Let’s face it — most new businesses fail because they don’t have a clear marketing strategy.

If your friend is launching a new business, she needs more than just a good product or service. She needs a roadmap that turns strangers into customers and customers into raving fans.

I’m going to break down exactly how she can create a killer marketing plan that actually works in 2025 (no fluff, just the stuff that matters).

The Ultimate Marketing Plan Framework for New Businesses

Skip ahead:

• Why most marketing plans fail
• Situation analysis (know your battlefield)
• Setting goals that actually mean something
• Finding your perfect customers
• Picking the right marketing channels
• Budgeting without breaking the bank
• Tracking what’s working (and what’s not)
• Staying flexible when things go sideways

Why Most Marketing Plans Fail

Let’s be honest — most marketing plans are just fancy documents that collect digital dust. They fail because they’re:

• Too complicated (nobody actually uses them)
• Not specific enough (“increase brand awareness” isn’t a real goal)
• Created once and never updated
• Not connected to actual business goals

A good marketing plan is like a GPS for your business — it tells you where you’re going, how to get there, and recalculates when you make a wrong turn.

Situation Analysis: Know Your Battlefield

Before your friend spends a single dollar on marketing, she needs to understand the landscape she’s entering. This means:

Competitor Analysis

Who else is fighting for the same customers? What are they doing well? Where are they dropping the ball?

Don’t just look at direct competitors — look at alternatives customers might choose instead of your product. For example, Netflix competes with other streaming services, but also with books, sleep, and social media for people’s time.

Pro tip: Create a competitor analysis spreadsheet that tracks their messaging, pricing, channels, and strengths/weaknesses.

SWOT Analysis (Don’t Skip This!)

I know SWOT analysis sounds like business school 101, but it’s still around because it works. What are your friend’s:

• Strengths: What unique advantages does she have? (proprietary tech, experience, etc.)
• Weaknesses: Where might she struggle compared to established competitors?
• Opportunities: What market trends can she capitalize on?
• Threats: What could derail her business? (new regulations, big competitors entering the space)

A Harvard Business Review study found that businesses who regularly update their SWOT analysis adapt faster to market changes.

Setting Goals That Actually Mean Something

“Increasing brand awareness” isn’t a goal — it’s a wish.

Your friend needs specific, measurable goals tied to actual business outcomes like:

• “Acquire 500 new email subscribers by Q3 at a cost under $5 per lead”
• “Generate $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue by December 2025”
• “Achieve a 15% conversion rate from free trial to paid customer”

Each goal should have:

• A specific number
• A deadline
• A way to measure it
• A reasonable budget attached

Finding Your Perfect Customers

Most businesses try to sell to everyone. Smart businesses get specific.

Your friend should create 2-3 detailed buyer personas that include:

• Demographics (age, income, job title)
• Psychographics (values, fears, aspirations)
• Buying behavior (research habits, price sensitivity)
• Common objections to purchasing

For example: “Sarah, 34, marketing director at a mid-sized company, values efficiency, fears making poor investments that reflect badly on her, researches options thoroughly before purchase.”

According to Hubspot research, companies that exceed lead and revenue goals are 2.3x more likely to use buyer personas.

Crafting Your Unique Value Proposition

Why should someone buy from your friend instead of the 20 other options they have? Her unique value proposition should be:

• Clear (explain it in 10 seconds)
• Specific (not “great customer service” but “24/7 live support with under 2-minute response time”)
• Relevant to customer pain points
• Different from competitors

The best UVPs don’t just explain what you do — they explain why it matters to the customer.

Picking the Right Marketing Channels

Not all marketing channels are created equal. In 2025, your friend should consider:

Digital Channels

• SEO & Content Marketing: Still the best long-term ROI but takes time
• Paid Search: Immediate traffic but getting more expensive
• Social Media: Great for awareness but organic reach continues to decline
• Email Marketing: Still delivers the highest ROI ($36 for every $1 spent according to Litmus research)
• Video Content: Increasingly essential across all platforms

Traditional Channels

Don’t dismiss “old school” marketing if it fits your audience:

• Direct mail (less competition in mailboxes these days)
• Industry events
• Strategic partnerships

The key is to start with 2-3 channels and master them before expanding. Spreading too thin is a recipe for mediocre results everywhere.

Budgeting Without Breaking the Bank

Your friend’s marketing budget should be:

• Realistic: Based on industry benchmarks (typically 7-12% of revenue for established businesses, 12-20% for startups)
• Flexible: With room to double down on what’s working
• Allocated: With specific amounts for each channel
• Tracked: Every dollar should be accountable

Start by allocating budget based on customer acquisition cost (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV). The magic ratio? Your LTV should be at least 3x your CAC for a sustainable business.

Creating a Marketing Timeline

A timeline turns the plan from theory into action. Your friend should create:

• 90-day sprints: Detailed activities for the next quarter
• 6-month roadmap: Key initiatives and campaigns
• 12-month vision: Major goals and milestones

Each activity should have:

• Owner (who’s responsible)
• Deadline
• Expected outcome
• Budget
• Success metrics

Tracking What’s Working (And What’s Not)

The most successful marketers are obsessed with data. Your friend should track:

• Traffic metrics: Visitors, sources, behavior
• Conversion metrics: Leads, sales, conversion rates
• Engagement metrics: Time on site, bounce rate, social shares
• Financial metrics: CAC, LTV, ROI by channel

Google Analytics 4 is free and should be set up from day one.

Pro tip: Create a simple dashboard with 5-7 key metrics and review it weekly. Avoid vanity metrics (like page views) that don’t connect to actual business outcomes.

Staying Flexible When Things Go Sideways

The best marketing plans build in flexibility. Your friend should:

• Review and adjust campaigns monthly
• Do a deeper quarterly review of the entire plan
• Set aside 20% of her budget for experimentation and new opportunities
• Build contingency plans for common scenarios (competitor price cuts, ad cost increases)

In Summary: Your Friend’s Marketing Plan Checklist

Here’s what your friend needs in her marketing plan:

• Clear business objectives tied to marketing goals
• Detailed competitor and market analysis
• Specific, measurable goals with deadlines
• Detailed buyer personas
• Compelling unique value proposition
• 2-3 primary marketing channels to start
• Realistic budget allocated by channel
• 90-day action plan with specific activities
• Tracking system for key metrics
• Regular review and adjustment process

Remember, the best marketing plan is one that actually gets used — not just created and forgotten. Keep it simple, keep it focused, and let the results guide the way forward.

The difference between successful businesses and failed ones often isn’t the quality of their products — it’s how effectively they connect those products with the right customers through smart, consistent marketing.