Just filling out a marketing plan template can be a useful exercise in building your business. While small business marketing plan templates will vary depending on your business needs, these are the elements that should be on your mind if you want to roll out a new marketing strategy:
Mission Statement
This statement may be taken from your overall business plan. If you haven't written one yet, it consists of a few sentences that capture the essence of a company's purpose.
Products and Services
This section means much more than simply describing the product or service you plan to sell. You also need to continue the narrative of your marketing plan and show how your product fits with your mission statement.
Measurement
What are the goals you would like to reach with these products and services? Which ones will make you feel like you are on track? You need hard numbers, such as increases in sales or customers to determine if your new plan worked.
Your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)
At this point, you will evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. When you look back later, you can see how things have changed after implementation of your new marketing plan.
Market Analysis
Now that you've analyzed yourself, look at your market. Describe your target market and your target customer. If necessary, create personas that represent each market. At this stage, try to avoid making your market too large. You simply cannot go after everyone.
No market analysis is complete without a look at the competition. Evaluate what they have done to attract business, and ask yourself why your target market might go to them instead of you.
Marketing Strategies
Outline how you plan to reach each market that is likely to buy your product. Look back at what you have done in the past. Then discuss your new ideas and how they are an improvement.
Marketing Budget
What will you have to spend to launch your campaign? For example, how much will it cost you to send out a regular newsletter? How much will it cost you to rent a booth at a trade show?
The act of gathering this information will help you sharpen your marketing plan even more. Instead of just buying an ad and hoping it works, you will feel more confident that you are doing what is best to get your name out there.
 | Finding the most effective marketing methods for your individual business may come down to trial and error. Drafting a well-researched marketing plan can help you choose those trials more wisely and see better where you succeed and where you err. |
 | By writing a mission statement, you can help keep the purpose of your company in the forefront of every employee's mind, while also informing customers of what goods and services you provide. |
 | You could create a marketing plan that is absolutely brilliant. But you won't be able to tell if your hard work paid off unless you set goals and benchmarks to gauge your success. |
Writing your marketing plan is one of the most important things you will ever do for your business. It outlines the structure of your company as well as presents your goals and objectives in a clear and concise matter. |
Whether you have a formal written plan for your business or just a bunch of great ideas in your head, there are always going to be goals you set out to achieve. You will often think in terms of what do I want to accomplish in the next six months, as well as where do I want to be in five years. |
