The firm is advised to develop a marketing plan that addresses what and why of marketing activities and the implementation that answers who, where, when and how.




Executive Summary.

This presents a brief summary of the main goals and recommendations of the plan for management quick review. A table of contents should follow the executive summary.


Current Marketing Situation.

This is the description of the market, product performance, competition, and distribution. It defines the market and major segments and then reviews customer needs and factors in the marketing environment that may affect customer purchasing power. 

It demonstrates sales, prices, and gross margins of the major products in the product line. It also identifies major competitors and assesses their market positions and strategies for product quality, pricing, distribution, and promotion. Evaluation of recent sales trends and other developments in major distribution channels are also highlighted here.


Threats and Opportunities Analysis.

Like another strategic plan, this part assesses major threats and opportunities that a product might face in order to help management to anticipate important positive or negative developments that might have an impact on the firm and its strategies.


Objectives and Issues.

It is a place where marketing objectives of the firm are stated for the aim of showing what the firm is going to achieve during the plan's term. It also features key issues that will affect their attainment. For instance, if the goal of the plan is to achieve 30% of the market, this part must show how this goal can be achieved.


Marketing Strategies.

Here it shows how the firm creates customer value and relationship. It also demonstrates specific strategies for each market mix elements and gives details on how each will respond to threats, opportunities and other critical issues articulated in the plan.


Action Programme.

The part shows how marketing strategies will be turned into specific action programme. Generally, it shows the place of the event, the time frame of the event, people involved and the amount of money to be incurred.


Budgets.

This part shows expected revenues and expected costs of production, distribution, and marketing. The difference is the projected profit. A budget must be approved by the basis for materials buying, production scheduling, personnel planning, and marketing operations.


Controls.

This part outlines the control to be used to monitor progress and review of implementation results and sometimes spot products that are against the firm's goals. Its also consists of measures of return on marketing investment.