Week 2 - Handout 1
Week 2 - Handout 1
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A marketing plan is a strategic document that specifies your organization’s target markets, marketing objectives, programmes and
activities to achieve them, timescales and the resources to be utilized, according to defined budgets.
Our new, free download detailing the different types of marketing plans (https://www.smartinsights.com/guides/understanding-
different-types-marketing-plan/) will help you structure different types of plan and gives recommendations on how to make them
effective.
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Download our FREE Resource – Understanding different types of marketing plan guide
This download and our other free templates are for anyone who wants to improve their knowledge of marketing planning with a few to gaining
more senior roles.
Geographically-based
Product-based
Focused on segmentation
A marketing plan in a large organization may integrate a number of plans, specific to individual parts of the business. It is practical
planning that takes place at a divisional, business unit or individual company level.
The purpose of a marketing plan is to ensure that marketing activities are relevant and timely to achieve an organization’s
objectives. It’s a plan defining a sustainable competitive position and defining the resources necessary to achieve it.
Here’s another way of understanding the context of this plan, to put it into context with other types of plan, as shown in this table:
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The process of marketing planning within an organization will differ, depending on whether a strategic marketing plan or an
operational marketing plan is utilized. Here are the differences between the two:
A strategic marketing plan outlines the overall strategy within a market, connecting customers, competitors and what the
organization is capable of achieving. It is typically created at divisional or company level.
An operational marketing plan outlines the marketing mix strategy that will be used to gain an advantage in the market.
It typically focuses on products; market segments and how marketing communications and campaigns achieve targets
defined in the strategic marketing plan. It usually has separate sections covering tactics for customer acquisition and
retention which will sometimes be covered in separate plans in larger organizations.
Strategic direction
Organizational objectives
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6. Relevant and timely actions and responsibilities by function, product or service, and market segment
Sufficient details of the tactics and actions needed to translate the strategy into action
To make sure your marketing plan has all the essential features, I recommend the SOSTAC® structure developed by PR Smith—
Dave Chaffey’s co-author of the printed book Digital Marketing Excellence. SOSTAC® is a great framework for structuring
business, marketing or digital marketing plans since it’s relatively simple and logical, so it’s easy to remember and to explain to
colleagues or agencies. SOSTAC® is a strategic planning process framework that gives you a clear structure to work through to
create and manage your plan.
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Marketing planning will assist in the day-to-day running of any size, type or age of business. The targets and milestones set will
help organizations, from small start-ups to large corporates, to effectively:
Motivate teams
Larger organizations with clearly defined management structures and a wealth of resources will make use of marketing principles
very differently from smaller organizations.
Independence
Such differences between large and smaller organizations tend to be reflected in the development of marketing plans.
When establishing a small start-up, marketing planning is an essential element. A small number of these businesses launch and
grow, but for those that are successful, a strategic marketing approach will ensure continued development.
Although the techniques for marketing planning may vary between different sizes and types of organization, the outcome is
always the same: to implement the objectives, strategies and activities in order to gain an advantage.
A marketing plan should not be formulated or used in isolation; it should be informed by the corporate objectives identified in your
organization’s business plan (https://www.smartinsights.com/advice/marketing-plans-guide/#anchor_2).
Integrated with a marketing plan may also be a digital marketing plan, multi-channel marketing plan and a campaign plan, for
example. The marketing plan informs these plans and vice-versa.
An effective marketing plan will ensure the integration of activities, the scheduling of requirements, distinguishing responsibilities
and the provision of benchmarks for measuring success. Different organizations will utilize differing plans, covering different
areas and timeframes. What is crucial in a business is that the plans being utilized, the timeframes allocated and how they
integrate with each other are collectively established.
To find out about more about how different types of marketing plans and how to structure them, download our free Understanding
different marketing plans guide (https://www.smartinsights.com/guides/understanding-different-types-marketing-plan), which
includes campaign planning, digital transformation plans and multichannel plans.
Thanks to Sarah Cowman for sharing their advice and opinion in this post. Sarah, Managing Director at The Yorkshire Marketing Agency, is an award-winning
Chartered Marketer. Sarah holds over 10 years’ experience in implementing results-driven marketing and communications strategies, plans and campaigns.
You can connect with her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahyma/?ppe=1).
By Sarah Cowman
Thanks to Sarah Cowman for sharing their advice and opinion in this post. Sarah, Managing Director at The
Yorkshire Marketing Agency, is an award-winning Chartered Marketer. Sarah holds over 10 years’ experience in
implementing results-driven marketing and communications strategies, plans and campaigns. You can connect
with her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahyma/).
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