Tim Calkins

The Key Question

THE WORLD OF BUSINESS IS full of astonishing stories about companies that led their industry and then stumbled when they failed to respond to competitive threats. When faced with a competitive attack, the executives decided not to defend and then suffered the consequences. For this reason, the key question—whether to defend or not—is critically important.

The Key Elements

MARKETING PLANS ARE NOT ALL THAT COMPLICATED. You create one for a specific purpose: to set the course for a business and to ensure that everyone is on the same page. It is a working document; you aren’t trying to create a literary masterpiece that will take its place beside War and Peace. As marketer Greg Wozniak remarked, “It is almost scary how basic it is.”

Breakthrough marketing plans: How to stop wasting time and start driving growth: Second edition

Introduction Who Needs a Marketing Plan, Anyway Why So Many Marketing Plans Are a Waste of Time What Really Matters: The One Page Summary The Best of the Best The Road Map: Step by Step Writing the Plan The Big Show Marketing Plan Template Example Twenty Strategic Initiatives Common Questions Sources Acknowledgements

Marketing Plan Template

THERE IS NO ONE SINGLE FORMAT for a marketing plan. Some marketing plans are written documents and some are presentations. Some plans are lengthy and detailed, while others are short and concise. Some marketing plans are never formally written down; they are scribbled on a napkin in a restaurant.

Breakthrough Marketing Plans

Introduction Who Needs a Marketing Plan, Anyway Why So Many Marketing Plans Are a Waste of Time What Really Matters: The One Page Summary The Best of the Best The Road Map: Step by Step Writing the Plan The Big Show Marketing Plan Template Example Twenty Strategic Initiatives Common Questions Sources Acknowledgements

Eli Lilly: Xigris (A)

Examines the launch of Xigris, a breakthrough new pharmaceutical product for the treatment of sepsis. The newly appointed head of marketing for Xigris is reviewing the launch plan.

MedImmune: FluMist Introduction

Examines the launch of FluMist, the first significant innovation in influenza vaccines in over 50 years. The head of sales and marketing for MedImmune is working through the launch plan for FluMist. In particular, he is struggling with the question of how best to position FluMist. To determine the correct positioning, he has to consider business objectives, competitive set, differentiation, and pricing.

The Best Marketing Plans

WHILE RESEARCHING THIS BOOK, I asked dozens of marketers the same question: “ Tell me about the best marketing plan you have ever seen. What made it so good?” Whether they worked in pharmaceuticals or financial services or consumer packaged goods, whether they worked for a nonprofit or a for– profit organization, and whether they worked in the United States or Asia, their answers were all the same.

Example: Edzo’s

THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATIVE MARKETING PLAN for Edzo’s, a small restaurant in Evanston, Illinois. It was written by five MBA students as part of my marketing strategy course at the Kellogg School of Management: Ryan Farnan, Matt Fitzgerald, Matt Hanculak, Matt House, and Chris Reynolds.

Presenting: The Big Show

THE MARKETING PLANNING PROCESS almost always comes down to a single, pivotal meeting, where the marketing manager stands up in front of a group of senior executives and, with her team, presents the marketing plan and answers questions. This is a critical moment.