If you’re just starting to explore the possibilities of digital marketing, it can feel overwhelming. SEO, ads, content, email, social… where do you even start? That’s why we believe the smartest way to build your marketing plan is to reverse-engineer it based on where you want your business to go. 

At 1GS, we help businesses create focused, flexible, and actionable strategies that align with their growth goals. Here’s a step-by-step framework you can follow to start building your own marketing plan, one that’s tailored to your vision and built to scale over time. 

Step 1: Start with the Big Picture 

Before you create any content or launch an ad campaign, zoom out and ask: 

• What’s your 3–5 year business vision? 

• What’s your annual revenue goal this year and next? 

• How many new clients would it take to hit those goals? 

• What’s your average revenue per client? 

• What’s your current conversion rate (e.g., if you speak to 10 qualified leads, how many become clients)? 

Let’s say you want to generate $500,000 in new revenue next year. If your average revenue per client is $5,000, that’s 100 clients. If you convert 25% of your qualified leads, you’ll need 400 qualified leads to meet your goal. Now we have something concrete to work with. 

From there, we determine: 

• How many meetings you need to book each quarter 

• How many leads you need to generate 

• What kind of marketing engine must be in place to drive those results 

This reverse-engineering approach gives your marketing real purpose. It’s not about doing everything, it’s about doing what matters most to your goals with an eye on your budget. 

Step 2: Map the Marketing Ecosystem 

Once you know what your targets are, it’s time to build a system that supports it. We break your marketing into three components: 

MQL: Marketing Qualified Leads (Outbound Marketing) 

These are the leads you go out and find. You’re actively introducing your brand to potential clients. 

Examples: 

• LinkedIn outreach campaigns (a proven winner for B2B. We helped several firms in our Growth Accelerator program generate meetings in under 30 days). 

• Cold email sequences with compelling messaging (optional to add once outreach systems are stable). 

• Paid ads to cold audiences (Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads). 

These are powerful tools for booking early meetings quickly, especially if you’re just getting started and need short-term wins. 

SQL: Sales Qualified Leads (Booked Meeting Flows) 

These are prospects who’ve scheduled a meeting. Now the goal is to prepare and warm them up before your sales call. 

Tactics include: 

• Automated calendar booking and confirmations 

• Pre-meeting email/SMS sequences with value-add content 

• Testimonials or short educational videos (like we build for clients in our brand expansion packages) 

• Follow-up messages for no-shows or cold leads 

This stage is all about building confidence. We’ve seen campaigns drastically improve close rates just by implementing better pre-meeting content flows and follow-ups. 

Inbound Organic: The Long Game That Compounds 

Inbound efforts attract leads over time by building visibility, trust, and credibility. 

Key channels: 

• SEO & Website – Make sure your site is discoverable and conversion-ready. Our Website Services team specializes in fast, SEO-optimized builds that turn visitors into leads. 

• Blog content – Use SEO-informed writing to rank for key terms your audience is searching. Check out our SEO + Content services for examples. 

• Social media – Stay top of mind through consistent LinkedIn or Instagram posts. We manage this for clients through our Social Media Management packages. 

• Retargeting Ads – Capture warm leads who visited your site but didn’t convert. 

• Email Newsletters – Engage your network and past prospects regularly with updates, insights, and offers. Automation is key—our Email Automation services make it seamless. 

• Lead Magnets – Create downloadable guides, checklists, or assessments that offer real value in exchange for a prospect’s email. 

• Podcast guesting or video content – Build authority through interviews, thought leadership, or educational videos that show off your expertise. 

These channels take time but can become your most consistent and cost-effective source of leads over the long haul. Many of our case study clients began with outbound strategies and layered inbound over time to create a more self-sustaining funnel (view examples here). 

Final Thoughts: Build in Phases, Stay Focused 

You don’t need to do all of this at once. The best marketing plans evolve in phases. You start with quick-win strategies (like outbound outreach), then layer in inbound systems, nurturing flows, and branding elements as you grow. 

Most importantly, every piece of your marketing should point back to your bigger business goals. When you plan with the end in mind, you avoid wasted effort and start creating real, measurable traction. 

Ready to Build Your Marketing Plan? Let’s Talk. 

If you’re ready to get serious about growing your business, don’t go it alone. At 1GS, we specialize in helping business owners create focused, data-driven marketing plans that align with where they want to go. 

Reach out today to get personalized help setting your long-term goals—and a clear path to hitting them. Your next 12 months can look radically different with the right plan in place.