7 Easy Steps to Build a Marketing Plan with AI

TL;DR: AI can help you build a full marketing plan from scratch faster and with less stress. This guide explains how to use basic AI prompts to tackle every section of your plan, even if you’re not a marketer or a techie. You’ll finish with something practical and good to go.

Why Most People Get Stuck on Marketing Plans

If you’ve opened a blank document and immediately felt stuck, you’re not alone. Most people struggle with marketing plans because they either have too many ideas or none at all. The real barrier isn’t creativity, it’s not knowing where to start or how to break the job into manageable steps.

How AI Makes Planning Easier

You don’t need to be a CMO or an AI expert. By feeding your business info into simple AI prompts, you can get clear, step-by-step help: from writing your business summary to figuring out your budget. AI doesn’t replace your judgement; it just makes the heavy lifting less intimidating.

How it works:

• For each section of your marketing plan, you type in basic info (about your business, your market, your goals, etc.).
• Use an AI tool like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini with pre-written prompts for each section.
• Review the AI’s draft. Add your own perspective—keep what’s useful, change what doesn’t fit.
  

The 7 Steps to Building Your AI-Driven Marketing Plan

1. Summarise Your Business
Feed the basics about your business into the AI.

Prompt:“Here’s what my business does: [add a short description and a few numbers about your service, e.g. clients per month, main services]. What are the three biggest strengths and what should I focus on improving?”

What you’ll get: A summary that helps you spot strengths and quick wins.

2. Get a Fresh SWOT Analysis
Don’t just guess. Ask the AI to look for gaps.

Prompt:“Here’s my SWOT: [add your known strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats]. What’s missing in each area for a service business like mine, based on current market trends?”

What you’ll get: Two new points for each SWOT box so you don’t miss blind spots.

3. Spot New Business Initiatives
You know your current projects, but what’s next?

Prompt: “These are my current and planned business initiatives: [list a few]. What three other initiatives would help my service business grow or reach new markets right now?”

What you’ll get: Realistic, actionable ideas that match market shifts.

 4. Build Target Customer Personas
AI can help you define your ideal customer.

Prompt: “Here’s my target market: [age, job, location, behaviours]. Can you describe three simple personas for a service business like mine, with each person’s top pain point?”

What you’ll get: A clear picture of who you’re selling to—and what they care about.

 5. Review Your Marketing Channels
Stop wasting energy on the wrong channels.

Prompt:  “These are my current marketing channels and how well they work: [list channels, e.g. Facebook, email, referrals, and a note on performance]. What three new channels should a service business try now to get in front of more of the right clients?”

What you’ll get:  New channel ideas (and a reason for each) so you can reach more of your target market.

 6. Update Your Market Strategy
Tactics change fast. Make sure you’re not stuck in last year’s thinking.

Prompt:“Here’s my market strategy: [explain in one or two lines]. What three tactics could I add or change to make this more effective for a service business right now?”

What you’ll get: Simple, current tactics you can act on straight away.

 7. Optimise Your Budget & Tools
Don’t guess where to spend or which tools to use.

Prompt:“Here’s how I split my marketing budget: [give rough percentages or dollar amounts]. And here are the main tools I use: [list your marketing or automation tools]. What changes would help a service business like mine get a better return?”

What you’ll get: Advice on where to reallocate spend and what tech could save you time or money.

Why It Matters

A good plan is better than a perfect one. Most small teams waste weeks searching for templates or over-thinking strategy. AI helps you get out of your own way, so you can start testing what works. You’ll avoid blank page syndrome and move quickly from idea to action.

What You Should Watch Out For

AI can speed up planning, but it’s not foolproof. Always review the outputs, double-check anything that sounds off, and use your common sense before presenting your plan to a client or your boss. Treat the AI like an extra set of hand not your brain.

 Ready to Build a Plan That Actually Gets Used?

If you want hands-on help using AI to make marketing plans, join the next 5-Day AI Bootcamp. You’ll leave with a real, finished plan not just slides. The bootcamp is for people who want to learn by doing, without jargon or sales pitches. Secure your spot now and get your next marketing plan sorted.