Small Business Marketing Strategy: What the SBA Says to Plan

The SBA says your business plan should contain the central elements of your marketing strategy, and that your marketing plan turns that strategy into action Source [1]. It lists seven topics that most marketing plans cover: target market, competitive advantage, sales plan, goals, action plan, budget, and measuring and updating the plan Source [1].

After studying the business, Autonomah proposes the objectives a brand's communication has to achieve and agrees on them with the brand Source [2], the same ground as the SBA's goals section.

The seven sections the SBA lists

The SBA adds that you should use what works best for your business Source [1]. This is what it asks each section to describe:

Two details worth keeping

First, the SBA says some tactics are hard to measure, such as print advertising or word-of-mouth campaigns, and asks you to be consistent in how you measure them Source [1]. It also says a marketing plan should be maintained on an annual basis, at minimum Source [1].

Second, in the action plan section the SBA reminds you that the federal government regulates advertising and labeling for a number of consumer products, and that your advertising has to be legally compliant Source [1]. Our guide to advertising laws in the United States covers the federal rules we read.

How to fill the plan in one sitting

The method below is ours, and the SBA does not require it.

1. Write one sentence for each section, in the order of the table. A section you cannot fill in one sentence is the one to research first.
2. Choose the channels in the action plan from where your audience already is, and limit them to what your team can keep up every week.
3. Put a date on the first review of the plan, and write down how you will compare marketing cost with revenue before you spend anything.

Turning the action plan into posts

The action plan names channels, promotions and a pricing strategy. Each of them becomes posts, videos and offers with a publication date, and each piece is reviewed before it goes out. In our read, the SBA's goals and action plan sections line up with how Autonomah goes from objectives to campaigns and pieces: it proposes objectives, agrees on them with the brand, creates the texts, images, carousels and videos, and publishes what the team approves Source [2].

How Autonomah does it

We make Autonomah, an artificial creative and advertising brain that thinks, creates and publishes each brand's advertising Source [2]. It is for small businesses and mid-sized companies, and it is paid per week and per campaign, with the first week not charged Source [2]. For the budget section of your plan, the home page lists the plans and their weekly prices.

Frequently asked questions

What sections does the SBA say a marketing plan covers?

Target market, competitive advantage, sales plan, goals, action plan, budget, and measuring and updating the plan Source [1].

How often should a marketing plan be updated?

The SBA says a marketing plan should be maintained on an annual basis, at minimum Source [1].

How do I measure tactics that are hard to measure?

The SBA names print advertising and word-of-mouth campaigns as hard to measure, and asks you to be consistent in how you measure them Source [1].

What are the 5 marketing strategies to promote business?

The SBA does not rank five strategies. It asks you to list the marketing channels you will use, such as online advertising, radio ads or billboards, and to explain your pricing strategy and promotions Source [1].