Before you complete this marketing plan template and start using it, consider the following: Do your research. You will need to make quite a few decisions about your business including structure, marketing strategies before you can complete the template. By having the right information to hand you also can be more accurate in your forecasts and analysis. Determine who the plan is for. Identify a product/service that you want to establish. You must imagine that, this is a real project that you are planning to establish and conduct. Do not attempt to fill in the template from start to finish. First decide which sections are relevant for your business and set aside the sections that don’t apply. You can always go back to the other sections later. Use the [italicised text]. The italicised text is there to help guide you by providing some more detailed questions you may like to answer when preparing your response. Use the marketing plan guide. The marketing plan guide below contains general advice on marketing planning and a complete overview with details on each question asked in the marketing plan template. Write your summary last. Use as few words as possible. You want to get to the point but not overlook important facts. This is your opportunity to sell yourself. But don’t overdo it. You want third parties to quickly read your plan, find it realistic and be motivated by what they read. Review. Review. Review. Your marketing plan is there to make a good impression. Errors will only detract from your professional image. So ask a number of impartial people to proofread your final plan.