What's in the plan?
The schedule covers over 74 tasks. You can view all of the tasks in this table or jump straight to the download:
| ID | Tasks | Notes |
| 1 | Campaign Planning | |
| 1.1 | Project Brief completed | The Project Brief describes the purpose of the project, the objectives, KPIs, high-level requirements and key milestones. |
| 1.2 | Initial budget completed | Set a budget for the marketing campaign based on the business goals, target audience, and messaging strategy. This includes determining the resources needed for creative development, media placement, and measurement. |
| 1.3 | Initial schedule completed | Establish a timeline for the marketing campaign, including key milestones such as creative development, media placement, and campaign launch. |
| 2 | Define Objectives | Define the goals and objectives of the marketing campaign. This includes identifying the target audience, determining the key messages to be communicated, and defining the desired outcomes. |
| 2.1 | Conduct Market Research | Conduct market research to understand the target audience, their needs, and preferences. This includes analyzing customer data, researching competitors, and conducting surveys or focus groups. |
| 2.2 | Identify Business Goals | Identify the business goals such as increasing sales, generating leads, or building brand awareness. |
| 2.3 | Define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | Define the KPIs that will be used to measure the success of the marketing campaign. This includes identifying metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, and social media engagement. |
| 2.4 | Define Target Audience | Define the target audience for the marketing campaign, including demographics, psychographics, and behavioral characteristics. |
| 2.5 | Define Distribution Channels | Define the distribution channels that will be used to reach the audience, such as social media, email marketing, or paid advertising. |
| 3 | Develop Strategy | Develop a marketing strategy that aligns with the objectives of the campaign. This includes determining the most effective channels for reaching the target audience, creating a messaging strategy, and defining the tactics to be used. |
| 3.1 | Define Unique Value Proposition (UVP) | Define the unique value proposition (UVP) of the product or service being marketed. This includes identifying the features and benefits that differentiate it from competitors and meet the needs of the target audience. |
| 3.2 | Develop Messaging Strategy | Develop a messaging strategy that aligns with the UVP and target audience. This includes identifying key messages, value propositions, and calls to action. |
| 3.3 | Identify Marketing Channels | Identify the marketing channels that will be used to reach the target audience, such as social media, email marketing, or paid advertising. This includes analyzing the target audience to determine which channels are most effective. |
| 3.4 | Define Content Strategy | Define the content strategy for the marketing campaign, including the types of content to be created, such as blog posts, videos, or infographics. |
| 3.5 | Develop Tactical Plan | Develop a tactical plan that outlines the specific tactics that will be used to implement the marketing strategy, such as creating social media ads, email marketing campaigns, or landing pages. |
| 3.6 | Establish Measurement Plan | Establish a measurement plan that outlines the metrics that will be used to evaluate the success of the marketing strategy, such as website traffic, conversion rates, and social media engagement. |
| 3.7 | Develop Optimization Plan | Develop an optimization plan that outlines the strategies and tactics that will be used to optimize the marketing strategy over time, based on the results of the measurement plan. |
| 4 | Finalize Budget | Define the budget for the marketing campaign, including all costs associated with strategy development, creative development, media placement, and measurement. |
| 4.1 | Develop Final Cost Estimates | Develop cost estimates for each component of the campaign, such as creative development, media placement, and measurement. This includes researching pricing information, obtaining quotes from vendors, and estimating the costs of internal resources. |
| 4.2 | Allocate Resources | Allocate resources to each component of the campaign based on their relative importance and budget constraints. This includes prioritizing high-impact components and making trade-offs between components to stay within budget. |
| 4.3 | Determine Contingency Budget | Determine a contingency budget to account for unexpected costs or changes in the scope of the campaign. This includes identifying potential risks and estimating the likelihood and impact of each risk. |
| 4.4 | Establish Approval Process | Establish an approval process for budget decisions, including who has the authority to approve expenditures and under what conditions. This includes ensuring that budget decisions are consistent with the overall project objectives and are reviewed and approved by the appropriate stakeholders. |
| 4.5 | Monitor and Control Expenses (ongoing task) | Monitor and control expenses throughout the campaign to ensure that they are consistent with the budget. This includes tracking actual expenses, comparing them to budgeted amounts, and making adjustments as needed. |
| 5 | Develop Creative | Develop the creative assets needed for the marketing campaign. This includes copywriting, design, video production, and any other creative assets required. |
