The Marketing Plan

Working within the strategies and plans set by the levels above them, marketing managers come up with a marketing plan for individual products, lines, brands, channels, or customer groups.

A marketing plan is a written document that summarizes what the marketer has learned about the marketplace and indicates how the firm plans to reach its marketing objectives.

It contains tactical guidelines for the marketing programs and financial allocations over the planning period.

The most frequently cited shortcomings of current marketing plans, according to marketing executives, are lack of realism, insufficient competitive analysis, and a short-run focus.