There are lots of different types of marketing plans; paid advertising plans, content marketing, annual plans, product launch plans. We’re going to focus on the basics of a quarterly marketing plan and what you need to look at and include.

You might be wondering why I would opt for the quarterly plan

With a quarterly plan there is a chance to turn things around if what you’re doing isn’t working. Don’t wait for the rest of the year to see how things ‘pan out’. Stay focused and motivated and use the data you obtain from the first quarter to help shape the rest of the year and form a basis for your decisions.

What to include in a quarterly marketing plan

Let’s keep it simple to start, what do you want to achieve? Would you like to increase your revenue by 10% this year? Do you want to increase your customer segment share by 20%? 

Be clear about what you’re looking to achieve and work backwards to look at what you will need to do to achieve it. You can then see if the plans you have in place are robust enough to help you achieve your goals. Here are some key points to consider when you’re writing a marketing plan.

• SMART goals – the most important thing to remember is to keep your plan SMART – specific, measurable, ambitious, realistic and time related. You might not come up with the right plan straight away, it may need tweaking before you get it right. And it will depend upon your goals for the following points.
• Do your objectives match that of the rest of the company? The plans you create need to be in line with the objectives of the company. If there are specific goals the company wishes to achieve, they should all be included within the plan. Don’t look at things from a marketing perspective all the time.

• Competition and customers to target – Thorough competitor analysis should always form a part of your marketing strategy. Which you then use in your marketing plans. Is there a product you need to focus on, a customer segment you’ve neglected that you can target to reach your goals?

• Buyer personas – creating buyer personas can be a useful way of getting back to basics with your customers. Stop assuming you know what they want, and ask them instead. This will involve doing some marketing research, so pick the most effective research method for your strategy. Rediscovering your customers is one of the most beneficial actions you’ll undertake.

• Best marketing tactics to achieve your goals – Once you have established what you’ll be tackling in the quarter, it’s time to look at what marketing campaigns to use in order to achieve your goals. Use a mixture of what works for your company, but don’t be afraid to experiment with new channels that fit with your customer base. Don’t fall into the trap of using the same marketing techniques and expecting the same results! There will come a point where you’ll reach the ‘peak’ of effectiveness – bail out before you start seeing a decline.

Other important points to consider

Once you have created a marketing plan, you need to get funding, right? Establish what methods you’ll need to undertake and how much they’ll cost. Calculate a return on investment and use this when you are creating your budget for the year. Known as Zero Based Budgeting, it will help you maintain a focused budget.

You will need buy in from the whole company if you’re to achieve your goals. Find out what you need from each department and engage them in what you’re doing and the overall outcome you’re aiming for. Your SMART goals will help you achieve this. Outline your plan’s contributors and their responsibilities.

If you need help laying the groundwork of your marketing plan, give The Copy a call on 01905 887040 or email howdy@thecopy.uk.