ATTACHED MARKETING PROPOSAL, need the MARKETING plan to be written Marketing Plan Outline (DETAILS TO BE INCLUDED ATTACHED) 25 pages need figures and diagrams also inserted APA format 15 references

If you have a real product with a distinctive point of dif- ference that satisfies the needs of customers, you may have a winner. And you get a real feel for this in a well-written marketing or business plan. 1 This appendix (1) describes what marketing and business plans are, including the purposes and guidelines in writing effective plans, and (2) provides a sample marketing plan. Marketing Plans and Business Plans After explaining the meanings, purposes, and audiences of marketing plans and business plans, this section describes some writing guidelines for them and what external funders often look for in successful plans.

Meanings, Purposes, and Audiences A marketing plan is a road map for the marketing activities of an organization for a specified future period of time, such as one year or five years. 2 It is important to note that no single “generic” marketing plan applies to all organizations and all situations. Rather, the specific format for a market - ing plan for an organization depends on the following: l The target audience and purpose. Elements included in a particular marketing plan depend heavily on (1) who the audience is and (2) what its purpose is. A marketing plan for an internal audience seeks to point the direction for future marketing activities and is sent to all individuals in the organization who must implement the plan or who will be affected by it. If the plan is directed to an external audience, such as friends, banks, venture capitalists, or potential inves- tors, for the purpose of raising capital, it has the addi - tional function of being an important sales document.

In this case, it contains elements such as the strategic plan/focus, organization, structure, and biographies of key personnel that would rarely appear in an internal marketing plan. Also, the financial information is far more detailed when the plan is used to raise outside capital. The elements of a marketing plan for each of these two audiences are compared in Figure A–1. l The kind and complexity of the organization . A small neighborhood restaurant has a somewhat different marketing plan than Nestlé, which serves interna - tional markets. The restaurant’s plan would be rela - tively simple and directed at serving customers in a local market. In Nestlé’s case, because there is a hierarchy of marketing plans, various levels of detail would be used—such as the entire organization, the strategic business unit, or the product/product line.

l The industry. Both the restaurant serving a local mar - ket and Bombardier, selling subway cars and planes globally, analyze competition. Not only are their geo - graphic thrusts far different, but also the complexities of their offerings and, hence, the time periods likely to be covered by their plans differ. A one-year mar - keting plan may be adequate for the restaurant, but Bombardier may need a five-year planning horizon because product-development cycles for complex, new medical devices may be three or four years.

In contrast to a marketing plan, a business plan is a road map for the entire organization for a specified future period of time, such as one year or five years. 3 A key difference be - tween a marketing plan and a business plan is that the busi - ness plan contains details on the research and development (R&D)/operations/manufacturing activities of the organiza - tion. Even for a manufacturing business, the marketing plan chApter 27 Creating Customer relationships and Value through marketing is probably 60 or 70 percent of the entire business plan. For businesses like a small restaurant or an auto repair shop, their marketing and business plans are virtually identical. The ele- ments of a business plan typically targeted at internal and external audiences appear in the two right-hand columns in Figure A–1.

The Most-Asked Questions by Outside Audiences Lenders and prospective investors reading a business or marketing plan that is used to seek new capital are probably the toughest audiences to satisfy. Their most-asked questions include the following:

1. Is the business or marketing idea valid?

2. Is there something unique or distinctive about the product or service that sepa - rates it from substitutes and competitors?

3. Is there a clear market for the product or service?

4. Are the financial projections realistic and healthy?

5. Are the key management and technical personnel capable, and do they have a track record in the industry in which they must compete?

6. Does the plan clearly describe how those providing capital will get their money back and make a profit?

Rhonda Abrams, author of The Successful Business Plan, observes, “Although you may spend five months preparing your plan, the cold, hard fact is that an investor or lender can dismiss it in less than five minutes.” 4 While her comments apply to plans seeking to raise capital, the first five questions just listed apply equally well to plans for internal audienc\ es. Writing and Style Suggestions There are no magic one-size-fits-all guidelines for writing successful marketing and business plans. Still, the following writing and style guidelines generally apply: 5 l Use a direct, professional writing style. Use appropriate business terms without jargon. Present and future tenses with active voice (“I will write an effective mar - keting plan.”) are generally better than past tense and passive voice (“An effective marketing plan was written by me.”). 1. Executive summary 2. Description of company 3. Strategic plan/focus 4. Situation analysis 5. Market-product focus 6. Marketing program strategy and tactics 7. R&D and operations program 8. Financial projections 9. Organization structure 10. Implementation plan 11. Evaluation and control Appendix A: Biographies of key personnel Appendix B, etc.: Details on other topics Marketing plan Element of the plan Business plan For internal audience(to direct the firm) For external audience(to raisecapital) For internal audience(to direct the firm) For external audience(to raisecapital) Figure A–1 Elements in typical marketing and business plans targeted at different audiences Appendix A Building an effeCtiVe marketing plan A2 A3 l Be positive and specific to convey potential success. At the same time, avoid su - perlatives (“terrific,” “wonderful”). Specifics are better than glittering generali- ties. Use numbers for impact, justifying projections with reasonable qua\ ntitative assumptions, where possible.

