Most businesses put together a marketing plan, but without aligning it with their overall business strategy, they end up wasting time on tactics that don’t drive real results. Posting on social media, running ads, or sending emails without a clear direction often leads to inconsistent messaging, missed opportunities, and, ultimately, low conversions.
A marketing plan isn’t just a content calendar or a series of random promotions—it’s a structured action plan that focuses on generating leads, nurturing relationships, and converting followers into paying customers. When done right, it ensures every marketing effort supports long-term business growth rather than just chasing quick wins.
After working with countless entrepreneurs, I’ve seen firsthand how many struggle with marketing because they focus on surface-level strategies instead of building a strong foundation. In this post, I’ll break down how to create a marketing strategy that actually works, so your efforts lead to sustainable business success.
If we haven't met yet, hi, I'm Brittany, a mom, mystery buff, bookworm, and DIY home decor enthusiast. I help business owners get seen, loved and paid. If you're looking for support with your social media, email marketing to podcast, click here to learn how I can help.
Table of Contents
What is a Marketing Plan?
A marketing plan is a structured approach to promoting your business, attracting leads, and converting them into paying customers. Unlike a strategic plan, which focuses on the overall vision and direction of a business, a marketing plan is about execution—outlining the specific tactics and channels you’ll use to reach your audience and drive sales. If you want to learn more about strategic planning, which should come before creating your marketing plan, check out Go Get Great Episode 81.
A well-structured marketing strategy template helps businesses stay focused by breaking down goals into actionable steps. Instead of posting content randomly or running ads without direction, a marketing plan ensures that every effort contributes to growth in a measurable way.
Key Components of a Marketing Plan:
Lead Generation – How you’ll attract new potential customers (e.g., social media, paid ads, networking).
Content Strategy – The type of content you’ll create to educate, engage, and nurture leads (e.g., blogs, emails, videos).
Customer Journey Mapping – The process of guiding leads from discovery to purchase, ensuring they receive the right message at each stage.
Without a clear marketing plan, businesses often waste time on inconsistent efforts that don’t lead to sales. By mapping out your strategy in advance, you create a system that consistently drives results.
The Role of Lead Generation in a Marketing Strategy
Lead generation is the backbone of any marketing plan—without it, you don’t have potential customers to nurture and convert into sales. A strong marketing strategy focuses on consistently bringing in new leads while keeping them engaged through targeted content and offers.
There are many ways to generate leads, both online and offline. The key is to choose methods that align with your business model, audience, available resources and interests.
Examples of Lead Generation Strategies
Online Lead Generation
Social Media – Platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest help attract potential customers through organic content, engagement, and direct messaging.
Paid Advertising – Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and promoted content drive targeted traffic to lead magnets, sales pages, or booking links.
Guest Speaking & Podcasts – Appearing as a guest on podcasts or hosting live webinars introduces you to new audiences and builds authority in your niche.
Offline Lead Generation
Local Networking Events – Attending industry meetups, workshops, and conferences helps build in-person connections that can lead to referrals and business growth.
Speaking Engagements – Leading a workshop or speaking at an event positions you as an expert and attracts warm leads interested in your services.
Print Advertising - Traditional marketing ads on buses, benches, newspapers and more are still viable lead generation strategies for some businesses
Choosing the Right Lead Generation Strategy
Not every business needs to use all these methods. Instead, select 1-2 primary lead generation channels based on:
Your ideal audience (where do they spend time?)
Your available time and budget (organic vs. paid strategies)
Your strengths (do you prefer writing, speaking, or video?)
By integrating lead generation into your marketing plan strategy first, you ensure a steady flow of potential customers instead of relying on random traffic or unpredictable referrals.
Creating a Marketing Plan That Converts Followers Into Customers
A successful marketing plan strategy isn’t just about gaining followers—it’s about turning those followers into paying customers. Many small business owners make the mistake of chasing visibility without a clear plan for conversion. The key is to balance business strategy and plan execution with realistic expectations and a focused approach.
1. Focus on 1-2 Lead Generation Methods
Instead of trying every platform and marketing tactic at once, small businesses should prioritize the most effective strategies for their audience. Spreading efforts too thin leads to burnout and inconsistent messaging. By focusing on one or two lead generation methods, you can optimize your efforts and see better results.
For example:
A service-based business might focus on Instagram and podcast interviews to build authority.
An e-commerce brand might use Pinterest and paid ads to drive traffic and sales.
2. Nurture Followers with Structured Content
Once leads enter your world, they need consistent, valuable content to stay engaged and move toward a purchase. This is where a marketing strategy template helps map out content that nurtures relationships at different stages of the customer journey.
Your content should include:
Educational posts – Teach your audience why they need your product or service.
Engagement-focused content – Encourage interaction through polls, questions, and discussions.
