What is a marketing plan and why is it so important? In this article we’ll deep dive into what they can be and how they can help. There are many reasons why any business should consider having a plan of their marketing activities. This is especially true if you are attempting to market your small business on your own. In this article, we will take you through the reasons for marketing planning, the importance of a marketing plan, and much, much more.

Firstly no matter what your business is, or the sectors that it operates in, marketing will be a really vital part of your business operations. After all, marketing is a huge part of getting your business out there and attracting customers so that the business can actually survive. However, we know that marketing is not easy. There is a whole lot to learn, and it can feel like it’s very difficult to get to grips with, especially for a new business. But that is where the importance of marketing planning comes in, for literally every business out there. Whether you are very new to the whole concept of marketing or a seasoned expert. If you do know a thing or two about marketing, you may be wondering, ‘why do I need a marketing plan’? Well, we’ll cover all of the benefits in this article! But firstly, what are we actually talking about when we speak of these plans? Let’s take a look…

[code_snippet id=6]

What is it?

While it doesn’t always have to be super-expensive, chances are that marketing will take up at least some of your budget as a business. And you want to make sure that that money is actually working for you, right? After all, the last thing you want to be doing is throwing money at something that isn’t going to pay off, especially as a small business. In essence, a marketing plan is what helps stop you from doing this. It is a clearly laid out plan that outlines what your marketing strategy is going to look like over the next month, year, and beyond. What it includes will be different for every single business, depending on their needs and so on. However, it is typical for plans to include elements such as:

• an outline of who your target customer or market is, so you know who you are planning for
• setting out what your goals are when it comes to this area of the business
• outlining where you currently are, alongside where you want to go or what you want to achieve
• key performance indicators or other measures of success that you want to track to measure the progress of your plan
• an idea of when each task or project should be completed by to help you reach your goals as soon as possible

By now, we hope that the importance of marketing plan building for any business is already clear! Essentially, it’s a way to keep you on track with your goals, helping you to achieve as much success as possible. But if you want to get into the specifics of why is marketing planning important, keep on reading, as we have plenty more in store for you!

Why have a marketing plan?

It gives you clarity

Possibly one of the most important reasons to have a plan for your marketing is because it can give you a lot of clarity, especially when you are feeling lost. When it comes to running a business, it’s undeniable that there is a lot to consider. So, having a clearly laid out plan for every area you can, including marketing, can really help you break through the confusion and get back on track! Think about how much better and more organised you would feel if everything was laid out clearly in front of you, with a plan that you can follow and the next steps you need to know to reach your goals? If you long for that feeling, you may need to take a look at your planning processes and see what you can do to improve them, for the benefit of yourself and your business!

It can save you money

When it comes to the question of, why is marketing planning important, the money-saving potential is also pretty high! You can come up with your plan on your own, or use the help of a marketing professional if you need to. Either way, having a plan will help you to save some pennies that you can reinvest back into your business! It’s a common theme for business owners to spend money on advertising and marketing strategies, then they don’t work, so they repeat the process. This can lead to you feeling frustrated and like you have wasted money! But don’t worry, it is all a learning experience and you can move on with a great plan!

Sticking to tried and tested methods that you know will work (with room for a little experimentation, too) is one way in which a plan can help you save money. Or, if you are looking for new ways to market your business, a professional will be able to help you come up with a plan, and stick to it, within your budget.

We hope that so far we have helped to answer the question od why is planning such an important part of marketing with this point. After all, planning will help you know what you can spend and when, leading to cost savings and more effective marketing that shows your business off in the best light!

It gets everyone on the same page

When it comes to a list about the importance and value of marketing plans, we couldn’t leave off this point! Often in business, there may be conflicting views about a range of topics, including marketing. This is just the nature of business and having lots of people working together on the same thing! It doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. But, when it comes to the really important stuff, such as how to market your business, it definitely pays for everyone to be on the same page. This is where a plan comes in really handy. If everyone is aware of the plan and what they need to do to help make it a reality, there will be far less cause for disagreements and even conflict! Planning is a really vital part of business, so don’t be afraid to get others in your business involved in it. However, remember that at the end of the day, you must do what is right for the wider business. Don’t let disagreements and arguments cloud your judgement if you know best!

Consistency is key

As with anything, when it comes to marketing, consistency should be at the forefront of your mind. You need to direct your attention towards staying consistent with your marketing in order for it to get the best results for you. This involved the consistency of your efforts put into it, and the consistency of the brand message that you put out there. So, why are marketing plans important? Another key reason is because they help with this! A rigid yet effective plan will leave no room for inconsistencies to make an appearance. This links into some of the other points, because being consistent will also help you save money and bring everyone together, too.

Show yourself the bigger picture

When it comes to running a business, many people find that they spend so much time sucked into the day-to-day running of their business that they rarely ever get the time to work on it from above. This is where the importance of market planning comes in, again. By taking the time to look at an extensive plan, you will be forced to see the bigger picture of your business. Where are you going wrong? But what is going well, too? What can you do to work on any negatives? What is your next move going to be? Are you heading in the right direction or do you need to pivot? All of these are vital and valuable bigger picture questions that you should probably be able to answer! And, getting to grips with a marketing plan will help you get there. So, if you’re feeling bogged down with the everyday operations of your business, don’t be afraid to take a step back and look into planning, as it will definitely help to bring you clarity and the knowledge you need.

So, the importance of marketing plan in business, no matter what you do, is clear to see. It brings so many benefits that simply can’t be ignored. And, these benefits can also be translated across to other types of planning, too. Planning in general is a really useful tool that will equip you and your business with the skills you need to thrive and move forward, hopefully even growing your business in the process!

Here at Delivered Social, we are big fans of marketing plans, and we encourage all of our clients to think carefully about their plans, with our help or without. If you would like some assistance with your digital marketing activities, we are here to help! From social media to websites, SEO to videography, we can cater for basically any area of your plan! Why not visit our website or get in touch today to find out more?