l Use bullet points for succinctness and emphasis. As with the list you are reading, bullets enable key points to be highlighted effectively.

l Use A-level (the first level) and B-level (the second level) headings under the num- bered section headings to help readers make easy transitions from one topic to another. This also forces the writer to organize the plan more carefully. Use these headings liberally, at least one every 200 to 300 words.

l Use visuals where appropriate. Photos, illustrations, graphs, and charts\ enable massive amounts of information to be presented succinctly.

l Shoot for a plan 15 to 35 pages in length, not including financial projections and appendixes. An uncomplicated small business may require only 15 pages, while a high-technology start-up may require more than 35 pages.

l Use care in layout, design, and presentation. Laser printers give a more pro - fessional look than ink-jet printers do. Use 11- or 12-point type (you \ are now reading 10.5-point type) in the text. Use a serif type (with “feet,” like that you are reading now) in the text because it is easier to read, and sans serif (without “feet”) in graphs and charts like Figure A–1. A bound report with a nice cover and clear title page adds professionalism.

These guidelines are used, where possible, in the sample marketing plan that follows. saMPle Five-Year Marketing Plan For Paradise kitchens, ® inc. To help interpret the marketing plan for Paradise Kitchens, Inc., that follows, we will describe the company and suggest some guidelines in interpreting the plan.

Background on Paradise Kitchens, Inc.

With a degree in chemical engineering, Randall F. Peters spent 15 years working for Gen - eral Foods and Pillsbury with a number of diverse responsibilities: plant operations, R&D, restaurant operations, and new business development. His wife, Leah, with degrees in both molecular cellular biology and food science, held various Pillsbury executive positions in new category development and packaged goods, and restaurant R&D. In the company’s start-up years, Paradise Kitchens survived on the savings of Randy and Leah, the cofound - ers. With their backgrounds, they decided Randy should serve as president and CEO of Paradise Kitchens, and Leah should focus on R&D and corporate strategy.

Interpreting the Marketing Plan The marketing plan on the next pages, based on an actual Paradise Kitchens plan, is directed at an external audience (see Figure A–1). To protect proprietary information about the company, some details and dates have been altered, but the basic logic of the plan has been kept. Notes in the margins next to the Paradise Kitchens plan fall into two categories:

1. Substantive notes are in blue boxes. These notes elaborate on the significance of an element in the marketing plan.

2. Writing style, format, and layout notes are in red boxes and explain the editorial or visual rationale for the element.

A word of encouragement: Writing an effective marketing plan is hard, but challeng - ing and satisfying, work. Dozens of the authors’ students have used effective marketing plans they wrote for class in their interviewing portfolio to show prospective employers what they could do and to help them get their first job. chApter 27 Creating Customer relationships and Value through marketing A4 Appendix A Building an effeCtiVe marketing plan Blue boxes explain significance of marketing plan elements. Red boxes give writing style, format, and layout guidelines. Color-coding Legend Five-Year Marketing Plan Paradise Kitchens,® Inc.

Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 2. Company Description Paradise Kitchens®, Inc., was started by cofounders Randall F. Peters and Leah E. Peters to develop and market Howlin’ Coyote® Chili, a unique line of single serve and microwavable Southwestern/Mexican style frozen chili products. The Howlin’ Coyote line of chili was first introduced into the Minneapolis–St. Paul market and expanded to Denver two years later and Phoenix two years after that.

To the Company’s knowledge, Howlin’ Coyote is the only premium-quality, au thentic Southwestern/Mexican style, frozen chili sold in U.S. grocery stores. Its high quality has gained fast, widespread acceptance in these markets. In fact, same-store sales doubled in the last year for which data are available. The Company believes the Howlin’ Coyote brand can be extended to other categories of Southwestern/Mexican food products, such as tacos, enchiladas, and burritos.

