Sample Marketing Plan Template printable pdf download

Appendix C Sample Marketing Plan

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Sample Marketing Plan

APPENDIX

This sample marketing plan

for a hypothetical company

Star Software, Inc.

illustrates how the marketing

Marketing Plan

planning process described in

Chapter 2 might be implement-

ed. If you are asked to create a

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

marketing plan, this model may

be a helpful guide, along with

Star Software, Inc., is a small, family-owned corporation in the first year of a transi-

the concepts in Chapter 2.

tion from first-generation to second-generation leadership. Star Software sells

custom-made calendar programs and related items to about 400 businesses, which

use the software mainly for promotion. Star’s 18 employees face scheduling chal-

The Executive Summary,

lenges, as Star’s business is highly seasonal, with its greatest demand during

one of the most frequently

October, November, and December. In other months, the equipment and staff are

read components of a marketing

sometimes idle. A major challenge facing Star Software is how to increase profits

plan, is a synopsis of the market-

and make better use of its resources during the off-season.

ing plan. Although it does not

An evaluation of the company’s internal strengths and weaknesses and external

provide detailed information, it

does present an overview of the

opportunities and threats served as the foundation for this strategic analysis and

plan so readers can identify key

marketing plan. The plan focuses on the company’s growth strategy, suggesting

issues pertaining to their roles in

ways in which it can build on existing customer relationships, and on the develop-

the planning and implementa-

ment of new products and/or services targeted to specific customer niches. Since

tion processes. Although this is

Star Software markets a product used primarily as a promotional tool by its clients,

the first section in a marketing

it currently is considered a business-to-business marketer.

plan, it is usually written last.

II. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

The Environmental Analysis

presents information

Founded as a commercial printing company, Star Software, Inc., has evolved into a

regarding the organization’s cur-

marketer of high-quality, custom-made calendar software and related business-to-

rent situation with respect to the

business specialty items. In the mid-1960s, Bob McLemore purchased the company

marketing environment, the cur-

and, through his full-time commitment, turned it into a very successful family-run

rent target market(s), and the

operation. In the near future, McLemore’s 37-year-old son, Jonathan, will take over

firm’s current marketing objec-

tives and performance.

as Star Software’s president and allow the elder McLemore to scale back his

involvement.

A. The Marketing Environment

This section of the environ-

mental analysis considers

1. Competitive forces. The competition in the specialty advertising industry is very

relevant external environmental

strong on a local and regional basis but somewhat weak nationally. Sales fig-

forces such as competitive, eco-

ures for the industry as a whole are difficult to obtain since very little business

nomic, political, legal and regula-

is conducted on a national scale.

tory, technological, and sociocul-

tural forces.

The competition within the calendar industry is strong in the paper seg-

ment and weak in the software-based segment. Currently paper calendars hold a

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dominant market share of approximately 90 percent; however, the software-

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Sample Marketing Plan Template

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