Sales-driven content – Make direct offers with clear calls to action (CTAs).
By strategically guiding followers from interest to purchase, you create a marketing plan for business that drives actual revenue—not just vanity metrics like likes and follows. My Social Success Planner helps business owners create consistency and intentionality in their marketing to move followers through the sales funnel and into customers for your business.
Social Media and Content Strategy in a Marketing Plan
Social media is a powerful tool in any marketing plan for business, but success depends on using the right platforms and content strategy. Posting randomly without purpose won’t generate sales—it’s about creating a structured content strategy that attracts, nurtures, and converts followers.
1. Choosing the Right Social Media Platform
Not every platform is right for every business. Instead of trying to be everywhere, focus on where your ideal customers spend the most time:
Instagram & TikTok – Great for visual brands, lifestyle content, and community building.
LinkedIn – Best for B2B businesses and professional networking.
YouTube – Strong for long-form video content
Facebook – Great for engagement-driven communities.
Learn more about the demographic of social media platform users in Go Get Great episode 4.
2. The Three Types of Social Media Content
A well-structured marketing plan strategy includes a mix of:
✅ Growth Content – Designed to attract new followers.
Trending reels, viral posts, and educational content optimized for reach.
High-engagement topics that spark curiosity and encourage shares.
✅ Nurture Content – Builds trust and relationships with your audience.
Behind-the-scenes posts, customer testimonials, and value-packed tips.
Creates deeper connections and keeps your audience engaged.
✅ Sales Content – Converts followers into paying customers.
Clear offers, product demonstrations, and direct CTAs (Call to Action).
Encourages followers to take the next step, whether it’s purchasing, booking, or joining an email list.
3. The Right Way to Repurpose Content
Many businesses repurpose content without adjusting it for each platform, leading to low engagement. To repurpose effectively:
Resize images and videos to fit platform-specific dimensions.
Adjust captions and hashtags to match platform language and audience expectations.
Optimize for SEO on Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram to increase search visibility.
When done correctly, a strong marketing plan format ensures your content strategy works across platforms, driving engagement and converting leads into sales.
Structuring a Marketing Plan for Small Business Success
A strong marketing plan for small business goes beyond social media—it integrates multiple channels to build relationships, nurture leads, and drive consistent sales. The most effective businesses don’t rely solely on social platforms; they use long-form content and email marketing to engage their audience and convert followers into loyal customers.
The Role of Long-Form Content in a Marketing Plan
Long-form content helps establish authority and provides lasting value. Unlike social media posts that disappear quickly, blogs, podcasts, and YouTube videos work as evergreen marketing assets that continue attracting leads over time.
Blog Posts – Boost SEO, answer customer questions, and drive organic traffic.
Podcasts – Build trust by offering in-depth insights and expert interviews.
YouTube Videos – Increase reach with searchable, educational content.
By incorporating long-form content into your marketing plan format, you ensure your brand remains visible beyond short-lived social media trends.
Why Email Marketing is Essential
Social media algorithms change, meaning your followers might not be seeing your content, yikes! Unlike social media, email marketing gives you direct access to your audience. Once someone joins your email list, you control how and when they receive content, making it one of the most reliable tools in any marketing plan strategy.
Nurture leads with regular newsletters, exclusive content, and promotions.
Increase conversions by offering personalized recommendations and follow-ups.
Retarget lost leads with automated sequences that guide them back to your offer.
By integrating multiple marketing channels, you create a marketing plan template that sustains business growth, nurtures leads beyond social media, and builds a loyal customer base.
Aligning a Marketing Plan with Business Goals
A marketing plan strategy is only effective if it supports your overall business strategy and plan. Every marketing effort—whether it's social media, email campaigns, or content creation—should align with your revenue goals, product launches, and customer journey.
Step 1. Connecting Your Marketing Plan to Business Strategy
Your marketing plan format should be built around your long-term business objectives. Instead of posting content without direction, ensure every marketing effort serves a purpose, such as:
✔ Driving leads to a new product launch
✔ Growing an email list for future promotions
✔ Building brand authority through educational content
When marketing is aligned with business goals, it becomes a growth driver instead of just an engagement tool.
Step 2. Using a Marketing Plan to Launch Products, Services & Lead Magnets
A well-structured marketing plan for business lays out how to promote key offerings:
Before a launch: Create awareness through educational and teaser content.
During a launch: Run targeted campaigns using social media, email, and paid ads.
After a launch: Continue nurturing leads and optimizing based on performance data.
Lead magnets, like free guides or webinars, can also be incorporated into the marketing plan contents to attract and warm up potential customers before making an offer.
Step 3. Mapping Out the Customer Journey from Discovery to Purchase
A successful business strategy with example of a customer journey includes:
✅ Discovery – A new audience member finds your content (via social media, SEO, or ads).
