Leave with a one-page plan with an audience, an offer, a channel and a measurement decision.
Start with a real buying situation
For the worked example, the audience is a CEO dealing with a stalled operational initiative. Their problem is that teams disagree about who owns the next decision. The desired practical outcome is an agreed decision map and a practical implementation sequence.
The example is deliberately bounded: the client team has limited time for interviews and workshops. That condition should influence the promise, scope and next step rather than disappear from the marketing copy.
| Illustrative offer | a focused operating-model review |
|---|---|
| Buyer question | Which unresolved decision is holding the initiative back today? |
| Possible evidence | a worked example of roles, decision rights and escalation paths |
| Useful asset | a decision-rights and implementation worksheet |
How to complete your marketing plan
- Start with the buying problem and the offer you can actually deliver.
- Choose one primary audience and describe when its need becomes urgent.
- Select a channel where you can reach that audience with relevant proof.
- Define what counts as a qualified enquiry and assign an owner to follow-up.
- Review evidence before extending the plan to another audience or channel.
Worked example
These entries are illustrative planning material, not research findings or customer results. Keep the structure and replace the content with verified details.
| Target customer and buying trigger | a CEO dealing with a stalled operational initiative; investigate a recent example of the problem: teams disagree about who owns the next decision. |
|---|---|
| Offer and evidence | a focused operating-model review. Intended practical result: an agreed decision map and a practical implementation sequence. Evidence: a worked example of roles, decision rights and escalation paths. |
| Primary channel and first campaign | an operations leadership briefing. First useful asset: a decision-rights and implementation worksheet. |
| Definition of a qualified enquiry | An enquiry is relevant when the buyer confirms the problem and the scope fits. Verify the constraint: the client team has limited time for interviews and workshops. |
| Review date, owner and next decision | Assign a named owner and review date. Inspect the number of blocked decisions resolved with named owners; decide whether to continue, change or stop. |
Review before using it
A useful operational measure in this example is the number of blocked decisions resolved with named owners. That does not automatically make it a marketing attribution metric. Define the source, period and owner before drawing conclusions.
- Could another team member name the customer, the offer and the next action from this one page?
- Check the delivery assumptions: Define access to stakeholders, deliverables, decision owners and handover.
- Use evidence rather than promises. Separate your recommendations from outcomes that depend on client execution.
- Discuss the draft with someone who understands the buying situation. Start with: “Which unresolved decision is holding the initiative back today?”
- If the next step is a trial, define its purpose. One possible starting point is to map one cross-team process and test the proposed ownership with its participants.
Common mistakes and a better review
Do not fill a missing fact with an impressive-sounding number. Mark it as an assumption, explain how you will check it and give that check an owner. A short, honest document is easier to use than an elaborate plan built on unknowns.
| Watch for | A long list of channels hides the absence of a clear audience or offer. |
|---|---|
| A real buyer concern | Consultants leave us with slides and no execution. |
| Useful response direction | Let us define the decisions, owners and implementation artefacts you need, and make handover a named deliverable. |
| Evidence to collect | The buyer’s own account, a worked example of roles, decision rights and escalation paths, and records relevant to the number of blocked decisions resolved with named owners. |
Your working sheet
Write your own version below. Notes are saved on this browser when local storage is available. Use Download to keep a separate copy; avoid adding confidential information on a shared device.
Example: a CEO dealing with a stalled operational initiative; investigate a recent example of the problem: teams disagree about who owns the next decision.
Example: a focused operating-model review. Intended practical result: an agreed decision map and a practical implementation sequence. Evidence: a worked example of roles, decision rights and escalation paths.
Example: an operations leadership briefing. First useful asset: a decision-rights and implementation worksheet.
Example: An enquiry is relevant when the buyer confirms the problem and the scope fits. Verify the constraint: the client team has limited time for interviews and workshops.
Example: Assign a named owner and review date. Inspect the number of blocked decisions resolved with named owners; decide whether to continue, change or stop.
Review your work
Tick only what you can support with your answer or practice. This is a reflection checklist, not an automated assessment.
Questions about this resource
How do I adapt this for my management consulting business?
Replace the audience, offer and evidence with your actual information. Begin with a recent buyer conversation about why teams disagree about who owns the next decision, then check which assumptions match your business.
Is the filled example ready to publish?
No. It is a working example. Verify claims, permissions, prices, current capabilities and any customer information before using it externally. Separate your recommendations from outcomes that depend on client execution.
What should I do after completing the worksheet?
Use it to make one decision or have one focused conversation. The intended output is a one-page plan with an audience, an offer, a channel and a measurement decision. Set a review date and update it when the evidence changes.
Illustrative business worksheet. No customer results, market rates, traffic volumes or performance benchmarks are implied. About these resources.