Paradise Kitchens believes its high-quality, high-price strategy has proven success- ful. This marketing plan outlines how the Company will extend its geographic cover- age from 3 markets to 20 markets by the year 2013. 3. Strategic Focus and Plan This section covers three aspects of corporate strategy that influence the market- ing plan: (1) the mission, (2) goals, and (3) core competence/sust\ ainable competitive advantage of Paradise Kitchens.

Mission The mission of Paradise Kitchens is to market lines of high-quality Southwestern/ Mexican food products at premium prices that satisfy consumers in this fast- growing food segment while providing challenging career opportunities for employees and above-average returns to stockholders. The Table of Contents provides quick access to the topics in the plan, usually organized by section and subsection headings.

Seen by many experts as the single most important element in the plan, the two-page Executive Sum- mary “sells” the plan to readers through its clarity and brevity.

The Strategic Focus and Plan sets the strategic direction for the entire organization, a direction with which proposed ac- tions of the marketing plan must be consistent.

This section is not in- cluded in all marketing plans.

The qualitative Mission statement focuses the activities of Paradise Kitchens for the stake- holder groups to be served.

The Company Description highlights the recent his- tory and recent successes of the organization. A5 GoalsFor the coming five years Paradise Kitchens seeks to achieve the following goals:

•    Nonfinancial goals 1. To retain its present image as the highest-quality line of Southwestern/ Mexican products in the food categories in which it competes.

2. To enter 17 new metropolitan markets.

3. To achieve national distribution in two convenience store or supermarket chains by 2008 and five by 2009.

4. To add a new product line every third year.

5. To be among the top five chili lines—regardless of packaging (frozen or canned)—in one-third of the metro markets in which it competes by 2009 and two-thirds by 2011.

•    Financial goals 1. To obtain a real (inflation-adjusted) growth in earnings per share of 8 percent per year over time.

2. To obtain a return on equity of at least 20 percent.

3. To have a public stock offering by the year 2009.

Core Competency and Sustainable Competitive Advantage In terms of core competency, Paradise Kitchens seeks to achieve a unique ability to (1) provide dis- tinctive, high-quality chilies and related products using Southwestern/Mexican recipes that appeal to and excite contemporary tastes for these products and (2) deliver these products to the customer’s table using effective man ufacturing and distribu- tion systems that maintain the Company’s quality standards.

To translate these core competencies into a sustain- able competitive advantage, the Company will work closely with key suppliers and distributors to build the relationships and alliances necessary to satisfy the high taste standards of our customers. In keeping with the goal of achieving national distribution through chains, Paradise Kitchens recently obtained distribution through a convenience store chain where it uses this point-of-purchase ad that adheres statically to the glass door of the freezer case. Lists use parallel con- struction to improve read ability—in this case a series of infinitives start- ing with “To . . .” Photos or sample ads can illustrate key points effec- tively, even if they are not in colour as they appear here.

A brief caption on photos and sample ads ties them to the text and highlights the reason for being included.

The Goals section sets both the nonfinancial and financial targets—where possible in quantitative terms—against which the company’s performance will be measured. chApter 27 Creating Customer relationships and Value through marketing Appendix A Building an effeCtiVe marketing plan A6 4. Si tuation Analysis This situation analysis starts with a snapshot of the current environment in which Paradise Kitchens finds itself by providing a brief SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. After this overview, the analysis probes ever-finer levels of detail: industry, competitors, company, and consumers.

SWOT Analysis Figure 1 shows the internal and external factors affecting the market opportuni- ties for Paradise Kitchens. Stated briefly, this SWOT analysis highlights the great strides taken by the company since its products first appeared on grocers’ shelves. Figure 1. SWOT Analysis for Paradise Kitchens management experienced and entrepreneurial small size can restrict options management and board offerings unique, high-quality, high-price many lower-quality, lower-price products competitors marketing distribution in three markets with no national awareness or excellent acceptance distribution; restricted shelf space in the freezer section personnel good workforce, though small; Big gap if key employee leaves little turnover finance excellent growth in sales revenues limited resources may restrict growth opportunities when compared to giant competitors manufacturing sole supplier ensures high quality lack economies of scale of huge competitors r& d Continuing efforts to ensure quality l ack of canning and microwavable in delivered products food processing expertise Consumer/social upscale market, likely to be stable; premium price may limit access southwestern/mexican food to mass markets; consumers category is fast-growing segment due value a strong brand name to growth in hispanic american population and desire for spicier foods Competitive distinctive name and packaging in not patentable; competitors can its markets attempt to duplicate product; others better able to pay slotting fees technological technical breakthroughs enable Competitors have gained smaller food producers to achieve economies in canning and many economies available to large microwavable food processing competitors economic Consumer income is high; more households “eating out,” convenience important to u.s. and bringing prepared take-out households into home legal/regulatory high u.s. food & drug administration mergers among large competitors standards eliminate fly-by-night being approved by government competitors internal Factors Strengths Weaknesses external Factors Opportunities threats To improve readability, each numbered section usually starts on a new page. (This is not done in this plan to save space.) The Situation Analysis is a snapshot to answer the question, “Where are we now?” The SWOT Analysis iden- tifies strengths, weak- nesses, opportunities, and threats to provide a solid foundation as a springboard to identify subsequent actions in the marketing plan.

Each long table, graph, or photo is given a figure number and title. It then appears as soon as possi- ble after the first reference in the text, accommodat- ing necessary page breaks.

This also avoids breaking long tables like this one in the middle. Short tables or graphs that are less than 1 1⁄2 inches are often in- serted in the text without figure numbers because they don’t cause seri- ous problems with page breaks. Effective tables seek to summarize a large amount of information in a short amount of space. A7 In the Company’s favor internally are its strengths of an experienced management team and board of directors, excellent acceptance of its lines in the three metropolitan markets in which it competes, and a strong manufacturing and distribution system to serve these limited markets. Favorable external factors (opportunities) include the increasing appeal of Southwestern/Mexican foods, the strength of the upscale market for the Company’s products, and food-processing technological breakthroughs that make it easier for smaller food producers to compete.Among unfavorable factors, the main weakness is the limited size of Paradise Kitchens relative to its competitors in terms of the depth of the management team, available financial resources, and national awareness and distribution of product lines. Threats include the danger that the Company’s premium prices may limit access to mass markets and competition from the “eating-out” and “take-out” markets.

Industry Analysis: Trends in Frozen and Mexican Foods Frozen Foods. According to Grocery Headquarters, consumers are flocking to the frozen food section of grocery retailers. The reasons: hectic lifestyles demand- ing increased convenience and an abundance of new, tastier, and nutritious products. 6 By 2007, total sales of frozen food in supermarkets, drugstores, and mass mer - chandisers, such as Target and Costco (excluding Wal-Mart) reached $29 billion.

Prepared frozen meals, which are defined as meals or entrees that are frozen and require minimal preparation, accounted for $8.1 billion, or 26 percent of the total frozen food market.

Sales of Mexican entrees totaled $506 million. 7 Heavy consumers of frozen meals, those who eat five or more meals every two weeks, tend to be kids, teens, and young adults 35–44 years old. 8 Mexican Foods. Currently, Mexican foods such as burritos, enchiladas, and tacos are used in two-thirds of American households. These trends reflect a generally more favorable attitude on the part of all Americans toward spicy foods that include red chili peppers. The growing Hispanic population in the U.S., about 44 million and almost $798 billion in purchasing power in 2007, partly explains the increasing demand for Mexican food. This Hispanic purchasing power is projected to be $1.2 trillion in 2011. 9 Competitors in the Chili Market The chili market represents over $500 million in annual sales. On average, consumers buy five to six servings annually, according to the NPD Group. The products fall primarily into two groups: canned chili (75 percent of sales) and dry chili (25 percen\ t of sales). The discussion of Figure 1 (the SWOT Analysis table) elaborates on its more important elements.

This “walks” the reader through the information from the vantage of the plan’s writer.

Even though relatively brief, this in-depth treat- ment of sales of Mexican foods in the United States demonstrates to the plan’s readers the company’s un- derstanding of the indus- try in which it competes.

The Industry Analysis sec- tion provides the back- drop for the subsequent, more detailed analysis of competition, the com- pany, and the company’s customers. Without an in-depth understanding of the industry, the remain- ing analysis may be mis- directed.

As with the Industry Analysis, the Competitors Analysis demonstrates that the company has a realistic understanding of its major chili competitors and their marketing strat- egies. Again, a realistic as- sessment gives confidence that subsequent market- ing actions in the plan rest on a solid foundation.

Sales of Mexican entrees are significant and pro- vide a variety of future opportunities for Paradise Kitchens. chApter 27 Creating Customer relationships and Value through marketing A8 Appendix A Building an effeCtiVe marketing plan Bluntly put, the major disadvantage of the segment’s dominant product, canned chili, is that it does not taste very good. A taste test described in an issue of Consumer Reports magazine ranked 26 canned chili products “poor” to “fair” in overall sensory quality. The study concluded, “Chili doesn’t have to be hot to be good. But really good chili, hot or mild, doesn’t come out of a can.” Company Analysis The husband-and-wife team that cofounded Paradise Kitchens, Inc., has 44 years of experience between them in the food-processing business. Both have played key roles in the management of the Pillsbury Company. They are being advised by a highly seasoned group of business professionals, who have extensive understanding of the requirements for new-product development.

