MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR.

LITTLE)

MRKT620
The Marketing Plan Project
The purpose of the project is to apply your understanding of the marketing concepts that
you learn in the classroom.
You will develop a marketing plan for fictional new product (good or service) that you
would like to introduce to into the U.S. consumer marketplace. In other words, you will be
developing a B2C (business-to-consumer) marketing plan, NOT a B2B (business-to-business)
one. You may select a new to the world product, or a new brand of a product that is already in
the market. It cannot be a brand that has been or is currently on the market in the U.S. The
brand must be feasible and able to be brought to market within one-two years.
The plan should be approximately 25-30 pages (excluding title page, Table of Contents,
References and Appendices). This marketing plan should be based on research, and you must
support your decisions/recommendations with research. For example, if you are targeting
tweens, you should consult the census data to estimate the size of the market and also research
the disposable income available to this segment. Do not rely solely on the free web in fact,
doing so can be very dangerous, as the reliability and validity of most so-called web resources
is suspect. You are expected to use the University Library databases. Do not base your
submission on business/marketing plans that are found online - doing so will have negative
repercussions, with the most severe outcome being a UMUC investigation into the academic
integrity of such work. Your marketing plan must be original and authored by you alone, with
any/all support materials (references, etc.) being clearly and completely cited with in-text
citations and full entries on the reference page.
Prepare your marketing plan as if it were going to be presented to the executive board of
the organization for approval. Assume, then, that the reader will be:

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

Knowledgeable and intelligent about business so do not digress from your plan to explain

the meaning of basic marketing/business terms that you use.

Uninformed about your product/marketing idea so make sure you communicate your

marketing plan completely and consistently.

In a position to make a decision on whether or not to support your marketing plan so make

sure that you convey that the plan has been carefully thought through, so that the reader does
not have any lingering questions or concerns about it.
Important Information on Research and References
All good marketing strategy is based upon good research, thus your paper should be
backed up by a substantial list of references. It is critical to do research to support all the
decisions you make in your marketing strategy. For instance, how large is your target market? If
you have selected women, age 18-34, in a particular geographic area, check with the census and
include how many there are.
Do research on marketing techniques that are used for your product and how to market to
your particular target market (e.g., senior citizens). Use the University Library databases for
good academic and industry research (under Resources in the classroom navigation bar); use the
resource librarians for specific questions. Verifiable and reliable resources located by Google
(such as information published online by legitimate trade/professional organizations) may be a
supplement, but no paper should be based strictly upon sources located through Google. All
sources should be referenced in the text in accordance with the sixth edition of the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association.
There is a Marketing Plan example in the textbook (starting on p. 61). It is NOT a good
example you should follow if you want to be successful in this project is grossly oversimplified. I expect a more detailed, solid analysis. So, make sure that that your

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

recommendations/decisions and arguments to support your recommendations and decisions are

specific and logical.
Writing Support/Tutoring
UMUC has two great resources available to help you to improve your writing skills. The
FREE online graduate writing tutoring hub is available to you via email, discussion conferences,
and Google hangout meetings. The tutors are professionals: English professors, editors, and
writers. If you did not register for writing tutor services in Week 1, you may do so now! Just
click on the link in the Content area of the LEO classroom (Accessing Tutoring for Graduate
Writing), and follow the directions for registration.
The Effective Writing Center (EWC) offers online resources/refreshers on grammar and
writing, and on how to avoid plagiarism. These online resources can be accessed from the LEO
classroom, via the link under the Resources tab in the blue navigation bar.
Turnitin.com Requirement
Details for accessing and using Turnitin.com can be found in Course Policies.
How to Submit the Marketing Plan
Attach and submit your marketing plan to the designated assignment folder by the due
date (see calendar), after using Turnitin. Remember that only Word files (.doc and .docx
extensions) will be accepted. Subsequent submissions to Turnitin may take up to 24 hours to
process, so keep this in mind as you prepare your work.
Do not cut and paste your assignment into the assignment folder comment area.
Place your Turnitin.com similarity report score the comment area. If the final Turnitin
report score is not available when you submit your paper, make a note of this in the comment
box. When your score is available, save your score in a Word document and submit it to the
assignment area and place the % score in the comment box.

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

It is your responsibility to ensure that the appropriate file is attached and submitted
properly. Efforts to submit work, without the file attached or with the wrong file attached, will
not be considered for grade. If you have a technical difficulty in submitting your work through
LEO near the due date/time, then you must email your work to me at
ann.little@faculty.umuc.edu (as a Word file attachment) to confirm that your work has been
completed on time.
Late work is accepted, but a penalty will be assessed. Full details can be found in
LEO > Content > Course Policies. The late penalty is a departmental standard.
Format Requirements
Save your paper as a .doc or .docx (Word) file, using your last name and first name
separated by an underscore (e.g., Little_Ann).
Do not include a cover page or an abstract. The running header must begin with your last
name and first name (e.g., LITTLE, ANN: MARKETING PLAN).
Use your APA manual to ensure that your paper meets the required standards. Additional
APA resources can be found in the classroom: Content > Course Resources > APA/Writing
Resources).
Your final paper should be approximately 25-30 pages, double-spaced, using 1"
margins and Times New Roman 12 point font. The title page, table of contents, references and
any appendices are not counted in your final page count.
Assessment
The marketing plan is to be completed individually and independently, in accordance
with your Academic Integrity Pledge. The marketing plan is worth 35% of your total course
grade.
The full marketing plan grade rubric can be found in the assignment folder area.

