MKTG 240 – FINAL PAPER
Dr. Kay
After the review of your writing efforts, the vice president of sales and marketing is developing a marketing
plan in the product category that you have chosen. She is considering several different segments of the market
and how to allocate funds. Her budget is limited, however. She has to determine the priorities for the next year
and consider some marketing efforts that could be effective. The first paper that you submitted has gotten her
attention, but she wants improvements (be sure to polish and improve what you have written). She wants you to
provide a plan to reach the segment, merging what you have already written into a paper with the following
outline.
1. INTRODUCTION: write a short paragraph that introduces the topic of the paper.
2. THE MARKET:
Review and improve your description of the important competitive and consumer factors that affect the
product that you have choses. Be sure to discuss the characteristics of companies and brands that are directly
competing in the category that you have chosen to work.
3. FIVE SEGMENTS:
Clarify the five different potential (and attractive) customer segments that could be targeted. Describe each
segment specifically and clearly, applying the four factors to each segment to create a precise profile of each
consumer segment.
4. TARGET SEGMENT GOAL
In this section, you clarify your target strategy by identifying ONE market segment that you think provides an
attractive opportunity. Match that ONE segment to ONE brand. (For example, White Castle could target the
“heavy user” segment in the quick service restaurant category.) Note that the customers that you target do not
need to be the “biggest” segment in the category. Provide clarification, giving the reasons that this segment is an
attractive opportunity, providing strengths and weaknesses of the plan.
Explain the specific goal of your targeting strategy or what you want to accomplish. For example, one goal
could be to attracting a new segment of users to the category, and thus to increase sales. Another goal could be to
increase the loyalty of existing customers to your brand by making them more satisfied (and make it less likely that
they will switch to another brand). And yet another goal would be to expanding purchases of your product by
getting customers to buy more frequently.
In describing your marketing strategy, you may need to refine or clarify the profile of your customer segment.
In developing you strategy, be sure to explain precisely why this is an attractive customer segment in the product
category and the specific appeal of the brand to that segment. Explain the marketing connection of the brand to
target segment. What could make your particular brand attractive to that particular segment?
4. POSITIONING, BRANDING, AND THE MARKETING MIX:
The next part of the paper is execution. Propose specific marketing actions that you would take, along the lines of
the marketing mix (the 4 Ps). There are four strategies that need to be discussed.
PRODUCT and SERVICE STRATEGY: What type of product is it (for example, is it an impulse product,
convenience product, a shopping product, a specialty product, etc.)? Does the brand compete on the
basis of a product or a service, or both? Is the product line of the brand extensive and is the brand well
known or innovative? Are there many brands competing in the category, or only a few? Use marketing
terminology to describe that product and its brand appeal.
PLACEMENT and DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY: What type of distribution is being employed? Is there a lot
or a little distribution (intensive, selective, or exclusive)?
PROMOTION and COMMUNICATION: There are three promotional elements that you need to discuss in
your paper. First, what is the message or advertising theme that you propose? Second, what is the media
that you want to use? Third, explain what your choice of media would imply for the budget (for example,
TV advertising is very expensive while billboards cost less, so explain that what you want to do is realistic
and feasible).
PRICING: What is the pricing strategy? Is the pricing of the brand high or low compared to your
competitors?
Each of these above marketing mix factors are related to each other. Each factor should contribute to
make the marketing strategy a success. Each should be clearly explained.
5. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Write a summary that is less than one page when you have completed your plan. The executive summary is a
concise brief description of your plan. When you submit this report, make this page the first page of the report
that you submit.
Checklist for Paper
Content:
1. Does the paper profile the segment in detail and in multiple dimensions (using several descriptive
factors)?
2. Does the paper explain the possible strengths and weaknesses of marketing to the segment?
3. Does the paper examine the potential brand image appeal to the target segment?
4. Is there a clear strategy?
5. Does the paper present a plan that discusses the decision for each element of the marketing mix as it
applies to marketing to the particular target segment (and only that segment)?
6. Is there good research to support the content, and reference provided?
Organization, Research, and writing:
7. Is the writing clear and concise? Does the writing meet business writing professional standard? NOTE:
be sure to review all the business writing tips. Wikipedia also has great writing suggestions for the
voluntary authors who write publications for the site.
8. Does your paper make an appealing case for a realistic opportunity for marketing? Are marketing
terms used, and used correctly?
9. Are there headings to differentiate sections? Is the paper paginated? Did you use spell check? Is it
formatted (one inch margins, ten point fonts).
10. Are all research references properly footnoted, including any references to advertisements that are
being discussed? Is there supporting information included an appendix? If you make specific store
observations are these clearly documented and referenced in terms time and location?
Writing Business Letters and Reports:
Writing is that essential skill to develop –do this while you are in college!
Business writing is an important business skill. When you get a job, your boss will not correct your writing, she
will, more likely, just fire you. Business writing differs from poetry, prose, or even business journalism. Good
business reports are written to inform managers, they tend to be very direct. They do not confuse; and they do
not entertain.
