If you've ever launched a product or service business only to be met with crickets, you’re not alone. It’s not because you didn’t build something great—it’s likely because you didn’t have a plan that showed people how to find it, why they needed it, or what to do next.

That’s the job of your marketing plan.

At this stage in the Build a Savvy Startup framework, you've already laid the groundwork: you know your audience, you've chosen a brand identity, and now it's time to turn that foundation into real traction. And here’s an insider tip from an MBA: great marketing doesn’t happen by accident—it’s engineered.

In this edition, I’ll show you how to set up a basic but powerful marketing plan. We’ll go through using the Four Ps of Marketing as your baseline guide, building a customer journey map, and adding few tools to make it easy (including AI!). This process will help you stop throwing spaghetti at the wall and start guiding your customer right to your business.

Start With the 4 Ps—But Don’t Stay There

Harvard University’s Neil Borden created the classic marketing framework called the Four Ps of Marketing. This is still a pot of gold, and yet many entrepreneurs treat it like a checklist instead of a strategy. But not you, savvy startup founder! Here's what the Four Ps are and how to approach them with purpose:

1. Product – What are you really selling? Beyond features, think transformation. What result does the buyer walk away with?
2. Price – Are you priced for volume, value, or vanity? Each comes with a different marketing approach (we'll dive into pricing strategies with the next Build a Savvy Startup newsletter edition!).
3. Place – Where are your ideal buyers spending their time and where do they expect to find solutions like yours?
4. Promotion – What message will catch their attention where they already are?

Most small business owners default to #4 and start promoting with no strategy. Not you, savvy startup founder. You are going to jot down your answers to the first three Ps and from there you will have the data necessary to build your promotional content. When you understand all four Ps, promotion becomes a precision tool. Promotion is the light that shines out to your customers who are stranded at sea in the dark night, wondering how to come ashore safely. Promotion guides them to your product, its price, and its placement in the market.

Make a Savvy Mindset Shift and think about it this way: Marketing isn't about shouting louder—it's about illuminating a brighter, easier path for your clients to take.

Clarify Your Communication, Locations & Touchpoints

Once you’ve mapped your Four Ps, you can start building your actual advertising and outreach strategy. Here’s what that might look like for you, savvy startup founder:

• Communication: What will your customer see, hear, or read about your offer? Use a mix of content (educational, inspirational, testimonial) to build trust.
• Locations: Where will this content appear? Social platforms, email inboxes, podcasts, blogs, physical signage—all of these marketing materials matter in different ways depending on your business model.
• Touchpoints: How many steps will it take for a potential customer to go from “just met you” to “bought from you”? Most buyers don’t purchase after one interaction. Plan for 6–8+. Yep, six to eight or more times you’ll need to communicate your message to your audience, at a minimum!

Think of this strategy as your Marketing GPS. Without it, your customer is wandering around in the dark. With it, though, you give them precise instructions on how to find you and purchase from you.

Build Your Funnel—Even If It’s Just a Simple One

You don’t need a complex tech stack to build a marketing funnel. You just need to create a clear pathway that turns strangers into leads and leads into buyers. Take a look at this simplified funnel example:

1. Awareness – A helpful post on LinkedIn or Instagram.
2. Interest – They click to visit your website or free lead magnet.
3. Discovery – They book a free consult.
4. Action – They buy a low-cost offer or more!

These steps are a very basic version of a funnel. Talk to any marketing guru out there and they’ll chime in with a million steps in between. But you don’t need all that fluff right now, savvy startup founder. You can build this simple funnel with tools like:

• Canva or Adobe Express for visual content and creating lead magnets
• Linktree or Carrd for simple landing pages
• Microsoft Bookings or Google Calendar for scheduling meetings
• Kit (formerly ConvertKit) or Mailchimp for lead capture and email

Here’s another Savvy Mindset Shift: A funnel isn't about tricking people. It's about building trust with your target market before you ever make an ask. Funnels are another precision tool in your marketing toolbox.

Map the Customer Journey Like a Storyboard

One of the most underutilized tools in small business marketing is a customer journey map. Think of this as a storyboard of your buyer’s experience—from problem-awareness to repeat purchases. So ask yourself:

• How do customers or clients discover you?
• What problems are they trying to solve?
• What objections might they have?
• What would delight them at each step of their journey with your organization?

Then build content around those touchpoints:

• Problem-aware? Offer a blog post or checklist.
• Solution-aware? Offer a comparison chart.
• Ready to buy? Offer a free trial or call to action.

🎨 Tools like Canva and Miro make it easy to design a customer journey visually. Once mapped, you can build campaigns that match each stage. Your customer's journey is not random. It’s a path—and you get to light the way. Here’s what it might look like:

https://marketplace.canva.com/EAFq0zwFedU/1/0/1831w/canva-customer-journey-map-whiteboard-JBI3okOTry0.jpg

AI Action Tip: Let ChatGPT® Help You Map & Write Content for Your Funnel

Instead of staring at a blank screen wondering what to write in your marketing funnel, let AI give you a head start. Here’s a sample prompt you can use in ChatGPT:

"Create a simple 4-stage marketing funnel for a [type of business]. Then, generate a piece of content for each stage of the funnel that speaks to the customer's needs at that point."

You’ll get usable content ideas and structure you can tweak and test.

Need help creating a customer journey map too? Try this prompt:

"Create a customer journey map for someone buying [your product or service], including key pain points, goals, and suggested marketing content for each stage."

You’ll walk away with a framework you can polish, not a problem you have to solve from scratch.

Final Takeaway: Your Marketing Plan Is a Shining Light, Not a Megaphone

When done well, marketing doesn’t feel like marketing. It feels like guidance. To your customer it sounds like:
👉 “That’s exactly what I was looking for.”
👉 “How did they know I needed that?”
👉 “I trust this brand to solve my problem.”

That’s the power of a well-built marketing plan!

So whether you're launching your first product or refreshing your messaging after years in business, take the time to map your marketing journey with strategy—and maybe a little AI support along the way. You don’t need a massive budget to make an impact. You just need a map—and the confidence to use it.

About the Author

Caroline Y. Beasley is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in California, Florida, and Virginia, with over 20 years of experience in business, accounting and tax. She also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Florida. Caroline has a proven track record of helping organizations improve profitability, optimize operations, and achieve sustainable growth.

A former Big 4 and Big 8 public accountant, Caroline proactively helps small and mid-sized organizations and their high net worth owners navigate the business and tax landscape. She currently serves as the Chair for the Women’s Leadership Committee at the Florida Institute of CPAs and is the Local Chapter Lead in Hampton Roads, Virginia for the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce.