This Annual Marketing Plan is designed to give you exactly that: a structured, actionable plan for your marketing efforts over the next 12 months. It's not about throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. It's about understanding your business, understanding your customers, and choosing the right marketing channels to reach them effectively.

The template focuses on four key areas:

1. Business Objectives
2. Team
3. Marketing Channels
4. Marketing Budget

By working through each section, you'll gain a clear understanding of your current position, where you want to go, and how you're going to get there.

This resource is perfect for marketing leaders and finance leaders. If you are in charge of marketing, in any capacity, this is for you.

Essentially, it's a way to move past the gut feeling and start making data-driven decisions about your marketing spend. It's the difference between hoping for the best and actually planning for success.

We created this template a number of years ago, and have improved on it every year and have worked on it with many companies over the years. It's our go-to document!

Here's how to get the most out of this marketing plan template:

• Know Your Business: This is where you lay the foundation. Start with a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). It might seem basic, but honestly, when was the last time you really thought about your weaknesses? Then, define your business initiatives for the year. What are you actually trying to achieve? Finally, deep-dive into your target market. Don't just say "small businesses" - get specific. Who are they? What are their pain points? What do they actually care about?    
• Review Your Team and Resources: Who's on your marketing team? What skills do they have? What tools do you already have at your disposal? This section helps you understand your capacity and identify any gaps you need to fill. If you don't have a social media person, maybe it's time to think about outsourcing it.    
• Explore Your Channel Strategies: This is where the fun begins. The template uses the "bullseye framework" to help you prioritise your marketing channels. Start with the inner circle – what's working right now? Then, move outwards, experimenting with new channels and tactics. But don't spread yourself too thin. Focus on the channels that offer the biggest potential return.    
• Dive Deep into the Marketing Budget: Right, the numbers. This section helps you create a detailed monthly and annual budget for all your marketing activities. We're talking Product Marketing, Content, Paid Advertising, PR, Branding and Creative, Events, Website, and a little bit for "Miscellaneous" because, let's face it, there's always something unexpected. Break it down, be realistic, and track your spending religiously. Don't be afraid to cut your losses.

Remember, this template is designed to be used in order. Each sheet builds on the previous one. And it's a living document. Update it regularly as you learn more and as the market changes.

Don't be afraid to be honest with yourself when filling out this template. The more honest you are, the more effective your plan will be.

Don't try to do everything at once. Pick a few key marketing channels to focus on. It's better to do a few things really well than to do everything half-arsed.

Regularly review and update your plan. The market moves fast, and what worked last year might not work this year.

And finally, don't treat this as a one-off exercise. Use it as a tool to guide your marketing efforts throughout the year. The template can also be used as a living document that you can update as the year progresses so that you can track your objectives, spend and results.