1. AQA GCE Business Studies
A2 UNIT 3
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING MARKETING PLANS
Components of Marketing Plans
© APT Initiatives Limited, 2009

2. Part of business’s overall corporate plan
Marketing Plans
Part of business’s overall corporate plan
Concerns direction for next 1 to 5 years re:
market(s), products, services
Outlines marketing objectives, strategies, tactics
incl. costings, timings, forecasts
Should take into account:
Corporate objectives
Internal capabilities
External opportunities, threats

3. The Marketing Planning Process
Gather information on Present Situation
– where are we now?
Evaluate Present Situation
– conduct a SWOT Analysis
Make predictive Assumptions
Set Marketing Objectives
– where do we want to be?
Devise the Strategy & Tactics
– how are we going to get there?
Implement the Strategy
(using Marketing Mix)
Monitor & Review / Measure the Results
– are we succeeding?

4. Components: Objectives
Eg:
Brand awareness
Sales
Market share
Repeat business
Should be:
Based on corporate objectives
SMART - realistic

5. Strategies & Tactics Marketing Strategy: Marketing Tactics:
Broad plan of action for achieving
marketing objectives
Should take into account internal
Capabilities, external environment
Marketing Tactics:
Short-term measures used to implement
strategy, detailing specific actions
Both expressed in marketing mix

6. Strategies & Tactics Marketing Mix:
Product / Service – key features, quality, branding, packaging
Price – to make acceptable profit, which customers are willing to pay
Place – location, how product is accessed / distribution channels
Promotion – methods to raise awareness, encourage purchase

7. Strategies & Tactics Marketing Mix:
Some firms focus on one aspect eg supermarket
chains – price. However…
All need addressing / remain important. Customers
need product / service that:
meets their needs (product)
they can afford / provides value (price)
they are fully aware of (promotion)
they can access conveniently (place)
Blend mix to achieve desired result –
sales, share, profit, etc

8. Important means of control
Costings / Budgets
Important means of control
Include targets for income and expenditure eg on:
R&D
Market research
Distribution and warehousing
Promotion
Sales force
Training and Dvt of marketing staff
Equipment, fixtures, fittings

9. Costings / Budgets Budgets generally produced annually but for
control broken down into monthly targets
Process of setting budget should involve all
those linked with their achievement to:
ensure realistic, appropriate targets
eliminate potential conflict
aid motivation

10. In terms of volume or value
Sales Forecasts
In terms of volume or value
Can help plan the use of resources, which is
vital to:
meet customer needs, expectations
achieve objectives laid down in plan

11. Timings – Implementation Schedule
Who is responsible?
for doing what?
by when?
Important control mechanism – enables
progress to be regularly monitored and
timely corrective action taken

12. Closing Comments Best plans will also include
contingency plans - identifying:
possible problems, challenges
action to overcome these