Marketing strategy · 7 min read
How to write a marketing plan for a UK small business in 2026
A practical 2026 guide to writing a one-page marketing plan for a UK small business — goals, channels, budget, calendar and how to keep it alive.
By Jack Frampton, Multi-Channel Marketer at Queen's College, Taunton · Published 15 June 2026
A 40-page marketing plan that nobody reads is worse than a one-page plan the team actually uses. Here's a 2026 template that holds up under real conditions.
The one-page structure
1) One business goal, 2) one core audience, 3) one positioning statement, 4) three priority channels, 5) quarterly initiatives, 6) budget split, 7) what we'll stop doing. Fit it on one page. Force the trade-offs.
Goals that don't lie
Pick one revenue-tied number, one leading indicator, and one brand metric. Avoid stacking 11 KPIs — you'll optimise for none of them.
Channel allocation
70% on what's already working, 20% on optimising the next-best channel, 10% on experiments. Reverse this only if your "what's working" channel is plateauing.
Keep it alive
Review monthly, rewrite quarterly. A plan that doesn't change is a plan that isn't being used.
Frequently asked questions
- The one-page structure?
- 1) One business goal, 2) one core audience, 3) one positioning statement, 4) three priority channels, 5) quarterly initiatives, 6) budget split, 7) what we'll stop doing. Fit it on one page. Force the trade-offs.
- Goals that don't lie?
- Pick one revenue-tied number, one leading indicator, and one brand metric. Avoid stacking 11 KPIs — you'll optimise for none of them.
- Channel allocation?
- 70% on what's already working, 20% on optimising the next-best channel, 10% on experiments. Reverse this only if your "what's working" channel is plateauing.
- Keep it alive?
- Review monthly, rewrite quarterly. A plan that doesn't change is a plan that isn't being used.