Five Serious Considerations (and a Checklist) for Your Next Marketing Plan

Most businesspeople intuitively know that the key to successful marketing is having a marketing plan—a blueprint for action. However, many companies operate without one, focusing instead on the issues of the moment without committing to a long-term strategy.

A marketing plan does not need to be complex, but it does require several elements to be effective. The plan should include market research to understand the customer, defensible positioning to own a space in the customers' mind, strategies and tactics to meet the company's marketing goals, and metrics to track progress toward those goals.

Most importantly, a marketing plan must be aligned with the company's business plan.

"Don't even think of waging a battle or producing marketing materials without a plan," advises Jay Conrad Levinson, president of Guerilla Marketing, International.

Most businesspeople understand that such a road map enables the organization to achieve business outcomes—often related to increased market share, improved customer lifetime value, and enhanced profitability.

There are a multitude of reasons for creating a marketing plan: to provide strategic direction, create a dialogue with senior management, communicate priorities, obtain buy-in from other parts of the organization and request resources.

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