So you’ve finally launched your small business. You’ve got your team in place, your product or service ready, and maybe even a great location. You then started to make your first successful sales. But, to your surprise, a few weeks later, things aren’t picking up as quickly as you hoped.
If that sounds familiar, you might be missing one key piece: a clear marketing plan. A good marketing plan helps you reach the right people, share what makes your business special, and turn interest into sales.
In this article, we’ll break down the steps to build an effective marketing plan and share practical ideas you can use to boost your marketing and grow your business.
What is a marketing plan?
A marketing plan is a document that details how you plan to market your products or services. This includes the strategies you’ll implement, actions you’ll take (e.g., incorporating AI in your strategy, creating and sharing more social media content), your objectives, and your overall progress. With a plan, you can develop better ideas for marketing your small business.
Why is it important to have a marketing plan?
As a small business owner, you want to make smarter decisions to grow your company, and having a marketing plan is essential for tracking your marketing progress. A recent study shows small businesses with a plan are 6.7 times more likely to report success compared to those without. If you don’t have a plan, you’re unable to see what works, which directly impacts your business growth.
Is a marketing plan the same as a marketing strategy?
While they are both important, a marketing plan isn’t the same as a marketing strategy due to the different purposes. Think of your marketing strategy as the big-picture roadmap: it lays out your long-term goals, who your ideal customers are, and how you plan to stand out and grow. Your marketing plan, on the other hand, is the step-by-step action plan that spells out how you’ll get there, including the specific campaigns, channels, and tasks you’ll use to reach those goals. In short, the strategy sets the direction, and the plan puts it into action.
How to create a marketing plan: 8 steps for success
Step 1: Know your business objectives and value proposition
Before you create your marketing plan, you need to determine where you want your business to be headed and what makes you stand out. Your business objectives are your big-picture goals. For example, do you want to grow your customer base?
Moreover, define your value proposition, which is a statement summarizing what you offer, how it solves your customers’ problems, and why they should pick you instead of your competitors. You should ask yourself: what makes your business special? It could be your exceptional service, unique products, or anything that makes you unique.
Nail these down, and you’ll have a strong foundation for every marketing decision you make.
Step 2: Define your target audience and ideal customer
You can’t grow your business without knowing your perfect customer. Who are they? What do they care about? The more specific you get, the easier it’ll be to craft messages that resonate with them. You don’t need to reach everyone, you just need to reach the right people who will love what you offer and keep buying your products or services.
Step 3: Set objectives, metrics, and KPIs
Without any objectives in mind, you won’t be able to see your progress. You should set clear and measurable goals. Do you want more website traffic, or more foot traffic in your store? Do you want to see an increase in social media followers for your business or subscribers for your newsletters? Attach clear numbers and timelines for them as well. That way, you’ll always know what’s working and what needs to be improved.
Step 4: Find out what competitors are doing
Studying what other businesses are doing can greatly help in learning marketing trends that you can apply to your company. What promotions are working for them? Which platforms are they using? This isn’t necessarily copying their strategies, it’s about learning what’s out there so you can find ways to stand out.
Step 5: Craft a strategy based on your findings
With the groundwork done, it’s time to finally craft a strategy. Decide which marketing channels make sense for your audience, whether it be social media, email, local ads, partnerships, or events. Think about how you’ll consistently get your message across. Your strategy is your game plan for putting the right content in front of the right people at the right time.
Step 6: Set a budget for the relevant marketing channels
As a small business owner, you may think that you need to spend a lot of money to promote your company. Marketing doesn’t have to be expensive, but you do need to know how much you can spend strategically. Allocate your budget to the channels that are most likely to reach your target customers. Sometimes, a small, well-placed ad or a boosted post can go further than a big, flashy campaign.
Step 7: Plan and create your content
Content is a big part of your marketing plan, and it can take many forms, like social media posts, emails, videos, flyers, and more. Think about what your audience wants to see and what will grab their attention. What kind of content will keep them interested? Take the time to plan ahead and create a simple schedule for when and where you’ll share your content. A little planning now will save you time and help you stay consistent.
Step 8: Launch and regularly evaluate performance
Finally, it’s time to launch your marketing plan. Keep an eye on your metrics to see what’s making progress. If something is working, continue to do it, if it’s not, adjust and try again. Marketing is an ongoing process of testing and learning, and your business will grow from it.
Marketing plan ideas for small businesses
According to a 2024 study. 78% of small business owners are planning to invest more in their marketing efforts. While it may seem difficult to start creating a marketing plan, we have some ideas that you can consider:
Viral content marketing
Creating viral content might sound like something only big brands do, but small businesses can jump in too. Think about fun, shareable posts that tap into what your audience loves. Maybe it can be a behind-the-scenes video, a clever meme, or a short entertaining how-to clip showing your product in action. When people share your content, they’re spreading the word for you, which can help you reach way more people without blowing your budget.
Referral and loyalty programs
Happy customers are your best promoters, so make it worth their while to share what you offer! A simple referral program that rewards customers for bringing in friends can turn your regulars into brand ambassadors. Pair that with a loyalty program, whether it be discounts, freebies, or points for repeat purchases, and you’ll give people even more reason to keep choosing you over the competition.
Partnerships and community engagement
Sometimes the best way to grow is to team up with other local businesses or community groups. You can co-host an event, run a joint promotion, sponsor a neighborhood fundraiser, or do any activity that is beneficial for both parties. These partnerships help you tap into each other’s audiences and show that you’re invested in the local community, which goes a long way with customers who like to shop locally and support businesses that give back.
Emotion-driven storytelling
People love a good story, not sales pitches. Share the story behind your company. You can tell why you started, what challenges you’ve faced, and what keeps you going. Highlight real customer stories or give your employees the spotlight. When you tap into emotions, you build trust and loyalty, and you give customers a reason to support your business.
Leveraging AI and automation
Even if you’re a small business owner, you can use technological advancements like AI and automation to your advantage when making your marketing plans. Not only will they help manage your time better to do other tasks, but they can also assist you in making better decisions and driving growth. Innovation is key, and other small business owners see this too, as it’s been reported that 72% of owners are planning to use AI this 2025.
Turn your ideas into a successful marketing plan
You’re ready to build a strong marketing plan, now it’s time to put it into action. While you can tackle marketing on your own, having an extra helping hand can make all the difference. That’s where Bookipi comes in.
With Bookipi, you’ll have access to simple marketing tools and support to help you handle your tasks and manage your small business more efficiently. Some of the products we offer include:
- Marketing proposal templates to show prospective clients what you can offer
- A website builder that can build websites tailored to your business
- A 24/7 receptionist who can respond to customer inquiries quickly
- An automated meeting scheduler that handles appointments efficiently
- A pipeline management software that helps you track multiple clients
Got questions or want to see how we can help? Contact us today and learn how we can support your business.
