Full Marketing Plan
The Marketing Plan should be approximately 15-24 pages using professional font, single spaced with headers and sub-headers as well as bulleted lists when appropriate. It is an excellent idea to adopt a TABLE OF CONTENTS to guide and assist the reader (reviewer). Use footnotes and references as needed. *Copy of PITCH DECK PDF would likely augment/be in addition to Full Marketing Plan.
Unique to a startup, the marketing plan is part of the overall startup business plan. A typical business plan will include ten - fifteen sections organized to quickly and efficiently communicate plan. The marketing plan fits into the startup business plan which is used typically developed by the company founders and/or marketing team.
>> THE MARKETING PLAN (there may be some examples in canvas)
Because the marketing plan will be included in the formal business plan, the following outline does not include information that would be provided in other sections of the business plan. If the marketing plan is presented by itself without the rest of the business plan, then it would also include an executive summary of the marketing plan itself as well as a brief summary of sections 2,3, and 5 of the business plan at the beginning of the plan. With a growing trend of startups and startup advisory agencies recommending the use of a detailed business model canvas instead of a more comprehensive business plan, the marketing plan becomes an essential document to guide internal marketing efforts. It also serves as a source of reliable information to inform the business model canvas and financial projections.
The Marketing Plan Outline
The marketing plan for a startup should include four sections outlined below. The most detailed section will actually be the promotions strategy and tactics section which will include the projected budget, sales projections, expected ROI, and tactical details including personal sales tactics, SEO and search engine advertising as well as social media tactical details.
- Customer Value Proposition
- Market segmentation, targeting, and persona description
- Positioning statement and branding summary
- Marketing mix and its adaptation to the target persona
- Product description
- Pricing strategy
- Distribution strategy
- Promotions strategy & tactics (including budget)
- Sales tactics
- SEO and search engine advertising
- Social media tactics
- Feature-Benefit Selling (helping to prepare the Sales Team)
- Guerilla or Influencer tactics
Pitch Deck (PDF copy)
- To include Budget & ROI projections (consider a 5-year snapshot in one slide...do not need full Pro Forma)