The marketing plan explains how customers will find out about your negosyo, why they will choose it, and how you will keep them coming back. For a micro business, it covers what you sell, how you price it, where and when you sell, and how you promote it, with a small monthly budget. It should be built on what you learned in your target market and competitive analysis.
The four parts: product, price, place, promotion
A simple way to organise the section is the four Ps. Keep each part short and specific to your business.
- Product: what you sell, your best sellers, and the one thing that sets you apart.
- Price: your price list and how you set it. Show the cost of each main item and your margin.
- Place: where and when customers can buy: walk-in, delivery, pickup, online orders, hours.
- Promotion: how people will hear about you before and after you open.
How to set prices
Start from cost. Add up what each item costs you, including ingredients or stock, packaging and a share of your monthly costs. Then check competitor prices from your competitive analysis. Your price should cover cost with enough margin to reach break-even in your financial plan.
If you plan to undercut competitors, show the math that proves you can still make money. If you plan to charge more, say what the customer gets for it: faster service, delivery, longer hours, a cleaner space.
Promotion on a small budget
Most micro businesses start with low-cost methods. Pick the ones your target customers will see:
- Before openingPut up a tarpaulin with your opening date. Post in local Facebook groups and the barangay page if allowed. Tell neighbours and nearby workplaces in person.
- Opening weekRun a simple opening offer with a clear end date. Hand out flyers at the nearest terminal, school gate or palengke entrance.
- First three monthsStart a suki card. Ask happy customers to leave a review on your page. Keep your page updated with hours and prices.
- OngoingTrack where new customers heard about you. Drop methods that bring no one in and spend more on those that work.
Worked example: a laundry shop
Example: a marketing plan summary for a laundry shop near a Manila university. This illustration uses blanks for prices and budget.
"Product: wash-dry-fold by the kilo, with same-day service if dropped off before 10am. Price: ₱____ per kilo for students with ID, ₱____ for regular customers, based on a cost of ₱____ per kilo for water, power, detergent and labour. Place: walk-in from 7am to 9pm, free pickup and delivery within [distance] for loads above [number] kilos. Promotion: tarpaulin at the dorm corner, flyers on dorm bulletin boards in the first week of each term, posts in [number] student Facebook groups, and a suki card with every [number]th load free. Monthly marketing budget: ₱____ (your figure)."
Common mistakes
- Pricing below cost to win customers, with no plan to raise prices later.
- Promotions with no end date that customers come to expect.
- Paying for ads before setting up basics like a sign and a page with your hours.
- Not tracking where customers came from.
- A marketing plan that ignores the target market described earlier.
- Making claims you cannot back up, like "cheapest in the city".
Marketing plan checklist
- Describe your product and the one thing that sets you apart
- Build prices from cost, then check competitors
- List where, when and how customers can buy
- Plan promotion for before opening, opening week and the first three months
- Set up a suki reward with clear rules
- Write a monthly marketing budget
- Decide how you will track where customers come from
Monthly marketing budget template
| Activity | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tarpaulin and signage | Before opening | ₱____ (your figure) |
| Flyers | Opening week, then monthly | ₱____ (your figure) |
| Opening offer | Opening week | ₱____ (your figure) |
| Suki cards or stamps | Ongoing | ₱____ (your figure) |
| Paid social media posts (optional) | Monthly | ₱____ (your figure) |
| Total | ₱____ (your figure) |
Questions people ask
- How much should a small business spend on marketing?
- There is no fixed rule. Start with what your financial plan can carry, focus on low-cost methods your customers will see, and spend more only on what brings people in.
- Do I need a Facebook page?
- Many neighbourhood businesses use one to post hours, prices and promos, and customers often look there first. Keep the details current. A page with old prices hurts more than no page.
- Should I offer credit (utang) as part of marketing?
- It can build loyalty, but it ties up your puhunan. If you offer it, set rules on who qualifies, how much and when it must be paid, and track it.
- Is the marketing plan the same as the target market section?
- No. The target market section says who your customers are. The marketing plan says how you will reach them and get them to buy.