People will often use “marketing plan” and “marketing strategy” interchangeably.
Since this post talks specifically about how to create a strategic marketing plan, though, it also makes sense to differentiate between “marketing plan” and “marketing strategy.”
You need a marketing strategy and a marketing plan to have a successful marketing campaign.
So, here is a quick breakdown of a marketing plan versus a marketing strategy:
Marketing plan: A marketing plan is an outline that summarizes the approach, tactics, goals, and investment of an organization looking to market itself offline and online. You can look at the marketing plan as an itinerary, like what you may create when planning a road trip.
Marketing strategy: At the core of effective marketing strategic planning lies a well-defined marketing strategy which is the “how” of the marketing plan. It explains how your business will accomplish its marketing plan goals. If you return to the road trip comparison, your marketing strategy lists what roads you’ll take to reach your various destinations.
When you create a strategic marketing plan, you’ll have to think about your marketing strategy or approach too. That’s why marketing plans and marketing strategies often overlap. You need both to have a successful marketing campaign.