How to Create a Marketing Plan

How to Create a Marketing Plan

Most early-stage founders think marketing means running ads or posting on social media, but that’s just execution. A marketing plan is a strategic blueprint that shows how you’ll get customers, where you’ll reach them, and why they’ll care. You don’t need a 40-page document, but you do need clarity, structure, and specific tactics. Here’s how to build one.

Step 1: Define the Goal

Start with a clear, measurable outcome. Ask: what is marketing supposed to achieve in the next 6 to 12 months?

For example:

  • “Get 500 users to sign up for our product in the next 3 months”
  • “Generate 30 qualified leads per month for our sales team”
  • “Reach $20K in monthly recurring revenue by end of year”

💡 Tip: Use the SMART framework — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

Step 2: Know Exactly Who You’re Marketing To

You can’t market to “everyone”. Break down your audience into clear customer personas. At minimum, identify:

  • Who they are: Role, company size, demographics
  • Where they hang out: LinkedIn, Reddit, Slack communities, meetups, Substacks
  • What triggers them: What pain makes them search for a solution
  • What language they use: This shapes your messaging

Use tools like SparkToro to discover where your audience spends time and what they talk about.

Step 3: Pick Your Core Marketing Channels

There are 3 major categories. Choose 1 or 2 to start with, based on where your audience already is and your team’s strengths.

1. Organic (long-term, trust-building)

  • Content marketing: Write blog posts, SEO pages, or newsletters. Works well for search-driven problems.
  • Social media: Post regularly on LinkedIn or Twitter to build awareness and connections.
  • Community: Participate in relevant Slack groups, Reddit threads, Discords, or forums.

Example: Figma grew by engaging designers in online communities and giving them content they wanted to share.

Tools:

2. Paid (fast feedback, but costs money)

  • Google Ads: Good for high-intent users searching for a solution
  • Meta Ads: Facebook and Instagram for B2C or visually-driven products
  • LinkedIn Ads: Expensive but effective for targeting specific job roles in B2B

Start small. Test with $10 to $50/day and measure what gets clicks and signups. Use landing pages built with tools like Carrd or Unbounce to track conversions.

📚 Read: “The Mom Test” by Rob Fitzpatrick before spending anything. It helps you validate messaging before you waste money on ads.

3. Partnerships (leveraging others’ trust)

  • Affiliate programs: Let others promote you and pay a percentage of sales
  • Integrations: If you plug into a platform like Shopify or Zapier, launch there
  • Co-marketing: Collaborate with a newsletter, YouTuber, or SaaS brand with a similar audience

Tip: Outreach for partnerships is sales. Personalize your email. Mention why their audience will benefit.

Step 4: Map Tactics to Timeline

Don’t just list tasks. Lay out a 3-month roadmap like this:

MonthFocusTactics
1Awareness + Validation3 blog posts, test 2 ad creatives
2Traffic GrowthDouble down on best ad + SEO landing
3ConversionSet up email capture + onboarding

Track outcomes weekly. What channels are getting visitors, trials, or purchases? Adjust based on what’s working.

Tools to track:

Step 5: Build a Repeatable System

The goal is not just to launch campaigns, but to build a marketing engine. Ask:

  • How are we capturing leads consistently?
  • Do we have a content calendar?
  • Are we collecting feedback on messaging?
  • What’s automated and what’s manual?

Once a channel shows results, systematize it. Use tools like:

Final Checklist

✅ Goal clearly defined (with specific numbers and timeline)
✅ Audience persona documented with pain points and habits
✅ 1–2 marketing channels selected based on customer behavior
✅ Tactical plan created for next 3 months
✅ Tools set up for content, ads, or partnerships
✅ Metrics selected to track performance (traffic, conversion, CAC, LTV)
✅ Initial budget or time allocation committed for testing
✅ System in place to repeat and improve on what works

Useful Resources