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<\/a><\/p>\nA good marketing plan isn\u2019t about filling out a template. It\u2019s about aligning your strategy with your resources, your goals, and your reality. In this guide, I\u2019ll walk you step by step through exactly how to do that, plus share examples of what strong plans look like in the wild.<\/p>\n
By the end, you\u2019ll be ready to begin implementing your own marketing strategies \u2014 to take them from ideas to action. So, grab your free marketing plan template<\/a> and let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n \n At its core, a marketing plan helps you:<\/p>\n A good plan doesn\u2019t have to be long. But it should be clear, actionable, and tied to real outcomes \u2014 not just activity.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n A business plan<\/a> covers your entire company \u2014 from your mission and market opportunity to your financials, hiring roadmap, and product strategy. A marketing plan is just one piece of that larger puzzle.<\/p>\n While a business plan lays out what<\/em> your business is and where<\/em> it\u2019s going, a marketing plan focuses on how<\/em> you\u2019ll reach and convert your ideal customers along the way.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>If you\u2019re wondering where to start with executing a marketing plan, check out HubSpot\u2019s Marketing Hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n A marketing strategy<\/a> defines the \u201cwhy\u201d behind your efforts \u2014 the long-term vision and positioning that guide your team. Your marketing plan breaks that strategy down into clear, measurable actions.<\/p>\n Think of it this way:<\/p>\n The strategy gives you direction. The plan turns that direction into motion.<\/p>\n For example:<\/strong> When I was working with a B2B startup looking to grow top-of-funnel traffic, the strategy was to position the brand as a go-to resource for sales teams. The marketing plan outlined how we\u2019d get there: through SEO-focused blog content, a lead magnet campaign, and paid LinkedIn ads targeting sales leaders at mid-market companies. The plan mapped out the timing, content, budget, and KPIs \u2014 so everyone knew exactly what we were doing and why.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Most marketing plans follow a similar structure \u2014 and for good reason. These core components help you turn strategy into focused execution. I\u2019ve used this exact framework across different companies, from scrappy startups launching their first product to more mature teams scaling content or entering new markets.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what to include (and how I\u2019ve seen each piece actually move the needle).<\/p>\n This is the TL;DR of your entire plan \u2014 and the first thing stakeholders will look at. I\u2019ve learned to keep this short, confident, and results-oriented. When I worked on a go-to-market plan at an early-stage SaaS company, this section helped align leadership around the \u201cwhy\u201d before we got into the \u201chow.\u201d<\/p>\n Focus on what you\u2018re trying to achieve, your target audience, and how you\u2019ll get there. A few well-written paragraphs can go a long way in getting buy-in.<\/p>\n Your entire plan depends on knowing exactly<\/em> who you’re trying to reach. When I worked with a B2B fintech startup struggling to find product-market fit, we realized our original assumptions were way off.<\/p>\n We thought we were selling to businesses, but after digging into user behavior and testing new messaging, we discovered that our product actually resonated more with individual consumers. That shift to a direct-to-consumer (D2C) approach changed everything from how we talked about the product to where we showed up online.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>I\u2019ve found that combining qualitative insights (like customer interviews) with basic demographic and behavioral data is key. Defining your audience isn\u2019t just a planning exercise \u2014 it\u2019s what makes your messaging actually connect.<\/p>\n I once worked with a company where \u201ccompetitive research\u201d meant checking a few websites. But a good competitive analysis goes deeper. It shows how you stack up in positioning, pricing, brand voice, and channel strategy \u2014 and where you can stand out.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>I like to include a quick SWOT<\/a>-style breakdown of top competitors, along with notes on how we\u2019ll differentiate. Even a simple Google search audit can reveal a lot.<\/p>\n This is your big-picture thinking \u2014 the \u201chow\u201d behind your goals. For example, a strategy might be: \u201cBuild thought leadership through SEO and original research\u201d or \u201cDrive product sign-ups through paid social and influencer partnerships.\u201d<\/p>\n At one startup I worked with, our strategy was to \u201cown the conversation around payroll compliance\u201d through educational content and organic search. That approach not only built awareness, but later became a key sales enablement engine as we moved upmarket.<\/p>\n The strategy should reflect your goals, audience, and strengths. It also needs to be realistic \u2014 especially if you’re working with limited resources. I\u2019ve made the mistake of overpromising here; now I always gut-check this section against our team\u2019s actual capacity.<\/p>\n This is where the real work starts. I like to break tactics down by channel or initiative: blog content, paid media, email, events, partnerships, etc.<\/p>\n One thing I\u2019ve learned? Tactics only work when they’re connected back to strategy and resourced properly. It\u2019s easy to list 30 things you could do \u2014 but a focused, realistic set of 5-8 well-executed tactics is almost always better.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve helped build marketing plans with five-figure budgets and ones with barely any \u2014 but either way, this part forces you to get specific. Where is the money going? When will things launch?<\/p>\n I recommend including both fixed and variable costs (freelancers, tools, ad spend) and mapping tactics across a simple monthly calendar. Even a rough timeline helps teams stay accountable.<\/p>\n In one of my earliest marketing plans, I listed pageviews as a key performance indicator (KPI) \u2014 without tying it to any downstream goal. Lesson learned.