Basically, you're zoning game plan should be to always start with an orb. You throw them out to bait movement, build meter, or keep them in check (If MB). Usually you're opponent respects your options after an orb, which allows to go for a meteor. After a blocked meteor, your opponent has to respect the pillar followup. Now obviously there are some characters that have faster zoning than MMH, so it won't always be that simple. But that's basically how it goes down against most of the cast.
Neutral is what you're doing when not applying pressure or defending against your opponent's pressure. When you're playing footsies. At some point, your opponent is gonna get in on you. This is the time to pop trait and use the meter built from the zoning to outfootsie and do some real big boy damage. You can go for a setup and more pressure or you can just choose to back off, zone them out, while you buy time for trait. Then rinse and repeat.
Jupiter has it right about 50/50s after MB orb. Martian builds a ton of meter so you won't find yourself in too many situations where you don't have a bar. The best time to use MB orb is during block strings (B2333, S3, or 22 mostly) and when you need to get in on an opponent. After phase, just throw out a regular orb and dash up.
It takes some time to get comfortable with Martian. This character can pretty much do whatever he wants, all the time. After you get all the setups, bnbs, and your zoning down you'll find that every MU has the same game plan: Zone, wait for trait, get damage, then do it all over again.
Watch Reo and Jupiter.
