Business startup template
Marketing plan template
Plan how you will reach customers, explain what you sell, and decide which low-cost channels to use each week and each month.
What this template is for
Use this template to decide who your customers are, what you want them to know, and how you will reach them without spending more than your business can manage.
Who should use it
- New business owners who are starting to promote a product or service.
- Small businesses that rely on repeat local customers and referrals.
- Traders who want a simple weekly and monthly promotion routine.
Before you start
- List the products or services you want to focus on first.
- Think about your main customer groups: camp residents, host community buyers, organisations, or online customers.
- Check what promotion methods you can realistically manage, such as WhatsApp, flyers, word of mouth, market display, or Facebook.
The template
Use the sections below as a worksheet. You can print this page or copy the headings into a notebook, document, or spreadsheet.
Customer groups
Write down the customer groups you most want to reach first.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main customer group | Who is most likely to buy from you regularly? | |
| Secondary customer group | Who else may buy from you sometimes? | |
| Customer need | What problem are you solving or what need are you meeting? |
Products and services
Keep this focused on what you want to promote now, not everything you might do later.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main product or service | What are you promoting first? | |
| Key benefit | Why would someone choose you instead of another seller? | |
| Most profitable offer | Which product or service helps your business most? |
Pricing
Use this section to make sure your pricing matches what customers can understand and compare.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Price point | What price will you advertise publicly? | |
| Special offer | Will you run bundles, discounts, or loyalty offers? | |
| Reason for this price | Why is this price fair for you and the customer? |
Channels
Choose channels you can use consistently, even with a small budget.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| In-person channels | Market stall, posters, church, school, events, shop signs, or referrals? | |
| Digital channels | WhatsApp status, Facebook, phone calls, SMS, or a marketplace listing? | |
| Best channel | Which one brings the most serious customers? |
Weekly and monthly promotion plan
Break promotion into small actions you can actually keep doing.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly actions | What will you do every week to stay visible? | |
| Monthly actions | What bigger action will you do once each month? | |
| Help needed | Who can help with photos, wording, printing, or posting? |
Budget
Keep promotion costs realistic and linked to your expected return.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Promotion budget | How much can you spend each month? | |
| Main costs | Printing, transport, data, airtime, signage, or samples? | |
| Low-cost options | What can you do for free or almost free? |
Success measures
Choose a few signs that tell you whether the plan is working.
| Section item | What to write | Your notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sales target | What sales result do you want this month? | |
| Customer target | How many enquiries or new customers do you want? | |
| Review date | When will you check what is working and what is not? |
Example for a Dzaleka small business
Bright Thread Tailoring is a tailoring and clothing repairs. A small tailoring business serving school families, church groups, and market customers in and around Dzaleka.
Customer groups
- Main group: parents needing school uniform repairs and adjustments.
- Secondary group: women ordering dresses for church, weddings, and community events.
- Need: reliable tailoring, fast repairs, and neat finishing.
Channels and promotion
- Weekly actions: post finished work on WhatsApp status every Monday and Friday.
- Monthly action: visit one church women’s group and one school contact with sample photos.
- Best channel: referrals from satisfied customers and WhatsApp photos.
Budget and success measures
- Budget: MWK 20,000 per month for data, airtime, and two poster updates.
- Sales target: 25 repair jobs and 6 custom clothing orders this month.
- Review date: last Saturday of each month.