A Marketing Plan is a written document that details the actions necessary to achieve a specified marketing objective(s). It can be for a product or service, a brand, or a product line. It can cover one year (referred to as an annual marketing plan), or cover up to 5 years. A marketing plan may be part of an overall business plan. In general terms, it must:

• describe and explain the current situation
• specify the expected results (objectives)
• identify the resources that will be needed (including financing, time, and skills)
• describe the actions that will need to be taken to achieve the objective(s)
• devise a method of monitoring results and adjusting the plan where necessary