Most are "doers", not "planners."   In reality, being a doer is perhaps the ultimate mark of a successful person. Its what makes entrepreneurs a rare breed. Rather than thinking or wishing, they get out there and make something happen.   But I have encountered many small business owners who get into trouble "doing" the wrong marketing activities the right way or "doing" the right marketing activities the wrong way. If you want to "do" the right marketing activities the right way you must start with a marketing plan.   You dont have to kill a tree to create an effective marketing plan. In fact, you can create a successful plan for your small business in just one day. To begin, dont worry about writing style or making your plan fancy. Just go get a pencil and paper and lets get started.   Step 1 - Understand Your Market and Competition   A big mistake that many small business owners make is to latch on to a cool product or service without first understanding the market and what it wants (not what it needs). If you try to sell something that people dont want, they wont buy it. Its that simple. A profitable market consists of people who have dire wants that are being unmet, so much so that they will jump to buy your solution (product or service). A profitable market can be compared to a lake with thousands of starving fish. All you need to do is throw in the bait and it turns into a feeding frenzy.   To get an understanding of your market you should ask yourself questions like:   Are there segments in my market that are being underserved?   Are the segments of my market for my product or service big enough to make money?   How much of a share of that market do I need to capture, to just break even?   Is there too much competition in the segment of my market to be competitive?   What are the weaknesses in my competitions offering that I can capitalize on? Does my market want or value my unique competitive offering?     Step 2 - Understand Your Customer   Knowing your customer intimately is the first step to easy sales. Until you know (1) who your customers are, (2) what they want, and (3) what motivates them to buy, you cant prepare an effective marketing plan.