The Star Software Corporation: Marketing Plan

From the start of this course, you have accessed the Interactive Marketing Plan tool and used the step-by-step guide to complete Part C of your marketing plan. You are required to submit a marketing plan for a hypothetical product-based company. Your plan must include the company’s social media strategy, and information collected from Steps 6-7 of the Interactive Marketing Plan, located in the course shell. Note: Some elements may not be covered in the Interactive Marketing Plan and will require additional research.

Note: You may create and / or make all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment.

Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:

Develop the company’s branding, pricing, and distribution strategy.
Provide the following marketing strategy information:
1. Classify the company’s major competitors as inter- or intra-competitors. Categorize the competitors’ major strengths and weaknesses.
2. Develop the differentiation strategy in relation to the closest competitor.
3. Establish whether the company’s intention is to be a leader or follower within the industry.
4. Assess the level of impact that the salient macro-environmental issues (e.g., legal, technological, social, and economic, etc.) and trends with which the company must contend could potentially have on the company’s marketing strategy.
5. Discuss the marketing research tools that you used in your marketing strategy.
Construct an implementation strategy for your hypothetical company in which you specify the essential activities and responsibilities. Include a timetable for completion of each component of your strategy.
Develop a five (5) year expansion plan that includes future profitability and market share growth. Include necessary graphs to explain your plan.
Specify two (2) social media and / or media tools that you would use as you develop your plan. Justify each of your chosen tools.
Choose two (2) performance standards, two (2) monitory methods, and two (2) financial controls that you would implement that differ from the standards that you had provided in Assignment 1. Justify your choices.
Assess the potential for your company’s overall performance in relation to the marketing plan objectives.
Suggest the integrated marketing communications that are most relevant for your marketing plan. Relate each marketing communication to your company’s advertising strategy.
Use at least five (5) academic resources that address sustainability and monitoring of effective marketing plans and determine the applicability for your hypothetical company. These resources should be industry specific and relate to your chosen product / service. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

Grading Rubric

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

……………..Answer Preview……………..

The Star Software Corporation: marketing plan

Branding, Pricing, and Distribution Plans

Branding, pricing and distribution are three major parts of a business model. The business planners should never forget to incorporate these three parts as they are responsible for the dictation of the place the business is to take in the said market. For the Star Software Corporation the strategies involved in the three parts of the marketing……………..

