The document provides steps to create an effective marketing plan. It recommends clearly understanding customers and competitors. The plan should be short, state goals and objectives, and be aligned with company strategy. It should analyze the company, customers, competitors, and environment. The plan should identify market segments and alternative strategies before selecting strategies around the marketing mix of product, price, place, and promotion.

1. HOW TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE MARKETING PLAN
Justin Quinn

2. Introduction
“The single most important thing for a
small business to include in its
marketing plan is a very clear
understanding of its customers and its
competitors”
- Professor Robert Thomas, Georgetown University

4.  Keep it short and sweet
 Just a couple of sentences / keep it simple / write it down /
 What do you want to achieve / Goals / Objectives
 Is the plan aligned to your companies strategy & vision
 You should be able to read this in 30 seconds
THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
STEP 1

5.  This section should include a description of the product / service that you offer
 Each description should include what goals that you want for each product /
service that you offer.
 Goals for sales figures / targets / objectives
 Strategic goals for your company
 What do you want to achieve & where do you want to grow
 Market information – where is up down / down
 Talk to the Agents / What are they looking for !!!
 local representative bodies / government strategy
 British Council – MEI – ALTO / English UK etc.
 Check your competitors websites
 Currency – the problems of not knowing what is going to happen
 What are the drivers for growth in our sector
 Access to funding
THE CHALLENGE:
STEP 2

6.  Company Analysis:
 Long and short term company wide goals
 Focus of your company / aligned with mission and vision statement
 Culture of your company / laid back ? Aggressive ? Open ?
 Strength's of your company
 Weaknesses of your company
 What is your market share
 Customer / Students Analysis:
 Demographics of your customers / Age /Gender / where they come from /
Average course duration
 Where are your customers coming from
 Value Drivers / What are the main products / services that you offer & best
sellers
 What do the agents like most about you ?
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
STEP 3

7.  Competitor Analysis:
 Market Position
 Strengths
 Weakness
 Market Share
 Collaborators:
 Joint ventues
 Sharing Information
 Climate – PEST Analysis:
 Political and legal environment
 Economic Environment / Currency
 Social & cultural Environment
 Technology – Direct selling / on
line
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
STEP 3

8.  SWOT Analysis:
 Your companies Internal strengths
/
 Unique Selling points / Location /
Employees / Courses /
Experience
 Your companies internal
weaknesses
 External opportunities for your
company / whats out there for your
betterment
 External threats to your company
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
STEP 3

9.  Whats your best sellers
 Can you measure the value of each course to the over all value across all
segments
 Cost of sales for each segment / course / service
 Name of the segment:
 Description
 Percent this segment has for overall sales
 How this segment uses your product
 What sort of support that this segment needs
 The best ways to promote this segment
 The priced sensitivity of this product
MARKET SEGMENTATION:
STEP 4

10.  What do your sales team actually
think ?
 Are all the programmes & services
giving the same value
 Do we just keep repeating the
same thing year after year because
its easier that way
 Is change good ?
 Are the programmes that we offer
still relevant?
 Change is good ?
ALTERNATIVE MARKETING
STRATEGIES: STEP 5

11.  Product:
 Brand Name
 Where does your price fit ? Top / Middle
 Range of prorammes
 Price:
 List Price
 Commissions / Discounts
 Payment Terms
 Cost of sales ratio
SELECTED MARKETING
STRATEGY – THE 4 P’S: STEP 6

12.  Place (Distribution):
 Sales Channels / Agent / Direct /
 What is the right commission to offer
 Locations
 How do you rate your agents ?
 Promotion:
 Advertising / Local / National
 Public Relations
 Promotional programmes
 Do you have a budget for marketing
 Do you set targets ?
SELECTED MARKETING
STRATEGY – THE 4 P’S: STEP 6

13. Conclusion
The parable of the boiled frog: