Why does every business need a marketing plan?

by Ed Camp

There have been volumes written about business planning, and some very complex issues have been made even more complex.  Simplifying things can help us understand complex issues a little better.  Let's take marketing plans for instance.

Think of getting into your car for a long trip to a place you have never been.  You sort of know the general direction and have a great car that you know will get you there.  You pack everything you'll need for the trip, load up the family and take off.  There's one problem.  You left the road map at home, and certainly didn't create your own map that would show you the way.  

In simple terms, marketing plans are road maps that help you plot the course for reaching your destination.  Just as with a long trip, there are lots of stops along the way and getting from point A to point B takes a logical progression of steps.  Just as with the road map analogy, you can probably get to where you are going but it may take a lot longer and be much more stressful as you travel.  

Marketing plans are a logical progression of thought with each section linked to the next.  Starting with the situation analysis and passing through several logical steps of self-discovery, you eventually end up understanding what you need to do in order to achieve your business goals.   Without a marketing plan, you're just driving off in the sunset in a general direction that will eventually get you there.