For a sample marketing plan, the outline should include these 13 important elements.

1. An analysis of your current situation.  Some call this a business review or "situational analysis".

2. A list of your the strengths of the service you offer.

3. A list of the weaknesses of your service.

4. A consideration of the opportunities that you have to pursue.

5. An examination of the threats that are in your marketplace (these could include competitor's marketing efforts, or economic conditions, etc.)

6. An analysis of your competitors.  A sample marketing plan should always take a look at who's competing with you.  Who are they?  What are their strengths and weaknesses?  What marketing efforts are they using to get more customers?

7. A list of your overall marketing goals.  What would you like to achieve in the next 1-3 years in terms of of how many new customers you want each month, or how much you want to increase sales volume each year?

8. A list of the objectives of your marketing.  These are somewhat "mini-goals" that achieve the list in #7 above.   They might include the ways your going to generate new customer sales leads or the new target markets that you think you need to attack to achieve sales goals.

9. A look at your target markets.  Here you define the groups of customers that you feel will be the most profitable for you to pursue.  Which group or groups are going to be the most effective to achieve your goals and objectives?

10. Develop customer profiles.  In your target market(s), make a list of the demographic an psychographic profile of each. 

11. Positioning.  What is the "niche" that you think you have that will appeal to the target market(s)?

12. Your central marketing message.  What are the key elements of the the statement or message you will make to your prospects that will communicate your position from #11? 

13.  Your specific tactics and actions.   These are the specific marketing tools or "weapons" that you will use to push your message to the target market(s).