1.
COVER PAGE ( USE MICROSOFT OFFICE TEMPLATE FOR COVER PAGE)
2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
3. COMPANY’S OBJECTIVE
4. MARKET SEGMENTATION
Present a description of the market segmentation as follows:
Segment 1
Description
Percent of sales
What they want
How they use product
Support requirements
How to reach them
Price sensitivity
5. SELECTED MARKETING STRATEGY
Discuss why the strategy was selected, then the marketing mix decisions (4 P's) of product,
price, place (distribution), and promotion.
Product
The product decisions should consider the product's advantages and how they will be
leveraged. Product decisions should include:
Brand name
Quality
Scope of product line
Warranty
Packaging
Price
Discuss pricing strategy, expected volume, and decisions for the following pricing variables:
List price
Distribution (Place)
Decision variables include:
Distribution channels, such as direct, retail, distributors & intermediates
Locations
Logistics, including transportation, warehousing, and order fulfilment
Promotion
Advertising, including how much and which media.
Public relations
Promotional programs
Budget; determine break-even point for any additional spending
Projected results of the promotional programs
6. SHORT TERM & LONG TERM PROJECTIONS
The selected strategy's immediate effects, expected long-term results, and any special actions
required to achieve them. This section may include forecasts of revenues and expenses as well
as the results of a break-even analysis.
7. CONCLUSION
Summarize all of the above.
Appendix
MUST PRODUCE ACTUAL PRODUCT ( CREATIVITY )
Format:
Arial 10, Single Spacing, Maximum page 10, including appendix.
Step Three: Choose your Tactics:
Think of tactics as tools in your kit that will allow you to implement your strategy,
and get to your objectives. There are four general categories of tactics, these
are: PR, Advertising, Sales Promotion, Personal Selling(which includes Word of
Mouth and online communities – take some time to review each of the links). Some of
these have cross over points and grey areas, and when done well, you should use
some in combination or at different points in order to achieve your objectives. For
example, very rarely do you use a single way of transport to get from one place to
another (you might walk, then take a bus, then walk again for example), and the same
is true of choosing promotional tactics. You need to select promotions that are directly
aligned with your strategy. Think of what each of them will do for you, and then put
them together so they become a plan.
Begin with the four big categories and the links I’ve attached to them. Then make a
list of what reasonable types of activity you could consider to use, given your budget
and situation, that will help you implement your strategy and get to your objectives.
PR could include conferences, speeches, media activity, etc. Sales Promotions you
might consider are sampling, competitions, etc. Personal Selling includes training
your internal staff, internal recognition programs, and these days, word of mouth and
user community. Spend some time brainstorming different things. Let me repeat,
these four different areas of tactics are very broad and do not have defined constraints.
They are, however, foundational points for sparking your thoughts about different
activities you can do to communicate messages to different target audiences, and
receive information back.
When you have chosen some tactics, put them in order of when you’d like to
undertake them. There has to be real consideration given to when is the most effective
time to use a particular message and a particular tactic with your market. Remember
that promotions are defined as short-term activities. Ads get old fast. So do
competitions. Happy Meal toys get rotated every month. Effective promotions don’t
run for an extended period. Make them short, targeted and focused for great results.
That’s how you create a plan that is strategic. If you needed to go from your house to
your kids’ school, you wouldn’t take an aeroplane, even though it would probably
work. It’s not a well considered tool for the job. In fact it could backfire – how would
your kids’ friends feel? Your neighbours? Choose the correct tools for the job, to
move you along the strategic path toward your goal.
It is really very useful to use a timeline for this. Put a beginning date and the end date
(which will align with achieving your objective). Then mark in what activities you’re
planning to use, and when you’ll use them. Again, the more specific you are with
activities, how they’re going to work with each other and especially, what each of
them has been chosen to achieve as part of your strategy, the more likely you are to be
successful. Don’t do something just because it’s easy, or the latest trend.