Key questions to ask when developing an integrated strategic marketing plan

Marketing campaigns require a significant investment in terms of cost, effort and reputation. Before planning and executing a campaign, it’s important to think strategically about what will be included. From activities to deadlines and key players involved, there are many factors that go into creating an integrated marketing plan. This process of developing an integrated marketing plan outlines the strategic goals of your business over a period of time, the marketing activities your business will undertake to achieve those goals, and a detailed budget. When developing an integrated marketing plan, it is important to answer these questions to ensure that your marketing plan is focused on strategic goals rather than a tactical implementation.

1. What are your goals?

When developing an integrated marketing plan, it is important to first consider your short and long term sales (income) goals. Then you can determine how many leads you need to generate. Based on previous conversion rates and the average deal size, you can determine how many leads you will need to meet those goals.

2. What are you going to spend?

Once you’ve figured out how much income you want to generate and how many leads you want to get in a given time period, it’s time to consider the budget. Budget is one of the most crucial factors in forming an integrated marketing plan. A specific budget may allow or limit you to plan and execute certain marketing activities. It’s important to think strategically and keep your ultimate goals in mind while budgeting. Doing this effectively will allow you to build a marketing plan that will generate leads, revenue, and brand awareness.

3. How can you reach them?

Once you have determined your goals, as well as the number of leads you need to generate to meet those goals, you will then need to determine which marketing activities will contribute to the lead generation process. Some marketing efforts are more effective, depending on the audience and the objectives. Determining which marketing activity will best reach the leads you want to turn into leads is critical. Without it, an unclear and unaligned marketing strategy will be detrimental to the achievement of the set objectives. Consider the different marketing channels you can use to achieve these goals, as well as the tastes and preferences of your audience. Your integrated marketing plan should delineate these activities while respecting the budget and time constraints that have been allocated to you.

4. How to measure the results?

After the period covered by the integrated marketing plan has passed, measuring your results is essential to understand whether you are meeting your revenue and lead goals. Skipping this part of the process can lead to unanswered questions and data that is not analyzed. Having the ability to know whether or not you are hitting your goals can help you in the next marketing plan or campaign that you create. Additionally, if you’ve missed your revenue or lead generation goals, you’ll need to assess what caused it.

By taking the time to think strategically when developing your marketing plan, you help ensure that your campaigns are contributing to your organization’s revenue goals while aligning with your organization’s key messages. Learn more about building a successful marketing plan in this article.