6 Steps to Building a Strategic Marketing Plan That Drives Results

#2 - Most marketing plans don’t fail because of bad ideas. They fail because they’re disconnected from the business goals that actually matter — or they get abandoned by February.In this episode, Mandy Hornaday walks through the six-step strategic marketing plan framework she uses with every client: a proven process for building a plan that earns executive buy-in, aligns tightly with business goals, and actually gets executed.Whether you’re building your first strategic marketing plan or rebuilding one that’s been collecting dust, you’ll leave with a clear process, practical tools, and the confidence to lead your planning cycle like an operator.The 6 steps covered in this episode:Step 1: Conduct a Marketing Landscape Review — internal and external research that sets the foundationStep 2: Vision and Goal Setting — how to set 3–5 high-impact marketing goals aligned to business outcomesStep 3: Strategy Ideation and Planning — growth strategy, campaign strategy, content, and channelsStep 4: Build Your Execution Blueprint — quarterly roadmap, resourcing plan, and budgetStep 5: Secure Executive Buy-In — how to get your peers, CEO, and CFO aligned and on boardStep 6: Implementation and Operational Readiness — measurement, team structure, and systemsChapter Markers:(00:00) Why Most Marketing Plans Fall Short(04:30) Step 1: Marketing Landscape Review(14:00) Step 2: Vision and Goal Setting(21:00) Step 3: Strategy Ideation and Planning(31:00) Step 4: Building the Execution Blueprint(43:00) Step 5: Securing Executive Buy-In(51:00) Step 6: Implementation and Operational ReadinessIf this episode resonated, follow Growth Activated on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave a review — it helps more marketing leaders find the show.Growth Activated is hosted by Mandy Hornaday — strategist, fractional CMO, and coach for B2B marketing leaders ready to lead like operators. New episodes drop weekly.Lead Like a CMO - Group Coaching Lab: Join the WaitlistLet’s Keep the Conversation Going!Loved this episode? Connect with me for more insights on B2B marketing leadership and strategies to grow your business.🌐 Visit my website: growthactivated.com🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn: Mandy Walker🔗 Get Your Free Marketing Planning Guide Today!Don’t forget to subscribe to Growth Activated and share this episode with fellow marketing leaders. Let’s activate growth—together!