SAMPLEMARKETINGPLANThefollowingpagescontainanannotatedsamplemarketingplanforBlueSkyClothing.Atsomepointinyourcareer,youwilllikelybeinvolvedinwriting—oratleastcontributingto–amarketingplan.Andyou’llcertainlyreadmanymarketingplansthroughoutyourbusinesscareer.KeepinmindthattheplanforBlueSkyisasingleexample;nooneformatisusedbyallcompanies.Also,theBlueSkyplanhasbeensomewhatcondensedtomakeiteasiertoannotateandillustratethemostvitalfeatures.Theimportantpointtorememberisthatthemarketingplanisadocumentdesignedtopresentconcise,cohesiveinformationaboutacompany’smarketingobjectivestomanagers,lendinginstitutions,andotherswhoareinvolvedincreatingandcarryingoutthefirm’soverallbusinessstrategy.Five-YearMarketingPlanBlueSkyClothing,Inc.TABLEOFCONTENTSEXECUTIVESUMMARYThisfive-yearmarketingplanforBlueSkyClothinghasbeencreatedbyitstwofounderstosecureadditionalfundingforgrowthandtoinformemployeesofthecompany’scurrentstatusanddirection.AlthoughBlueSkywaslaunchedonlythreeyearsago,thefirmhasexperiencedgreater-than-anticipateddemandforitsproducts,andresearchasshownthatthetargetmarketofsport-mindedconsumersandsportsretailerswouldliketobuymorecasualclothingthanBlueSkycurrentlyoffers.Theyarealsointerestedinextendingtheirproductlineaswellasaddingnewproductlines.Inaddition,BlueSkyplanstoexploreopportunitiesforonlinesales.Themarketingenvironmenthasbeenveryreceptivetothefirm’shigh-qualitygoods—casualclothingintrendycolorswithlogosandslogansthatreflecttheinterestsofoutdoorenthusiastsaroundthecountry.Overthenextfiveyear,BlueSkycanincreaseitsdistribution,offernewproducts,andwinnewcustomers.COMPANYDESCRIPTIONBlueSkyClothingwasfoundedthreeyearsagobyentrepreneursLucyNeumanandNickRussell,Neumanhasanundergraduatedegreeinmarketingandworkedforseveralyearsintheretailclothingindustry.RusselloperatedanadventurebusinesscalledGoWest!,whicharrangesgrouptripstolocationsinWyoming,Montana,andIdaho,beforesellingtheenterprisetoapartner.NeumanandRussell,whohavebeenfriendssincecollege,decidedtodevelopandmarketalineofclothingwithaunique—yetuniversal—appealtooutdoorenthusiasts.BlueSkyClothingreflectsNeuman’sandRussell’spassionfortheoutdoors.Thecompany’soriginalcottonT-shirts,baseballcaps,andfleecejacketsandvestsbearlogosofdifferentsports—suchaskayaking,mountainclimbing,bicycling,skating,surfing,andhorsebackriding.Buteveryitemshowsoffthecompany’sslogan:“GoPlayOutside.”BlueSkysellsclothingforbothmenandwomen,inthehottestcolorswiththecoolestnames—suchassunrisepink,sunsetred,twilightpurple,desertrose,cactusgreen,oceanblue,mountaintopwhite,andriverrockgray.BlueSkyattireiscurrentlycarriedbysmallretailstoresthatspecializeinoutdoorclothingandgear.MostofthesestoresareconcentratedinnorthernNewEngland,California,theNorthwest,andafewstatesintheSouth.Thehighquality,trendycolors,anduniquemessageoftheclothinghavegainedBlueSkyafollowingamongconsumersbetweentheagesof25and45.Saleshavetripledinthelastyearalone,andBlueSkyiscurrentlyworkingtoexpanditsmanufacturingcapabilities.Theexecutivesummaryoutlinesthewho,what,where,when,how,andwhyofthemarketingplan.BlueSkyisonlythreeyearsoldandissuccessfulenoughthatitnowneedsaformalmarketingplantoobtainadditionalfinancingfromabankorprivateinvestorsforexpansionandthelaunchofnewproducts.ThecompanydescriptionsummarizesthehistoryofBlueSky—howitwasfoundedandbywhom,whatitsproductsare,andwhytheyar...
