Many small business owners know they should have a marketing plan, but picture a 40-page document that takes weeks to write and never gets read again. So they skip it, and marketing becomes a series of reactions: a quiet month, a rushed ad, a burst of posts, then nothing.
A one-page marketing plan fixes that. It is short enough to write in an afternoon and simple enough to actually use. This guide walks through what to include.
1. Your goal
Start with one or two specific goals for the next 6 to 12 months. For example:
- “Win 10 more kitchen renovation jobs in the south-east.”
- “Increase online bookings by a third.”
- “Get 50 new regular customers for our café.”
A clear goal makes it easier to decide what to do, and what not to do.
2. Your ideal customer
Describe the customer you most want more of in a few lines: who they are, where they are, what problem they have and what they care about when choosing a business like yours. Be specific. “Homeowners in Berwick and Officer planning a renovation within a year” is more useful than “everyone”.
3. Your offer and message
What do you want to be known for, and why should customers choose you? Write one or two sentences in plain words. This message should run through your website, social media and ads. See how to define your brand voice.
4. Your channels
Choose two or three channels you will focus on, based on where your customers are. For many local businesses:
- Website and Google Business Profile, as the foundation. See our local SEO guide.
- One or two social media platforms.
- Email to past customers. See email marketing for small business.
- Paid ads, if budget allows. See Google Ads vs Facebook Ads.
Doing a few channels well beats doing many badly.
5. Key activities and timing
List the main things you will do, with rough timing. For example:
- Update service pages by the end of next month.
- Post on Instagram twice a week.
- Send one email a month.
- Run a spring campaign in September and October.
- Ask every customer for a Google review.
Add key seasonal dates for your business. See a seasonal marketing calendar.
6. Budget
Set a rough monthly or yearly budget, including ad spend, tools, design, photography and any outside help. Even a modest, planned budget is better than ad-hoc spending.
7. How you will measure success
Choose a few numbers that connect to your goal: enquiries, bookings, sales, cost per enquiry, email subscribers or reviews. Check them monthly. See what to track on your website.
Keep it on one page
Use a single page or slide with seven boxes: goal, customer, message, channels, activities, budget and measures. Put it somewhere you will see it. Review it monthly, and rewrite it every six to twelve months.
Common mistakes
- Goals that are too vague to measure.
- Trying every channel at once and doing none well.
- No time allocated to the activities in the plan.
- Never reviewing what worked.
Want help writing yours?
Madexify helps small businesses across Pakenham, Officer, Beaconsfield, Berwick, Narre Warren, Cranbourne, Clyde and Bunyip build practical marketing plans, then carries them out across websites, social media and ads. See our digital marketing services, or contact us to plan your marketing.
This article is part of our Marketing Planning and Growth Guide. Browse all our guides on the guides page.
