Why Every Small Business Needs a Year-Long Marketing and Business Plan (Even If It’s Just You)
After more than 35 years in marketing, I’ve worked with brands of all sizes—from global corporations with hundreds of people managing product lines, to small businesses with one-person teams juggling it all. If there’s one thing I’ve learned across every experience, it’s this:
The discipline and structure that big companies use to grow? Small businesses need it too—maybe even more.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a founder, a team of three, or a solo entrepreneur running on coffee and determination. If you want to grow your business without burning out or constantly reacting to “what’s next,” you need a plan.
The Planning Cycle That’s Guided My Career
Whether I was working in-house for a large CPG company or consulting with indie skincare or wellness brands, I’ve followed a version of this same yearly business cycle. I didn’t invent it, but I’ve lived it, adjusted it, and watched it bring clarity, momentum, and results.
Here’s the outline, along with how I’ve used it—and how you can too:
September–October: Plan the Year Ahead
This is the time for vision and strategy. In big companies, this is when we mapped out promotions, product launches, budget allocations, forecasts, and major growth initiatives for the year ahead.
When I started consulting with smaller brands, I realized many weren’t doing this at all. They were constantly in “go” mode, without taking a step back to look at the big picture. But this is the most critical time to slow down and ask:
What are your goals for next year?
What campaigns or promotions will get you there?
Are you expanding to new markets, launching new products, or testing a new platform?
What does your ideal sales calendar look like?
What kind of support (budget, inventory, partnerships) will you need?
For one client, we used this time to build their first-ever cross-channel promotional calendar and Amazon strategy. It wasn’t fancy—but it created a roadmap that helped them grow 213% in marketplace sales over 30 days and double-digit sales increases on their website.
If you’re in retail, beauty, CPG, or gift-related businesses, this planning window can’t come fast enough. Holiday planning may need to start even earlier, especially if you're working with long lead-time manufacturing, import timelines, or wholesale buyers.
I’ve worked with brands that met with major retailers like Target or Ulta more than a year in advance to get products approved for Q4 promotions. Even with smaller DTC brands, I’ve advised clients to start designing their holiday bundles by early summer—and finalize packaging and promotional themes by August.
October–November: Execute Holiday Sales
This is crunch time. Your focus should shift to execution. If you’re in eCommerce or retail, Q4 is the biggest sales opportunity of the year—but only if you’re ready for it.
At this stage, I always emphasize preparation:
✔️ Paid ads locked and loaded
✔️ Email campaigns scheduled
✔️ Amazon and website inventory ready
✔️ Promotions tested and tracked
✔️ Customer service staffed and trained (even if it’s just you!)
If you’ve done the work earlier in the year, this is your time to shine - not scramble.
I've seen teams double their Q4 revenue just by having this infrastructure in place. And I've seen others lose sales to last-minute missteps like stockouts, missed emails, or pricing errors.
Holiday can be your biggest opportunity or your biggest pain point, it depends on the prep.
December: Analyze and Adjust
The year isn’t over yet, but I always dedicate December to a quieter kind of work: SKU rationalization and price analysis.
Years ago, when I worked on a national skincare brand’s portfolio, we realized we had several underperforming SKUs taking up resources and shelf space. By discontinuing them and raising prices on best-sellers (backed by data of course), we created space for future launches and increased profit margins.
This process doesn’t need to be complicated. Look at:
What products or services are driving most of your sales?
Which aren’t pulling their weight?
Can you increase prices based on value, not just cost?
What new products or services deserve a spot in next year’s plan?
January: Implement Changes
January is the time to act on those hard decisions. Price increases. SKU discontinuations. New offerings quietly introduced.
In bigger companies, these changes roll out with meetings, lots of meetings. In small businesses, you can do it faster—but it’s still important to have a communication plan for your customers. Let them know what’s new, what’s going away, and why.
February–June: Launch and Grow
This is your core execution window. Focus on what you planned in the fall—whether that’s a new product launch, a market test, or holiday promotions or a content strategy revamp.
One of my clients launched a line of wellness supplements during this window, and because we had planned it out months in advance, we were able to roll out influencer campaigns, email flows, and Amazon listing updates all at once. The result? A cohesive, successful launch that exceeded expectations.
July: Mid-Year Check-In
By July, it’s time to pause and reflect:
Are you tracking toward your revenue goals?
Are your marketing channels performing?
Are your products resonating?
Has anything in your market changed?
For smaller companies, this doesn’t have to be a formal report. A simple spreadsheet or conversation with your team (or yourself!) can reveal insights and help you adjust before the second half of the year.
August–October: Adjust and Continue
Use this time to apply what you learned at the mid-year check-in. Maybe you need to shift budget from Facebook to email. Maybe a product that was supposed to be your star is falling flat. Maybe you’re ahead of your goal and want to test something new.
This window allows for flexibility while keeping you grounded in your larger plan.
Annual Business Plans for Small Businesses
Small businesses often feel they’re “too small” to plan like this—but the truth is, you’re too small not to.
Without a plan, you’re reactive instead of proactive. You’re overwhelmed instead of empowered. You’re guessing instead of learning.
Following a rhythm like this gives you:
Clarity
Focus
Room for creativity
A roadmap for growth
A better way to evaluate what’s working (and what’s not)
I’ve learned that success isn’t about how far you climb—it’s about how many people you help along the way. I didn’t make it to the exact title I envisioned in my 20s, but I’ve helped countless people and businesses grow. I’ve raised three amazing kids. I’ve shared what I know and watched others shine.
If sharing this planning framework helps just one business feel less overwhelmed and more confident heading into the next year, it’s worth it.
Structure creates freedom. Planning makes space for growth. And the more you give your business a clear path, the more likely it is to thrive.
If you’re a small business owner or marketer and want help creating your 12-month plan, reach out—I’d love to help.