The Company now uses a single outside producer with which it works closely to maintain the consistently high quality required in its products. The greater volume has increased production efficiencies, resulting in a steady decrease in the cost of goods sold.

Customer Analysis In terms of customer analysis, this section describes (1) the characte\ ristics of customers expected to buy Howlin’ Coyote products and (2) health and nutrition concerns of Americans today.

Customer Characteristics. Demographically, chili products in general are purchased by consumers representing a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Howlin’ Coyote chili is purchased chiefly by consumers who have achieved higher levels of education and whose income is $50,000 and higher. These consumers represent 50 percent of canned and dry mix chili users.

The household buying Howlin’ Coyote has one to three people in it. Among married couples, Howlin’ Coyote is predominantly bought by households in which both spouses work. While women are a majority of the buyers, single men represent a significant segment.

Because the chili offers a quick way to make a tasty meal, the product’s biggest users tend to be those most pressed for time. Howlin’ Coyote’s premium pricing also means that its purchasers are skewed toward the higher end of the income range.

Buyers range in age from 25 to 54 and often live in the western United States, where spicy foods are more readily eaten. The five Howlin’ Coyote entrees offer a quick, tasty meal with high-quality ingredients. This page uses a “block” style and does not indent each paragraph, although an extra space separates each paragraph. Compare this page with the previ- ous one, which has in- dented paragraphs. Most readers find indented paragraphs in marketing plans and long reports are easier to follow.

The Company Analysis provides details of the company’s strengths and marketing strategies that will enable it to achieve the mission and goals identified earlier.

The higher-level “A head- ing” of Customer Analysis has a more dominant typeface and position than the lower-level “B head- ing” of Customer Charac- teristics. These headings introduce the reader to the sequence and level of topics covered.

Satisfying customers and providing genuine value to them is why organizations exist in a market economy.

This section addresses the question of “Who are the customers for Paradise Kitchens’ products?” A9 Health and Nutrition Concerns. Coverage of food issues in the U.S. media is often erratic and occasionally alarmist. Because Americans are concerned about their diets, studies from organizations of widely varying credibility frequently receive sig- nificant attention from the major news organizations. For instance, a study of fat lev- els of movie popcorn was reported in all the major media. Similarly, studies on the healthfulness of Mexican food have received prominent play in print and broadcast reports. The high caloric levels of much Mexican and Southwestern-style food have been widely reported and often exaggerated. Some Mexican frozen-food competi- tors, such as Don Miguel, Mission Foods, Ruiz Foods, and Jose Ole, plan to offer or have recently offered more “carb-friendly” and “fat-friendly” products in response to this concern.

Howlin’ Coyote is already lower in calories, fat, and sodium than its competitors, and those qualities are not currently being stressed in its promotions. \ Instead, in the space and time available for promotions, Howlin’ Coyote’s taste, convenience, and flexibility are stressed. 5. Market-Product Focus This section describes the five-year marketing and product objectives for Paradise Kitchens and the target markets, points of difference, and positioning of its lines of Howlin’ Coyote chilies. Marketing and Product Objectives Howlin’ Coyote’s marketing intent is to take full advantage of its brand potential while building a base from which other revenue sources can be mined— both in and out of the retail grocery business. These are detailed in four areas below:

•     Current markets. Current markets will be grown by expanding brand and flavor  distribution at the retail level. In addition, same-store sales will be grown by increasing consumer awareness and repeat purchases, thereby leading to the more efficient broker/warehouse distribution channel.

•      New  markets. By the end of Year 5, the chili, salsa, burrito, and enchilada  business  will be expanded to a total of 20 metropolitan areas. This will represent 70 percent of U.S. food store sales.

•      Food  service.  Food service  sales will include  chili products  and smothering   sauces. Sales are expected to reach $693,000 by the end of Year 3 and $1.5 million  by  the  end  of Year  5.

•      New  products.  Howlin’ Coyote’s  brand presence  will be expanded  at the  retail   This section demonstrates the company’s insights into a major trend that has a potentially large impact.

The chances of success for a new product are significantly increased if objectives are set for the product itself and if tar- get market segments are identified for it. This sec- tion makes these explicit for Paradise Kitchens.

