Why do you need a marketing plan?

We all know the benefits of having a plan. A marketing plan provides direction for your business and is another step on the path to business success. It provides the overarching strategy for your tactics to sit under so your time and energy are spent working productively.

What is a marketing plan?

It’s a document that sets out your ideal clients, your brand positioning, your competitors, your opportunities, where you’ll be advertising/marketing and when, considering your marketing budget (if you have one). This plan will guide you throughout the year. Once you have it set up, you should be able to review and tweak it each year with a full review every 3-5 years or if something significant happens in your business landscape. 

Here are five reasons you need a marketing plan:

It stops distractions

It can be easy to start marketing yourself on a new platform because it looks exciting and enticing (TikTok, I’m looking at you!) even though it won’t serve your business. Unfortunately, this spreads your time, energy and precious marketing dollars too thin. Your best to focus on where your clients are, and that will be in your marketing plan.

Your efforts are organised and focussed

Having a plan makes it easier to stay on track throughout the year. Being able to know what is coming up means you’re not caught by surprise by RUOK? Day or another significant event for your business. A marketing plan allows you to prepare content and other marketing activities, avoiding a last-minute scramble. 

It takes the stress out of marketing

If you’re not a marketing professional, it can be very stressful to know what you should be doing and when. Having a plan means this thinking has already been done for you; all you need to do now is action the plan. 

You can spend your marketing dollars wisely

You’ll get more bang for your buck by having a marketing plan, as all the options have been thought of in advance and only the activities worth spending on are included in your plan. Spending your marketing dollars intentionally is particularly important if you only have a small amount to spend. 

It makes you think

Writing a marketing plan (or having a professional write one for you) makes you think about what is essential to your business, your business goals, your ideal client, and what is important to them. This process is a great foundation to have for all your business activities.  

Need help with your marketing plan? Let me know! With almost ten years’ experience in strategic marketing, I can help you connect with your ideal clients in an effective and efficient way – no matter what your budget it. I offer marketing plans and mentoring, so you have support while implementing your plan.