APA

1,353 Words

Points: 280	Assignment 3: Part C: Your Marketing Plan
Criteria	Unacceptable Below 70% F	Fair 70-79% C	Proficient 80-89% B	Exemplary 90-100% A
1. Develop the company’s branding, pricing, and distribution strategy. Weight: 6%	Did not submit or incompletely developed the company’s branding, pricing, and distribution strategy.	Partially developed the company’s branding, pricing, and distribution strategy.	Satisfactorily developed the company’s branding, pricing, and distribution strategy.	Thoroughly developed the company’s branding, pricing, and distribution strategy.
2a. Classify the company’s major competitors as inter- or intra-competitors. Categorize the competitors’ major strengths and weaknesses. Weight: 6%	Did not submit or incompletely classified the company’s major competitors as inter- or intra-competitors. Did not submit or incompletely categorized the competitors’ major strengths and weaknesses.	Partially classified the company’s major competitors as inter- or intra-competitors. Partially categorized the competitors’ major strengths and weaknesses.	Satisfactorily classified the company’s major competitors as inter- or intra-competitors. Satisfactorily categorized the competitors’ major strengths and weaknesses.	Thoroughly classified the company’s major competitors as inter- or intra-competitors. Thoroughly categorized the competitors’ major strengths and weaknesses.
2b. Develop the differentiation strategy in relation to the closest competitor. Weight: 6%	Did not submit or incompletely developed the differentiation strategy in relation to the closest competitor.	Partially developed the differentiation strategy in relation to the closest competitor.	Satisfactorily developed the differentiation strategy in relation to the closest competitor.	Thoroughly developed the differentiation strategy in relation to the closest competitor.
2c. Establish whether the company’s intention is to be a leader or follower within the industry. Weight: 6%	Did not submit or incompletely established whether the company’s intention is to be a leader or follower within the industry.	Partially established whether the company’s intention is to be a leader or follower within the industry.	Satisfactorily established whether the company’s intention is to be a leader or follower within the industry.	Thoroughly established whether the company’s intention is to be a leader or follower within the industry.
2d. Assess the level of impact that the salient macro-environmental issues (e.g., legal, technological, social, and economic, etc.) and trends with which the company must contend could potentially have on the company’s marketing strategy. Weight: 7%	Did not submit or incompletely assessed the level of impact that the salient macro-environmental issues (e.g., legal, technological, social, and economic, etc.) and trends with which the company must contend could potentially have on the company’s marketing strategy.	Partially assessed the level of impact that the salient macro-environmental issues (e.g., legal, technological, social, and economic, etc.) and trends with which the company must contend could potentially have on the company’s marketing strategy.	Satisfactorily assessed the level of impact that the salient macro-environmental issues (e.g., legal, technological, social, and economic, etc.) and trends with which the company must contend could potentially have on the company’s marketing strategy.	Thoroughly assessed the level of impact that the salient macro-environmental issues (e.g., legal, technological, social, and economic, etc.) and trends with which the company must contend could potentially have on the company’s marketing strategy.
2e. Discuss the marketing research tools that you used in your marketing strategy. Weight: 7%	Did not submit or incompletely discussed the marketing research tools that you used in your marketing strategy.	Partially discussed the marketing research tools that you used in your marketing strategy.	Satisfactorily discussed the marketing research tools that you used in your marketing strategy.	Thoroughly discussed the marketing research tools that you used in your marketing strategy.
3. Construct an implementation strategy for your hypothetical company in which you specify the essential activities and responsibilities. Include a timetable for completion of each component of your strategy. Weight: 7%	Did not submit or incompletely constructed an implementation strategy for your hypothetical company in which you specify the essential activities and responsibilities. Did not submit or incompletely included a timetable for completion of each component of your strategy.	Partially incompletely constructed an implementation strategy for your hypothetical company in which you specify the essential activities and responsibilities. Partially included a timetable for completion of each component of your strategy.	Satisfactorily incompletely constructed an implementation strategy for your hypothetical company in which you specify the essential activities and responsibilities. Satisfactorily included a timetable for completion of each component of your strategy.	Thoroughly and completely constructed an implementation strategy for your hypothetical company in which you specify the essential activities and responsibilities. Thoroughly included a timetable for completion of each component of your strategy.
4. Develop a five (5) year expansion plan that includes future profitability and market share growth. Include necessary graphs to explain your plan. Weight: 7%	Did not submit or incompletely developed a five (5) year expansion plan that includes future profitability and market share growth. Did not submit or incompletely included necessary graphs to explain your plan.	Partially developed a five (5) year expansion plan that includes future profitability and market share growth. Partially included necessary graphs to explain your plan.	Satisfactorily developed a five (5) year expansion plan that includes future profitability and market share growth. Satisfactorily included necessary graphs to explain your plan.	Thoroughly developed a five (5) year expansion plan that includes future profitability and market share growth. Thoroughly included necessary graphs to explain your plan.
5. Specify two (2) social media and / or media tools that you would use as you develop your plan. Justify each of your chosen tools. Weight: 5%	Did not submit or incompletely specified two (2) social media and / or media tools that you would use as you develop your plan. Did not submit or incompletely justified each of your chosen tools.	Partially specified two (2) social media and / or media tools that you would use as you develop your plan. Partially justified each of your chosen tools.	Satisfactorily specified two (2) social media and / or media tools that you would use as you develop your plan. Satisfactorily justified each of your chosen tools.	Thoroughly specified two (2) social media and / or media tools that you would use as you develop your plan. Thoroughly justified each of your chosen tools.
6. Choose two (2) performance standards, two (2) monitory methods, and two (2) financial controls that you would implement that differ from the standards that you had provided in Assignment 1. Justify your choices. Weight: 6%	Did not submit or incompletely chose two (2) performance standards, two (2) monitory methods, and two (2) financial controls that you would implement that differ from the standards that you had provided in Assignment 1. Did not submit or incompletely justified your choices.	Partially chose two (2) performance standards, two (2) monitory methods, and two (2) financial controls that you would implement that differ from the standards that you had provided in Assignment 1. Partially justified your choices.	Satisfactorily chose two (2) performance standards, two (2) monitory methods, and two (2) financial controls that you would implement that differ from the standards that you had provided in Assignment 1. Satisfactorily justified your choices.	Thoroughly chose two (2) performance standards, two (2) monitory methods, and two (2) financial controls that you would implement that differ from the standards that you had provided in Assignment 1. Thoroughly justified your choices.
7. Assess the potential for your company’s overall performance in relation to the marketing plan objectives. Weight: 6%	Did not submit or incompletely assessed the potential for your company’s overall performance in relation to the marketing plan objectives.	Partially assessed the potential for your company’s overall performance in relation to the marketing plan objectives.	Satisfactorily assessed the potential for your company’s overall performance in relation to the marketing plan objectives.	Thoroughly assessed the potential for your company’s overall performance in relation to the marketing plan objectives.
8. Suggest the integrated marketing communications that are most relevant for your marketing plan. Relate each marketing communication to your company’s advertising strategy. Weight: 6%	Did not submit or incompletely suggested the integrated marketing communications that are most relevant for your marketing plan. Did not submit or incompletely related each marketing communication to your company’s advertising strategy.	Partially suggested the integrated marketing communications that are most relevant for your marketing plan. Partially related each marketing communication to your company’s advertising strategy.	Satisfactorily suggested the integrated marketing communications that are most relevant for your marketing plan. Satisfactorily related each marketing communication to your company’s advertising strategy.	Thoroughly suggested the integrated marketing communications that are most relevant for your marketing plan. Thoroughly related each marketing communication to your company’s advertising strategy.
9. 5 references Weight: 5%	No references provided.	Does not meet the required number of references; some or all references poor quality choices.	Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.	Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices.
10. Writing Mechanics, Grammar, and Formatting Weight: 5%	Serious and persistent errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.	Partially free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.	Mostly free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.	Error free or almost error free grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
11. Appropriate use of APA in-text citations and reference section Weight: 5%	Lack of in-text citations and / or lack of reference section.	In-text citations and references are provided, but they are only partially formatted correctly in APA style.	Most in-text citations and references are provided, and they are generally formatted correctly in APA style.	In-text citations and references are error free or almost error free and consistently formatted correctly in APA style.
12. Information Literacy / Integration of Sources Weight: 5%	Serious errors in the integration of sources, such as intentional or accidental plagiarism, or failure to use in-text citations.	Sources are partially integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.	Sources are mostly integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.	Sources are consistently integrated using effective techniques of quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.
13. Clarity and Coherence of Writing Weight: 5%	Information is confusing to the reader and fails to include reasons and evidence that logically support ideas	Information is partially clear with minimal reasons and evidence that logically support ideas	Information is mostly clear and generally supported with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas	Information is provided in a clear, coherent, and consistent manner with reasons and evidence that logically support ideas