The idea of marketing planning may seem daunting and time-consuming to small business owners who are already flat out running a business. But they are important. A successful marketing plan can help businesses reach their target market, boost their customer base and, ultimately, increase the bottom line. It can also help businesses develop products and services that meet the needs of their target markets.

The good news is that you don't have to start with a blank sheet of paper - business.gov.au has released a free MarketMyBiz tablet app, for Android™ and iPad, which gets you started with a template and guides you through the process of creating a marketing plan for your business. 

MarketMyBiz planning tools were developed in conjunction with business experts. 

The app outlines a clear process to help businesses identify their target markets and understand how their product or service meets their customers’ needs; identify competitors; identify what their target market believes competitors strengths and weaknesses are; and position their brand, product and services to differentiate them from the competition.

You’ll see tips and prompts to guide you through each section of the plan, with the ability to see at a glance which sections you've finished and which sections you still need to complete. You can also remove sections of the plan that don't apply to your business, helping you tailor your plan to your business to get the most out of the app.

Once you have finished your plan you can save it as PDF, email it or save it to the 'cloud' and get marketing.