Introduction
Marketing planning can be sometimes part of the business plan. Marketing strategy depends on the solid marketing planning. There are lists of actions in the marketing planning. It is of no use if there is the marketing planning without a marketing strategy. There is a certain process of marketing planning. Marketing controlling is considered to be the most important step of the marketing planning. In some of the organizations, the strategic planning is considered to be the annual process. The marketing planning should be very effective and formalized. It should be given in a written form. The marketing planning moves from the general to the specific, from vision to the mission. It is made for achieving the goals of the organization. The marketing planning process is considered to be the interactive process. The draft output of every stage is seen and checked that how it effects the previous stages.
History
There are certain aims and objectives of the marketing planning. There should be the corporate mission of the organization. It is made to motivate and reward the front-line staff with fair suggestions. The marketing strategies are aligned with the corporate mission. The corporate mission is the mission that what the organization is? What the organization does? What is the business of organization? The definition of corporate mission is not narrow but very wide. The marketing planning should cover all the dimensions of the organizations. Corporate vision is considered to be the most important factor of successful marketing. It should not be neglected. The company should know that where it’s future lies? Organization will achieve the certain position in the market in this way. The strategies should be consistent. These strategies should be supported by the staff as well.
Features
The material should be splitted into three groups. These groups are review of marketing environment (it includes the trends of development as well as the current situation. It is the study of market, customers, competitors, economic, political, cultural and technical environment of the organization), review of detailed marketing activity (it is all about the 7P’s of marketing.) and review of the marketing system (it is the study of the organization of marketing. Marketing systems should not be ignored here.). there is portfolio planning, 80-20 rule and 7 Ps in marketing systems. 7 Ps include the Product (what is the actual product you are going to sale out), Place (where your product is placed), Price (it is the amount of money for buying the products), Promotion (it is actually the advertisement. You make the people know about the product.), Physical Environment (the mood or ambiance of the environment comes in the physical environment.), People (these are the people who represent the business)and Process (it includes the value added services ).
Tips and comments
The marketing planning should be clear to the people. It should not be ambiguous. Each activity should have the quantified output. You should be able to monitor the performance. The focus should also be there in the marketing planning. The plan and strategy should be realistic as well as achievable.
