1. Marketing Planning 101
Building the instruction manual for the toolbox

2. The Werkshop Philosophy
What is Marketing, anyway?
Marketing is a discipline best described as a box of tools. One tool
does not define marketing, and one tool can’t be marketing by
itself. It is how you use the tools in concert that is marketing.
The marketing plan is its instruction manual.
Tools:
 Advertising – hammer
 PR – flashlight/megaphone
 Web presence – magnifying glass
 Events – painter’s tape
 Direct mail – screwdriver
 Analytics – measuring tape
 Loyalty programs – glue
 Social Media – tacks, nails, staples

3. Most of us have it backwards…
 Most businesses start with the tools.
 Most people start putting together the furniture without looking at the instructions.
 How many times has your marketing committee, CEO, President or Marketing
Director tried to solve a sales or awareness problem by using a tactic.
 “We need a television spot!”
 “If we did direct mail, we wouldn’t have this problem.”
 “Our competition did an app…”
 As much as it hurts – you have to start with the instruction
manual.

4. Have a plan. Follow the plan, and you'll be surprised how
successful you can be. Most people don't have a plan.
That's why it's easy to beat most folks.
- Paul "Bear" Bryant, football coach, University of Alabama's Crimson Tide.

5. What’s new for 2011?
The cool kids are measuring everything.
Tools for measurement: Geckoboard BETA (analytics dashboard), google
analytics, ChartBeat (super Google analytics), Viralheat, SproutSocial
The cooler kids are voraciously reading everything being
published about their industry
Tools for staying current: Mashable, MobileMarketer, AdWeek, BrandWeek,
BrandFreak, Creativity Online, ReadWriteWeb, Gigaom, and of course
traditional news- (daily headlines emailed), NPR, AP Mobile
The coolest kids are learning from the mistakes of their
competitors
Don’t chase the shiny objects: Social Marketing and Apps
(unless they have a home in your strategy)

6. Building the instruction manual.
Step 1: Know who you are. And where you fit in the
marketplace.
 Mission (See handout.)
 If you have a mission statement, revisit it at the beginning of your
marketing planning exercise. Make sure it is still relevant!

7. Building the instruction manual.
Step 1: Know who you are.
 How you measure success
 Core Values
Measuring Success in four key areas:
1. Customers (satisfaction)
2. Internal performance (quality &
cost)
3. Suppliers (meeting your
expectations)
4. Financial (Profitability & Market
Share)
Create Metrics that are
SMART
Specific
Measureable
Actionable
Timely
Your Core Values should
reflect who you are today –
not what you’re trying to
be.

8. Building the instruction manual.
Step 2: Soul Searching
 Knowing why you exist.
Fear the unknown – Don’t plan on gut feelings, plan on facts.
Marketing Research (see handout)
•It doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
•You have options – online surveys, focus groups, one-on-one interviews. Just
don’t do it yourself!

9. Building the instruction manual.
Step 3: The Recon Mission

10. EXERCISE:
Personas, Pains and Solutions
This exercise will help more clearly define each client persona.
Make a list of client types by client title and role.
Choose one and list their goals and pain point(s).
In the chart below that list their specific pain points, effect of pains on goals, YOUR solutions and any
case studies available that support this example.
Repeat for each client type.
Client Title Pain Point Goal Solution

11. COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Who is your biggest competition and why?
Who is NOT your competition and why?
Competitor
Name & Website
Products/
Merchandise/ Services
offered
What do they do or
offer
better/differently
than you?
What do they do
worse/differently
than you?
Notes:
Add more rows if needed.

12. COMPANY IDENTITY
LOGO:
• When was the logo created?
• What do you like and dislike about it?
• Is it practical to use?
• Is the logo meaningful? Are the colors meaningful?
• Does it set you apart from your competitors?
• Does it set you above your competitors? Why?
• Does it represent who you want your company to be?
TAGLINE:
• Is there a tagline? What is it?
TONE & MESSAGE:
• Do you feel that the logo represents who you are to your existing customers and your prospects?
• Does it speak effectively to the services you offer?

13. MARKETING INVENTORY
This is an exercise meant to capture a snapshot of your company’s marketing history. Please fill in the grid with
information as far back as is applicable. Be brief, but give information on what was done and whether or not you
noticed a result – positive or negative. if possible, bring copies of any printed material, scripts, brochures, etc. to your
strategy session.
TRADITIONAL MARKETING
Mass media –
TV, Radio,
Print, Outdoor
Sales/ referral
campaigns
Customer information
tracking/ mining
Collateral (brochures,
stationery, etc.)
Direct mail Promotional items
Public Relations Hits Events Sponsored Community Giving

14. Website address Twitter Profile address FaceBook address LinkedIn Google Ads?
Blogs (ones you write and
ones you read)
YouTube Presence Other
ONLINE MARKETING + SOCIAL MEDIA
What do you have planned for the future that we need to know about?

15. PRODUCTS/SERVICES
General overview: (A few sentences on who your company is and what you do – in your words.)
Market area(s): (Where are your customers now? Where do you want them to be?)
Revenue streams: (How you make money… what do you charge for?)
HISTORICAL TIMELINE – any major events we need to know about? Tell us when you opened, if you’ve moved, your
largest sales day ever, etc.
Year:
Year:
Year:
Year:

16. Building the instruction manual.
Step 4: Goal Setting
 Be specific.
 # new clients
 Sales growth?
 Entry into new market segment?
 Revenue growth?
 Questions to ask yourself.
 Is there a deadline?
 Is it measurable? How? When?
 Who is holding you accountable?

17. Building the instruction manual.
Step 5: Identify your message
 Write it down – do a messaging exercise
 Plan your content
 Campaigns, promotions, advertising, social marketing

18. Building the instruction manual.
Step 6: Circle of Trust
 Knowing who your friends are.
 Who are your COIs? Write them down.
 Family
 Friends
 Professional relationships
 Mentors
 Business associates
 Strategic alliances
 Partnerships/Sponsorships

19. Building the instruction manual.
Step 7: The big ideas
 What is the anchor of your marketing plan?
This is the opportunity to try something new, but be
sure you can justify it with metrics.

20. Building the instruction manual.
Step 8: Put it all together
 Plan outline
 Situation Analysis
 Goals
 Strategies
 Tactics
 Exhibits

21. Building the instruction manual.
EXAMPLE PLAN

27. Good plans shape good decisions.
- Lester Robert Bittel (b.1918), writer

28. Thank you!