Marketing Plan Work Sheet

Marketing Plan Worksheets

Sources: Pride, W. M., Elliott, G., Rundle-Thiele, S.  Waller, D., Paladino, A. & Ferrell, O. C. (2007).

Marketing: core concepts and applications (2nd Asia-pacific edition).

Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. (Text used in Marketing Fundamentals BU1008)

These worksheets are designed to assist you in writing a formal marketing plan. By answering the questions on these worksheets, you will be able to organize the information you collect about a company or organization. In addition, these worksheets will help ensure that you do not leave out important information or parts of the marketing plan. Note also that these worksheets are meant to be a flexible guide that can be adapted to the unique requirements of a specific marketing plan. A sample marketing plan can be found in Appendix 1, Pride et., 2007, p. 475, Since there is no one best way to organize a marketing plan, this outline should serve as a starting point. Your instructor may provide you with a different format or ask that you include additional information not contained in this outline. These worksheets are flexible enough to accommodate any changes your instructor might make.

Marketing Plan Worksheets

I. Executive Summary

The executive summary is a synopsis of the overall marketing plan. The executive summary is easier to write if you do t last after you have written the entire marketing plan.

II. Situation Analysis

A. The Marketing Environment

1. Competitive Forces

1. Who are our major competitors as of today? What are their strengths and weaknesses?
2. Who is likely to be our major competitors in the future?
3. What response can we expect from our competition if we change our marketing mix?
4. How does the structure of the industry affect competitive forces in the industry?

2. Economic Forces

1. What is the general economic condition of the country, state, city, or local area? Are our consumers optimistic or pessimistic about the economy?
2. What is the buying power of consumers in our target market(s)?
3. What are the current spending patterns of consumers in our target market(s)? Are consumers buying less or more of our product and why?

3. Political Forces

1. Have recent elections changed the political landscape? What type of industry controls do our newly elected favorcians favor?
2. What is our company doing currently to maintain good relations with elected political officials? Have these activities been effective? Why or why not?

4. Legal and Regulatory Forces

1. What changes in federal, state, or local regulations regulation are being proposed that would affect the way we operate?

5. Technological Forces

1. What impact has changing technology had on our target market(s)?
2. What technological changes will affect the way we operate or manufacture our products?
3. What technological changes will affect the way we conduct marketing activities? d)Do any technological advances threaten to make our product(s) obsolete?

6. Sociocultural Forces

1. How are society’s demographics and values changing? What effect will these changes have on our operations?
2. What is society's general attitude about our industry, company, and product(s)?
3. What consumer or environmental groups could intervene in the operations of our industry or company?
4. What ethical issues should we address?

B. SWOT Analysis Strengths

1. Strength 1_________________________________________________________

1. How does this strength affect the operations of the company?
2. How does this strength assist the company in meeting the needs of its target market(s)?

2. Strength 2 _________________________________________________________

1. How does this strength affect the operations of the company?
2. How does this strength assist the company in meeting the needs of its target market(s)?

3. Strength 3 _________________________________________________________

1. How does this strength affect the operations of the company?
2. How does this strength assist the company in meeting the needs of its target market(s)?

Weakness

1. Weakness 1 _________________________________________________________

1. How does this weakness affect the operations of the company?
2. How does knowledge of this weakness assist the company in meeting the needs of its target market(s)?

2. Weakness 2 _________________________________________________________

1. How does this weakness affect the operations of the company?
2. How does knowledge of this weakness assist the company in meeting the needs of its target market(s)?

3. Weakness 3 _________________________________________________________

1. How does this weakness affect the operations of the company?
2. How does knowledge of this weakness assist the company in meeting the needs of its target market(s)?

Opportunities

1. Opportunity 1 _________________________________________________________

1. How is this opportunity related to serving the needs of our target market(s)?
2. What actions must the company take to capitalize on this opportunity?

2. Opportunity 2 _________________________________________________________

1. How is this opportunity related to serving the needs of our target market(s)?
2. What actions must the company take to capitalize on this opportunity?

3. Opportunity 3 _________________________________________________________

1. How is this opportunity related to serving the needs of our target market(s)?
2. What actions must the company take to capitalize on this opportunity?

Threats

1. Threat 1_________________________________________________________

1. How is this threat related to serving the needs of our target market(s)?
2. What actions must the company take to prevent this threat from limiting the capabilities of the organization?

2. Threat 2 _________________________________________________________

1. How is this threat related to serving the needs of our target market(s)?
2. What actions must the company take to prevent this threat from limiting the capabilities of the organization?

Threat 3 _________________________________________________________

1. How is this threat related to serving the needs of our target market(s)?
2. What actions must the company take to prevent this threat from limiting the capabilities of the organization?

C. Matching Strengths to Opportunities/Converting Weaknesses and Threats

1. How can the company’s strengths be matched to its opportunities to create capabilities?
2. How can the company convert its weaknesses into strengths?
3. How can the company convert its threats into opportunities?