<\/p>\n Now, I always define metrics in terms of what success actually looks like: signups, demos booked, deals influenced, etc. I also note which tools or KPI dashboards<\/a> we\u2019ll use to track performance.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n \n Your marketing mission should support your broader business goals. It\u2019s your north star \u2014 a short statement that explains what your team is trying to achieve and why.<\/p>\n For example, if your company\u2019s mission is \u201cto help small businesses manage their finances,\u201d your marketing mission might be \u201cto attract and educate small business owners through helpful, actionable content.\u201d<\/p>\n I always start here. Even if the rest of the plan evolves, having a clear mission up top keeps everything aligned.<\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/strong> If you need help building your mission statement, check out this guide<\/a> with mission statement examples and templates. And if you\u2019re running a startup or small business, HubSpot\u2019s starter bundle<\/a> is a great all-in-one solution \u2014 it can help you find and win customers, execute content marketing plans, and more.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen too many plans fall apart because the goals weren\u2019t clear or weren\u2019t measurable. Setting KPIs forces you to define what success looks like from the start.<\/p>\n Think beyond vanity metrics like impressions. Ask: What\u2019s the real outcome we\u2019re driving?<\/em> For example:<\/p>\n There are tons of other B2C and B2B marketing KPIs<\/a>, but whatever you pick, make sure your reporting tools can track them easily \u2014 I\u2019ve used HubSpot dashboards<\/a>, Google Analytics, and even Notion for scrappier setups.<\/p>\n Who are you trying to reach? And what do they care about?<\/p>\n When I helped launch a B2B product that served both HR and finance leaders, we realized we needed two distinct personas with different pain points, language, and buying triggers. That insight completely changed how we structured our messaging and lead nurture flows.<\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>You don\u2019t need to overcomplicate this \u2014 a clear one-pager that covers demographics, goals, challenges, and buying behavior is often more than enough. HubSpot\u2019s free Make My Persona tool<\/a> is a great starting point.<\/p>\n This is where most of the heavy lifting happens. I usually break this section down by:<\/p>\n At one company, we focused 90% of our resources on SEO and LinkedIn because those channels consistently outperformed the rest. Prioritization is key \u2014 especially if your team is small.<\/p>\n This might sound counterintuitive, but one of the most helpful things I include in a marketing plan is a quick list of what we\u2019re not<\/em> doing. Why? Because it sets boundaries \u2014 especially if you’re juggling a lot of requests from stakeholders.<\/p>\n For example: \u201cThis plan does not include event marketing or partner co-marketing initiatives, which will be addressed in a separate plan next quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s a small detail, but it can save you a lot of misalignment down the line.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re working with $500 or $50,000, budgeting forces you to prioritize. I typically bucket costs into:<\/p>\n Even a rough estimate by tactic helps leadership understand the tradeoffs. If you\u2019ve never done it before, here are 8 free marketing budget templates<\/a> to help you get started.<\/p>\n You probably know your top competitors \u2026 but putting it in writing helps you position your plan more strategically.<\/p>\n At one startup, we realized that even though we weren\u2019t competing with a certain brand on product, we were absolutely competing with them for attention. That insight helped us rethink our content strategy to show up in more relevant conversations.<\/p>\n A simple competitive matrix including what they do well, and where you\u2019re different, goes a long way here. You can get started with this exercise using these 10 free competitive analysis templates<\/a>.<\/p>\n I like to end every marketing plan with a clear breakdown of who\u2019s doing what. This doesn\u2019t need to be formal \u2014 even a simple chart with names, roles, and ownership can reduce confusion and help people feel accountable.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s just you and a few freelancers? All the more reason to be clear. I\u2019ve been there, and the only way to stay organized is to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n The type of marketing plan you create will depend on your company, your industry, and your business goals. Let\u2019s take a look at five common types, along with templates from real-world businesses and brands.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n A quarterly or annual marketing plan outlines your top priorities over a set time frame \u2014 typically three months (Q1\u2013Q4) or a full calendar year. These plans help align teams, allocate resources, and map out when and where marketing efforts will happen.<\/p>\n This structure is especially useful when you need to present your plan to leadership or collaborate across departments like product, sales, or customer success.<\/p>\n I really like this downloadable template from Shopify<\/a> that includes:<\/p>\n Best for (in my opinion):<\/strong><\/p>\n A social media marketing plan outlines the platforms, content, and tactics you\u2019ll use to grow your audience and connect with them consistently on social media. It typically includes details like post cadence, content types, campaign goals, and platform-specific strategies.<\/p>\n A lot of plans also include a paid strategy alongside organic efforts \u2014 especially if you’re launching a new product, running lead gen campaigns, or boosting high-performing content. Depending on your goals, that might mean testing native advertising<\/a> placements or running targeted pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns<\/a> on platforms like LinkedIn or Meta.<\/p>\n When I\u2019ve built these in the past, the biggest challenge wasn\u2019t creativity \u2014 it was focus. The best social plans prioritize the channels where your audience actually spends time and match the brand\u2019s bandwidth to a realistic posting schedule.