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Part A: ABC Marketing Plan (Change to your name of business
here)
Your Name
MKT500 Marketing Management
Strayer University
Dr. Lisa Amans
Date submitted
Introduction (note this is not bold)
Write an introduction to your company. Describe your
hypothetical company, its location (why did you choose this
location), and the product it makes or the service it provides,
and introduce the contents of your marketing plan.Mission
Statement
Develop your company’s mission statement (do not confuse a
mission statement with a tag line, slogan, or positioning
statement). Also, your mission statement should resonate with
your consumers/customers as well as with your employees and
stakeholders – remember to see the purpose of a mission
statement and rationalize yours. Do not just state a mission
statement without rational – answer why. See textbook, page
21.
Goals
Write an introduction to this section here (minimum of three
sentences). Note, your goals should be realistic, practical, and

SMART (i.e., S. – specific; M. – measurable; A. – assignable;
R. – realistic; and T. – time based). What does your company
need to accomplish in the short and long term; consider revenue
and profit goals?
Short Term
Text starts here – Decide the main goals that you would like to
achieve within the next year (short term). Determine the most
appropriate ways to measure short term goals. Note: Consider
the following metrics: tracking downloads of Website content,
Website visitors, increases in market share, customer value, new
product adoption rates, retention, rate of growth compared to
competition and the market, margin, and customer engagement.
For information on Website analytics, visit Google Analytics at
http://www.google.com/analytics/why/
Long Term
Decide the mains goals that you would like to achieve within
the next five (5) years (long term). Determine the most
appropriate ways to measure long term goals. Note: Consider
the following metrics: tracking downloads of Website content,
Website visitors, increases in market share, customer value, new
product adoption rates, retention, rate of growth compared to
competition and the market, margin, and customer engagement.
For information on Website analytics, visit Google Analytics at
http://www.google.com/analytics/why/Environmental Analysis
Develop an environmental analysis that includes competitive,
economic, political, legal, technological, and sociocultural
forces. Include an introduction of these elements. Write an
introduction to this section (minimum of three sentences). See
textbook pages 45-51.
Competitive Analysis
Competitive analysis here - (who is the competition – direct and
indirect, why do you consider them to competition, what do they
do well, what might be a weakness?).

Economic Analysis
Economic analysis here - (Through this factor, businesses
examine the economic issues that are bound to have an impact
on the company. This would include factors like inflation,
interest rates, economic growth, the unemployment rate and
policies, and the business cycle followed in the country).
Political and Legal Analysis
Political and legal analysis here. Separate the topics if you have
significant analysis. (Political and Legal: Here government
regulations and legal factors are assessed in terms of their
ability to affect the business environment and trade markets.
The main issues addressed in this section include political
stability, tax guidelines, trade regulations, safety regulations,
and employment laws).
Technological Analysis
Technological analysis here – (How technology can either
positively or negatively impact the introduction of a product or
service into a marketplace is assessed here. These factors
include technological advancements, lifecycle of technologies,
the role of the Internet, and the spending on technology research
by the government).
Sociocultural Forces Analysis
Sociocultural forces here – (With the social factor, a business
can analyze the socio-economic environment of its market via
elements like customer demographics, cultural limitations,
lifestyle attitude, and education. With these, a business can
understand how consumer needs are shaped and what brings
them to the market for a purchase).SWOT and Needs Analysis
Develop both a SWOT analysis and needs analysis for your
product. Each analysis should examine three (3) each of
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for your
company. Suggestion is to write an introduction (minimum of

three sentences) and create a SWOT table (use APA formatting,
label Table 1, etc.). Include an analysis, not just the table.
Rationalize why you choose these SWOT elements. See
textbook page 21.
Table 1
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
· Short bullet
· Xxxx
· xxxx
Weaknesses
· Short bullet
· Xxxx
· xxxx
Opportunities
· Short bullet
· Xxxx
· xxxx
Threats
· Short bullet
· Xxxx
· xxxx
Note: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for xxxx
company.
Strengths
Include three strengths and explain the importance (think
features and benefits to customer). Strengths are internal; what
you can control.
Weaknesses
Include three weaknesses and impact to the business and/or
customer. Weaknesses are internal; what you can control.
Opportunities

