Marketing Implementation Plan

Read the case titled “Bald Baker’s Sweet Challenge”.
Imagine it is January 2019 and you have been hired as a consultant for Dan Sennet and the management team at Bald Baker. Prepare a written marketing implementation plan of no more than 3,000 words (approximately 12 pages, double-spaced) that consists of the following components:

1. Target Market & Positioning. A concise paragraph specifying (a) which customer segment(s) Bald Baker should focus on and (b) how the company should position its offerings. Include recommendations for the company’s branding (i.e., name, logo, tagline, etc.) if you feel changes are necessary.
2. Marketing Mix. A detailed plan that lays out what Bald Baker should do in light of the above target market / positioning recommendations:

a. Product Strategy. What products should Bald Baker offer? If you are advising changes to what the company is doing now, explain your rationale. If no changes are recommended, explain why the current offering remains optimal. Be sure to consider things like:

a) Product mix: Should the company introduce new lines and/or eliminate existing ones?  What variants (flavours, sizes, etc.) should be offered within each line?

b) Product attributes/benefits: Discuss key product features. How will Bald Baker's offerings stand out from products sold by rivals?  Consider both the core product (i.e., the physical cookies / brownies themselves) and other means of differentiation (i.e., packaging, service, brand image, etc.)

b. Pricing Strategy. How should Bald Baker’s products be priced? Does this represent a change from the company current pricing? Be sure to consider the following:

a) Pricing relative to key competitors.  Should Bald Baker products be priced at a premium, on par, or lower than rival offerings?  Factor both sticker price and unit price into your thinking.

b) Pricing variations.  Should Bald Baker's pricing be consistent across channels, or higher in some channels than others?  Should the company engage in 'price lining' (i.e., different prices for different versions of the product)? Should retailers be encouraged to offer price discounts?

c. Distribution Strategy. Are changes needed to Bald Baker’s distribution strategy? Be sure to consider the following:

a) Retail partners.  Is the current mix of retail partners optimal?  Should the company add/drop any retailers or shift its focus in any way?  If new retail channels are added, which ones should they be?

b) Intermediaries.  Should Bald Baker start using food distributors, or does it make more sense to continue to work directly with retailers?

c) Direct channel.  Should the company consider selling directly to consumers via its own website?

d. Promotional Strategy. Describe how Bald Baker should adjust its promotional activities in light of the $50,000 grant:

a) Marketing objectives.  What should the company focus on?  Immediate profit?  Sales volume / market share?  Building relationships with customers?

b) Communications objectives.  What psychological and behavioural variables should be prioritized in order to achieve the marketing objectives?  Options include (but are not limited to): building awareness, changing beliefs, improving attitudes, building loyalty, encouraging customers to seek more information, motivating trial, encouraging repeat purchase, and reinforcing past purchase decisions.

c) Promotional mix.  Which promotional tools should Bald Baker employ (e.g., advertising, digital marketing, sponsorship, influencer marketing, sales promotion / in-store displays, etc.) and what role will each tool serve in the overall strategy? How should the company allocate the $50,000 grant across these tools?

d) Messaging.  What should Bald Baker say in their communications with consumers?  Describe the 'look and feel' of the advertising and promotional materials you would recommend.

3. Expected Outcomes. Specify the likely outcomes of your plan:

a. Sales and profitability. Estimate the number of units you expect to sell of each product as a result of your plan. Based on your pricing strategy and the cost information provided in the case, determine COGS and unit contribution for each product. Is it reasonable to expect Bald Baker to break even on its $50,000 marketing investment? How much money do you project that the company will make?

b. Non-financial outcomes. What additional impacts will your plan have? Consider things like customer loyalty, brand image, and other elements that build a foundation for future growth.

c. Key risks and contingencies. What uncontrollable factors pose the greatest risk to your strategy? (Consider both the likelihood of occurrence and the potential impact of these factors.) What can Bald Baker do to manage those risks?
NOTE: You are welcome to include additional supporting material (e.g., tables, charts, illustrations, etc.) in appendices, provided that these are referenced in the main body of your document. Appendices do not count toward the 3,000-word limit.
Please reference the textbook as one of the sources.