The objectives also serve as the planned targets against which marketing activities are measured in program implementation and control.

Size of headings should give a professional look to the report and not overwhelm the reader.

These two headings are too large. chApter 27 Creating Customer relationships and Value through marketing A10 Appendix A Building an effeCtiVe marketing plan level through the addition of new products in the frozen-foods section. This will be  accomplished  through new-product  concept screening  in Year 1  to  identify   new  potential  products.  These products  will be brought  to market  in Years 2  and 3.

Target Markets The primary target market for Howlin’ Coyote products is households with one to three people, where often both adults work, with individual income typically above $50,000 per year. These households contain more experi- enced, adventurous consumers of Southwestern/ Mexican food and want premium quality products.

Points of Difference The “points of difference”— characteristics that make Howlin’ Coyote chilies unique relative to competitors—fall into three important areas:

•      Unique  taste and convenience.  No known  competitor  offers a high-quality,   “authentic” frozen chili in a range of flavors. And no existing chili has the same combination of quick preparation and home-style taste that Howlin’ Coyote does.

•     Taste trends. The American palate is increasingly intrigued by hot spices. In  response to this trend, Howlin’ Coyote brands offer more “kick” than most other prepared chilies.

•     Premium packaging. Howlin’ Coyote’s packaging graphics convey  the unique,  high-quality product contained inside and the product’s nontraditional positioning.

Positioning In the past chili products have been either convenient or tasty, but not both.

Howlin’ Coyote pairs these two desirable characteristics to obtain a positioning in consumers’ minds as very high-quality “authentic Southwestern/Mexican tasting” chilies that can be prepared easily and quickly. To help buyers see the many different uses for Howlin’ Coyote chili, recipes are even printed on the inside of the packages. An organization cannot grow by offering only “me-too products.” The greatest single factor in a new product’s failure is the lack of significant “points of difference” that sets it apart from competitors’ substitutes. This section makes these points of dif- ference explicit.

A positioning strategy helps communicate the company’s unique points of difference of its products to prospective customers in a simple, clear way. This section de- scribes this positioning.

This section identifies the specific niches or target markets toward which the company’s products are directed. When ap- propriate and when space permits, this section often includes a market-product grid.

A heading should be spaced closer to the text that follows (and that it describes) than the pre- ceding section to avoid confusion for the reader.

This rule is not followed for the Target Markets heading, which now unfor - tunately appears to “float” between the preceding and following paragraphs. A11 6. Marketing Program The four marketing mix elements of the Howlin’ Coyote chili marketing program are detailed below. Note that “chile” is the vegetable and “chili” is the dish.

Product Strategy After first summarizing the product line, the approach to product quality and packaging are covered.

Product Line. Howlin’ Coyote chili, retailing for $3.99 for an 11-ounce serving, is available in five flavors. The five are Green Chile Chili, Red Chile Chili, Beef and Black Bean Chili, Chicken Chunk Chili, and Mean Bean Chili.

Unique Product Quality. The flavoring systems of the Howlin’ Coyote chi lies are proprietary. The products’ tastiness is due to extra care lavished upon the ingredients during production. The ingredients used are of unusually high quality. Meats are low- fat cuts and are fresh, not frozen, to preserve cell structure and moistness. Chilies are fire- roasted for fresher taste. Tomatoes and vegetables are select quality. No preservatives or artificial flavors are used.

Packaging. Reflecting the “cutting edge” marketing strategy of its producers, Howlin’ Coyote bucks conventional wisdom in packaging. It avoids placing predict- able photographs of the product on its contain- ers. Instead, Howlin’ Coyote’s package shows a Southwestern motif that communicates the product’s out-of-the- ordinary positioning.

Price Strategy Howlin’ Coyote Chili is, at $3.99 for an 11-ounce package, priced comparably to the other frozen offerings and higher than the canned and dried chili varieties. However, the significant taste advantages it has over canned chilies and the convenience advantages over dried chilies justify this pricing strategy.

Promotion Strategy Key promotion programs feature in-store demonstrations, recipes, and cents\ -off coupons. The Southwestern motif makes Howlin’ Coyote’s packages stand out in a supermarket’s freezer case. The section describes in detail three key elements of the company’s product strategy: the product line, its quality and how this is achieved, and its “cutting edge” packaging.

This Price Strategy section makes the company’s price point very clear, along with its price position relative to potential substitutes.

When appropriate and when space permits, this section might contain a break-even analysis.

