Marketing Plans Should Be Living Documents

Marketing plans for technology businesses should not be static monuments that are written once and then filed away. Because the technology business changes so quickly, most plans are obsolete within ninety days.

A plan must be a living document that is reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

The Value of Regular Reviews:

The regular review is one of the most valuable parts of the planning process. It is not a management inquisition, but a problem-solving session.

Regular reviews force the team to:

• Reexamine the Competition: To track their progress and adapt to their moves.
• Reexamine the Market: To ask what has changed about the market segment and how the product must be adapted to the evolving customer base.
• Track Progress: To measure progress against the stated goals and identify areas where the plan is succeeding or failing.
• Communicate and Align: To keep all stakeholders, including advertising agencies and other departments, aligned with the current strategy.

A short, concise marketing plan is much easier to review and update every three months than a 200-page tome. This process of regular review and adaptation is what keeps the plan relevant and useful.