Implementation Evaluation Control

"To guide implementation effectively, every part of the plan must be described in considerable detail. Sometimes a company will post its marketing plan on an internal Web site, which allows managers and employees in different locations to consult specific sections and collaborate on additions or changes."

(Kotler MP1) We are starting to do exactly as planned. The marketing plan is all set up and is now in full effect. the product will go out on the shelves in a matter of days and we have already started promoting our product through all our social medias and we have print ads in magazines. It will all come together for our release date. "For effective implementation and control, the marketing plan should define how progress toward objectives will be measured."(Kotler MP2) All objectives will be met as soon as our product goes out to the public. 

Price

"Price is the only element in the marketing mix that produces revenue; all other elements represent costs. Price is also one of the most flexible marketing mix elements. Unlike product features and channel commitments, prices can be changed quickly. At the same time, pricing is the number-one problem facing many marketing executives, and many companies do not handle pricing well. "

(Kotler 275) Price is really the most essential part of selling this product. We have to make sure that we don't make it to cheap or it will take value away from our product and make it seem like its not worth the money. Also we cant make it to expensive because its a new product and people aren't going to spend alot of money on a product that they are not even sure they will like. I'm going to base my pricing on other pita chips that are being sold just to create a guideline on where i need to be. a normal 8 oz. bag of pita chips by brands like Stacys and Atheno are $30 to $35. i plan on trying to jeep in range with those and start my pricing at $25 and see how it does. "A small percentage improvement in price can generate a large percentage in profitability. More importantly, as a part of a company’s overall value proposition, price plays a key role in creating customer value and building customer relationships."

 (Kotler 275)

Promotion

"Promotion spending is relatively high to inform consumers of the new product and get them to try it. Because the market is not generally ready for product refinements at this stage, the company and its few competitors produce basic versions of the product. These firms focus their selling on those buyers who are the most ready to buy."(Kotler 259) The only way for me to get the product out of the factory and into peoples mouths is by promotiong it. Some ideas I had on promoting the product was by doing print ads, billboards, and a commercial. also we will be very active on all social medias and really try and involve and excite our customers. we will tweet and post daily so there is never a day that they forget about Phileas Foggs Greece Munchies. i want to set up booths in places like Costco and Sams Club so people can sample them while they are shopping. "Companies keep their promotion spending at the same or a slightly higher level. Educating the market remains a goal, but now the company must also meet the competition." (Kotler 259)

Distribution

"Companies often pay too little attention to their distribution channels, sometimes with damaging results. In contrast, many companies have used imaginative distribution systems to gain a competitive advantage. FedEx’s creative and imposing distribution system made it a leader in express delivery. "

(Kotler 311) Our distribution channel will be quite simple. we will get our product on the shelves of as many stores as we can. We want our product to be easily accessible and in whatever store you shop at. Also it will be available on our website in case you live in a rural area, live outside the U.S. or just don't have any in stores near you. Also it will al be made here in the United States in the Phileas Fogg factory. we are getting all the ingredients imported over to the U.S. from Greece, so it will be the finest quality ingredients. "Distribution channel decisions often involve long-term commitments to other firms. For example, companies such as Ford, HP, or McDonald’s can easily change their advertising, pricing, or promotion programs. They can scrap old products and introduce new ones as market tastes demand. But when they set up distribution channels through contracts with franchisees, independent dealers, or large retailers, they cannot readily replace these channels with company-owned stores or Web sites if conditions change."(Kotler 312)

Product

"Marketing research gives marketers insights into customer motivations, purchase behavior, and satisfaction. It can help them to assess market potential and market share or to measure the effectiveness of pricing, product, distribution, and promotion activities." (Kotler 106) Our product is the main focus of the entire brand. if we cant sell our product than our brand will never make it. right now the product is in the introduction stage because people don't know anything about it yet. "The introduction stage starts when the new product is first launched. Introduction takes time, and sales growth is apt to be slow. Well-known products such as instant coffee, frozen foods, and HDTVs lingered for many years before they entered a stage of more rapid growth." (Kotler 259) Once it is out of the introduction stage, it will start to grow and we will find out whether the product will survive or if we need to go back to the drawing board. The product is made from the freshest ingredients of feta cheese, garbanzo beans, sea salt, oregano, dill and homemade pita. There is no way this product can fail. When you take a bite, it makes you feel like you have left where ever you are and ended up on the beautiful beaches of Greece. 

Target Marketing Strategy

"To target the best market segments, the company first evaluates each segment’s size and growth characteristics, structural attractiveness, and compatibility with company objectives and resources. It then chooses one of four market-targeting strategies—ranging from very broad to very narrow targeting."(Kotler 202) We are going to use concentrated marking or niche marketing which involves focusing on only one or a few market segments. We plan on only focusing on the adult markets. we have to ask ourselves a few questions, like if its size able enough to generate a profit, is it a growing market, is there a way to reach it and is this what fits in with our objectives and missions? Targeting our market is the biggest task because if we dont get it right than no one will buy our product. our geographic segment will be strictly in the U.S. for now because until our brand is known we can not expand. our main goal is to target both men and women from ages 21+. there is no specific family size for the target but the income should be about 25,000+. All races and nationalities will be targeted and marketed to in their own special ways. Just mainly will will target adults by drawing them in with ads that will give their eyes a relief from all the ads they are used to. "The most powerful brand positioning builds around strong consumer beliefs and values. Brand name selection involves finding the best brand name based on a careful review of product benefits, the target market, and proposed marketing strategies."(Kotler 238)

SWOT Analysis

"A SWOT Analysis is an overall evaluation of the company’s strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O), and threats (T)." (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, Armstrong/Kotler)  "Strengths include internal capabilities, resources, positive situational factors that may help the company to serve its customers and achieve its objectives." (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, Armstrong/Kotler) The strengths of the company would be the unique outlook on snacks. I chose unusual flavors that require more of an experienced palette. The product is for adult, which can be a strength because there is no other snack food out there that focuses completely on that age group. It reaches out to an entire niche market that is completely ignored by other snack companies. "Weaknesses include internal limitations and negative situational factors that may interfere with the company’s performance." Weaknesses of the brand would be that the flavors may scare people off. They are unique and some people like to stick to the normal flavors like sea salt and vinegar or even just potato chips. " Opportunities are favorable factors or trends in the external environment that the company may be able to exploit to its advantage. " A huge opportunity would be that we are really the only company that is focused on just adults. We will have the entire niche market and it gives us an opportunity to brand ourselves accordingly. we just need to figure out the best way to get people interested and go for it.  "And threats are unfavorable external factors or trends that may present challenges to performance." A huge threat to our company is that since no one else has tried this, we could fail miserably. There may not be as big of a market as we need or even as we think. Also there is the threat of someone stealing our idea and creating a competitor before we can even get people to be interested in our products.