Assignment : Marketing Plan

This assignment consists of two (2) sections: a marketing plan and sales strategy, and a marketing budget. Note: You must submit both sections as separate files for the completion of this assignment.

For the first six (6) months your company is in business-to give you time to perfect your product and to learn from actual customers-you will start marketing and selling in your own community, a radius of twenty-five (25) miles from where you live.

For most non-alcoholic beverages, marketing (as opposed to the actual product itself) is key to success. Cola drinks, for example, are fairly undifferentiated, as are many energy drinks, juices, bottled water, and the like. Companies producing these types of beverages differentiate themselves and attract market share through marketing and brand awareness-both of which are critical to success.

Section 1: Marketing Plan & Sales Strategy (MS Word or equivalent)

Write the three to five (3-5) page Marketing Plan & Sales Strategy section of your business plan, in which you:

Define your company's target market.

Analyze the types of consumers who will be drinking your beverage in demographic terms (i.e., age, education level, income, gender, ethnic group, etc.).

Support your analysis with actual data on the size of the demographic groups in your local community (nearby zip codes).
Outline the demographic information for your company specified on the worksheet in the course text (p. 107 | Demographic Description).

Assess your company's market competition.

Use the factors listed in the course text graphic (p. 123 | Assess the Competition) to assess your company's market competition.

Defend your strategy to successfully compete against market leaders in your segment.

Defend your plan to differentiate yourself from the competition using the information detailed on the worksheet in the text (p. 131 | Market Share Distribution).

Clarify your company's message using the information provided on the worksheet in the text (p. 160 | The Five F's).

Identify the marketing vehicles you plan to use to build your company's brand. Justify the key reasons why they will be effective. Provide examples of other non-alcoholic beverage companies that use these tactics effectively.

For example, if you decide to give out samples in grocery stores, promote your sampling on your social media networks and those of the grocery store.

Format your assignment according to these formatting requirements:

Cite the resources you have used to complete the exercise. Note: There is no minimum requirement for the number of resources used in the exercise.

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the professor's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length.

Section 2: Marketing Budget (MS Excel worksheets template)

Section 2 uses the "Business Plan Financials" MS Excel template (see: Course Required Files in Week 1). Use the "Business Plan Financials Guide" (see: Course Required Files in Week 1) to support your development of the Marketing Budget.

Complete the Marketing Budget worksheet for your company.

Begin in the current year and complete a marketing budget for the first year of your business. The information you enter in the marketing budget spreadsheet will flow through to your "Income Statement" in the Business Plan Financials.

Leave the number at zero (0) for any marketing vehicles you do not intend to use.

Remember that all marketing activities involve costs. If social media represents a significant portion of your marketing, assume you will have cost of advertising and that should be reflected on your budget.

Even if a social media site charges nothing to use it, you will need to use company resources to manage the site, pay someone to execute your social media marketing campaigns, and will most likely pay for ads on that site.

Do NOT leave the "Marketing Budget" blank, assuming you will not have any marketing costs.