1. 1
C H A P T E R
Overview

2. Major Topics of Ch. 1 What is a Marketing Plan?
Marketing Plan Sequence*
Contents of A Typical Marketing Plan*
Good and Bad in Marketing Planning
Sources of Help for You

3. What is a (formal) marketing plan?
A marketing plan is a written document containing the guidelines for the business unit’s* marketing programs and allocations of resources over the planning period.*

4. Time Horizons for Marketing Plans
Time Period
Consumer Products
Industrial Products
Services
1 year
62%
45%
65%
3 years 5 8
5 years 15 17 3
Long term 4 6
Indefinite 2
Other 14 28 16

5. Hierarchy of Planning Corporate Strategic Planning
Group or sector planning
SBU planning
Annual marketing (business) plan

6. Objectives of a Marketing Plan
To define the current business situation.
To identify problems and opportunities facing the business.*
To establish business objectives.
To define the strategies (e.g.,target market) and programs necessary to achieve the objectives.*

7. Objectives of a Marketing Plan (cont’).
To pinpoint responsibility for objectives.
To establish timetables and metrics for achieving objectives.*
To encourage careful and disciplined thinking.***
To establish an outward (customer/competitor) orientation.
* Two Approaches: Top-Down or Bottom-Up

8. Marketing Planning Sequence*
Collect data
Analyze data
Develop objectives, strategies, programs
Develop financial documents
Negotiate final plan*
Measure progress toward objectives
Audit

9. Marketing Plan Summary*
Executive summary (Don’t forget this!)
Situation analysis (level of analysis)
Industry analysis (should be on the industry, not an individual firm)
Sales analysis (Industry level)
Competitor analysis
Customer analysis
Planning assumptions
Sales Forecasts

10. Marketing Plan Summary (con’t)
(Marketing) objectives
(Marketing) strategy**
Marketing programs (Marketing Mix)**
Financial documents
Monitors and controls (optional)
Contingency plans (optional)

11. Frequent Mistakes in the Planning Process
The Speed of the Process
The Amount of Data/Information Collected
Who does the Planning?
The Structure
Length of the Plan: Pages

12. Frequent Mistakes in the Planning Process (cont)
Number of Courses of Action Considered*
Who Sees the Plan
Not Using the Plan as a Sales Document
Insufficient Senior Management Leadership
Not Tying Compensation to Successful Planning Efforts

13. What Makes a Good Planning System?
Utilize experience from multiple managerial levels*
Employ internal and external sources of information*
Spend Sufficient Time*
Give Incentives for Good Planning*

14. Sources of Help* Planning Software Some websites Workshops
Marketing Plan Pro*
Some websites
Workshops
Tech Transfer Forum
Iowa SBDC ( and Pappajohn center (
Previous Project Reports (in my office)*