Without a proper marketing plan, you may end up with a well-made washing machine that no one wants to buy. Your product could be excellent, but if you don't plan out your marketing you won't end up with the kind of sales you're hoping for. A marketing plan that identifies your target audience and works with clear advertising strategies will go a long way toward getting the sales your washing machine deserves.

Alert your reader to what to expect with a brief summary and introduction of your strategy. Include an overview of the plan's main points along with your goals. In this case, you want to improve washing machine sales.

List exactly what you want to achieve with your marketing plan in a section titled "Marketing Objectives" without detailing how you plan to achieve them. For example, you could write "Increase washing machine sales for people under 25," since this isn't the typical target market for a standard washing machine. You could also say, "Promote washing machines in five different magazines throughout the coming year."

List your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) under the heading "Situation Analysis." While it's good to focus on the positive aspects of your product with strengths and opportunities, listing weaknesses and threats will avoid repeating previous marketing mistakes. A strength could be exceptional washing power, while a weakness could be an easily clogged discharge hose. Under Opportunities, list the many ways you can advertise your washing machine. Under Threats, list the reasons why someone in your target market might not buy your product, such as competition from a lower-priced competitor.

Write down your product's target market. How old is your average customer? Is it a woman or a man? Do more single people buy it, or large families? Consider all of these aspects when developing a target market for your product. Each washing machine is different, so consider your model very carefully when coming up with an answer. A stackable washer and dryer will have a different target market than a high end, large capacity washing machine.

List your plan of action for marketing and selling your product under "Strategies." Consider your customers and competitors when figuring out your marketing strategies. Consider the product, price, place of distribution and how you plan to promote it, especially in relation to your washing machine's target market. If you plan to start a newspaper marketing campaign, list the overall feel of the advertisement, who it targets, where it will be published and for how long.

Add your plans for tracking your sales and successful marketing programs under "Tracking." For instance, if you start an Internet marketing campaign with a banner advertisement showing your washing machine, program a tracking code into the banner ad. This way, if someone clicks on the ad and winds up purchasaing the machine, you will know where they came from. By tracking, you can determine which marketing methods work best, which will help in future promotions. List all tracking plans under this section.

Tip

Having a hard time writing the summary and introduction? Leave it as the last thing you do so you'll have an easier time filling it out.