Marketing Plan 101

Running a business requires a marketing plan.

Sure—you can jump into running a business without one. People do it every day. But I promise you’ll get lost, turn around a few times, and eventually find yourself asking, “Wait… what should I be doing right now?”

A marketing plan is your map. Not a rigid rulebook. Not a crystal ball. Just a way to know where you’re going, why you’re going there, and what the next right step actually is.

And here’s the part people don’t always tell you: a marketing plan is not a one-and-done document.

When you start your business, you should create a 5-year plan and then break it down year by year. These plans are not set in stone. You’re allowed—encouraged, even—to pivot. Life changes. Markets change. You change.

Every year, you should revisit that plan and adjust it based on what you’ve learned.

Then each year gets broken down into quarters.

Each quarter into months.

This does two important things:

• It makes planning and creating feel manageable instead of overwhelming.

• It makes tracking what’s actually working way easier.

Let’s break this down step by step.

Step 1 Your Objective

(aka: What Are You Actually Trying to Do?)

Start with your goals.

Go ahead—be a little delusional. I said a little. This is not the moment to assume you’ll jump off a cliff and magically sprout wings. But if you do want to fly someday, how are you building the bridge to get there?

Ask yourself:

• What do I want?

• When do I want it?

• What does “success” actually look like for me?

Be specific. “Grow my business” is vague.

“Book 3 new clients per month by the end of Q3” is something you can work toward.

Now reality-check it:

• What resources do I have?

• What time do I actually have?

• What skills do I need to develop or outsource?

Finally, decide how you’ll measure progress. If you can’t measure it, you won’t know if you’re moving forward—or just staying busy.

Step 2: Research

(Yes, You Have to Do This Part)

This is where a lot of people rush, skip steps, or rely on assumptions. Don’t. This is the foundation everything else sits on.

2.1 Know Your Audience

• Who are you trying to reach?

• Who needs your product or service?

• What problem are you solving for them?

• Where do they hang out—both online and in real life?

If you don’t know where your audience spends time, marketing will always feel like shouting into the void.

2.2 Know Your Competitors

You don’t need to obsess over them, but you do need to understand them.

• What makes them unique?

• What do they do really well?

• Where are the gaps?

Then ask the most important question: what makes you different?

Different doesn’t mean better. It means clear.

2.3 Look for Collaboration Opportunities

Marketing doesn’t have to be a solo sport.

• Are there businesses that naturally pair with what you offer?

• Could you co-host an event?

• Co-sponsor something?

• Cross-promote to each other’s audiences?

Strategic collaboration can stretch your reach without stretching your budget.

2.4 Get Clear on Your Offerings

• What products or services do you actually offer right now?

• How do they connect to your audience’s needs?

• How are they positioned differently than your competitors’ offers?

• Are they aligned with your long-term goals?

Clarity here makes messaging so much easier later.

Step 3: Market Strategy

(The “How”)

This is where everything comes together.

Ask yourself:

• How will I enter the market?

• How will people find me?

• What needs to happen to reach my goals?

Then get honest about sustainability.

Posting 3 TikToks a day sounds great on paper—but it’s a lot of work. Can you maintain that pace without burning out? If not, scale it back.

3 videos per week is still progress.

1 video per week still moves the needle.

Consistency beats intensity every time.

Your strategy should support your business and your life.

Step 4: Your Marketing Plan Budget

(Yes, This Counts Too)

A marketing budget isn’t just ad spend or website design.

It also includes:

• Tools and software (Canva, Buffer, email platforms, etc.)

• Subscriptions

• Education

• Outsourcing when needed

The good news? There are tons of free and low-cost options out there. You don’t need everything—just what fits your needs right now.

And if you’re unsure what’s worth paying for versus what you can skip? That’s a solvable problem.

Step 5: Next Steps

(Turn Strategy Into Action)

This is where plans turn into movement.

Map out:

• What the next quarter looks like

• What the next month looks like

• What the next week looks like

Every step should bring you one notch closer to your goal.

And every single month, one of your steps should be reviewing progress—which brings us to the final (and very important) step.

Step 6: Metrics & Tracking

(Your Secret Weapon)

Tracking is a godsend when it’s time to understand your Return on Investment.

You can go:

• Super detailed (tracking individual posts, campaigns, and channels), or

• Small scale (tracking just a few key indicators)

Both are valid.

What trips people up are vanity metrics:

• Page views

• Likes

• Follower counts

• Downloads

They’re nice to see—but they don’t tell the full story.

Instead, focus on actionable metrics, like:

• Click-through rate (CTR)

• Engagement rate

• Customer lifetime value (CLV)

• Conversions

These metrics help you make decisions. They tell you what’s working, what’s not, and where to adjust—without guessing.

One Last Piece People Forget: Ask for the Conversation

A marketing plan doesn’t have to end with you having all the answers.

In fact, some of the best marketing happens after you share the plan—when people start asking questions.

If you’re reading this and thinking:

• “I know what I want but I’m not sure how realistic it is,”

• “I’m doing all the things but nothing feels connected,”

• “I don’t even know what my first step should be,”

That’s normal. And it’s usually the moment where outside perspective actually helps.

You don’t need to have a perfect plan before reaching out. You don’t need fancy language or a fully formed strategy. A simple question like:

• “Is this a good goal for where I’m at?”

• “Which channel should I focus on first?”

• “Am I tracking the right things?”

• “Does this strategy actually make sense for my life?”

…is more than enough to start a meaningful conversation.

Sometimes all it takes is a second set of eyes to help you see what’s already working—and what’s quietly holding you back.

Final Thought

A marketing plan isn’t about perfection. It’s about direction.

It gives you clarity when things feel messy, structure when motivation dips, and data when emotions try to take over decision-making.

You don’t need to do everything.

You just need to do the next right thing, consistently.

And if you’re stuck figuring out what that next step is, or wondering whether your plan actually supports your goals (and your life), you don’t have to sit with that alone.

Leave a comment, send an email, or ask the question you’ve been turning over in your head.

Sometimes the smallest question unlocks the biggest progress.

Jenny