What Is a Marketing Plan?
A marketing plan is your plan for getting and keeping customers. The U.S. Small Business Administration notes that there is no single way to approach marketing, and that your strategy should change as your business grows (SBA). Start simple, test, and improve.
The 7 Parts of a Simple Marketing Plan
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| 1. Main customer group | The one group you will focus on first |
| 2. Brand message | One sentence that says who you are for and why you are different |
| 3. Channels | Where customers will hear about you: social media, website, email, local ads, events, partners, word of mouth |
| 4. How you will win first customers | Your plan for the very first sales |
| 5. Prices | What you charge and why — see pricing strategy |
| 6. Budget | How much you will spend each month, and roughly what it costs to win one customer |
| 7. Launch steps | Three or four milestones with dates |
How to Write It in 5 Steps
1. Choose one main customer group
Trying to reach everyone wastes money. Pick the group most likely to buy first, based on your market research.
2. Write your brand message
Build it from your unique value proposition: who you serve, and why they should choose you.
3. Pick two or three channels
Go where your customers already are. A few channels done well beat many done badly.
4. Set a small budget and test
Start small. Track where each customer came from, then spend more on what works.
5. Plan your launch
Write three or four launch steps with dates, such as "flyers in office lobbies — first week".
Customer Acquisition Cost, Simply
Customer acquisition cost is what you spend on marketing ÷ the number of new customers it brings. If you spend 300 in a month and win 60 new customers, each one cost 5. Compare it with what a customer spends with you over time — it should be much lower.
Example (Illustrative)
Brand message: "Fresh bread and coffee, ready in under three minutes."
Channels: flyers in office lobbies, a local social media page, word of mouth.
First customers: free coffee with any pastry during opening week.
Budget: 100 a month to start.
Launch steps: social page live (week −2) · flyers in lobbies (week −1) · opening offer (week 1) · first catering offer to offices (month 2).
Common Mistakes
- "Everyone is our customer." Focus wins; spreading thin loses.
- Too many channels at once. Start with two or three.
- Not tracking results. Ask every new customer how they found you.
- No launch date. A plan without dates rarely happens.
Where It Fits in Your Business Plan
This is the Marketing Strategy section. Your marketing budget also counts as a cost in your financial projections and break-even point.
Sources
- U.S. Small Business Administration — Write your business plan (checked November 2026).
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a small business marketing plan include?
Your main customer group, brand message, channels, how you will win first customers, prices, budget, and a few launch steps with dates.
How much should a small business spend on marketing?
There is no single right amount. Start with a small monthly budget you can afford, track what works, and spend more on the channels that bring customers.
What is customer acquisition cost?
What you spend on marketing divided by the number of new customers it brings in.
How long should a marketing plan be?
For a small business, one or two pages is usually enough.
Build your plan with Founderplat
Founderplat walks you through all eight sections, one small step at a time, with tips and examples for every part.
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