Include three opportunities and explain the importance (think
features and benefits to customer). Opportunities are external;
what is happening outside your company you can take
advantage of such as new technology.
Threats
Include three threats and impact to the business and/or
customer. Threats are external; what is happening outside your
company that will impact your business such as new
government policies or laws.Conclusion
Summarize the plan to this point (minimum of three sentences)
and you should not include any new thoughts (just summary).
Sources (note this is centered and not bold and on a separate
page)
Use at least three (3) academic, peer-reviewed resources as
quantitative marketing research to determine the feasibility of
your product / service. Three academic, peer-reviewed
references are proficient. In order to receive most points as
exemplary, submit four or more.
These academic, peer-reviewed resources should be industry
specific and relate to your chosen product / service. Quality,
academic references are peer-reviewed and found in scholarly
journals published in the last 5 years. A good way to
incorporate is by using Journal of Marketing, as an example, for
your theories and consumer behavior observations.
Newspapers, magazines, and other Websites do not qualify as
academic resources and although you should reference if you
use, they do not count towards your minimum.
Listing your references without applying them in your text
(citations) is not acceptable!!!
Tips and SWS Formatting (delete this from your paper)
Below are tips and notes to guide you writing an SWS paper.
Use this information as a reference and ask if you have any
questions.

Tips and Notes:
1. NEVER plagiarize: Plagiarism: act of using someone else’s
ideas, words, figures, unique approach, or specific reasoning
without giving appropriate credit.
2. Always include an introduction for your Heading 1 topic
(example: Environmental Analysis) to explain to the readers
what they learn in the section you are introducing.
3. Paragraphs should be complete, such as a minimum of three
sentences:
a. “Put only one main idea per paragraph.
b. Aim for three to five or more sentences per paragraph.
c. Include on each page about two handwritten or three typed
paragraphs.
d. Make your paragraphs proportional to your paper. Since
paragraphs do less work in short papers, have short paragraphs
for short papers and longer paragraphs for longer papers.
e. If you have a few very short paragraphs, think about whether
they are really parts of a larger paragraph—and can be
combined—or whether you can add details to support each point
and thus make each into a more fully developed paragraph.
4. Do not use (or minimize):
a. They (minimize, pronouns, use actual names/titles for
clarity).
b. These.
c. There are.
d. Thing.
e. It.
f. This.
g. I.
h. We.
i. You.
j. One or ones.
k. Some.
l. A lot.
m. A ton.
n. Really.

o. Very.
5. Use of contractions—spell it out.
6. Findings: are past tense.
SWS Guidelines:
1. In -text citations:
If the in-text citation appears at the end of a sentence
containing evidence, the closing punctuation of the sentence
must follow the closing parenthesis of the citation.
Use the author’s last name or publishing organization’s name
and then a comma. Then add the number indicating the
placement of this source in the source list.
This is an example.
Studies have also indicated that the high concentration of CO2
in the atmosphere is primarily due to humans’ use of fossil
fuels. Atmospheric data shows “that levels of CO2 in the
atmosphere are higher than they have been at any time in the
past 400,000 years” (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, 4).
2. Sources:
An SWS format Source list citation consists of:
· The author’s name.
· If there are multiple authors, only the first author is used.
· The year of publication of the source.
· The title of the source.
· The page range.
· A way to locate the source (in this case, a permalink from the
Strayer Library).

