Whether large or small, all businesses that are successful at marketing, start with a marketing plan. The content, structure and size of the marketing plans will most likely vary significantly depending on the nature of the business, but having a clear marketing strategy, that is actually written down, and can be referred to on a regular basis is critical.
That doesn’t mean at all that your marketing plan is set in concrete, it must have some flexibility to deal with changes in your business environment. The way you get there may change, but typically the overall aims and goals for your marketing plan will be congruent with the goals of your business.
For small businesses (particularly start-ups), your initial marketing plan should probably only cover the first year. Particularly in the first year of business, things change, people leave, markets evolve and customers come and go. It is sensible to include a section in your plan that addresses the medium-term future–two to four years down the road, however the bulk of your plan should really focus on the next 12 months.
