THE MARKETING

PLANNING GUIDE
(How To Write A Marketing Plan)
“Marketing” is the complex process of creating customers

for your products and services. A marketing plan is a

written document that helps you manage this process—

including the action steps needed to make the plan work.

 Your marketing plan will include the
following elements:
■ EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
■ CURRENT MARKETING SITUATION
■ SWOT ANALYSIS
■ MARKETING OBJECTIVES
■ MARKETING STRATEGY
■ ACTION PROGRAMS
■ BUDGETS
■ MEASUREMENT & CONTROL
 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

An executive summary is a brief introduction and summary of

your marketing plan. It should describe your business, the problem
that it solves, your target market, your marketing strategy and
financial highlights.
A good executive summary grabs your reader’s attention and lets
them know what it is you do and why they should read the rest of
your business plan or proposal
 2. CURRENT MARKETING SITUATION

2.1)Market Description
Market size in volume and value
Growth rate and trend (social, economic and political impact)

2.2)Product Review
2.3)Competitive Review
2.4)Channel and Logistic Review
 3. SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)

Analysis – This is where you focus on the internal and external factors
affecting success and, depending on the nature of your business, it
will cover many or all of these areas: Financial, engineering,
personnel, sales, distribution, manufacturing, technology, economy,
government regulations, competitors, life cycles, and barriers to entry
and exit.
 4. MARKETING OBJECTIVES

Marketing objectives are the goals your company wants

to achieve during a certain period of time
 5. MARKETING STRATEGY

5.1) STP - Market Segmentation – Targeting - Positioning

5.2) MARKETING MIX STRATEGY
 Product Strategy
 Pricing Strategy
 Distribution Strategy
 Promotional (Marketing Communications) Strategy
 6. ACTION PROGRAMS

How you turn marketing strategies into specific programs

and initiatives is the focus here.
Answer questions such as:
 What will be done?
 When will it be done?
 Who will do it?
 7. BUDGETS

Provide financial clarity about expected costs, revenues,

and return on investment.
 8. MEASUREMENT & CONTROL

To maximize the return on a marketing plan, there need to be controls in

place to monitor the plan's progress. As a marketing plan moves along, the
controls are constantly analyzed to determine how the plan's actual
performance compares to the projections. Any changes that need to be
made are done based on the analysis of marketing controls. Understanding
what the controls in a marketing plan are will help you develop effective
performance measurement indicators