A No-Nonsense Guide to Marketing Planning That Actually Works

Let’s skip the fluff and get straight to what works. After 18 years in marketing, I’ve learned that the best plans are often the simplest ones. First things first: forget about writing a 50-page marketing plan that’ll gather dust on your hard drive. Instead, grab a piece of paper (yes, actual paper) and answer these three questions:

1. Where are you now?
2. Where do you want to be in 12 months?
3. What are the top 3 things you need to do to get there?

Simple, right? But here’s where most businesses trip up – they try to do everything at once.

Your Three-Step Action Plan:

Step 1: Review Your Current Position
– List your top 3 revenue sources.
– Identify your best-performing marketing channel.
– Name your biggest marketing challenge.

Step 2: Set Clear Targets
Want to grow your email list? Great. “More subscribers” isn’t a target. “500 new subscribers by June” is. Make every goal specific and measurable.

Step 3: Create Your Priority List
Here’s the game-changer: you only get to pick three priorities per quarter. Yes, three. Why? Because trying to juggle more usually means nothing gets done well.

A mediocre plan that gets executed is infinitely better than a perfect plan that never leaves your laptop.

Need a hand with your marketing strategy? Contact me!