How do I write a simple marketing plan for 2027? A practical guide for Highland small businesses

Is your marketing for 2027 still a vague intention rather than a plan? You’re not alone. Marketing is the thing that keeps slipping down the to-do list, especially after a busy season.

The short answer: a simple marketing plan for 2027 fits on a page or two. Start with one business goal, choose three marketing priorities that support it, put the key dates for your year in a calendar and decide how you’ll measure enquiries, bookings or sales. For a Highland business, that calendar starts when customers begin researching, not when they arrive.

I’ve been a Chartered Marketer since 2010, and in more than 25 years of marketing the plans that work hardest are rarely the longest. They’re the ones that actually get used.

What is a marketing plan?

A marketing plan is a short, written decision about who you want to reach, what you want them to do and what you’ll do to make that happen over a set period, usually a year.

A marketing plan is not the same as a marketing strategy. The strategy sets the direction: who your customers are and what makes you different. The plan turns that direction into action, with priorities, dates and measures.

If you’re not sure where to start, go back to the fundamentals: the 4Ps of marketing, product, price, place and promotion.

What should a simple marketing plan include?

A simple marketing plan needs six things, and each one can be a few lines. Here’s what I’d include.

Section	What to write	The question it answers
Business goal	One sentence	What does 2027 need to look like for the business?
Customers	Who they are and how they find you	Who are my best customers?
Three priorities	The activity most likely to work	What will make the biggest difference?
Calendar	Key dates, campaigns and research windows	When do my customers decide?
Budget and time	Money and hours you can commit	What can I realistically do?
Measures	One or two numbers to track	How will I know it’s working?

How do I write my 2027 marketing plan, step by step?

Writing a 2027 marketing plan takes six steps, and most owners can do the first draft in an afternoon.

1. Look back at 2026. Where did your enquiries, bookings and sales come from? If you don’t know, finding out is your first priority for 2027.
2. Set one business goal. For example, more direct bookings, more enquiries from a new sector or a stronger quiet season.
3. Choose three priorities. Not ten. Three priorities you’ll actually deliver beat a long list you won’t.
4. Build your calendar. Add the dates your customers research and decide, then the fixed points of your year.
5. Decide your measures. Pick one or two numbers linked to your goal and how you’ll collect them.
6. Book a monthly check-in. Thirty minutes in the diary to review what’s working and adjust.

Which dates should a Highland business plan its 2027 marketing around?

A Highland business should plan its 2027 marketing around when its customers research and book first, then around the fixed points in the business year.

For many tourism and hospitality businesses in the Cairngorms and across the Highlands, the season is won or lost well before the first visitor arrives. Your own booking data will show you when that research window opens. Two fixed points worth adding now:

• The draft Scottish Budget 2027-28, Thursday 3 December 2026. The Scottish Government confirmed the date to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee (Scottish Parliament). It’s worth checking what it means for your costs before you finalise your marketing budget.
• VisitScotland Connect 2027, 14 and 15 April 2027, at the SEC in Glasgow. This is Scotland’s flagship travel trade event, where trade-ready tourism businesses meet international buyers (VisitScotland). If trade sales are part of your plan, the preparation belongs in your first quarter.

Then add your own dates: launches, events, trade shows, seasonal offers and the quiet months you want to fill.

How do I measure whether my marketing plan is working?

You measure a marketing plan by tracking one or two numbers that link directly to your business goal, every month.

• Enquiries by source: ask every new customer “How did you hear about us?” and write it down.
• Direct bookings or sales: compare month by month and against last year.
• Your email list: how many people have chosen to hear from you.

Measurement matters because it tells you where to put next month’s time and money. It also takes the guesswork out of next year’s plan.

How do I stop my marketing plan slipping down the to-do list?

The best way to stop a marketing plan slipping is to give it a fixed time in your diary and someone to hold you to it.

Small businesses don’t necessarily need a full-time marketing department. They need access to the right expertise, whether that’s a one-off session to get started or an outsourced marketing manager who keeps the plan moving every month.

Where I can help

From my base in Grantown-on-Spey, I help businesses across the Highlands and North of Scotland turn good intentions into a plan they’ll use.

• Marketing Troubleshooting Power Hour [Power Hour page link]: a one-to-one session on your 2027 plan, followed by a marketing action plan, key dates and content ideas, so you start January knowing what to do and when.
• Marketing Strategy and Plan: if you need the direction as well as the plan, so every activity supports a clear business goal.

You can read more about how we’ll work together on your marketing. The easiest way to begin is by booking a free discovery call: [booking link].

Frequently asked questions

How long should a small business marketing plan be?
A small business marketing plan can be one or two pages. What matters is that it names one goal, three priorities, the key dates and how you’ll measure results. A short plan you use every month will do more for your business than a long document that sits in a folder.

When should I write my marketing plan for 2027?
Write your 2027 marketing plan before the year starts, ideally in November or December, so January is spent doing rather than planning. If your customers book months ahead, plan back from when they research and decide, not from when they arrive.

What’s the difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan?
A marketing strategy sets the direction: who your customers are, what makes you different and where you’ll compete. A marketing plan turns that direction into action for a set period, with priorities, dates, budget and measures. Strategy comes first, because it tells you which activity in the plan is worth your time.

Do I need a marketing budget to have a marketing plan?
No. A marketing plan helps you decide where limited time and money will make the biggest difference, so it matters most when budgets are tight. Write down what you can realistically commit, in hours as well as pounds, and choose priorities that fit. Activity such as email and referrals can cost very little.

Can someone help me write my marketing plan?
Yes. Many small businesses don’t need a full-time marketing department. They need access to the right expertise. At Strath Communications I help businesses across the Highlands and North of Scotland write practical plans, either in a one-to-one Marketing Troubleshooting Power Hour or as a full Marketing Strategy and Plan.

So, is 2027 the year your marketing gets a plan?

Marketing doesn’t need to be complicated. One goal, three priorities, a calendar and a couple of numbers to watch is a plan you’ll actually use. So, what’s the one thing you want your marketing to achieve in 2027?