Simplified Marketing Plan Guide: A Concise Overview from the book Marketing Management by Philip Kotler & Kevin Lane Keller 14th edition (ebook) p. 60-64

The marketing theory approach of Kotler and Keller drives the importance of the whole Value Chain of the company.  Further implications of the textbook emphasize the added value of the given product that the market value of a specified commodity depends upon the creative innovation added to the product. 

The Marketing Plan guideline given by the text is just a sample depicting the actual Marketing Plan of Pegasus Sports International.  The simplified guide that I’ll be sharing to my learners and my business blog readers at large is the general understanding and implications for each chapter and sub-chapters.

SAMPLE MARKETING PLAN GUIDE SIMPLIFIED:

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Executive summary must cover the overall company overview as to its production and marketing activities and the nature of its product and business operation.  By giving a company business model or organizational framework would help the reader of the marketing plan conceptualize the whole coverage of the organization or company.

2.0 SITUATION ANALYSIS:

Situation Analysis is the presentation of the company’s present marketing operations in the actual market area of responsibility.  If the company covers different regions around the globe or operating internationally, a brief summary or visual presentation would be more helpful to the reader of the report.

2.1 MARKET SUMMARY

Market summary is the presentation of the acquired market data observation of the company.  This market summary may cover 3 years market performance presented by graph or table.  If the company covers different target markets as to the scope of its market segment, it is clearer to present the market summary by target market segment or demographic.

2.1.1 MARKET DEMOGRAPHIC

Defining the actual market customer demographic of the company will eventually define the future desired market demographic. Basic coverage of demographics is the age, gender, academic degree, and personal income related to purchasing power. In addition, presenting the behavioral factors of the given demographics related to the given geographical location would be a great advantage for the reader of the marketing plan to understand each and every demographic representation.

2.1.2 MARKET NEEDS

Market needs implies to the usefulness of your company products towards the actual market.  Usually, the added value of your product is the lucrative aspect that the customer wants to try and discover. Moreover, market needs is the analysis of the actual product needs of the given demographic inline to your company products.

2.1.3 MARKET TRENDS

This part of the report is to analyze the actual market coverage in terms of the new and upcoming trends.  On the other hand, analyzing the market trends will give the business plan writer and the reader as well to determine the present product’s possible market dominance.

2.1.4 MARKET GROWTH

This is another forecasted plan in terms of the growth of the company in the planned market area. Usually, market growth presentation can be presented well by using the TIME ORDER or CHRONOLOGICAL type of market growth sequence.

2.2 SWOT ANALYSIS

To summaries, the whole SWOT analysis will give the overview of the company or organization both INTERNAL and EXTERNAL market performance observation.  As to the author of the book (Kotler and Keller), Internal marketing is an important part of the whole value chain.

 2.2.1 STRENGTHS

Strengths are the internal positive aspects of the company that will bring not only the product but the whole organization to profitability. (Your strengths must be more than your weaknesses.  Presentation in this part must be in an emphatic order. )

2.2.2 WEAKNESSES

Weaknesses are the internal negative aspects of the company that will bring the whole company and its product to negative publicity and profitability. (Your weaknesses must be lesser than your strength.  Presentation in this part must be in an emphatic order. )

2.2.3 OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities are the external positive business possibilities that the company can venture for profit in the prospected market area (Your opportunities must be more than your threats.  Presentation in this part must be in an emphatic order. )

2.2.4 THREATS

Are the external negative variable that may hinder the present and future market operation. (Your threats must be lesser than your opportunities.  Presentation in this part must be in an emphatic order. )

2.3 COMPETITION

Competition analysis is the identical comparison between your company’s product line and your primary and secondary competitor in the planned given market area of responsibility.

2.4 PRODUCT OFFERING

 The actual product offered in the new market area of responsibility.  To elaborate, some products offered   in the main country are not offered in other regions of the world.

2.5 KEYS TO SUCCESS

Based from your SWOT analysis, what are the best and effective strategic marketing theory that can be used to gain market success and dominance in the desired market area of responsibility.

2.6 CRITICAL ISSUES

Based from your SWOT analysis, what are the possible actual issues that may occur in the planned business project.

3.0 MARKETING STRATEGY

To summaries, marketing strategy are all applications of the theoretical analysis used as a tool to scientifically penetrate the market.

3.1 MISSION

Mission is the actual market operational goals that can be given to the whole stakeholders.

3.2 MARKETING OBJECTIVES

Marketing objectives defines the whole motive of the company towards the given market.

3.4 TARGET MARKETS

Are the actual target customers of your product offered to the given market.

3.5 POSITIONING

How are you going to strategically flank your marketing idea and operation in the given market.

3.6 STRATEGIES

From your positioning, what are your detailed strategies to be used.

3.7 MARKETING PROGRAM

From the given positioning and strategies defined, what are the actual programs to be implemented in order to realize the given strategies mentioned above.  

3.8 MARKET RESEARCH

Market research is a brief presentation of an actual primary and secondary research of a similar or the company product in the given market. 

4.0 FINANCIALS

Financial presentations are the analysis of the past 3 year’s market performance of the company and the forecasted financial performance of the company in the given market.

4.1 BREAK-EVEN ANALYSIS

Break-even analysis is the presentation of the target time when the planned business can realize the return of its financial investments.  Time frame presentation is needed to let the reader visualize the financial break-even plan.

4.2 SALES FORECAST

Sales forecast is a presentation of the possible sales revenue maybe in 3-5 years time.  Consolidating the break-even analysis and sales forecast will give the reader a more comprehensive analysis of the plan.

4.3 EXPENSE FORECAST

Expense forecast is the presentation of the possible expenses incurred during the business operation based from the time frame given in the SALES FORECAST report.

5.0 CONTROL

Chapter 5 covers the presentation on how you can control the business risk using your marketing management knowledge.

5.1 IMPLEMENTATION

Implementation- is the marketing program realization that may deem effective in controlling possible business marketing risk.

5.2 MARKETING ORGANIZATION

Marketing organizations can be internal or external outsource that will cater the marketing and PR operations.

5.3 CONTINGENCY PLANNING

This analysis and presentation will depict the worst case scenario of the market operation and its solutions (Plan A, B, &C presentation; please refer to your SWOT).