A Simple 3-Step Approach to Planning Your Marketing

If you run a small business, chances are you’ve said one (or all) of these things at some point:

“I know I should be doing more marketing…”

“I just don’t know where to start.”

“I don’t have time for a full plan.”

“I post randomly and hope for the best.”

Most small businesses feel the pressure to “do more” without ever being taught how to plan their marketing in a way that fits around everything else they’re juggling.

But planning doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the simpler it is, the more likely you are to keep going.

We use a straightforward three step framework with our clients, something we walk people through during strategy sessions. It helps to remove the overwhelm and gives you instant clarity about what you’re actually trying to achieve.

Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Be Clear on What You Want

If you don’t know the goal, you can’t build the plan.

But this is where most businesses get stuck…

“We need more posts.”

“We should do some ads.”

“Let’s try TikTok.”

All without being clear on what success actually looks like for them.

Before you plan anything, decide what you want your marketing to do for you. Just 1 to 3 simple, strategic outcomes.

A few examples:

• More enquiries

• Better brand visibility

• Clearer positioning

• Improved consistency

• Stronger customer relationships

When we run strategy sessions, this is usually the part where everything starts clicking into place, and our clients finally see where their marketing should be heading.

If you’re planning this on your own, ask yourself:

“What do I want people to know about my business?”

“What action do I want them to take when they find me?”

These two questions alone can shape your entire approach.

A quick example:

We once worked with a client who thought they needed to “post more on social media.”

After 10 minutes of clarity work, it became obvious their real issue wasn’t frequency, it was messaging. Once we tightened up what they were saying, the posts they already had time to make started performing far better.

Step 2: Understand Who You’re Talking To

Marketing becomes ten times easier when you know exactly who you’re speaking to and what matters to them.

Your audience shapes everything:

• Your tone of voice

• The channels you use

• The type of content you create

• The offers you promote

  
  

But many business owners skip this step…often because audience work feels too big or too full of “persona templates” that never get used.

We steer clear of that at KopyKat, aiming to focus on real people and real conversations.

Common mistakes we see:

• Trying to speak to everyone

• Guessing what clients want instead of listening

• Using inconsistent or unclear messaging

• Talking about features instead of outcomes

  
  

If you want a simple way to understand your audience quickly, try this:

Write down the top five questions people ask you before they buy.

That list alone tells you:

• What they’re unsure about

• What they value

• What they need clarified

• What content you should create first

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Example from experience: In sectors like waste management, trades, and professional services, audience needs are incredibly practical. People want reassurance, clarity, and confidence, not jargon. Tailoring the message to these priorities transforms how effective the marketing becomes.

When you get clear on who you’re speaking to, you stop shouting into the void and start having conversations that convert.

Step 3: Choose Actions You Can Stick To

Your marketing plan should fit around your business, not the other way around.

Most small business owners try to do too much:

• Too many platforms

• Too many content ideas

• Too many goals

• Too many trends to keep up with

  
  

Instead of planning everything you could do, choose the activity you can actually stick to.

A simple structure we build with clients is:

1. One visibility building activity

Something that helps new people discover you.(Examples: social posts, networking, SEO updates.)

2. One nurturing activity

Something that builds trust over time.(Examples: emails, blogs, behind-the-scenes content.)

3. One sales or conversion activity

Something that encourages action.(Examples: calls-to-action, optimised service pages, outreach.)

You just need three that you can show up for regularly.

One of our clients recently dropped two social platforms they weren’t enjoying and focused on just one. Their visibility increased because the quality and consistency went up. Less activity, better results.

And remember: your plan isn’t a rigid set of rules. It’s something that should evolve as your business grows.

Bringing the Three Steps Together

When you break marketing planning down into these three steps; what you want, who you’re talking to, and what you can commit to, it becomes far simpler and far more sustainable.

You don’t need complicated templates .You don’t need to be everywhere. You don’t need a huge budget...

You just need clarity, direction, and a plan that respects the time you actually have.

Want support building a plan you’ll actually use?

If you’d like help creating a simple, sustainable marketing plan for 2026, get in touch.

This is a framework we use inside our strategy sessions and monthly support…and we’d be happy to walk you through it.