Marketing action plan: what it is and how to create it

If you're standing on point A and you want to get to point B, what do you do? That's right, define an action plan. 

No matter what you do or where you're going, you need goals to meet in order to achieve conversions.  

That's why we say that the marketing action plan is essential for the success of your company.

Whether you want to increase your sales, conquer a new market or increase the loyalty of your users, any of these goals require a good action plan to increase the chances of success. 

Has it ever happened to you that you start working and you don't know where to begin? It's time for you to leave uncertainty behind and focus as a real entrepreneur does.

Will you join us?

What is a marketing action plan?

We define the marketing action plan as the roadmap that we will follow in our company to meet the objectives we set out from a marketing point of view. 

It's an essential part of the whole marketing process, since it contains the checklist that we must fulfill to go from point A to point B. In this document you will find:

• A detailed explanation of the objectives to be achieved.

• Steps to be followed to achieve the goals.

• Responsibilities of each team member.

• Deadline estimated for achieving the objective.

• Indicators to evaluate the progress of the project. 

This way, the action plan is a document that adjusts to the team's needs. The important thing is to always have it at hand to know what the next step is to achieve the objectives. 

In turn, it will include how those goals will be achieved, so it will specify the types of campaigns, channels to be used, content, software to be implemented at all times. 

Types of action plans

In addition to the marketing action plan, there are two action plans that are very often used in the business world. Some of them are:

1. Commercial

Just as the marketing action plan allows you to visualize all the steps you must follow to achieve the marketing objectives, the commercial plan shows you the actions you must carry out to achieve the desired sales volume.

It's a good way to consult the commercial status of the company, since at the end of the day it is the lungs of the company. 

Here you will see the tactics to follow, characteristics of the target audience and the guidelines to follow to obtain new sales. Some of the elements it includes are:

• Time to implement.

• Product to sell.

• Channels to use.

• Strategy to be used to sell that product or service. 

2. Strategic

In short, the strategic plan details how you will make the strategy you set out on paper a reality. Let's say that it's the moment when we finalize the last details and then move on to action. 

For example, if you want to establish the intellectual property of an idea, you must make a strategic plan to define all the steps that must be executed to make it a reality so that no one can steal your idea. 

Therefore, the strategic action plan is fundamental because it helps you to prioritize objectives, optimize the company's resources and make the pertinent decisions to achieve success. 

Everything a marketing action plan should include

Are you ready to create a marketing action plan for your company? Let's take a look at a sample template to get you started:

1. Title

This is the title of the overall action plan. Make sure it is concise and reflects the goal to be achieved during the project. 

2. Strategic Priorities

Before starting to work you need to make some sort of priority list to define which tasks require more focus and which need less. 

Make sure that each one is in line with the overall project goals. This way you can optimize time and increase the likelihood of success. 

3. Expected Results

Once you have your priorities it's time to set specific objectives. These should show the results you want to achieve with the action plan. 

Ideally, you should be guided by the SMART goals format, so they should be as detailed as possible. Remember that SMART goals are:

• Specific.

• Measurable.

• Attainable.

• Relevant.

• Time-Bound.

4. Goals of the process

These are the strategies you must implement to meet the goal you set in the previous steps. 

They should not be confused with the expected results: here you focus on the process that you will execute on a daily basis to achieve what you set out.

5. Tasks

These are all the steps you must execute to achieve the goals set. Once we have the objectives well set, it's time to take action, on a day-to-day basis. 

Each member must know what his or her task is, the time it should take and the strategies to be implemented. At the end of the week, a balance will be made to determine how far or close you are to your objectives. 

6. Resources

Last but not least, we have the resources we will need to execute this action plan. 

We're talking about money as well as the equipment and personnel that are indispensable to carry out the action plan. Define it on paper and rely on the accounting team to verify that it's feasible.

4 Tips for making your marketing action plan

Have you already started to make your action plan? The sooner you get started, the sooner you will have a clear picture of what you need to do to take your company to the next level. 

Let's take a look at some final suggestions so you can get it done quickly:

1. Define your goal

Nothing is more dangerous in the business world than working without knowing what you want to achieve. 

Can you imagine an F1 driver starting his race without knowing where the finish line is? Well, it's the same in the company, you have to know what your general and specific objective is and then establish your action plan.

Write it down and then apply the SMART criteria to determine each action you must perform to meet that goal. 

2. Establish the steps

In another template you can list the steps your team must execute. 

Specify what tasks need to be done, in what area and the time it will take. This way you will have total control of the operation and will be able to anticipate possible problems. 

3. Prioritize

If you already have a list of tasks, it's time to prioritize them according to the level of priority you consider. 

Don't forget to set a deadline to add the pressure every team needs.

4. Project

Finally, it's time to project those results you want to achieve over time. A good way to do this is through graphs or a flow chart so that the whole team can see what the business will look like over time. 

The reality is that the marketing action plan is one of the most important documents in the business world. 

You can't succeed if you don't put your strategy in writing so you know what needs to be done in the coming months to succeed in your niche. 

And you still have doubts about the marketing action plan? If so, do not hesitate and read our blog articles, we're sure that some of them will work as a guide for you.