A step‎-by‎-step guide to creating an actionable marketing plan‎-fast A great marketing plan identifies where an organization is‎,‎ where it wants to be‎,‎ and how it will get there‎.‎ Most companies think they already have such a plan‎-but often they really have only a budget‎,‎ a sales goal‎,‎ or an excuse‎.‎ What‎'‎s the solution‎?‎ According to Paul Kurnit and Steve Lance‎,‎ it‎'‎s not about copying someone else‎'‎s cookie‎-cutter plan‎,‎ or retreading your own plan from years past‎.‎ There‎'‎s a far more effective option‎:‎ harnessing the company‎'‎s own internal brain trust to create something fresh and perfectly tailored‎.‎ The authors show how to maximize collaboration among all key players in marketing‎,‎ R&D‎,‎ research‎,‎ sales‎,‎ financial‎,‎ legal‎,‎ and senior management‎.‎ When everyone combines their knowledge‎,‎ the critical elements become clear‎,‎ including brand positioning‎,‎ target audience‎,‎ and competitive strategy‎.‎ Filled with easy‎-to‎-follow advice for businesses large and small‎,‎ ‎"‎The Little Blue Book of Marketing‎"‎ is a powerful tool in a small package‎.‎