| 5.1 | Develop Creative Brief | Develop a creative brief that outlines the messaging strategy, unique value proposition, target audience, and other critical information needed to guide the development of the creative assets. |
| 5.2 | Design Visual Elements | Design visual elements that support the messaging strategy and unique value proposition, such as logos, graphics, and images. This includes ensuring that the visual elements are consistent with the overall brand identity. |
| 5.3 | Write Copy | Write copy that supports the messaging strategy and unique value proposition, such as headlines, taglines, and body copy. This includes ensuring that the copy is clear, concise, and compelling. |
| 5.4 | Develop Video Assets | Develop video assets that support the messaging strategy and unique value proposition, such as explainer videos, product demos, or testimonials. This includes scriptwriting, storyboarding, and video production. |
| 5.5 | Create Other Creative Assets | Create other creative assets that support the messaging strategy and unique value proposition, such as infographics, animations, or interactive experiences. |
| 5.6 | Review and Approve Creative Assets | Review and approve the creative assets to ensure that they are consistent with the creative brief and aligned with the overall project objectives. This includes obtaining approvals from all stakeholders, including legal and compliance. |
| 5.7 | Optimize Creative Assets | Optimize the creative assets over time based on performance data and feedback. This includes making adjustments to the messaging strategy, visual elements, and copy as needed. |
| 6 | Media Planning | Develop a media plan that outlines the channels and tactics to be used to reach the target audience. This includes determining the most effective channels, selecting media partners, negotiating rates, and developing a media schedule. |
| 6.1 | Conduct Media Research | Conduct media research to understand the media consumption habits of the target audience. This includes analyzing media usage data, researching media outlets, and conducting surveys or focus groups. |
| 6.2 | Develop Media Objectives | Develop media objectives that align with the overall project objectives, such as increasing brand awareness or generating leads. This includes defining the desired outcomes and determining the role of each media channel in achieving those outcomes. |
| 6.3 | Identify Media Channels | Identify the media channels that will be used to reach the target audience, such as television, radio, print, digital, or outdoor. This includes analyzing the media consumption habits of the target audience to determine the most effective channels. |
| 6.4 | Determine Media Mix | Determine the media mix that will be used to reach the target audience, including the allocation of resources across different media channels. This includes making trade-offs between reach, frequency, and impact to stay within budget. |
| 6.5 | Develop Media Plan | Develop a media plan that outlines the specific tactics that will be used to implement the media strategy, such as creating television ads, digital display ads, or outdoor billboards. This includes developing a media schedule that identifies the timing and frequency of each tactic. |
| 6.6 | Negotiate Media Rates | Negotiate media rates with media partners to ensure that the campaign stays within budget. This includes obtaining pricing information, submitting proposals, and negotiating rates. |
| 6.7 | Measure and Optimize | Measure and optimize the media plan over time to ensure that it is achieving the desired outcomes. This includes tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing data, and making adjustments to the media plan as needed. |
| 7 | Campaign Launch | Launch the marketing campaign, including implementing the media plan, distributing creative assets, and monitoring performance. |
| 7.1 | Finalize Creative Assets | Finalize all creative assets, such as visual elements, copy, and video assets, to ensure that they are aligned with the messaging strategy and unique value proposition. |
| 7.2 | Execute Media Plan | Execute the media plan, including placing ads, distributing content, and launching the campaign. This includes ensuring that the media schedule is followed and that all tactics are executed correctly. |
| 7.3 | Monitor Performance | Monitor the performance of the campaign during the launch phase to ensure that it is achieving the desired outcomes. This includes tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing data, and making adjustments to the campaign as needed. |
| 7.4 | Respond to Issues | Respond to any issues or problems that arise during the launch phase, such as technical difficulties or negative feedback. This includes developing contingency plans to address issues and communicating with stakeholders as needed. |
| 7.5 | Provide Support | Provide support to customers, prospects, or other stakeholders during the launch phase. This includes answering questions, providing information, and addressing concerns. |
| 7.6 | Report Progress | Report progress to stakeholders on the status of the campaign launch. This includes providing regular updates on key performance indicators (KPIs), budget, and other important metrics. |
| 7.7 | Conduct Post-Launch Analysis | Conduct a post-launch analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign launch. This includes analyzing the performance data, identifying successes and challenges, and making recommendations for future campaigns. |
| 8 | Monitor and Optimize | Monitor the performance of the marketing campaign and optimize the strategy as needed. This includes tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing data, and making adjustments to the media plan and creative assets. |
