The Marketing Planning Method That Actually Works for Small Businesses.
Does this scenario sound familiar to you? “Sarah” had been running her accountancy practice for five years. She knew she needed to market her services, so she tried a little bit of everything: LinkedIn and Insta posts when she remembered, the occasional Google Ad, sporadic email campaigns to her database. Nothing seemed to stick.
Her problem wasn't effort. It was the absence of a proper plan connecting it all together.
The truth is, most small businesses treat marketing like a to-do list rather than a strategic system. They jump from tactic to tactic, hoping something will work, without understanding how it all fits together.
Why Planning Matters More Than Tactics
Here's what happens without a proper marketing plan:
You waste money on tactics that don't support your goals
You can't tell what's working and what isn't
Your marketing feels exhausting rather than energising
You struggle to justify your marketing spend
Results remain frustratingly inconsistent
With a clear plan, everything changes. You know what you're trying to achieve, how you'll get there, and whether it's working. Marketing becomes manageable.
The Five Critical Questions Every Business Must Answer
1. Where Are We Now?
Before you can plan where you're going, you need honest answers about where you are:
How well is your current marketing actually performing?
Who are your best customers and what do they really want?
What are your competitors doing that's working?
What resources do you actually have to work with?
How strong is your brand in the market?
Most businesses skip this completely and jump straight to "let's post more on social media." That's like setting off on a journey without checking your starting point.
2. Where Do We Want to Be?
Vague goals like "get more customers" don't cut it. You need specific targets:
What revenue growth are you aiming for?
How many new customers do you need?
Which markets or customer types are you targeting?
What does success actually look like in 12 months?
The more specific your destination, the easier it is to plan the route.
3. Which Way is Best?
Once you know where you are and where you want to go, you need to choose your approach:
Should you focus on selling more to existing customers?
Or finding completely new markets?
Should you launch new services or improve existing ones?
What strategy gives you the best chance of success with the resources you have?
This is where most businesses get it wrong. They try to do everything rather than choosing the path that makes most sense for them.
4. How Do We Get There?
This is where strategy becomes action. You need to work out:
What specific marketing activities will you do?
When will you do them?
Who's responsible for what?
How much budget do you need?
What tools or help do you need?
A plan that stays in your head (or in a drawer) is useless. You need clear, actionable steps.
5. How Do We Stay on Track?
The final piece most businesses miss: measuring what's actually working.
What numbers will tell you if you're succeeding?
How often will you check progress?
What will you do if something isn't working?
How will you capture what you learn for next time?
Without this step, you'll keep repeating the same mistakes and missing opportunities to improve.
Real Results from Proper Planning
When businesses take time to plan properly, the difference is remarkable.
One of our clients, a recruitment firm, had been doing "random acts of marketing" for years. After working through a proper planning process, they:
Identified their most profitable customer segment
Focused their limited budget where it would make the biggest difference
Created a consistent pipeline of qualified leads
Could finally measure what was working
The marketing didn't become easier overnight. But it became manageable, measurable, and most importantly, effective.
Getting Started: Your Free Marketing Plan Workbook
I've created a practical workbook that guides you through this entire planning process.
It's designed specifically for small business owners who know they need a proper marketing plan but don't have time for complicated frameworks or consultancy jargon.
Inside you'll find:
Clear questions to help you analyse your current situation
Space to define specific, achievable goals
Tools to evaluate your strategic options
Practical templates for planning your activities
Simple ways to track and measure results
To get a copy of the FREE marketing plan document, email me on marie@reemarketing.co.uk
Three Steps to Get Started This Week
Don't try to do everything at once. Start with these three steps:
This week: Spend an hour honestly assessing where you are now. Write down what's working, what isn't, and what opportunities you're missing.
Next week: Set three specific goals for the next 90 days. Not vague aims like "do more marketing" but concrete targets like "generate 10 qualified leads per month."
Week three: Choose one focused approach and plan the first practical steps. What will you actually do, when, and how will you know if it's working?
After just three weeks of focused planning, you'll have more clarity than you've had in years of random marketing activity.
Why This Matters Now
Your competitors are probably still doing random marketing. Posting when they remember. Running ads occasionally. Hoping something sticks.
That's your opportunity.
While they're guessing, you can be planning. While they're hoping, you can be measuring. While they're frustrated with marketing, you can be using it to grow your business systematically.
The businesses that thrive aren't the ones with the biggest budgets. They're the ones with the clearest plans.
Your Next Step
Request the workbook. Set aside an hour this week. Work through the first section.
You'll immediately see gaps you've been missing and opportunities you've been overlooking. That clarity alone is worth the investment of time.
And if you'd like help putting your plan into action? That's exactly what I do.
[Get Your Free Marketing Plan Workbook Now → email marie@reemarketing.co.uk
No email walls. No hard sell. Just a practical tool to help you create a marketing plan that actually works for your business.
Because scattered tactics keep you busy. Strategic plans make you successful.
