marketing plan format

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Quick Take from planOnline.org

A Marketing Plan Format

I. Statement of the Marketing Goal

II. Marketing Objectives for the Project

A. Overall Objective

B. Primary Objectives (each is assigned and tagged with a deadline)

C. Sub-objectives for every primary objective (each is assigned and tagged with a deadline)

III. Target Market Segments

A. Identify (primary only)

B. Why selected

C. Desired exchange

IV. Marketing Strategies

A. Main strategies

1. Market Penetration
2. Market Development
3. Service/program Development
4. Diversification

B. Strategy Development by Target Group

1.Target Group A
2.Target Group B
3. Target Group C

C. Promotional Tools (list)

V. Monitoring Techniques

A. Progress Reports
B. Timeline
C. Outcome Measurements

VI. Budget

• Dollar General caters specifically to customers with low, middle, and fixed incomes.
• When placing new stores, Dollar General prefers to locate them within communities, often targeting municipalities that are home to fewer than 20,000 residents.
• The company believes that filling the role of neighborhood store is a big part of its success.
• stores follow a fixed, even-dollar pricing schedule with about one-third of all merchandise priced at $1 or lower.
• The maximum price for a Dollar General product is generally around $35.
• How Dollar General accomplishes this is by rapidly opening stores and running each store at the lowest operating cost possible.
• To take full advantage of this strategy, Dollar General has developed a system for opening new stores that whittles the procedure down to a scant eight days.
• a strict budget influences every step from hiring to implementing information systems.
• The average Dollar General retail store occupies 6,800 square feet of space.
• The company views leasing space as the most favorable financial practice.
• the stores operate with a staff of no more than 6
• According to Alinean, an Orlando, Florida, technology measurement firm, Dollar General spends less on technology per employee ($3,000 annually) than any of its dollar-store competitors.
• The company’s goal is to keep shrink rates to no more than 1.75 percent to 2 percent.
• the chain has continued to achieve growth through new stores and from increases in same-store sales.
• The only information systems used in Dollar General is the POS (point-of-scale) software and the Spacenet, the satellite link provider. These are mainly used for reporting the sales data to the headquarters.