Guide · C08
Define the scope of the marketing plan
What must the plan cover — and exclude?
Direct answer
Scope names the included offers, markets, audiences, areas, teams, periods and decisions, then explicitly records the exclusions.
01Define the boundaries that make the plan comparable and governable.
02The rule, the evidence and the next review date stay visible.
How to use this
Move from the question to the deliverable.
What must the plan cover — and exclude?
Define the boundaries that make the plan comparable and governable.
In–out matrix
Decision grid · SQ-17
Decide what is in, out or remains at an interface
The scope becomes governable when it distinguishes included, excluded and cross-team objects.
Illustrative grid for a French B2B plan covering acquisition, content and CRM.
- 01Bound
Set markets, segments, offers, channels, horizon and entities.
- 02Classify
Place each object under included, excluded or interface.
- 03Contract
Define the inputs expected at interfaces and their owner.
- 04Validate
Approve exclusions as explicitly as inclusions.
Included–excluded–interface matrix
The interface column prevents a dependency on another team from disappearing from the scope.
| Object | Class | Owner | Expected deliverable | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France digital acquisition | Included | Demand generation | Channel plan and budget | Plan |
| France organic content | Included | Content lead | Editorial portfolio | Plan |
| Existing-customer CRM | Included | CRM lead | Cycles and capacity | Plan |
| Product pricing | Interface | Finance + product | Price validated by 15/09 | Track dependency |
| Germany activation | Excluded | DACH marketing | None | Do not budget |
| Product roadmap | Interface | Product management | Availability dates | Contractualise |
01An interface receives a deliverable, a date and an owner; otherwise it becomes a risk.
02Excluding Germany prevents its budget or results from entering the French plan.
03Pricing remains outside marketing ownership but inside the dependency system.
Fictitious example. Categories must match real accountability and consolidation conventions.
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
In–out matrix
Explore the decision further with an interactive control, or start from a structured template to produce your deliverable.