Marketing planning is a systematic (step by step) process that involves:
- Auditing the current and likely internal and external in which a business is trading
- Setting objectives, strategies and marketing mix tactics consistent with the overall aims of the business
- A continual process of review and to check targets are being met.
objectives, quantifying targets for achievement, and these targets to people responsible for achieving them
Selecting strategies, tactics, programmes etc for achieving the objectives.
Marketing is the method chosen to achieve marketing goals and objectives. For example, a strategy might be to grow sales and profits of existing products and by introducing new products to existing markets
Marketing are the resources that are used in the agreed strategy. For example, a business might use its widespread distribution via UK supermarkets to increase sales and existing products and introduce new products
Marketing concern what the business is trying to achieve. These provide the “intention” that influence the chosen actions. For example, a common goal is to achieve market leadership in an existing market
Marketing are goals that can be quantified. For example a business might aim to achieve sales of growth of 15% each year.

Marketing objectives should ideally meet the widely used SMART criteria. This stands for:
: ie state what the firm is seeking to achieve eg increase sales
ie set in terms of a number value eg achieve sales of £1m or increase market share to 15% etc
ie the target can be met within the resources of the firm
the target must be achievable in terms of financial and human resources available.
ie within a given period of time eg 12 months