Running a small business is a rewarding journey – you’ve already laid the foundation, built customer relationships, and made countless decisions to get where you are today. But as your business evolves, so do your marketing needs. Even for seasoned business owners, it’s easy to feel pulled in different directions by the endless options for promoting your brand.
That’s why a clear, up-to-date marketing plan for small businesses is more important than ever. However, the Marketing Centre’s 2023 report found that 67% of SMEs lack a structured marketing action plan, leading to “random acts of marketing” that don’t contribute effectively to business objectives.
Whether you’re introducing a new service, trying to stand out in a competitive market, or working to expand your loyal customer base, a well-structured marketing plan ensures your efforts stay focused and impactful, rather than scattered or reactive. It acts as a strategic roadmap, aligning your goals with clear, actionable steps to reach the right customers through the right channels at the right time—ultimately increasing the chances of a strong return on investment.
In this blog, we’ll walk through how to create an effective marketing plan, provide a marketing plan template for small business, and offer tips on how to budget for your marketing efforts.
How to make a marketing plan for small business
Marketing yourself can be surprisingly difficult—even for professional marketers. It’s often much easier to clarify your message when someone asks the right questions. To help you get started, here are some key questions to guide your thinking. Your answers can form the foundation of your marketing plan.
- What is your business selling?
The first step is to identify what you’re offering and how you plan to sell it. What problem are you solving for your customers, and why should they choose you over your competitors?
- What are your biggest strengths within your specialism?
List three to five of the main skills you intend to market to the world. Try to keep it specific and list things you genuinely want to (and can) deliver to a high standard. It’s important to focus on your core strengths that differentiate you from others in your field. By identifying your strengths, you’ve just defined your value proposition—what makes your business unique and valuable to potential customers.
- What’s your favourite kind of project to work on?
Think about the types of projects you enjoy most. Which ones excite you and drive your passion? Aligning your marketing efforts with the type of work you want to do most often will help you attract the right clients. Once you’ve pinpointed these projects, create a list of past work you’ve enjoyed and would happily take on again. Assign percentages to reflect how you want to balance this work in the future. This helps you define your products—the services or solutions you want to focus on and promote.
- What makes your approach special?
This is where you define your unique selling proposition (USP). What sets you apart from others in your industry? It could be anything from a background in fine art to having lived in multiple countries, or even a particular way of problem-solving that gives you a unique perspective. This difference is what makes you memorable and helps potential clients relate to you.
- What knowledge can you share with potential clients?
Sharing your expertise is a great way to build authority and trust. What insights can you offer based on your experience? This knowledge can come in whatever form you feel good about. Think blogs, videos, social media posts – anything! By sharing valuable insights, you’re also defining your content marketing strategy—how you’ll communicate your knowledge and value to your target audience.
- Which platforms do you want a presence on?
Now that you know what you want to promote and how, think about where you’ll do it. What platforms are best suited for your target audience? Consider social media platforms, search engines, local business listings, and email marketing. The key is to be where your potential customers are, whether that’s on Instagram, LinkedIn, Google, or even through print ads. Choosing your marketing channels is a crucial step in ensuring you’re visible in the right places, and it’s a vital part of your marketing strategy.
- What does your next stage of success look like?
Finally, it’s time to think about success. What does your next stage of growth look like? Set clear, achievable goals that will keep you motivated. Whether it’s a specific revenue target, a certain number of clients, or weekly sales goals, having clear Key Performance Indicators will help you stay on track.
Budgeting and resource allocation: How much should you invest in marketing?
Budgeting for marketing can feel overwhelming for small businesses, especially with limited resources. A good rule of thumb is to allocate 7-8% of your projected revenue to marketing, though this can vary depending on your industry and specific needs. Digital marketing strategies like paid ads, social media campaigns, and email marketing offer quick, measurable results. Content marketing and SEO may take longer to show results, but they provide long-term value.
Best marketing strategies for small businesses
While we’ve touched on some of these examples already, it’s important to remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for small businesses. The key is to experiment with tactics that align with your industry, audience, budget, and goals, so you can build a marketing plan that truly fits your business.
- Digital marketing: From SEO to paid search campaigns, digital marketing is a powerful tool for increasing visibility and driving traffic to your website. In fact, online advertising can increase brand awareness by 80%.
- Content marketing: Blogging, videos, and social media posts are great ways to engage with your audience, share knowledge, and build trust.
- Social media marketing: 55% of consumers learn about new brands through social media, so utilising platforms that align with your business goals can help you connect with potential customers and promote your brand.
- Email marketing: Build relationships with your audience by offering valuable insights, updates, and promotions directly to their inboxes.
How to create a marketing plan template
Start by outlining two key audiences: prospects (people who haven’t heard of your business) and existing customers. For prospects, list the channels you’ll use to reach them (such as your website, ads, or direct mail) along with launch dates and budgets. Using the questions and prompts we listed above, identify the key messages you’ll use to attract them, like offers or your unique selling points, and define your target audience clearly.
For existing customers, focus on retention through personalised messages, newsletters, or exclusive offers. Note key dates (like product launches or events) and who they target. Finally, organise everything into a one-page plan that includes your audiences, messages, marketing tools, timelines, and budget.
Planning for long-term growth with an effective marketing plan
A small business marketing plan is key to growing your brand and reaching the right customers. But it’s important to remember that marketing isn’t a one-time thing—it’s an ongoing process. As you go, tweak your strategies to keep things fresh and aligned with your goals. Start small, set realistic goals, and adjust your plan as you learn and grow to achieve long-term success.
Understanding how to make a marketing plan for small businesses is the first step. Explore our free resources to dive into the world of digital marketing and discover strategies that can help your business grow.
We’ve put together this simple, practical guide to help you get to grips with the basics and get started with marketing your business online.
