Download the Planning Template.

Running a small business is tough. Limited time, tight budgets, and lack of marketing expertise often force owners to prioritize other responsibilities. As a result, writing a marketing plan is frequently overlooked, dreaded, or pushed to the back burner.

Half of Small Businesses Lack a Marketing Plan

According to a 2019 survey of 350 small and mid-sized business (SMB) owners conducted by Outbound Engine, 50% reported having no marketing plan at all.

 

​Here's How Our Free Small Business Strategic Marketing Planning Guide Can Bring Significant Value to Your Business

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✅ 1. Provides Structure to Marketing Chaos

Most small business owners operate without a formal marketing plan. This guide offers a clear, step-by-step framework—from team selection to execution—ensuring that marketing efforts are aligned, prioritized, and not left to chance.

📌 2. Promotes Realistic Goal Setting and Alignment

It helps you define:

• Vision and mission (with examples like Nike's)

• Specific sales and marketing goals

• SMART objectives with aligned strategies and tactics

This leads to better internal alignment between marketing, sales, and operations.

🧠 3. Encourages Strategic Thinking with SWOT and Market Analysis

The guide walks you through conducting a SWOT analysis tailored to your:

• Products

• Pricing

• Distribution

• Promotion

This provides insights into both internal capabilities and market opportunities, helping prioritize high-impact actions.

📊 4. Converts Ideas into Executable Plans

It connects high-level goals to:

• Specific marketing tactics

• Timing

• Budgeting

• Assigned responsibilities

• KPIs 

This is crucial for small businesses that often struggle with turning strategy into action.

🛠 5. Offers Fillable Templates for Immediate Use

You’re not starting from scratch. It includes:

• Editable sections for each planning stage

• Tactic planning tables

• Budget tracking templates

• Multi-channel communication planning

This makes it practical, not just theoretical.

🔄 6. Reinforces Consistent Execution

By encouraging a planning session, regular reviews, and measurable benchmarks, the guide ensures your marketing isn’t static—it’s reviewed, refined, and improved as needed.

📈 7. Supports Growth on a Small Business Budget

The promotion and tactic sections stress:

• Cost-effective methods (email, SMS, SEO, loyalty programs)

• Focused messaging and targeting

• Practical ROI-driven decisions

🧩 8. Fosters Team Involvement and Buy-In

By including sales teams, marketers, and other knowledgeable stakeholders in the planning process, it fosters collaboration and helps surface useful insights from those who engage with customers daily.

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In Summary

This guide is more than a worksheet. It’s a roadmap that empowers small businesses to plan smarter, market more effectively, and grow with purpose.

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Need More Help? Get the Full Planning Package

If you’re ready to go deeper, our complete planning package offers everything any business needs to create a high-impact strategic marketing plan that drives results. It includes:

• Step-by-step guidebook

• Six interactive planning templates

• Online facilitator training

• Planning PowerPoint presentation

• Real-world examples of measurable marketing objectives and strategies

Clear, actionable, and easy to implement, this comprehensive system empowers businesses to improve customer engagement, boost lead generation, and drive measurable growth.

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​Order the complete

printed guidebook,

only $24 each*

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*plus tax and shipping​