The systematic, organized process of directing marketing activity to achieve maximum results is generally referred to as the marketing plan. Its desired result is the contribution of profit to a business organization. A marketing plan is usually prepared on an annual or fiscal year basis. A marketing plan gives your organization a track to run on, sets specific targets to aim for, provides a means to measure progress and helps prepare for corrective action in case of variances. A marketing plan establishes a base for follow-up planning and pursues profitability.