Marketing Communications Plan Template Instructions Use this guide and template to lay out your marketing communications plan for the period. Each section includes instructions to guide you through the planning process and details each aspect of the campaign. This guide walks you through every step of marketing communications planning, development and execution. Enter your responses in the provides sections. If you require more space for a response, simply drag the lower right corner of the box to enlarge it. To save a copy of your plan, select PRINT from your browser's file menu. Part I. Marketing Communications (Marcom) Plan In Section 1, enter overall plan information and marketing strategies which the communications plan supports. In Section 2, enter the key messages including the overall value proposition, general corporate messages and any specific product and service messages. In Section 3, you develop and layout your communications plan framework, including identifying the target audiences, key decision criteria, the perceptions the audiences have of the company that the communications plan must consider, the pains or business problems that the product or service will address, the main messages and themes by target audience segment, the communications strategies, and metrics. For each section of the framework, you need to identify plans for the acquisition, retention and if necessary the reactivation phases for each group: the buyers, influencers and the channels. The channels refers to the communications / media / marketing / sales channels. If you have multiple message stages for each group, in each phase, then list them in order that they occur in that section. In Section 4, enter the marketing communications coverage checklist for each industry or consumer segment that you will be communicating with. List the segments, then in the Elements section check the element that will be used to communicate with that segment. The segment numbers are the top of the elements chart are taken from the above code that you assigned to the segment. There are spaces for 8 segments. In Section 5, enter planned campaigns, tactics and programs that will be used for each target audience/segment. Include the message/offers, the objectives, the media/channels used, the target subsegment, the dates the activity will occur and the overall budget. In Section 6, breakdown the marketing communications budget by general promotional category and the projected leads/sales from that category. In Section 7, layout the specific action plans that are necessary to implement and execute the plan. Part II. Messages Calendar In the messages calendar check each month in which the message or solutions offering will be promoted.
1. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PLAN (check to close section) Plan Period Plan Date Plan Revision Date Organization Contact: Phone: Email: Overview Summary of Communications Plan: Enter an overview or summary of the marketing communications Marketing Strategies: List the strategies from the marketing plan. 2. KEY MESSAGES (check to close section) Value Proposition: Enter your value proposition to the buyer / end user. Corporate Messages: Enter the messages that you want the buyer / end user to know about your organizations. Product (Service) Messages: Enter the key messages that you want to communicate about the product or service that you are offering the customer / prospect. 3. COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FRAMEWORK (check to close section after closing individual subsections) Target Audience (Who are they?) (Check box at right to close subsection) Acquisition: Buyers Influencers Channels Retention: Buyers Influencers Channels Reactivation: Former Buyers Influencers Channels Key Decision Criteria (On what and how do they base their buying decisions?) Acquisition: Buyers Influencers Channels Retention: Buyers Influencers Channels Reactivation: Former Buyers Influencers Channels Perception of Company (What are they various audiences perceptions of your company?) (Check box at right to close subsection) Acquisition: Buyers Influencers Channels Retention: Buyers Influencers Channels Reactivation: Former Buyers Influencers Channels Pains / Business Problems Solution Addresses (What pain or business problems that the solution addresses for each target audience?) (Check box at right to close subsection) Acquisition: Buyers Influencers Channels Retention: Buyers Influencers Channels Reactivation: Former Buyers Influencers Channels Main Messages and Themes by Target Audience (What are the main messages that you want to communicate to each audience?) (Check box at right to close subsection) Acquisition: Buyers Influencers Channels Retention: Buyers Influencers Channels Reactivation: Former Buyers Influencers Channels Communications Strategies (What are your communications strategies and tactics for each target audience?) (Check box at right to close subsection) Acquisition: Buyers Influencers Channels Retention: Buyers Influencers Channels Reactivation: Former Buyers Influencers Channels Metrics (Check box at right to close subsection) Acquisition: Buyers Influencers Channels Retention: Buyers Influencers Channels Reactivation: Former Buyers Influencers Channels Calls to Action / Offer Strategies (Check box at right to close subsection) Acquisition: Buyers Influencers Channels Retention: Buyers Influencers Channels Reactivation: Former Buyers Influencers Channels 4. MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS COVERAGE CHECKLIST (check to close section) Code Industry or Consumer Segment and Sub Segment Names: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Element Industry or Consumer Segment and Sub Segment 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Advertising Trade Magazines General Magazines Newspaper Broadcast Digital Other Other Description Direct Marketing Direct Mail Catalog Digital OTM - outbound tele lead generation OTM - outbound telesales Other Other Description Sales Promotion - Internal Contests Bonuses, Sales Incentives Trade Shows Teleconferences Conferences Seminars, Webinars Training Materials Sales Aids Other Other Description Sales Promotion - External - Business Partners, Resellers Market Development Funds (MDF) Trade Shows Sales Contests Sales Aides Merchandise Product Demos, Evaluation Units Direct Marketing Programs Subsidized Advertising Programs (Supplements) User Group Sponsorship / Support Other Other Description Sales Promotion - External - End Users - Buyers Trade Shows Contests Teleconferences Seminars, Webinars Retail Displays Discounts Coupons Other Other Description Public Relations Press Releases Articles, White Papers Supplements Customer Newsletters Technical Bulletins Other Other Description 5. PLANNED CAMPAIGN / TACTICS / PROGRAMS (check to close section) Message or Solution Offer Objective Media Target Audience (Segment or Sub Segment) When - Target Date(s) (00/00/00) Budget 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTAL "-" 6. MARKETING BUDGET / LEAD PROJECTION SUMMARY (if used, see media plan / lead forecasting spreadsheet for detail.) (check to close section) Activity Acquisition Budget Retention Budget Total Budget Projected Leads (or sales transactions if direct to end user / consumer. Advertising 0 0 "-" 0 Direct Mail 0 0 "-" 0 Internet 0 0 "-" 0 Telemarketing 0 0 "-" 0 Trade Show / Events 0 0 "-" 0 Sales Promotion 0 0 "-" 0 Public Relations 0 0 "-" 0 Social Media 0 0 "-" 0 Mobile 0 0 "-" 0 Collateral / Content 0 0 "-" 0 Other 0 0 "-" 0 Totals "-" "-" "-" "0" 7. ACTION PLANS: (check to close section) Actions required to implement marketing communications strategies Cost if applicable Target Date (00/00/00) Person Responsible
MESSAGES OR SOLUTIONS CALENDAR (check each month in which the message or solution offer will be promoted.) Message or Solution Offer Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec