you through the creation of your marketing plan and ensure you include and consider everything you need to in order to get the best results.

Take a look at our actionable advice and start creating integrated marketing plans that deliver.