How do I write a marketing plan?

A marketing plan assists you to integrate your total marketing effort. It ensures a systematic approach to developing products and services to meet and satisfy your customers' needs.

When you're writing a marketing plan you need to be clear about your objectives and how you'll achieve them. A good marketing plan sets clear, realistic and measurable objectives, includes deadlines, provides a budget and allocates responsibilities. A plan can consist of these elements:

• analysis of your current market
• your business objectives
• key strategies
• steps to achieving your objectives
• proposed budget
• timing.

Remember that your marketing plan should remain an ongoing process throughout the life of your business.