SWOT Analysis
Identify the following in product, company, competition and target consumers
* Strengths
* Weaknesses
* Opportunities
* Threats

Competition
* Identify the competition and growth predictions
* Generalize the differences, niche opportunities, etc. your company has over the competition

Product Offering
* A summary of what your company is offering not just in product but also in convenience, customer service and commitment to customer satisfaction
* An outline of any new product or service launches

Keys to Success
* Identify what company growth will be attributed to
* Identify what types of marketing efforts should work

Critical Issues
* The critical issues will come out the SWOT analysis and review of the market
* This section is to help identify specific areas of company, consumer, product, marketing, and/or customer service to focus on
* Identify these critical issues and the effects on your company

Channels
* Identify the channels in which marketing efforts will be focused (print, newspapers, TV, radio, billboards, Internet, email, etc.)

Company Positioning (the Niche)
* Identify what your company’s edge is over the competition
* Identify the product strategy

Product Marketing
* Element and style in packaging, finishing, shipping and collaterals

Promotion
* Create a promotion strategy based on the product and the target consumer
* Create a Marketing Promotions and Advertising Calendar

Partnerships
* Identify potential marketing partners
* Highlight the benefits of such partnerships

Budget
* Develop a budget based on the findings and materials placed in the marketing plan

Like the business plan, a well-conceived and executed marketing plan can be an important part of achieving success in your new enterprise.

It sounds a lot more scary than it really is. Thankfully, there is a complementary package to the BizPlanBuilder that you can use to complete a solid marketing plan. MarketingBuilder 3 offers step-by-step instructions and wizards to help you assemble your plan. It’s also available from JIAN at http://www.jian.com for around $50.