Create your small business marketing plan

The Small Business Start-Up Trifecta series (2 of 3): Make wiser decisions with each marketing campaign you launch.

A marketing plan is an essential tool for every small business. You can create marketing plans to promote your new business, introduce new products or services to your market, target new niche markets, and develop new ways to reach and attract customers. Marketing plans also provide an effective way to track various strategies so you can make wiser decisions with each marketing campaign you launch.

Your small business marketing plan should outline your objectives, describe who you are targeting, explain what you know about your target, show how you plan to reach them, identify your marketing budget, and set specific milestones that will help you measure your success. Sure, that sounds like a lot, but by answering a series of targeted questions, it's easier than you think to get moving in the right direction.

Alyssa Gregory is a small business collaborator. She consults small business owners, writes about small business topics, brings entrepreneurs together, and speaks to groups about starting, managing and growing small businesses. She has a passion for creating opportunities for collaboration and sharing knowledge.