III. Marketing Objectives and Performance

1. Review of Marketing Objectives

1. What are our current marketing objectives?
2. Are these objectives consistent with recent changes in the marketing environment and changes in the needs of our target market(s)?

2. Performance Analysis

1. Currently, how are we performing in terms of sales volume, market share, and profitability?
2. How does our current performance compare to other firms in the industry?
3. If our performance is declining, are our marketing objectives inconsistent with changes in the marketing environment and/or target market(s)?
4. Is the performance of the industry as a whole declining? Why or why not?
5. If our performance is improving, what actions can we take to ensure that our performance continues to improve?
6. Is the performance of the industry as a whole improving? Why or why not?

3. Future Marketing Objectives

Marketing Objective 1

1. What are the specific and measurable outcomes and time frame frames for completing this objective?
2. How does this objective take advantage of our arestrengthstrength or opportunity?
3. How does this objective convert into a weakness or threat?
4. How is this objective consistent with the firm’s goals and mission?

Marketing Objective 2

1. What are the specific and measurable outcomes and time frames outcomes for completing this objective?
2. How does this objective take advantage of strength or opportunity?
3. How does this objective convert into a weakness weaknessor weakness or threat?
4. How is this objective consistent with the firm’s goals and mission?

IV. Target Market(s)

1. Identification

1. Demographic characteristics: sex, age, income, occupation, education, ethnic background, family life cycle, etc.
2. Geographic characteristics: location, accessibility, climate, density, resources
3. Psychographic characteristics: attitudes, opinions, interests, motives, lifestyles
4. Product-usage characteristics: usage rate, benefits sought

2. Needs Analysis

1. What are the current needs of our target market(s)?
2. How well are our current product offerings meeting these needs?
3. How well are our competitors’ offerings meetings these needs? d)How are the needs of our target market(s) expected to change shortly target? What about changes in the distant future?

V. Marketing Strategies

A. Target Market(s)

1. Target Market 1

1. Specific description of the target market in terms of demographic, geographic, psychographic, and product-usage characteristics
2. Justification for the selection of this target market
3. Competitors that also serve this target market

2. Target Market 2

1. Specific description of the target   market in terms of demographic, geographic, psychographic, and product-usage characteristics
2. Justification for the selection of this target market
3. Competitors that also serve this target market

B. Marketing Mix 1

Marketing Mix 1 (to meet the needs of the target market 1)

1. Product strategies
2. Pricing strategies
3. Distribution strategies
4. Promotion strategies
5. How does this marketing mix give us a competitive advantage in target market 1?
6. Is this competitive advantage sustainable? Why or why not?

2. Marketing Mix 2 (to meet the needs of the target  market 2)

1. Product strategies
2. Pricing strategies
3. Distribution strategies
4. Promotion strategies
5. How does this marketing mix give us a competitive advantage in target market 2?
6. Is this competitive advantage sustainable? Why or why not?

VI. Marketing Implementation and Control

A. Marketing Organization

1. How will the marketing unit be organized: by functions, products, regions, or types of customers? Why?

2. Where will decision-making authority rest within the marketing unit? Will frontline employees and managers be empowered to make decisions? If yes, how will the organization ensure that employees make the right decisions?

B. Activities, Responsibility, and Timetable for Completion

1. Product Activities

a) Activity 1

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date _________________________________________

b) Activity 2

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date _________________________________________

c) Activity 3

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date ________________________________________

2. Pricing Activities

a) Activity 1

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date _________________________________________

b) Activity 2

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date _________________________________________

c) Activity 3

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date ________________________________________

3. Distribution Activities

a) Activity 1

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date ________________________________________

b) Activity 2

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date ________________________________________

c) Activity 3

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________ 
2. Target completion date _________________________________________

4. Promotion Activities

a) Activity 1

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date ________________________________________

b) Activity 2

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date _________________________________________

c) Activity 3

1. Person responsible ____________________________________________
2. Target completion date _________________________________________

5. How can the organization ensure that employees are motivated to implement these marketing activities?

6. How can the organization ensure that all marketing activities are coordinated with other functional areas within the firm?

C. Performance Standards and Financial Controls

1. Product Activities

a) Activity 1

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________ 
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

b) Activity 2

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

c) Activity 3

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

2. Pricing Activities

a) Activity 1

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

b) Activity 2

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

c) Activity 3

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ___________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action _________________________________________________________

3. Distribution Activities

a) Activity 1

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

b) Activity 2

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

c) Activity 3

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

4. Promotion Activities

a) Activity 1

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________ 
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

b) Activity 2

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________ 
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

c) Activity 3

1. Budget
2. Performance standard ____________________________________________________________
3. Possible corrective action __________________________________________________________

D. Evaluation and Monitoring Procedures

1. How will all marketing activities be monitored to ensure success?
2. Will a formal marketing audit be performed? If so, what will be the scope of the audit?
3. Will specialized audits be performed? If so, which marketing functions will be analyzed? (Reprinted by permission of Michael D. Hartline.

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