This “introductory over- view” sentence tells the reader the topics covered in the section—in this case in-store demonstra- tions, recipes, and cents- off coupons. While this sentence may be omitted in short memos or plans, it helps readers see where the text is leading.

These sentences are used throughout this plan.

Everything that has gone before in the marketing plan sets the stage for the marketing mix actions— the 4 Ps—covered in the marketing program. chApter 27 Creating Customer relationships and Value through marketing Appendix A Building an effeCtiVe marketing plan A12 In-Store Demonstrations. In-store demonstrations enable consumers to try Howlin’ Coyote products and discover their unique qualities. Demos will be conducted regu- larly in all markets to increase awareness and trial purchases.

Recipes. Because the products’ flexibility of use is a key selling point, recipes are offered to consumers to stimulate use. The recipes are given at all in-store demonstra- tions, on the back of packages, through a mail-in recipe book offer, and in coupons sent by direct-mail or freestanding inserts.

Cents-Off Coupons. To generate trial and repeat-purchase of Howlin’ Coyote prod - ucts, coupons are distributed in four ways:

•     In Sunday newspaper inserts. These inserts are widely read and help generate  awareness.

•     In-pack coupons. Each box of Howlin’  Coyote  chili will contain coupons for $1 off two more packages of the chili. These coupons will be included for the first three months the product is shipped to a new market. Doing so encourages repeat purchases by new users.

•     Direct-mail chili coupons. Those households  that fit the Howlin’ Coyote demographics described previously will be mailed coupons.

•     In-store demonstrations. Coupons will be passed  out at in-store demonstrations to give an addi- tional incentive to purchase.

Place (Distribution) Strategy Howlin’ Coyote is distributed in its present markets through a food distributor. The distributor buys the product, warehouses it, and then resells and delivers it to grocery retailers on a store-by- store basis. As sales grow, we will shift to a more efficient system using a broker who sells the prod- ucts to retail chains and grocery wholesalers. 7. Financial Data and Projections Past Sales Revenues Historically, Howlin’ Coyote has had a steady increase in sales revenues since its introduction in 1999. In 2003, sales jumped spectacularly, due largely to new Sunday newspaper inserts encourage consumer trial and provide recipes to show how Howlin’ Coyote chili can be used in summer meals. Note that this section contains no introduc- tory overview sentence.

While the sentence is not essential, many readers prefer to see it to avoid the abrupt start with Past Sales Revenues.

Another bulleted list adds many details for the reader, including methods of gain- ing customer awareness, trial, and repeat purchases as Howlin’ Coyote enters new metropolitan areas.

The Place Strategy is described here in terms of both (1) the present method and (2) the new one to be used when the increased sales volume makes it feasible.

Elements of the Promotion Strategy are highlighted in terms of the three key promotional activities the company is emphasizing: in-store demonstrations, recipes, and cents-off coupons. For space rea- sons the company’s online strategies are not shown in the plan.

All the marketing mix decisions covered in the just-described marketing program have both rev- enue and expense effects.

These are summarized in this section of the market- ing plan. A13 promotion strategies. Sales have contin- ued to rise, but at a less dramatic rate.

The trend in sales revenues appears in Figure 2.

Five-Year ProjectionsFive-year financial projections for Paradise Kitchens appear below. These projections reflect the continuing growth in number of cases sold (with eight pack- ages of Howlin’ Coyote chili per case) and increasing production and distribution economies.

Projections     Actual  Year 1  Year 2   Year 3   Year 4   Year 5 Financial Element Units 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Cases sold 1,000 353 684 889 1,249 1,499 1,799 Net sales $1,000 5,123 9,913 12,884 18,111 21,733 26,080 Gross profit $1,000 2,545 4,820 6,527 8,831 10,597 12,717 Operating profit (loss) $1,000 339 985 2,906 2,805 3,366 4,039 8. Organization Paradise Kitchens’ present organization appears in Figure 3. It shows the four people reporting to the President. Below this level are both the full-time and part-time employees of the Company. Figure 3. The Paradise Kitchens Organization Vice Pr esident Marketing Director Operations DirectorSales Director Finance& Admin. Boar d of Dir ector s President & CEO Figure 2. Sales Revenues for Paradise Kitchens, Inc.

Sales r evenues ($000s )4,5004,000 5,0005,500 3,5003,0002,5002,0001,5001,000 0500 2007 5123 2006 4067 2005 3174 2003 1650 2004 2428 Year 2002 600 2001 380 2000 210 199960 2009 889 2010 1,249 2010 2011 1,499 2011 2012 1,799 2012 Cases sold 1,000 2007 353 2008 684 2009 2008 The Organization of Paradise Kitchens ap- pears here. It reflects the bare-bones organizational structure of successful small businesses. Often a more elaborate marketing plan will show the new positions expected to be added as the firm grows.