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

You may earn up to 10 points for presentation and appearance (i.e., follows required plan format
and fully adheres to APA style standards). You may earn up to 10 points for graduate-level
writing and clarity of communication. You may earn up to 80 points for the contents of the main
body of the marketing plan; each required section will be evaluated in terms of:

Conciseness, accuracy, and thoroughness (highly informative and sufficiently detailed).

Conciseness means no excess detail that might bore a busy management reader. Accuracy
includes competence in conducting all necessary/analyses and planning all marketing
activities. Thoroughness means documentation and analysis of the data.

Logic and thoughtfulness of analysis. All decisions/recommendations should be logically

justified and be based on your analysis and good judgment. The analyses to support your
recommendations are solid and thorough. (Sound recommendations are supported by sound
analysis.)

Actionability and specificity of the plan. Marketing recommendations (4Ps) are specific and
reasonable for the company to implement.

Creativity, decisiveness, and usefulness of recommendations.

Correct application of theory learned in this and other marketing/business courses.

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

Paper Structure/Content Requirements

Title page
Full title of your marketing plan, your name, the course number and name, and the date.
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Table of Contents
Include a list of divisions of the report with page references.
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Executive Summary
This 1-2 page managerial summary provides a short description of the product, and your
key points of marketing strategies and recommendations/implications.
Some students mistake an executive summary for an introduction. However, that is not its
purpose. An executive summary provides the most significant points from your marketing
strategies and conclusions. Busy executives often do not have time to read the entire document
and consequently only read the executive summary. Therefore, you better make your most
important points in the executive summary.
Do not just cut and paste some paragraphs from your main report to the executive
summary. It wont work. Instead, synthesize the info and present the info in a concise and
precise way.
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 10, or after report body is finalized.
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Proposed New Brand
Explain what the product is and how it works (or, if the product is a service, how it will
be delivered). Remember that this is a fictional new product (good or service) that you would

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

like to introduce to into the U.S. consumer marketplace. This may be a new to the world
product, or a new brand of a product that is already in the market. It cannot be a brand that has
been or is currently on the market in the U.S. The brand must be feasible and able to be brought
to market within one-two years.
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 1-2.
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Internal Company Conditions & External Environment
Introduce and provide a short overview of the company (real or imagined) that will
market the brand.
SWOT: Use bullets to identify/describe the elements of the SWOT, with is an internal
analysis of the companys current strengths and weaknesses, and an external analysis of
opportunities/threats posed by the macroenvironment (to include competitors). The SWOT is
focused on the company, not the new brand. Even though the marketing plan will be read by
company executives, it is important to convey in it that you understand the company and how
this product fits with it.
Competition identify the primary and direct competitors (up to three) and the main
strengths/weaknesses of each.
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 1-2.
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Goals, Evaluation and Control
Use bullets to state your financial, marketing and communication goals individually and
completely. Each goal should clearly communicate what you expect your implemented
marketing plan to accomplish. Remember that each goal statement must meet the four criteria

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

for effectiveness (see p. 52-53 of your text). With each goal, discuss how/how often you will
measure the goal (i.e., its evaluation), and how you will respond to variances between the goal
and actual measured outcomes (i.e., control).
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 1-2.
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Marketing Strategy
Target Market & Product Position
Who is the brands target market for the brand, in terms of relevant behavioral,
demographic and/or psychographic characteristics? Why has the brand been targeted to that
particular group and what needs does it serve? How is the brand positioned relative to other
competitive products or services? How will you differentiate your brand?
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 3.
Pricing
How have you priced your brand and why are you pricing it at that level? Remember that
you should have a strategy behind your pricing decision (e.g. market penetration, skimming,
etc.). You need to ensure that your pricing appeals to your target market, and is consistent with
your brand positioning and related goal(s).
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 8.
Distribution
How will you deliver your brand to the target market? If you are selling a physical
product, how will the logistics be handled, who will warehouse the product and deliver it to the
ultimate consumer? Explain why you have selected the channels of distribution described. You

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

need to ensure that your distribution strategy appeals to your target market, and is consistent with
your brand positioning and related goal(s).
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 8.
Promotion
How will you promote your brand? Which of the promotional tools (advertising, sales
promotion, direct, etc.) will be appropriate for your product and target market, to convey the
brands intended position? What will be the primary appeal that will you use in your messages to
attract/stimulate the interest of your target market? Identify the media vehicles (specific
programming, magazines, etc.) that will you use, and why selected. Describe how your
promotion strategy be consistent with your brand positioning and related goal(s).
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 9.
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Conclusion
This is not a summary, but rather a final opportunity for you to reinforce why your
product and its marketing plan will be successful. It is a great time to demonstrate how the four
elements of the marketing mix are consistent and will work together to deliver value to the
target market.
**RECOMMENDATION: Complete during Week 10, or after report body is finalized.
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References
Make sure your reference page is in APA format, at the end of your paper, and ensure that
you have included complete in-text APA citations that correspond to your reference entries. See

MRKT 620 MARKETING PLAN (DR. LITTLE)

your APA manual and Content > Course Resources > APA/Writing Resources for details and
examples.
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Appendices (if used)
One table/figure per appendix, with each appendix on a separate page. See your APA
manual for details on how to format.

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