Here is an example of a Source in an SWS format.
Stephanie Herring. 2014. Explaining Events of 2013 from a
Climate Perspective.
http://libdatab.strayer.edu/logi n?url=https://
search.ebscohost.login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9912481
1 &site=eds-live&scope=site
Pre-Writing Activity:
Organization
When using the Outside-In Essay format, you move an argument
from general to specific to general again. It is up to you how
many paragraphs you use to accomplish this and what specific
time order you choose as well (chronological? start in the
present, then go to the past and later the future?). It is also up
to you to decide where you place your thesis in the paper (in the
intro to tell readers what they will read about? at the beginning
of the body paragraphs? or, at the end so readers are in
suspense?). Use the following questions/ideas to help you
organize the flow of ideas in your paper. Then, write a detailed
outline (paragraph by paragraph- including the introduction and
conclusion) which includes the sources you will use to prove
your ideas on a separate sheet of paper.
General-
What is the overall topic you are writing about? How can you
draw in readers to the overall topic in an interesting way to
make them want to keep reading?
More Specific

How can this general topic relate more specifically to the
question(s) being asked by the prompt?
Specific
Answer the prompt question(s) fully and specifically using
personal examples, examples from the readings, cases, etc.
Less Specific
How does the answer to the prompt question(s) relate back to
the overall general idea?
General
How can you go back to the overall idea in a way that pulls
together the paper and satisfies the reader?
Bowe- English 1010

Sample Detailed Outline- The Power of a Word
Prompt Topic: Have you ever been called (or, alternatively,
called someone else) a simple word,
such as “bossy,” that negatively affected you in some way?
What was the word and why did it
affect you that way? Do you think there is a way to stop this
word from having a negative
connotation? Whenever possible, connect your experience to
those related by Tannen in “Bossy”
is More than a Word to Women and/or Language Versus Lies by
Sanders]
Outline
I. Hook Paragraph:
A. Use a shocking statement to grab the reader’s attention
i. Compare the large idea of words to candy when it’s used
positively and
weapons when it’s used negativel y
II. Introduction Paragraph:
A. Get readers into the topic more by explaining the background
of the reading “’Bossy’
is More than a Word to Women,” by Debra Tannen, and how
this is an example of a

word that’s used as a weapon
B. Thesis: The word that hurts me most is “large” because most
of my friends are
“small” and “cute.”
III. First Body Paragraph:
A. Start a story about the word that hurt: large.
i. Begin with helpful background information about studying in
Hong Kong,
and how people tend to be smaller there and how women are
judged if
they are larger.
IV. Second Body Paragraph:
A. Tell the story of my friend, Hannah, saying I should return
to the US since boys in
Hong Kong won’t like me due to my slightly larger size.
V. Third Body Paragraph
A. Give background about why it hurt so much for Hannah to
say this since we had been
friends for a long time.
VI. Fourth Body Paragraph:

A. Explain that many women are judged by society like I was
judged by Hannah, and
how I have now accepted that I don’t necessarily look like
society wants me too but I
like the way I am.
VII. Fifth Body Paragraph:
A. Connect back to the Tannen reading and use it to connect to
my story and prove my
Comment [BME1]: The essay starts by introducing
readers
to the general/overall topic of the paper: words.
Comment [BME2]: The essay gets a bit less
general/more
specific, moving from the general topic (words) toward
the
more specific idea of the paper (words that affect
people
negatively). The author uses the reading to do
this and also
provide background/context for readers.
Comment [BME3]: The essay gets specific- the author
states the thesis by saying the specific word
that hurt her.
The thesis is toward the beginning of the paper,
but it
doesn’t have to be at the end of the 1st
paragraph. It can
come a bit later in the intro (as it is here),

in the body
paragraphs, or even in the conclusion.
Wherever it is
placed, it should be done for a specific
purpose.
Comment [BME4]: Now that the author has stated
the
thesis and is in the body paragraphs, she focuses
on proving
the thesis very specifically using examples and
cases
throughout the body paragraphs. In this
instance, she uses
her story and connects to the reading to back up
her
experience.
Comment [BME5]: Note that each body paragraph has
one main idea. When applicable, that main idea is
connecting to one of the required readings.
thesis.
i. Explain that women are treated differently than men in some
areas, and
women are in a double-bind when it comes to how they speak at
work. If they
talk using more feminine ways of speaking, they are judged, and
it they talk

using more masculine ways of speaking, they are also judged.
a. Quote to use: “ If they talk in...ways, which are associated
with and
expected of women, they seem to lack confidence, or even
competence.
But if they talk in ways expected of someone in authority, they
are seen
as too aggressive” (Tannen, 65)
ii. The double-bind occurs with women’s bodies too
a. We should be try to be healthy and like ourselves instead of
caring
what other people think
VI. Sixth Body Paragraph
A. The way to stop words like “large” from hurting others is to
think before speaking
and using judgmental words.
i. And, when using words, we should apply them equally to
men and
women.
VII. Concluding Paragraph
A. Even though this was a sad experience, I learned from it
how much power words

have and how much they can cut people deeply.
B. Call to Action: This experience should be shared so other
people can learn this lesson
too.
i. Last sentence: connect back to original article and main idea
of words.
Comment [BME6]: Note the author includes the specific
quote they will be using and plans for it
before actually
using it in the essay draft.
Comment [BME7]: The author moves on the last
essay
question, how words like this can stop having a
negative
connotation. This is the second part of the thesis,
since it is
answering part of the essay question, and it is
still very
specific since it’s proving the thesis and since she is
still in
the body paragraphs.
Comment [BME8]: The author is still specific since
she’s
talking about herself and what she’s learned, but
will start

getting less specific/more general since she is now in
the
conclusion.
Comment [BME9]: The author gets more general/less
specific in order to connect to the audience
and explain
how the overall topic matters to them and why they
should
care about it.
Comment [BME10]: The author uses a concluding
technique, a callback to an earlier idea, to
end the paper in
an interesting way for readers. She also
connects back to
the general/overall topic, which is words.
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Mission Statement
A strong mission statement “provides a shared sense of purpose,
direction, and
opportunity”(Kotler, 1). Pets are family members and should be
treated as such. Pooper
Scoopers’ services provide homes and communities a high level
of care, creating a family feel
while protecting the environment to everyone’s benefit. Our
services are provided to pet

owners and communities with care and consideration while
commending our team members for
their professionalism, dedication, and performance for those we
serve. Our goal is simple –
provide customers with value, providing the services they need
to take good care of their pets,
yards, and homes when life does not allow them to do so.
Pooper Scoopers’ future plans are to
grow within the local area, expanding outward to other
communities while adding area
management services for community groups, HOAs, and
businesses. At Pooper Scoopers, we
endeavor to create a clean, green environment beneficial to
people and animals alike.
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SWOT and Needs Analysis
In order to be successful, Pooper Scoopers needs to be aware of
those factors that can
impact their business, both positively and negatively. By
utilizing a SWOT analysis to examine
the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that are
most applicable to the business

performance, Pooper Scoopers can grow. Through examination
of the internal elements that can
be controlled (strengths and weaknesses) and external elements
that cannot be controlled
(opportunities and threats), Pooper Scoopers can better
understand their operational environment.
Table 1 shows the Pooper Scoopers’ main SWOT elements.
Table 1
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
• Unique service plan for minimally
competitive environment
• Flexible services plan availability
including weekly, twice monthly and
monthly plans
• Expanded management plans and
services for communities, HOAs and
other businesses
Weaknesses
• Lack of local knowledge for
neighborhoods and residents
• New presence in service area requiring
expanded efforts to reach customer
base

• Possible lack of experienced personnel
in local environment requiring
importation of employees
Opportunities
• Limited competition in the area allows
for quicker growth in the initial phase
• Ability to quickly expand into
neighboring locales, communities and
businesses
• Ability to expand service types based
on the local communities and business
(such as golf courses or local parks)
Threats
• Increase in competition with local
small businesses and / or larger
national franchisees moving into area
• Transient population impacts possible
business growth
• Financial impacts due to higher
numbers of retirees and older residents
with limited financial resources
Note: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the
Pooper Scoopers Company.
Strengths

