A marketing plan is an internal guide that companies use to establish their objectives and strategies on an annual basis. It is the A-B-C marketing manual to understand where the company is located and the environment that surrounds it.
All the actions that will be developed once the document is finalized will be along the same lines and will have the same sense and direction, guided by the same vision, mission and values. The marketing plan is the master document that gathers certain points to be followed in order to be able to measure brand objectives effectively.
Nowadays there is no such thing as improvisation in the world of marketing and business, that is why it is necessary to activate with a plan. The marketing plan allows us to have a current vision and to be able to predict future situations, being always one step ahead to battle any kind of unforeseen or unwanted situations.
Analyze the terrain
The first step in making a good marketing plan is to carry out a situation analysis of the company as such and an analysis of the market. Stand in front of the company and get a general understanding of the company and where it is located in order to get down to work.
The most effective and widely used technique is the S.W.O.T. method: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.
Each has a special feature.
In the first place, we look for the internal STRENGTHS of the company, those that differentiate the company from the rest and are its own internal characteristics.
On the other hand, there are the OPPORTUNITIES that the company may have in the current market in which it finds itself. Whether it be opportunities in the public sector or in the country’s economy. That is, the opportunities that the company can take advantage of but which are external to the company and not its own.
WEAKNESSES represent just that, internally. That is to say, the weaknesses that the company has as such and the THREATS would then be those of the environment that may exist and that can influence the company.
This analysis is used to exploit the strengths of the company, knowing its weaknesses, taking into account the threats and opportunities that can be exploited in the market or country where the company is located.
Visualization
The visualization of the company’s objectives are essential to be able to project where the company or brand wants to go in the future, taking into account the opportunities and threats of the market and understanding the strengths without neglecting the weaknesses. It is important to stay one step ahead and be prepared for possible unforeseen events or future situations. Identify objectives as a company in the short and long term.
So first of all, it is necessary to set a professional goal by answering: Where do you see yourself a year from now as a company or brand? It is necessary to imagine it, visualize it, live it and express it. To achieve this goal, it will be necessary to meet a number of objectives. In other words, the objectives must be: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
Strategy
The brand strategy approach phase must be in line with the objectives, always being faithful to the vision and mission of each company. Taking into account the reality in which the company is immersed. Once the situation analysis has been carried out, the way forward is clearer to propose the strategy or strategies. It is most feasible to create an action plan timeline for maximum effectiveness.
Action plan!
Once the above steps have been carried out, the action plan phase begins. In this phase, the objective is to define the strategies to be able to fulfill and achieve the proposed objectives and take control. Deadlines are set and resources and the defined budget are calculated. The timing of the actions is defined and the action begins.
“90% OF SUCCESS IS BASED ON INSISTING” WOODY ALLEN
It is the implementation and the way in which everything that has been proposed will be carried out. This is the budget available. How – when – where – in what way.
Evaluation
The final stage is the evaluation stage. In which the results achieved are measured and an evaluation is made as to whether what was sought was achieved. If it has been achieved, it is a success story and the reasons why should be analyzed. In the opposite case, if the objectives have not been achieved by means of the tactics and strategies proposed, the reasons why are also evaluated and new ways are sought to carry out what has been proposed with new strategies. In other words, the reason why it was not allowed to get to where it wanted to go is analyzed. Ready to get started? You can contact our Digital Marketing Agency BarcelonaWe will be happy to help you set up your plan to guarantee success!
