Simplified Marketing Plan Sample:
The Action Plan Model

Of the marketing plan samples from Marketing Ideas Advisor, The Action Plan Model is the broadest. This simplified plan begins with a Primary Goal, and then creates Objectives that contribute to the attainment of the Goal.

Instead of one Primary Goal, some people prefer to have several Goals, each referring to a different category, such as a Sales Goal, a Publicity Goal, etc. That's fine, as long as each Goal has its own set of specific Objectives.

The Action Plan Model can also be used in conjunction with any comprehensive marketing plan. Here's how: If you look at comprehensive marketing plan samples, you'll see that they ask you to outline your marketing strategies. These strategies will be general in nature, like "Secure media interviews" or "Initiate community awareness events."

The Action Plan model is the nuts-and-bolts of any of these marketing plan samples because it makes you focus on details: the steps and timelines that you'll take to accomplish the Objectives.

The Action Plan also asks you to build in specific measurement “devices” whenever possible, so that you can evaluate which marketing activities are working and which are wasting your time and money. You'll see that evaluation is an important component of all marketing plan samples.

The following example focuses on a business with a special niche: Nature's Nook Nursery deals strictly in plants native to the region. In addition, they stock an unusual line of statuaries, called hypertufa, which are made from commonly available materials such as cement, sand and peat moss.

The Objectives listed here are not in any order of importance. You get to decide the priorities in your Plan.

Nature's Nook Nursery

PRIMARY GOAL: To Become the Primary Provider of Native Plants for the Tri-County Area.

Objective No. 1:
Get publicity that raises awareness of Nature's Nook Nursery (NNN) for the purpose of increasing sales and gathering customers' names for a database.

Use the media to get attention.
1. MEDIA CONTACT INFORMATION — Get contact information for the reporters who cover garden/landscaping stories for my area:
  1. The Rochester Register
  2. The Beckley County Courier
  3. Channel 11 WXTZ-TV
  4. WLW-104.5 AM — Local Talk Show
  Timeline: By Jan. 11
2. INTERVIEWS OR OTHER MEDIA COVERAGE — Try to get interviewed by writing press releases this year on the following topics. (In each press release, include a paragraph that free information on each of these topics can be picked up from NNN or by requesting it from NNN's Web site. Include NNN's Web address in all press releases.)
  Measure Results by:
  1. Number of interviews or mentions in media
  2. Number of people requesting the free handouts.
  Topics:
  1. The advantages of native plants and which plants do best in our soil and climate.
    Timeline: Send to media in late February
  2. The best times to plant, and how to plant native bushes and trees; when/how to prune.
    Timeline: Send to media first week in March (for spring planting and pruning season)
  3. Announce the new line of durable, weather resistant, concrete hypertufa garden statues and fountains. Send photos along with press release.
    Timeline: July
  4. Announce classes for people interested in making their own hypertufa statuary.
    Timeline: early September
    Measure Results by: Number of people registering for the class.
  5. Secure with the supplier, 100 native, B&B (balled and burlaped), Dwarf Silver Pines.
    Timeline: Secure the supply September 10.
  6. Announce the availability of the popular Dwarf Silver Pines, live Christmas trees that sold out last year throughout the region. Focus the press release on the joint program with the Grant County Hospice: Anyone donating their live tree to the Hospice after the holidays gets a $10 in-store credit from Nature's Nook, in addition to a charitable tax deduction receipt from Hospice.
    Timeline: Send press release in early November
    Measure Results by:
    1. Number of trees sold
    2. Number of trees donated to Hospice.
  7. Press releases before major holidays and occasions, whenever there is a newsworthy angle. For example: The new hypertufa eagle flower holder has been approved for use in the county cemetery. Use this topic before Memorial Day and Veteran's Day.
    Timelines: Use my Important Dates calendar to schedule these press releases.
Advertising: Use ads that highlight special events and sales. Focus ad copy on benefits to the customer and use photos and coded coupons.
Begin ads focusing on the following:
1. FREE DEMONSTRATIONS (rotating monthly):
  1. Repotting: types of soil to use, tips and shortcuts.
  2. How to landscape with exotic bromeliads.
  3. Grafting and starting plants from seedlings.
  4. Plant-holding statuaries as holiday gifts: How to creatively adorn a statue with the right plant.
  5. Other topics as requested by customers.
  Timeline: First Saturday of every month, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., beginning in March
  Measure Results by:
  1. Number of customers who were drawn to NNN by the ads announcing the demonstrations. (Ask the participants for a show of hands before the demonstration begins.)
  2. Use of coupon coded to identify each newspaper in which the ad ran.

Objective No. 2:
Develop programs that increase repeat sales and word-of-mouth referrals.

CURRENT CUSTOMERS:
1. Start creating a customer a database (names, addresses and email addresses) by offering discounts to anyone who provides their personal information.
  Timeline: Immediately
  Measure Results by:
  Getting 100 names by Thanksgiving.
2. Mail or email a 25% off next-purchase coupon as a thank you for all who gave their personal information. Include a 25% “For Your Friend” coupon.
  Timeline: First “thank you” mailing after 50 names are gathered; then do maintenance with new sign-ons every month.
3. Begin an informational, gardening tips e-zine (online newsletter) for customers who provided email addresses.
  Timeline: mid-May
NEW CUSTOMERS:
1. Put a vase of fresh cut flowers from NNN's garden next to cash register with a sign: “New customer? Please take one as our thanks. See you again soon.”
  Timeline: Immediately
2. Have a drawing for a native plant. Display the plant next to the bowl. (Names gathered from the drawing go into the database.) Winners announced in e-zine and NNN's blackboard at entrance.
  Timeline: Immediately

Objective No. 3 could be to “Develop a commercial client base.”

Objective No. 4 could be to “Increase sales by 20% this year.”

Objective No. 5 could be to “Host special seminars and events at NNN” in conjunction with the County Extension Service, such as “Identifying garden pests and eliminating them — naturally,” “Invasive plants,” “Fertilizers that don't pollute,” etc.

Objective No. 6 could be to “Survey current customers” for feedback on quality and variety of NNN's inventory, customer relations skills, employees' knowledge, etc.

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