{"id":112975,"date":"2024-08-20T09:12:53","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T15:12:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vendasta.com\/blog\/?p=112975"},"modified":"2025-11-14T20:11:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T20:11:23","slug":"marketing-plan-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vendasta.com\/blog\/marketing-plan-process\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Essential Steps in the Marketing Plan Process"},"content":{"rendered":"

Small business owners must grapple with many challenges\u2014labor and inventory require the <\/span>highest costs<\/span><\/a>. Because of these pressing concerns, businesses tend to neglect their online presence, not to mention having a thorough <\/span>marketing plan process<\/strong> in place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are currently interested in learning <\/span>how to start a digital marketing agency<\/span><\/a>, rest assured that there\u2019s a demand for your services out there. For example, <\/span>one out of three businesses<\/span><\/a> in the U.S. still doesn\u2019t have a website.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, given the tight budgets, it\u2019s no surprise that small business owners want to see the proof of ROI quickly when it comes to marketing. Following <\/span>digital marketing strategy steps<\/span><\/a> and crafting a compelling <\/span>executive summary marketing plan<\/span><\/a> is key to acquiring clients for your marketing agency.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we will break down the marketing plan process into ten steps and explore how Vendasta\u2019s platform can streamline marketing for marketing agencies.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Importance of a Structured Marketing Plan Process<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s unlikely that business owners would agree to pay a digital marketing agency if they don\u2019t have a clear understanding of how marketing will help drive revenue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The marketing plan steps include market analysis, goal setting, establishing KPIs, allocating resources, identifying responsibilities, and calculating ROI to ensure that the future client has transparency into how marketing supports their business goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Without further ado, let\u2019s dive into the ten steps of the marketing plan process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip:<\/strong> Developing a strong <\/span>marketing agency strategy<\/span><\/a> is key to standing out in a competitive market and driving revenue for your clients.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Marketing Audit<\/span><\/h2>\n

One way to pique the interest of potential clients is to perform a marketing audit. This is when you assess a business\u2019s current marketing strategy to identify areas for improvement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A SWOT analysis can come in handy at this stage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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For example, you could point out that while your prospective client has a loyal customer base, they struggle to generate revenue due to a weak online presence. Some golden opportunities this client should consider include investing in website development, review management, and social media marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vendasta\u2019s <\/span>Snapshot Report<\/span><\/a> is a great way to gauge a business\u2019s performance in the seven key marketing areas: consistent business listings, well-handled reviews, regular updates on social media, a well-performing website, effective digital advertising, robust SEO, and a smooth Ecommerce experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. Define Clear Marketing Objectives<\/span><\/h2>\n

Setting SMART goals should be the cornerstone of your <\/span>digital marketing framework<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s take a look at an example of how a digital marketing agency can set a SMART goal before running a digital advertising campaign for a small roofing company.<\/span><\/p>\n

The goal should be specific and achievable. For instance, “Increase the number of roofing repair calls, which currently sit at 14 calls per month, by 20% over the next three months through targeted digital advertising.” With a dedicated <\/span>digital marketing budget<\/span><\/a> of $1,500 per month for Google ads, this goal is realistic considering the average cost per lead of $82.27 in the <\/span>roofing industry<\/span><\/a> in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

Determine how you will measure progress. For example, you can track the number of phone calls generated from the campaign\u2019s landing page.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ensure the goal aligns with the broader objectives of the roofing company. For example, the roofing company is based in Florida, and it is hurricane season at the moment. So, the goal of increasing the number of roof repair calls supports the business\u2019s goal of driving revenue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Set a clear deadline to create a sense of urgency and focus efforts: “The campaign will run from August 1 to October 31, with progress reviews every two weeks to adjust strategies as needed.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip:<\/strong> Use a <\/span>marketing project planner<\/span><\/a> to systematize your ideas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Identify and Analyze Target Audience<\/span><\/h2>\n

A buyer persona is a detailed representation of your client\u2019s ideal customers based on market research and real data about their existing customers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Here are some important characteristics of a buyer persona to keep in mind:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Demographics:<\/b> Age, gender, income, education, occupation.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Psychographics: <\/b>Interests, values, lifestyle, personality traits.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Geographic:<\/b> Location, climate, urban vs. rural.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Behavioral: <\/b>Buying behavior, brand loyalty, product usage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Coming back to our example of a roofing company, here is a sample buyer persona for this client:<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/p>\n

    Mary, a 30-year-old professional, recently bought a home in Florida and needs a reliable roofing company to address existing roof issues. She prefers companies with strong online reviews and transparent pricing.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Marketing agencies use a variety of methods to gather audience data, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Tools like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms help collect data on customer preferences and behaviors.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Interviews with a sample of customers provide qualitative insights.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Google Analytics provides data on website visitors, including demographics, behavior, and source of traffic.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics offer data on followers and their interactions with the business\u2019s social media content.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Vendasta’s <\/span>marketplace<\/span><\/a> features a white-label WebID +Person Identification tool, which gives email addresses, first and last names, and up to 37 other attributes of website visitors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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      4. Conduct Market Research<\/span><\/h2>\n

      Creating a buyer persona is just one step in a comprehensive market research process, which paints a broad picture of a business\u2019s position in the market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Conducting market research is important to address one of the top marketing <\/span>agency challenges<\/span><\/a>, which is the ability to meet client expectations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Leveraging public, commercial, and internal sources, digital marketing agencies can examine a business\u2019s competitors, industry trends, public opinions, and more to help their clients succeed amid increasing competition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Market research can help uncover ideas for user-friendly website designs, assess a business\u2019s pricing strategy, and understand how a business can differentiate itself from the rest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Tip:<\/strong> Effective <\/span>digital marketing targeting<\/span><\/a> ensures that your message reaches the right audience, maximizing engagement and conversions.<\/span><\/p>\n

      5. Develop a Positioning and Messaging Strategy<\/span><\/h2>\n

      A unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets a business apart from competitors by articulating the unique benefits and value the business provides to clients. Here is a framework for creating compelling brand messaging for your clients:<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Pull the information about the target audience\u2019s pain points, motivations, values, and other important characteristics that you have identified while creating the buyer persona.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Come up with a narrative that resonates with your client\u2019s target audience.<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Ensure all marketing materials and communications consistently reflect the brand\u2019s voice and values.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        6. Choose Marketing Channels and Tactics<\/span><\/h2>\n

        When deciding what marketing channels to use to boost your client\u2019s online presence, identify where the target audience spends their time online the most.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        While social media has become one of the most highly used advertising channels and is used by <\/span>83% of businesses<\/span><\/a> in the United States, it may not be the most effective solution for achieving the goals laid out by your marketing plan process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Choose channels that align with your marketing goals. For example, Google ads are most effective for increasing conversions, while email marketing may be the best strategy for increasing brand awareness and nurturing leads. Podcasts, LinkedIn posts, and blogs may be the most effective ways to position a company as a thought leader in their industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

        If your digital marketing agency isn\u2019t a jack of all trades, Vendasta\u2019s white-label <\/span>Marketing Services<\/span><\/a> are here to help. This is a comprehensive solution for multi-channel marketing that leverages the power of marketing automation to minimize human errors and eliminate inefficiencies.<\/span><\/p>\n

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        7. Create a Content Strategy<\/span><\/h2>\n

        Content strategy is the hallmark of every marketing plan process. It maps out how your digital marketing agency will go about each of the marketing channels you have picked in the previous step.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Content marketing strategy also answers the question of how your content will cater to different stages of the customer journey that you consider key to achieving business goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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        Let\u2019s say your digital marketing agency decides to focus on social media advertising to best meet clients\u2019 needs during the awareness stage and PPC advertising to facilitate their decision-making process during the consideration stage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        In this case, your content marketing strategy will specify what type of social media posts to create. For example, let\u2019s come back to 30-year-old Mary, the buyer persona for a roofing company in Florida. She is a new homeowner, needs to address existing roofing problems, and values online reviews and transparency in pricing the most.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        According to <\/span>Statista<\/span><\/a>, the majority of Facebook users in the United States are between 25 and 34 years old, so it\u2019s reasonable to assume that Facebook should be a go-to choice for social media marketing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Social media posts and digital ad copy should focus on highlighting the roofing company\u2019s stellar reputation and dedication to providing quotes where no fees are hidden. Social media posts could also zero in on client testimonials as well as before and after pictures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Tip:<\/strong> Watch this video to learn how to create social media marketing calendars using AI.<\/span><\/p>\n