Sample Marketing Plan Template Page 2
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11Appendix C Sample Marketing Plan
C-2
based segment is growing rapidly. The 10 percent market share held by
software-based calendars is divided among many different firms. Star Software,
which holds 30 percent of the software-based calendar market, is the only com-
pany that markets a software-based calendar on a national basis. As software-
based calendars become more popular, additional competition is expected to
enter the market.
2. Economic forces. Nationwide, many companies have reduced their overall pro-
motion budgets as they face the need to cut expenses. However, most of these
reductions have occurred in the budgets for mass media advertising (television,
magazines, newspapers). While overall promotion budgets are shrinking, many
companies are diverting a larger percentage of their budgets to sales promotion
and specialty advertising. This trend is expected to continue as a weak, slow-
growth economy forces most companies to focus more on the “value” they
receive from their promotion dollar. Specialty advertising, such as can be done
with a software-based calendar, provides this value.
3. Political forces. There are no expected political influences or events that could
affect the operations of Star Software.
4. Legal and regulatory forces. In recent years, more attention has been paid to
“junk mail.” A large percentage of specialty advertising products are distributed
by mail, and some of these products are considered “junk.” Although this label
is attached to the type of products Star Software makes, the problem of junk
mail falls on the clients of Star Software and not on the company itself. While
legislation may be introduced to curb the tide of advertising delivered through
the mail, the fact that more companies are diverting their promotion dollars to
specialty advertising indicates that most companies do not fear the potential for
increased legislation.
5. Technological forces. A major emerging technological trend involves personal
information managers (PIMs), or personal digital assistants (PDAs). A PDA is a
handheld device, similar in size to a large calculator, that can store a wide vari-
ety of information, including personal notes, addresses, and a calendar. Some
PDAs even have the ability to fax letters via microwave communication. As this
trend continues, current software-based calendar products may have to be
adapted to match the new technology.
6. Sociocultural forces. In today’s society, consumers have less time for work or
leisure. The hallmarks of today’s successful products are convenience and ease
of use. In short, if the product does not save time and is not easy to use, con-
sumers will simply ignore it. Software-based calendars fit this consumer need
quite well. A software-based calendar also fits in with other societal trends: a
move to a paperless society, the need to automate repetitive tasks, and the grow-
ing dependence on computers, for example.
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