✅ Engagement – They interact with your posts, sign up for emails, or download a freebie.
✅ Nurturing – Through valuable content, emails, and touchpoints, they learn more about your brand.
✅ Conversion – They purchase a product, book a service, or sign up for a membership.
By structuring a marketing plan template free of guesswork, you ensure your marketing is not just about visibility—but about turning audience attention into revenue over and over again.
The Sales Phase: Converting Leads into Paying Customers
A marketing plan strategy isn't just about building an audience—it’s about turning leads into paying customers. The key is to have a structured sales phase that includes well-planned promotions, email campaigns, and targeted social media marketing.
Planning Sales Campaigns, Product Launches & Promotions
A marketing plan for business should outline how and when to sell. Instead of randomly pushing offers, plan your sales efforts around:
✔ Seasonal Promotions – Holiday sales, Black Friday deals, or limited-time discounts.
✔ Product & Service Launches – A structured rollout with pre-launch buzz, live events, and follow-ups.
✔ Exclusive Offers – Special deals for email subscribers or loyal followers to increase conversions.
The Role of Email Marketing & Targeted Social Media Campaigns
Once leads are in your funnel, email marketing and social media ads are the most effective ways to convert them.
Email Sequences: Send a mix of educational content, testimonials, and urgency-driven CTAs.
Retargeting Ads: Show reminders to users who engaged with your content but didn’t buy.
Social Proof & Case Studies: Share customer success stories to build trust.
A Marketing Strategy with Example: Transitioning Leads into Buyers
Example Strategy:
Step 1: Offer a lead magnet (free checklist, guide, or webinar).
Step 2: Follow up with an email nurture sequence providing value and addressing pain points.
Step 3: Introduce a low-ticket offer to warm up leads for bigger purchases.
Step 4: Use urgency and scarcity (limited spots, countdown timers) to encourage action.
Step 5: Follow up with a final call to action before the offer expires.
By mapping out the marketing plan contents for the sales phase, you ensure leads move from awareness to purchase in a strategic, results-driven way. It also makes it easier for you to see what projects you should spend time work on or where to spend your marketing budget.
Common Marketing Plan Mistakes to Avoid
Even the best marketing plan strategy can fail if it lacks structure or is missing key components. Many business owners waste time and effort because they focus on visibility without a clear plan for conversion. Here are the biggest mistakes to avoid:
1. Over-Relying on Social Media Without an Email Marketing Plan
Social media is great for brand awareness, but without an email strategy, you don’t own your audience. Algorithm changes can limit your reach overnight, making it risky to depend solely on platforms like Instagram or Facebook.
Solution: Build an email list and use automated sequences to nurture leads beyond social media.
2. Not Having a Clear Customer Journey in Place
Many businesses attract leads but fail to guide them through the sales funnel. Without a structured customer journey, potential buyers get lost or lose interest before making it to the purchase section of the funnel
Solution: Map out the steps from discovery to purchase, ensuring each touchpoint moves the lead closer to conversion.
3. Using a Free Marketing Plan Example Without Customization
A generic marketing plan template free from the internet won’t work unless it’s tailored to your specific audience, industry, and business goals.
Solution: Adapt your marketing plan format by focusing on your unique revenue goals, lead generation strategy, and content approach.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll create a marketing plan for business that is sustainable, strategic, and built for long-term success.
Final Thoughts For you to Create a Marketing Plan That Works For Your small Business
A well-structured business strategy and plan is only effective when aligned with a clear marketing plan for business. Without a defined marketing strategy, even the best business goals can fall short due to inconsistent messaging and missed opportunities.
Now is the time to take action:
Map out your marketing strategy – Identify your lead generation methods, content plan, and sales funnel.
Implement a structured content plan – Balance growth, nurture, and sales content across multiple platforms.
Track and refine your strategy – Regularly review performance to optimize what works best.
For a deeper dive into how to execute a winning marketing strategy, tune into my podcast, where I share practical insights and real-world examples to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses effectively.
Go Get Great Episode 82 References
Go Get Great ep. 81 - What is a Strategic Plan? https://www.brittanymillersocials.ca/post/81-what-is-a-strategic-plan-organize-align-and-achieve-your-business-goals-like-a-pro
Go Get Great ep. 4 - What Social Media Platform is your Target Audience On? https://www.brittanymillersocials.ca/post/ggg04
Podcast Prompt Playlist - https://brittanymiller.thrivecart.com/your-prompt-playlist/
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00:00 Intro
1:20 What is a marketing plan
2:20 Creating your marketing plan strategy
2:50 Lead Generation in your marketing plan for business
5:20 Online lead generation business strategy with example
10:20 The nurture phase in your marketing plan for small business
20:00 Balance content in your marketing plan for business growth
30:00 Marketing plan parts for planning content
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