Guide · C09
Build the marketing-plan baseline
Which starting point should set the objectives?
Direct answer
A usable baseline specifies the measure, unit, scope, period, source, exclusions and breaks in comparability.
01Freeze the reference against which variances will be measured.
02The rule, the evidence and the next review date stay visible.
How to use this
Move from the question to the deliverable.
Which starting point should set the objectives?
Freeze the reference against which variances will be measured.
Baseline table
Dataset · SQ-02
Build a comparable baseline, not a heterogeneous snapshot
A usable baseline aligns date, scope, unit, source and confidence level. Variations are calculated only after normalisation.
Illustrative data set: a B2B SME, Q1–Q2 comparison at constant channel scope.
- 01Freeze
Fix the period, segments, channels, regions and calculation conventions.
- 02Qualify
Document the source, owner, freshness and reliability of every measure.
- 03Normalise
Recalculate the values on an identical scope and unit.
- 04Compare
Calculate the variances and isolate breaks in measurement before any conclusion.
Normalised quarterly baseline
Six measures are enough to show why a rise in volume can coexist with an economic decline.
Change = (normalised Q2 value − Q1 value) ÷ Q1 value| Measure | Unit | Source | Q1 | Q2 | Change | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Media investment | € | Finance | 180 000 | 216 000 | +20.0% | High |
| MQL | volume | CRM | 1 420 | 1 705 | +20.1% | High |
| Opportunities | volume | CRM | 236 | 252 | +6.8% | High |
| Sourced pipeline | € | CRM | 2 940 000 | 3 060 000 | +4.1% | Medium |
| Cost per opportunity | € | Calculation | 763 | 857 | +12.3% | High |
| MQL → opportunity rate | % | Calculation | 16.6 | 14.8 | −1.8 pt | High |
01MQL volume rises at the same pace as investment.
02Pipeline rises by only 4.1%, which signals a dilution of quality.
03Cost per opportunity rises by 12.3%: the next objective must address conversion, not volume alone.
Fictitious data meant to illustrate the method. They do not constitute a sector benchmark.
Coherence controls
Minimum conditions before validation.
The status, the evidence and the owner must be available for review.
The status, the evidence and the owner must be available for review.
The status, the evidence and the owner must be available for review.
The status, the evidence and the owner must be available for review.
Usable deliverable
Baseline table
Explore the decision further with an interactive control, or start from a structured template to produce your deliverable.