What Is a Business Marketing Planner? (And How Makers Use One Each Month)

What does your marketing plan look like today? Sticky notes? A list in your phone? Or “I’ll post something later”? That’s where a business marketing planner comes in.

Most makers and artisans get thrown into the marketing job. We’re great at making the product. Selling it is a whole other job. A business marketing planner is how I keep that job in one place.

Let’s stop posting random stuff just to stay visible.

What Is a Business Marketing Planner?

A business marketing planner is a planner built around selling, not just scheduling. A regular planner holds your appointments. A business marketing planner holds your goals, your content and your sales.

• A regular planner asks: “What do I have to do today?”
• A business marketing planner asks: “What am I selling this month, and what do I post to sell it?”

That second question is the one that grows a business.

What to Look for in a Business Marketing Planner

1. A goal page. Usually a money goal, sometimes how many products you want to sell.
2. Monthly pages with room for what you’re promoting.
3. Weekly pages with a spot for your content, not just your to-do list.
4. A place to track sales, email sign-ups and traffic.
5. Directions. A planner without a plan is just paper.

How to Use a Business Marketing Planner Each Month

This is the routine I use. It takes about an hour at the start of the month, then 20 minutes every Monday.

1. Pick what you’re selling this month

One product, one collection or one event. That’s your focus.

2. Write your promo dates on the monthly page

Launches, sales, craft fairs, holidays. Dates go in first, so nothing sneaks up on you.

3. Plan your content backward from those dates

Tease it, show how it’s made, show it in use, then sell it. Fill in the weeks.

4. Promote what you already made

Each week, write down the blog post, video, or email you already have, and share it again. New content is great. Reusing what works is how it keeps selling.

5. Track what happened

Sales, email sign-ups, and which posts got clicks. Next month, do more of what worked.

Example: A Maker’s Holiday Market Month

Say you sell handmade ornaments and have a holiday market on December 6.

• Monthly page: “Sell 60 ornaments. Market Dec 6. Shop sale Dec 1-3.”
• Week 1: show the new designs as you make them. Email your list about the market.
• Week 2: post a “come see me” reminder with your booth number. Share last year’s market photo.
• Week 3: post what’s left and open online orders.
• Week 4: track what sold, what sold out, and what to make more of next year.

That’s it. One focus, a few dates and posts that point to what you sell.

The Business Marketing Planner I Use (and Made)

I’ve been making small business planners since 2018. The Small Business Marketing Planner has:

• A monthly view, a Monday-Friday weekly view and a weekend view
• A marketing panel on every week, so you know what to post and why
• 19+ business and marketing worksheets
• A self-led marketing course that walks you through it ($300 value)
• 2 custom AI bots to help you plan content ($47 value each)

Get it as an undated spiral planner shipped to you (USA), or as a 2027 digital planner. Right now, every shipped planner comes with the 2027 digital version free.

If you sell at craft shows or on Etsy, here’s how I use it as a craft business planner.

What Business Marketing Planner Users Say

Want to See It Live?

New to marketing? Start with my free Small Business Marketing Checklist.

Still comparing planners? Read my guide to the best small business planner.