| 8.1 | Track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) | Track the KPIs that were defined in the measurement plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. This includes monitoring website traffic, conversion rates, and social media engagement. |
| 8.2 | Analyze Performance Data | Analyze the performance data to identify trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. This includes conducting data analysis, creating reports, and communicating the results to stakeholders. |
| 8.3 | Conduct A/B Testing | Conduct A/B testing to compare different versions of the campaign and identify which performs better. This includes testing different creative assets, messaging strategies, and tactics. |
| 8.4 | Adjust Media Plan | Adjust the media plan as needed to optimize its effectiveness. This includes making adjustments to the media mix, media schedule, and media placement. |
| 8.5 | Optimize Creative Assets | Optimize the creative assets to improve their effectiveness. This includes making adjustments to the visual elements, copy, and messaging strategy. |
| 8.6 | Optimize Landing Pages | Optimize the landing pages to improve their effectiveness. This includes making adjustments to the design, copy, and calls to action. |
| 8.7 | Respond to Feedback | Respond to feedback from customers, prospects, or other stakeholders to improve the campaign. This includes addressing concerns, answering questions, and providing information. |
| 8.8 | Refine Target Audience | Refine the target audience to improve the effectiveness of the campaign. This includes analyzing data to identify new segments or sub-segments that may be more receptive to the campaign. |
| 9 | Evaluate Results | Evaluate the results of the marketing campaign, including measuring the effectiveness of the strategy and creative assets. This includes analyzing KPIs and making recommendations for future campaigns. |
| 9.1 | Analyze Performance Data | Analyze the performance data to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. This includes reviewing KPIs, identifying trends, patterns, and areas for improvement. |
| 9.2 | Assess ROI | Assess the return on investment (ROI) of the campaign to determine its overall effectiveness. This includes comparing the cost of the campaign to the value it generated, such as increased sales, leads, or brand awareness. |
| 9.3 | Evaluate Media Plan | Evaluate the media plan to determine its effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. This includes analyzing the media mix, media placement, and media schedule. |
| 9.4 | Assess Creative Assets | Assess the creative assets to determine their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. This includes analyzing the visual elements, copy, and messaging strategy. |
| 9.5 | Evaluate Landing Pages | Evaluate the landing pages to determine their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. This includes analyzing the design, copy, and calls to action. |
| 9.6 | Review Budget | Review the budget to determine whether it was used effectively and efficiently. This includes comparing actual expenses to budgeted amounts and identifying any variances. |
| 9.7 | Identify Successes and Challenges | Identify successes and challenges of the campaign, including what worked well and what didn't. This includes analyzing the data, reviewing feedback, and communicating with stakeholders. |
| 9.8 | Make Recommendations | Make recommendations for future campaigns based on the evaluation results. This includes identifying areas for improvement, recommending changes to the media plan or creative assets, and communicating the recommendations to stakeholders. |
| 10 | Project close | |
| 10.1 | Conduct post-project review meeting | Hold a meeting with the client, key stakeholders and the project team to review what went well and what didn't go so well. |
| 10.2 | Write up lessons learned | Write up the positive and negative lessons learned for future projects. |
| 10.3 | Close Out Contracts | Close out all contracts related to the campaign, such as media contracts, vendor contracts, and freelancer contracts. This includes verifying that all obligations have been fulfilled and that all payments have been made. |
| 10.4 | Archive Project Files | Archive all project files and documents, including creative assets, media plans, and reports. This includes storing them in a secure location for future reference or compliance purposes. |
| 10.5 | Close Out Project | Close out the project by completing all administrative tasks, such as updating project documentation, closing out accounts, and communicating project completion to stakeholders. |
| 10.6 | Close project in management systems | Close the project records in your project management software. |
| 10.7 | Wrap up finances | Pay final invoices, finalise accounts and close down project records in finance system. |
How to use this schedule
We have deliberately designed this schedule so that it can be easily transferred from Excel to any project planning tool of your choice. For example, Microsoft Project, Wrike, Monday.com etc. You can either import the tasks or copy and paste depending on the tool you use.See 10 Awesome Project Management Apps
For a free Gantt Chart template you can use our Excel Project Plan template.
General notes
This is an example schedule for a marketing campaign. It is contains generic tasks and you will need to add, edit and remove tasks to suit your project.Check our collection of Project Management Templates to find more example project plans.