Because this table is very short, it is woven into the text, rather than given a figure number and title.

Because the plan proposes to enter 17 new metropoli- tan markets in the coming five years (for a total of 20), it is not possible to simply extrapolate the trend in Figure 2. Instead, management’s judgment must be used.

Because this table is very short, it is woven into the The Five-Year Projec- tions section starts with the judgment forecast of cases sold and the resulting net sales. Gross profit and then operat- ing profit—critical for the company’s survival—are projected. An actual plan often contains many pages of computer- generated spreadsheet projections, usually shown in an appendix to the plan.

The graph shows more clearly the dramatic growth of sales revenue than data in a table would do. chApter 27 Creating Customer relationships and Value through marketing Appendix A Building an effeCtiVe marketing plan A14 At present Paradise Kitchens operates with full-time employees in only essential positions. It now augments its full-time staff with key advisors, consultants, and sub- contractors. As the firm grows, people with special expertise will be added to the staff. 9. Implementation Plan Introducing Howlin’ Coyote chilies to 17 new metropolitan areas is a complex task and requires that creative promotional activities gain consumer awareness and initial trial among the target market households identified earlier. The diverse regional tastes in chili will be monitored carefully to assess whether minor modifications may be required in the chili recipes. As the rollout to new met- ropolitan areas continues, Paradise Kitchens will assess manufacturing and distribu- tion trade-offs. This is important in determining whether to start new production with selected high-quality regional contract packers. 10. Evaluation and Control Monthly sales targets in cases have been set for Howlin’ Coyote chili for each metropolitan area. Actual case sales will be compared with these targets and tactical marketing programs modified to reflect the unique sets of factors in each metropolitan area. The speed of the roll-out program will increase or decrease, depending o\ n Para- dise Kitchens’ performance in the successive metropolitan markets it enters. Appendix A. Biographical Sketches of Key Personnel Appendix B. Detailed Financial Projections The Implementation Plan shows how the company will turn plans into results.

Action-item lists are often used to set deadlines and assign responsibilities for the many tactical market- ing decisions needed to enter a new market.

The essence of Evaluation and Control is compar- ing actual sales with the targeted values set in the plan and taking appropri- ate actions. Note that the section briefly describes a contingency plan for al- ternative actions, depend- ing on how successful the entry into a new market turns out to be.

Various appendixes may appear at the end of the plan, depending on the purpose and audience for them. For example, resumes of key person- nel or detailed financial spreadsheets often ap- pear in appendixes. For space reasons these are not shown here. ENDNOTES 1. Personal interview with Arthur R. Kydd, St. Croix Management Group.

2. Examples of guides to writing marketing plans include William A. Cohen, The Marketing Plan, 5 th ed. (New York: Wiley, 2006); and Roman G. Hiebing, Jr., and Scott  W. Cooper, The Successful Marketing Plan:

A Disciplined and Comprehensive Approach (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003).

3. Examples of guides to writing business plans include Rhonda Abrams, The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies, 4th ed. (Grants Pass, OR: Oasis Press/PSI Research, 2003); Joseph A. Covello and  Brian J. Hazelgren, The Complete Book of Business Plans, 2nd ed. (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2006);  Joseph A. Covello and Brian J. Hazelgren, Your First Business Plan, 5 th ed. (Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2005); and Mike McKeever, How to Write a Business Plan, 8th ed. (Berkeley, CA: Nolo, 2007).

4. Abrams, The Successful Business Plan, p. 35.

5. Some of these points are adapted from Abrams, pp. 35–43; others are adapted from William Rudelius,  Guidelines for Technical Report Writing (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, undated). See also William Strunk, Jr., and E. B. White, The Elements of Style, 4th ed. (Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2000).

6. Rebecca Zimoch, “The Dawn of the Frozen Age,” Grocery Headquarters, December 2002; see www.gro- ceryheadquarters.com .

7. ACNielsen Strategic Planner as reported to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association for the week ending February 24, 2007; see www.nfraweb.org .

8. Chuck Van Hyning, NPD’s National Eating Trends; see www.npdfoodworld.com .

9. Jeffery M. Humphreys, “The Multicultural Economy 2006,” Georgia Business and Economic Conditions 66, no. 3, (Third Quarter 2006), pp. 6, 10–11; see www.selig.uga.edu/forecast .