Over 2,000 mentors available, including leaders at Amazon, Airbnb, Netflix, and more. Check it out
Published

Marketing Plans 📈: How To Go From Product Vision And Mission To A Plan That Works

You've got a product vision and mission. Congratulations! Now it's time to turn that vision and mission into a marketing plan that will actually work.
VLAD ILCHENKO

Senior Product Manager, Walmart eCommerce

Blog post outline:

1. Define what you want your product to do?
2. What needs does your product address for consumers or businesses?
3. How does your product compare or contrast with what is already available on the market?
4. Who are your target consumers or businesses?
5. What are the primary ways you plan to reach your target consumers or businesses?
6. Estimate how much money you will need to spend to achieve your marketing goals, and identify where those funds will come from?


Introduction:

One of the most important steps in launching a successful product is developing a marketing plan. This may seem like a daunting task, but luckily we have a few tips to help get you started. Keep reading to find out how to go from product vision and mission to marketing plan.

1. Define what you want your product to do?

This may seem like an obvious first step, but it's important to be specific.

What problem does your product solve? How does it make your consumers' lives better? ✨How does it compare with what is already available on the market?

Keep these questions in mind as you move on to the next steps. Be as specific as possible in your answer. For example,

"Before we take any steps forward, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of what our product offers. Our service aims to provide pain relief and improvement in the daily lives of our customers. We have conducted market research and determined that our service stands out among its substitutes, offering unique solutions for our consumers' needs. As we develop our marketing strategy, we must constantly keep in mind the value that our service brings to the market and how it enhances the lives of those who use it. Ultimately, we want to position ourselves as a service that cannot be replaced or imitated. We are confident in the benefits our product brings and will continue striving towards success in delivering these results to our customers."

2. What needs does your product address for consumers?

In addition to solving a problem, your product should also address a need of your consumers. This could be something as simple as providing a new way to do an existing task or filling a gap in the market for a particular type of product. The below sample should give you an idea:

"Our product addresses the need for a seamless and efficient service in a market that is lacking such options. By alleviating existing pains, such as long wait times and inconvenience, we can provide our consumers with a better overall experience. In addition to addressing immediate needs, our product also offers the potential for future gains in productivity and satisfaction. With few alternatives currently available, our unique offering is sure to stand out in the market. As part of our marketing plan, we will target these pain points and emphasize the benefits of choosing our service over other available options. Ultimately, our product addresses a clear need for consumers and offers the potential for continued success in the marketplace."

3. How does your product compare with what is already available on the market?

This is where you'll need to do some research on your competition. 🕹 What are they offering? How does their product compare to yours? What are their strengths and weaknesses? This information will help craft your marketing strategy. I would frame it as follows:

"When it comes to direct competition, our product offers a more user-friendly interface and improved customization options. However, we also have to consider adjacent players and similar players in the market. While their products may not be exactly the same as ours, they offer solutions that could potentially compete for the same customer base. This is why we have carefully studied their offerings and identified their strengths and weaknesses. By understanding our competition, we are better able to craft a unique marketing tactic that sets us apart and positions us as the top choice for customers in our industry."

4. Who are your target consumers?

Once you know what your product does, you need to think about who will want to use it. Identify your target consumers or businesses and research what their needs are. This will help you fine-tune your marketing strategy.🎡
Knowing who your target consumers are is essential in developing a marketing plan that will reach them effectively. There's no use in trying to reach everyone with your marketing; you'll end up wasting time and money. Narrow down your focus to those who are most likely to purchase your product or use your service. Check out the example below:

"When determining our target cohort, we used a combination of demographic and psychographic analysis. Our primary target is young adults with a medium to high-income level, aged 18-35, located in urban areas. We also targeted individuals who prioritize experiences over material possessions and enjoy participating in outdoor activities such as hiking or camping. By focusing on this specific group, we were able to tailor our marketing strategy to appeal to their interests and meet their needs effectively. Additionally, we will continue to monitor and analyze our target cohort's behavior, demographics, and psychographics as our brand grows to ensure that we stay relevant and appealing to them. Overall, identifying our target consumers was crucial in laying the foundation for a successful marketing plan."

5. What are the primary ways you plan to reach your target consumers or businesses?

There are many options when it comes to marketing, so it's important to choose the channels that will work best for reaching your target audience.

Some options include online advertising, PR, content marketing, email marketing, social media, and events or tradeshows. You'll need to decide which channels will be most effective for reaching your specific audience. Consider the following prompt:

"When it comes to reaching our target consumers and businesses, we will utilize a mix of online and offline channels. We plan to run online advertising on mobile and desktop platforms, utilizing both search and display options. In addition, we will focus on creating engaging content for our website, blog, and social media channels. We also recognize the power of traditional methods such as PR, email marketing, events and tradeshows, and brick-and-mortar outreach. By utilizing an omnichannel approach, we can effectively reach our target audience wherever they may be. Each channel will be carefully selected and measured to ensure maximum impact and ROI. Overall, we are confident in our strategy to reach our target consumers and businesses."

6. Estimate how much money you will need Once you've determined what marketing activities you'll be doing and who you'll be targeting, you can start to estimate how much money you'll need to allocate to your marketing budget?

Keep in mind that marketing budgets can vary greatly depending on the size and scope of the business, so there's no set formula for how much you should spend.

Make sure to include both short-term and long-term costs in your budget so that you can track your ROI over time.💸 This includes not only initial expenses such as advertising or design fees but also ongoing costs like website maintenance or email marketing subscriptions. It's also crucial to consider the potential return on investment for each marketing activity – will a high price lead to a significant increase in sales or visibility? 

And finally, don't forget to factor in the budget for tracking and analysis, which can help to ensure that your marketing spend is effective. By taking all of these factors into account, you can determine a realistic budget that will help bring success to your business in the short and long term. However, a good rule of thumb is to allocate 5-10% of your overall budget to marketing efforts. 

Conclusion:

Developing a marketing plan may seem like a daunting task, but it's an essential step in launching a successful product. Now that you know how to go from product vision and mission to marketing plan, it's time to get started! 🚀
By following the steps above, you can develop a well-rounded marketing strategy that will help you reach your target consumers and achieve your business goals. Use these tips as a guide for developing a plan that will help you achieve success.

Find an expert mentor

Get the career advice you need to succeed. Find a mentor who can help you with your career goals, on the leading mentorship marketplace.