Companies often fail to objectively assess their strengths,
neglecting to take advantage of
their value to their customer base. Pooper Scoopers has many
strengths that are beneficial to
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their customer base when properly understood and applied.
First, Pooper Scoopers’ presence
provides customers with a comprehensive pet waste removal
service provider that is unique to
the area with minimal competition. Pooper Scoopers can create
long lasting customer
relationships with their prime market position.
Secondly, the ability to cater to the customers’ needs with
custom service and pricing
plans allows Pooper Scoopers the flexibility to provide
competitive pricing for any local
competition and support for the price conscious customer. This
strength allows Pooper
Scoopers’ customers to recognize they are getting the best
perceived value for the dollar. Lastly,
the ability to provide extended services to community
associations, HOAs and businesses allows

for growth of the business while creating a more inviting,
cleaner environment for patrons.
Weaknesses
Many companies see weaknesses as failures that cannot be
capitalized upon. However,
the reality is that a company can benefit greatly when analyzing
these weaknesses and turn them
into assets, benefitting themselves and the customer base. When
reviewing the Pooper Scoopers’
business model, three major weaknesses have been determined.
First, when creating a business,
it is important that the company understands the local area that
they will be doing business in by
doing market research. With Pooper Scoopers opening their
business in a new location, they
must perform the research to be competitive and provide
excellent services. Pooper Scoopers
then becomes more educated and familiar with the locale and
the needs of the populace.
When a new business opens up anywhere, it is imperative that
they reach the customer
base. As a new venture, Pooper Scoopers has limited initial
public exposure. In order to make
the customer base aware of the business, various

communications tools must be employed
including a web site, social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook
and other resources), and local
media (TV, Radio and print). An enhanced media presence will
create customer awareness,
expanding the customer base. Finally, the new market may have
a dearth of experienced
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personnel, creating the need for Pooper Scoopers to hire from
outside the local area or work with
inexperienced individuals until they are properly trained,
providing the excellent service
customers expect.
Opportunities
Opportunities, while external to the business, can be a boon and
create significant
business growth. Successful companies take advantage of the
opportunities as they present
themselves. An immediate opportunity for Pooper Scoopers is
the limited local competition.
While there are small businesses in the area, none offer similar
service packages. The ability to

provide a variety of services and pricing allows Pooper
Scoopers to meet the customers’ needs.
There are a number of communities near the Myrtle Beach area.
Once a beachhead is
established in Myrtle Beach, the company should be able to
expand outward into additional
locales. With limited local competition, expansion should be
easier than in a larger metropolitan
area. In conjunction with the locale expansion, an additional
opportunity is to add services for
managing common areas for communities and HOAs or
expanding services to maintain
businesses where wildlife has an impact, such as golf courses.
With a myriad of golf courses
around the Myrtle Beach area, this opportunity is certainly
worth exploring.
Threats
Threats are circumstances beyond the business’ control that
require regular review and
proactive mitigation to prevent negative business impacts.
Competition is one of the largest
threats companies encounter, and this is no different here.
While few local businesses perform

pet waste removal services, two major cities in the state support
a large national company that
performs similar services, potentially impacting business should
they expand. By creating strong
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customer relationships with excellent customer service and
competitive pricing strategies, that
threat should be mitigated to a level that the company can
accept.
Being a resort community, Pooper Scoopers faces a transient
populace as many of the
potential customers are snow birds. Similarly, the Myrtle Beach
area is considered a retirement
destination with retirees often having set budgets with little
leeway when looking at such
services. Per the Journal of Marketing Research, low -income
households should have the
greatest incentive to use all available strategies that save them
money as they make a greater
effort to search for lower prices than their higher-income
counterparts (Orhun, 18). In both cases,
creative pricing and service programs can meet this challenge.

Conclusion
Pooper Scoopers is heading to Myrtle Beach to establish their
pet waste removal
management business. To do so, they need to create a savvy
marketing plan to jump start the
business. Starting with a strong, motivational mission
statement, Pooper Scoopers can then
navigate through a number of short and long term goals while
planning for their future success.
Multiple forces impact the business including competitive,
economic, political, legal,
technological, and sociocultural factors. Once these forces have
been analyzed, a SWOT
analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
provide additional data for the
business profile and model.
Mission StatementSWOT and Needs
AnalysisStrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreatsConclusion