Aug 2026
I often see that SMEs don't have solid marketing plans. They have a list of marketing related things to do.
Business and marketing planning often happen in two separate conversations.
You set a growth target in January. You post on LinkedIn when you remember to. Somewhere between the two, there's supposed to be a plan connecting the activity to the business goals.
Marketing easily becomes reactive: a flurry of effort when time allows, a new tactic tried out to see if it works, a campaign built around something urgent, like an event that's coming up, rather than what moves the business forward.
Most business owners are doing plenty, but the effort needs to channel into activity that will meet the business goals.
The problem:
Marketing gets treated as a task list, not a strategy.
Business goals live in a spreadsheet; marketing lives in a content calendar with no connection between the two.
There's no regular check in to see what’s working and what isn’t.
The solution:
You don't need a fifty-page strategy document. You need to think about 2 key things:
1. What are you trying to achieve in the business?
2. How is your marketing supporting that specific goal?
If your marketing feels busy but disconnected from your goals, it's a sign your business and marketing are not aligned.
If you would like to jump on a power hour with me, you’ll get a focused 60-minute session where we can look at where your business is heading and how your marketing could get you there.
September is planning season
September is when smart businesses stop reacting and start setting the next quarter up for success. Revisit goals set in January, check what's working, and decide where the next three months of effort should go.
You don't need to overhaul everything. You need clarity on what to keep doing, what to stop, and what to start before the year runs out.
If you want a steer on where to focus, take my free MADI marketing personality quiz.
It only takes a few minutes and gives you a clear read on your marketing style and where the gaps are.
Lucy Brook FCIM is the founder of Mkt Lab, a marketing strategy consultancy working with UK SME founders, MDs, and marketing leads. With 20+ years of experience across commercial, education, and not-for-profit sectors, she helps ambitious small businesses build the marketing clarity they need to grow with confidence.