Of course, you can type in a search engine online request “marketing plan example sample” so that the output will open a lot of links to download the template. However, it is possible to copy someone else’s development, but it will not bring results. For this reason, below is a step-by-step instruction with the structure of the marketing plan, which we invite you to fill with content and meaning yourself.
Block 1: Analysis
1) The market offers every company both opportunities for growth and threats to curtail operations. A PEST analysis helps you take a comprehensive look at the current currents in the external environment, identifying the political, economic, social and technological factors affecting the industry.
2) No company operates in isolation. There are many other players in the marketplace that offer similar products and services. Competitive analysis, unlike PEST which examines factors independent of the company, allows you to look at its performance in comparison to other players. It is best done in a comprehensive manner in the context of the marketing mix concept used. The most popular is the 4P, i.e. product, price, distribution channels and promotion. The advantage of this type of analysis is the possibility to look at the company’s activity with an unbiased third-partner’s view and determine possible points of growth and problem places.
3) The competitive analysis can be supplemented with analysis of company’s internal business processes, sales organization, principle and volume of financing of marketing activities, etc. It will allow to point out strengths and weaknesses of the company.
Box 2: Goal setting
1) Goal setting process starts with combining the results of your previous SWOT analysis. By combining the market opportunities and threats with strengths and weaknesses it’s necessary to define the strategic priority for the business and its central problem.
2) The result of the SWOT analysis enables the formulation of the marketing plan goal for a certain period and the strategy to achieve it.
3) The marketing goal is subject to primary decomposition in accordance with the marketing mix and is broken down into objectives in terms of product offer development, pricing, sales channel management and promotion.
Block 3: Action plan
It includes a list of activities with timeframes and responsible persons in the following fields
1) Product offer
- 1. Adjustment of assortment matrix;
- Development of new products;
- Modernization and/or repackaging of existing offerings;
- Introduction and improvement of related services, including support services.
2) Pricing.
- Change of sales price;
- Discounting system.
3) Distribution system.
- Entering new regions and countries;
- Changing the characteristics (width, length and depth) of distribution in the existing distribution channels;
- Expansion of distribution at the expense of new distribution channels;
- Opening of own retail outlets and representative offices.
4) Promotion.
- Changes in the brand portfolio;
- Rebranding;
- Changes in brand positioning;
- Communication mix (advertising, PR, sales promotion, direct marketing);
- Tools for data analysis and omni-channel interaction with consumers.
Block 4 Budget
Is a table of volumes of financing by calculation periods, projects and lines of expenses according to the action plan.
Block 5. Managing the risks of non-performance of the marketing plan.
An additional advantage of correct goal setting is the possibility of using intermediate indicators to control the implementation of the marketing plan. For this purpose, the last part of it provides solutions in case of deviation from the target parameters.
