A marketing action plan is a detailed roadmap outlining the specific activities required to achieve particular marketing objectives.
Understanding Marketing Action Plans
By definition, a marketing action plan (MAP) outlines a specific activity that will help you accomplish one or more marketing goals. Think of it as the 'how-to' guide that breaks down big marketing ambitions into manageable steps. It translates broad strategies into tangible tasks.
Marketing goals set the direction, while action plans provide the precise steps needed to reach that destination. For example, as noted in the reference, you might have a marketing goal to increase retention by six percent over a three-year period. The marketing action plan would then detail the specific activities you will undertake over those three years to make that six percent increase happen.
Purpose of a Marketing Action Plan
The primary purpose of a MAP is to ensure that marketing efforts are focused, organized, and directly contribute to achieving stated goals. They provide clarity on:
- What needs to be done: Specific tasks or initiatives.
- Who is responsible: Assigning ownership for each activity.
- When it needs to be done: Timelines and deadlines.
- How it will be done: Methods, resources, and procedures.
- How success will be measured: Key performance indicators (KPIs) for the activity.
Relationship to Marketing Goals
Action plans are intrinsically linked to marketing goals. Goals provide the 'what' and 'why,' while the action plan provides the 'how.' Without clear goals, action plans lack direction. Without a detailed action plan, goals remain abstract wishes.
Consider the goal mentioned earlier: Increase customer retention by 6% over three years. The action plan supporting this goal might include activities like:
- Launching a customer loyalty program.
- Implementing a post-purchase follow-up email sequence.
- Improving customer service response times.
- Creating exclusive content for existing customers.
Each of these activities would be detailed within the action plan, specifying who does it, by when, and with what resources, all aimed at contributing to the overarching retention goal.
Key Components
While the exact components can vary, a typical marketing action plan often includes:
- Activity Description: A clear definition of the task.
- Owner: The individual or team responsible.
- Timeline: Start and end dates.
- Resources Needed: Budget, tools, personnel.
- Success Metric: How the activity's contribution will be measured.
In essence, a marketing action plan is the tactical layer that ensures strategic marketing goals are actively pursued through concrete, assigned tasks.
