Plans aren't worth anything if you can't write them down

A formal, written marketing plan is essential. A written marketing plan removes vagueness and doubt because it provides an unambiguous reference for the activities your organisation proposes to undertake throughout the planning period. And make no mistake: the single most important and key benefit of your marketing plan is the planning process itself.

Typically, this process offers a unique forum, for productive, well-informed and closely-focused discussions between the various managers and stakeholders involved. The written marketing plan, arising out of a series of conversations, workshops or discussions, provides an agreed context for all subsequent management and tactical activities, even those that may not necessarily be specifically detailed within the written plan.

The act of writing down the plan also forces its own rigor upon the planning process. It is very hard to write down something if it is vague and woolly (and even harder to execute said woolly vagueness). Documentation from a properly facilitated planning process instills its own discipline into the process. And group or public discussion during the planning process provides an ongoing forum for creativity and innovation, tempered with measured doses of reality.

Marketing Plan Content - Outline 

Marketing Environment

The markets, customers, including research outcomes, competitor analysis and the overall economic, political, cultural and technical environment; covering developing trends, as well as the current situation for the subject entity.

Marketing Activity

The proposed marketing mix. (4 Ps - see below)

Marketing System

A study of the organisation, research systems and the current marketing objectives and strategies. The marketing system itself needs to be regularly reviewed and its validity tested against the result being achieved, and referred back to the organisational strategic plan, because its success relies upon close alignment between the corporate plan and the marketing plan.

The Four Ps

The four Ps represent the key elements of the marketing mix: Product, Price, Place and Promotion.

Product

Tangible or intangible, product or service, the question is whether it represents something the intended customer will want to purchase. Aspects such as performance, size, shape, colour, packaging and bundling all come into this category. Includes the people who represent the business, who can become inextricably linked to the product.

Price

How much can you get for it? What are the quantity, market usage, time-related or other considerations?

Place

Where will the customer get it? Also covers issues such as supply chain design and technology, distribution and sales channel management, sales force techniques and processes, after-sales service availability. Includes such issues as the mood and ambience of the environment where the customer encounters the product or service, for example the soundscape, olfactory issues, visual and built environment.

Promotion

How the organisation communicates with the intended customer segments.