Many businesses operate globally, hence business reports need to be understandable to people from other
cultures who speak English as a second language. You should avoid all slang and idiomatic expressions. People in
England do not play baseball, so they may be confused if you tell them about your “home run” marketing strategy.
Below are a just a few basic recommendations to improve your writing, based on my observations of common
mistakes. While a few recommended rules listed below apply to business documents, effective writing is evident
in that CARE that you take in EDITING your own writing. Be sure you understand to whom you are writing and
what their expectations are.
1.
The primary rule of good writing:
The first draft never works; rewrite until the report, letter, or paper is clear and interesting.
2. The “take a second look” rule:
Look at it a few days after your think it is finished to see it with fresh eyes –you will likely discover a few
mistakes.
3. KISS (Keep it short and simple):
• Use direct language, simple and clear words, rather than complicated and obscure phrasing.
• Use commonly understood words (your business customers and clients may not be from the USA, so
use words that even people from other cultures will understand).
• Write short, clear sentences with correct spelling and grammatical forms. Don’t say “their” when you
mean “there” or “they’re.”
• Express one idea per sentence –especially avoid those long “run on” sentences.
• Eliminate unnecessary words if they do not add to the meaning.
• Use no more than three prepositional phrases per sentence.
• Use no more than three numbers (or percentages) per sentence
• Avoid jargon, idioms, or complex metaphors. For example, if you write, “there are tons of people who
do marketing” this is idiomatic. A simple rule to follow is to avoid sounding like you are still in high
school.
• Avoid acronyms and abbreviations, unless these are appropriate to the context.
• Avoid double negatives; they suggest that you are incompetent and uneducated.
• It is always good to be critical and focused, but do not needlessly attack others.
• Be neither overly humble nor overly brash.
4. Write forceful and interesting reports, especially those that state marketing problems and offer creative
insights to their solution.
• Use active rather than passive voice (unless passive is clearly better).
• Use words with concrete or specific meaning, not overly broad generalizations.
5. Try to use marketing terms, but use them correctly and appropriately.
For example, terms such as “cannibalization” and “segmentation” have definite meanings that express
clear business problems. Using these terms, and using them effectively –this demonstrates your mastery
of the concepts and improves your grade. If you have doubts about the meaning of a marketing term,
thoroughly check them before using the terms.
6. Presentation matters! Use standard one inch margins. Paginate! Use headings for clarity, not for filler.
Run the spell check. Get reference right. Staple the paper, never hand in a paper with a crinkled corner
(it looks unprofessional). Pictures only matter if they relate to content, such as an example of an
advertisement, and it should be referenced in the text and explained. (This is all common sense –in other
words, you need to follow common business presentation standards.) While I grade for content,
presentation very much enhances the impact of content.
7. Finally, do some library research! It is very important to the paper grade. You cannot do a good paper
without it. This is not very difficult. But this involves more that looking up something on Wikipedia. Try
to find a substantial article in Business Week or Fortune on the industry that you are examining in the
paper that will provide some background. Business Week is available online, but many more sources are
available through the links to articles on the library website.
MKTG 240
Mark J. Kay, Ph.D.
First Paper Assignment:
You are working in the marketing department at a company, reporting to the vice president of
sales and marketing. She is writing the marketing plan, considering several different segments of the
market and how to allocate funds. Her budget is limited, and she has to decide priorities for the next
year’s marketing. She wants to consider some targeted marketing efforts that might be effectively
developing in new and creative ways.
1. THE MARKET:
First, choose a product category to investigate.
Define a market for a product or service. Describe a specific product category (choose one that you
might find interesting to study). Briefly describe the important factors that affect the market, especially the
social, cultural, and technical factors that affect consumer buying and consumption decisions. Use
common sense, such as describing the features, stores, and buying habits within that market. Briefly
examine different competitors in the market, especially important brands directly competing in the
category that you have chosen.
A good product category should include four or five closely competing brands. The “product” could
also be a service, such as a cell phone service, a retail store, or restaurant. Remember that some
products and services compete across categories, and brands can appeal to customer segments in many
different ways.
(The product category “beverages” is too broad. “Diet Colas” seems rather too small. “Carbonated
beverages” could be okay. Competitors in this category could include Fanta Orange, Seven Up, Sprite,
Barq’s Root Beer, and Dr. Pepper (as well as others).
To do this assignment well, try to find an article in Business Week, Forbes, or Fortune to help you
understand some of the important competitive factors.
2. SEGMENTATION:
Next, you need to describe five distinctive customer segments that could be targeted.
List different (and potentially attractive) customer segments that could be targeted in the market you
described. Describe each segment specifically and clearly. Try to use each of the four descriptive factors
to create a precise profile of each consumer segment. The goal here is to market to a well-defined group
of customers that have some distinctive characteristics in common. This does not necessarily mean
marketing to the largest group of customers.
Then submit the paper for approval.
Instructions will follow for the second part of this assignment (to be posted). The second part of
the assignment will relate to the first part. This assignment will be graded, but you will have a chance to
improve the paper to better your grade. The final version that you submit will account for your writing
grade in the course. Be sure to re-read the suggestions on writing in the syllabus.
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