Objectives
•Students will comprehensively apply their knowledge in response to a business scenario.
•Students will bring together individual concepts and theories in a strategic manner.
•Students will gain experience in the development of a comprehensive marketing plan and implementation strategy.
Instructions
Students will work in groups to develop a comprehensive Marketing Plan for Cuddles Are Us, a pet sitting service. Students will use the groups that they have already been assigned to for the Group Case Analysis/Critique assignment.
The Group Marketing Plan assignment will require research into this type of business in order to identify potential market segments and their characteristics, select appropriate target markets, design a marketing mix that will optimize the profitability of the business, set targets and evaluation metrics, and develop a full implementation plan. Students should use resources from the optional reading list to guide them in the development and preparation of the Plan.
This plan will be presented to the Executive Committee of the company. Click on the following link to see the Marketing Plan Outline for the correct format that is used when creating a Marketing plan.
The written submission should be substantive, both in length (maximum 30 pages, double-spaced, 12 pt font) and content, directly and thoughtfully addressing the question or issue.
The report should be professional. The Product (the content, the presentation, etc.), Place (the manner in which it is presented to the professor), Price (the amount of effort required to read and consider the points – this is a place where clarity, conciseness and attention to grammar, and spelling and punctuation counts), and Promotion (how well your ideas are supported and whether to “sell” your position) work together as the professor evaluates your work.
Evaluation
The Group Marketing Plan will be marked in its entirety out of 100. The following rubric indicates the criteria students are to adhere to, and their relative weights to the assignment overall
BUSI 2063: Introduction to Marketing 1
MARKETING PLAN OUTLINE
The marketing plan embodies our enterprise’s intentions for success in the market place.
It can be for a single product or service, a group of related products or services, or for an entire operating unit or enterprise. The key to success is the involvement in and commitment to the planning process and the final plan.
In this course you will develop two marketing plans. You will develop one as part of a group and one individually.
This paper provides a suggested outline for both those marketing plans.
1. Organizational Overview
a. Name of Organization
b. Mission Statement – this tells people why the organization exists, it should be short and memorable
2. The Opportunity
a. Describe the opportunity that this plan will address
3. Situation Analysis (SWOTT)
SWOTT Analysis
Strengths:
? List the internal strengths that we can call on to be successful
Weaknesses:
? List the internal problems that will limit success and must either be corrected or neutralized
Opportunities:
? List those things external to the organization that can contribute to the success of the project
Threats:
? List the things that will threaten the success of the project
Trends:
? List the trends that can have either a positive or negative impact on the plan
4. Marketing Research
a. Industry analysis – what is happening in the overall industry for this product/service
b. Consumer analysis – demographics, behaviors, and geographic considerations
BUSI 2063: Introduction to Marketing 2
c. Competitive analysis – your potential competitors and their strengths and
weaknesses
d. Opportunity analysis – information to substantiate the opportunity you
identified in #2.
5. Differentiating and Positioning – how will your product/service be different
than your competitors and how will you position it compared to your
competitors
6. Target customers and marketing mix
a. Target customers
i. The demographics this plan will target, geographic area, age, etc.
b. Product/Service – Type and features
c. Place
i. Channels of distribution
ii. Product location/availability
iii. Location of facilities (if applicable)
d. Price
i. Pricing strategy, is it profit oriented or sales oriented
ii. How it compares to the competition
iii. Suggested selling price
iv. The price quality relationship
e. Promotion
i. Personal selling
ii. Advertising
1. Direct mail
2. Internet
3. Telemarketing
4. Radio/television
5. Newspaper
iii. Sales Promotion
iv. Public relations
v. Website and social media
7. Key success factors – key factors that will contribute to the success or failure
of the plan
8. Goals and objectives – this section details short- and long-range objectives
for this enterprise
a. Develop an overall goal and 2 short-term objectives
b. Short-term objectives should be specific and apply to the next year
c. These can be performance objectives
i. Number of customers
ii. Market Share
iii. Revenue
Or action objectives e.g., Place advertising in all local papers
BUSI 2063: Introduction to Marketing 3
9. Implementation plan
a. 3 initiatives you will start in the month following the approval of the plan
10. Budget – Sales Forecast and planned expenditures for the first year
11. Control/monitor
a. Feedback mechanism to monitor progress
b. Evaluation process
12. Reference
The marketing assignment is all divided now and we all know are part, but we must be consistent on what our aim is.
These are my feelings:
We target groups with disposable income - pet sitting is not a necessity therefore those without the means will most likely ignore us anyways
We offer in home service - no kenel/office keeps our overhead at a minimum and we can offer the family/friendly feel to the family and pet
We highlight technological advances - I would like to start an app that the owners can track the sitter once requested - like uber - to see their ETA. It also will promote quick service.
We offer extended stays, and the same app can allow the owners to 'track their pets' when out for walks an such. It can be used for facetime (for a fee) to help the owner stay at ease during extended stays.
We change a little more than the status quo - because we are a value added service.
************ pass************ technology and most of all piece of mind to owners when away from their loved ones.
Good afternoon everyone,
We have to create a comprehensive marketing plan for the pet sitting service Cuddles are Us. Required research will include:
this is my part of the group
•identifying potential market segments and their characteristics & selecting appropriate target markets for the company and the industry (industry analysis, consumer analysis, competitive analysis, & opportunity analysis)