No matter how big or small your business is, your marketing plan is the foundation of how you’ll attract, engage, and retain customers. Without a solid plan, your marketing efforts can feel reactive, scattershot, or disconnected from your business goals.
At Fajen Consulting, we believe that developing a marketing plan doesn’t need to be overwhelming or expensive—it just needs to be intentional. Whether you’re launching a new product, entering a new market, or simply want to grow, preparation is everything.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you prepare for creating a marketing plan that’s clear, strategic, and designed to deliver.
1. Clarify Your Business Goals
Before you think about channels, creative, or budgets, you need to ground your marketing plan in your business goals. What are you trying to achieve this quarter, year, or over the next five years?
Examples of business goals include:
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Increase revenue by 20%
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Launch a new product line
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Enter a new geographic market
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Grow your email list by 10,000 subscribers
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Improve customer retention
Each of these goals would require a different marketing strategy. That’s why clarity on what success looks like for your business is the first and most important step.
Helpful resource: SMART Goals Template by HubSpot
2. Audit Your Existing Marketing Efforts
If you’re already marketing in some way, take a moment to review what’s working—and what’s not.
Some questions to ask:
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Where are your leads coming from now?
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What channels have the highest conversion rates?
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Which campaigns were most (or least) cost-effective?
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Are your brand assets consistent across platforms?
This audit doesn’t have to be complex. Even a basic spreadsheet that outlines campaigns, channels, spend, and ROI can offer insights. The goal is to identify your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.
Helpful resource: Digital Marketing Audit Checklist by CoSchedule
3. Know Your Audience
Successful marketing starts with deep audience understanding. That means moving beyond demographics to include motivations, needs, pain points, and buying behavior.
Try to answer:
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Who are your top 3 customer personas?
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What problem are they trying to solve?
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Where do they spend time online?
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How do they make purchasing decisions?
If you haven’t created customer personas yet, now’s the time.
Helpful resource: Free Buyer Persona Generator by Semrush
4. Understand Your Competitive Landscape
Understanding who else is in your space helps you define your differentiators. Start by identifying 3–5 key competitors. For each one, review their:
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Messaging and tone
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Offers and pricing
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Website user experience
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Marketing channels used
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Social media presence
Ask yourself: What do we offer that they don’t? What can we do better or differently?
This is also a great time to complete a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) for your own company.
Helpful resource: SWOT Analysis Template by MindTools
5. Set Your Budget
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how much you should spend on marketing, but the U.S. Small Business Administration suggests allocating 7–8% of gross revenue if you’re doing less than $5 million annually—and have margins in the 10–12% range.
Your budget should account for:
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Ad spend (Google Ads, social, etc.)
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Creative services (design, copywriting, photography)
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Tools and platforms (email marketing, CRM, automation)
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Events or sponsorships
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Staff or consulting fees
If your budget is limited, focus on high-impact, lower-cost channels first (email, content marketing, organic social) and build from there.
Helpful resource: Marketing Budget Calculator by SCORE
6. Choose the Right Marketing Channels
With budget and audience in mind, you can now select the channels that make the most sense for your goals. These may include:
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Content Marketing: Blog posts, articles, or guides that build trust and boost SEO
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Social Media: Paid or organic posts on platforms where your audience is active
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Email Marketing: Newsletters, drip campaigns, or promotions to nurture leads
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Paid Advertising: Google, Meta, LinkedIn, or industry-specific platforms
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Events: Webinars, trade shows, or local sponsorships
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Influencer or Affiliate Marketing: Partnering with voices your audience trusts
Don’t feel pressured to be everywhere. Be where your audience is—and where you can show up consistently and effectively.
Helpful resource: Choosing Marketing Channels That Work (Forbes)
7. Create Your Messaging Framework
Every strong marketing plan includes a messaging strategy that ensures your team speaks in a unified voice across all platforms. This includes:
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Core brand story
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Unique value propositions (UVPs)
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Elevator pitch
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Tone of voice guidelines
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Key messages for each product/service
A messaging framework helps eliminate guesswork and ensures brand consistency—even if multiple people or teams are doing the work.
Helpful resource: Messaging Matrix Guide by Miro
8. Define Key Metrics for Success
As Peter Drucker famously said, “What gets measured gets managed.” So before you launch any campaign, define your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
These could include:
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Website traffic
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Conversion rates
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Cost per acquisition (CPA)
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Return on ad spend (ROAS)
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Email open/click rates
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Social media engagement
Make sure each KPI maps back to your original business goals. If your goal is awareness, focus on reach and impressions. If it’s conversions, prioritize form submissions, calls, or sales.
Helpful resource: Guide to Marketing KPIs by Databox
9. Plan for Execution and Accountability
A plan without execution is just theory. As you get ready to launch, consider:
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Timeline: What are your campaign start and end dates?
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Project management: Who’s in charge of what?
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Content calendar: What’s going out and when?
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Tools: How are you tracking campaigns and results?
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Meetings: How often will you review and adjust?
If you don’t have an internal marketing team, outsourcing to a firm like Fajen Consulting can help bring all these moving parts together seamlessly.
Helpful resource: Free Marketing Plan Template by Monday.com
10. Build in Time to Learn and Adjust
Even the best marketing plans need room for optimization. Check in on your KPIs regularly and be willing to pivot if something’s not working.
Use A/B testing, customer feedback, and performance data to make smarter decisions. Marketing is a long game—consistency and curiosity matter more than perfection.
Planning Is Power
- Your marketing plan is your roadmap. It tells your team where you’re headed, how you’ll get there, and what success looks like when you arrive.
- The more thought you put into the planning process, the more focused and effective your marketing will be—without wasting time or budget.
At Fajen Consulting, we specialize in helping organizations build marketing plans that are on-budget, on-brand, and on-target with your goals.
Let’s Build Something Great Together
Are you ready to stop guessing and start growing?
Reach out today and let us help you build a marketing plan that’s:
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Data-informed
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Budget-conscious
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Tailored to your goals
Contact Fajen Consulting to schedule a free discovery call. Let’s make your next move your smartest yet.