<\/p>\n If you’re looking for a framework to build your own, Hootsuite\u2019s Social Media Strategy Template<\/a> is a great starting point. It walks through how to audit your current channels, set SMART goals, define your content pillars, and measure performance across platforms. I like that it\u2019s structured but still flexible \u2014 which is exactly what you need when priorities shift mid-quarter (as they always do).<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n What you can expect in the Template:<\/p>\n Best for (in my opinion):<\/strong><\/p>\n A content marketing plan<\/a> outlines how you’ll use content to attract, engage, and convert your target audience. It includes what you\u2019ll create, where it\u2019ll live, how you\u2019ll promote it, and how success will be measured. This type of plan is especially useful for teams looking to grow traffic, build authority, and support lead generation over time.<\/p>\n As a content marketer at heart, this is hands-down my favorite kind of plan to build. Whether launching a new blog, scaling an editorial calendar, or supporting a campaign with gated content \u2014 I love seeing how strategic efforts compound over time.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve used content marketing plans to support product launches, test lead magnets, and build full-funnel SEO content strategies. The key is having a clear goal and not trying to do everything at once, especially if your team is small.<\/p>\n If you’re looking for a solid starting point, HubSpot\u2019s Content Planning Template<\/a> is a great free resource. It includes plug-and-play spreadsheets for content audits, campaign planning, editorial calendars, and performance tracking.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s what\u2019s inside:<\/p>\n Best for (in my opinion):<\/strong><\/p>\n Pro tip: <\/strong>If you’re aiming to establish or boost your online presence, HubSpot also has a drag-and-drop website builder<\/a>, which will help you create a digital footprint that sets the foundation for all your content marketing endeavors.<\/p>\n A new product launch marketing plan is your roadmap for introducing something new \u2014 whether it\u2019s a product, feature, or service \u2014 to the market. It aligns internal teams, outlines key messaging, and maps out the channels and tactics you’ll use to generate awareness, excitement, and adoption.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve created these plans for both scrappy startup launches and internal feature rollouts. The biggest lesson? You don\u2019t need to launch everywhere all at once. You need the right message, in the right places, for the right audience. A solid plan keeps your team focused and helps you pivot quickly if something doesn\u2019t land.<\/p>\n For a great example, CoSchedule\u2019s Product Launch Marketing Plan Guide<\/a> walks through how to build pre-launch buzz, coordinate cross-functional teams, and sustain momentum post-launch. It also includes timelines and content examples \u2014 which is incredibly helpful when you’re juggling multiple moving parts.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n This plan includes:<\/p>\n Best for (in my opinion):<\/strong><\/p>\n Growth marketing plans focus on experiment-driven tactics to drive outcomes like sign-ups, revenue, and retention. These plans prioritize rapid testing, data-driven decisions, and flexible strategies \u2014 blending growth, marketing, and product thinking.<\/p>\n In startups I\u2019ve worked with, we often had to prove traction fast \u2026 without big budgets. A typical growth plan would start with an idea (like a referral offer or new feature), run a small experiment, measure the results, and double down on what worked.<\/p>\n One template I\u2019ve found really practical is the Growth Marketing Plan Template<\/a> by PandaDoc.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n It gives you a structure for documenting:<\/p>\n Best for (in my opinion):<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Now that we\u2019ve walked through the different types of marketing plans, let\u2019s put the pieces together.<\/p>\n This sample plan pulls from the structure I\u2019ve used across multiple companies \u2014 whether building out a strategy from scratch or refining one that\u2019s already in motion.<\/p>\n\n
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Marketing Plan vs. Business Plan<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nMarketing Plan vs. Marketing Strategy<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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What\u2019s included in a marketing plan?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Executive Summary<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Target Market Analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Competitive Analysis<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Marketing Strategies<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tactics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Budget and Calendar<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Metrics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
1. Start with your mission.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Set your KPIs.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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3. Define your buyer personas.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Map out your content and channel strategy.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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5. Clarify what\u2019s not in scope.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Outline your budget.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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7. Identify your competition.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. Assign roles and responsibilities.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Types of Marketing Plans<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Quarterly or Annual Marketing Plans<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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2. Social Media Marketing Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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3. Content Marketing Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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4. New Product Launch Marketing Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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5. Growth Marketing Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Sample Marketing Plan<\/strong><\/h2>\n