UNIVERSIDAD TECNOLOGICA DE BOLIVAR

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING
PROFESOR: ING. JORGE CASSALINS D.

Guide for Developing an International Marketing Plan

3rd DELIVERY: MARKETING PLAN

The information gathered before is to be used as a base to develop your product’s Marketing Plan within a target
market. In this deliverable you must expose the problems and opportunities that surged previously, along with possible
solutions and alternatives to maximize sales and profits. This action plan should reflect the most effective channels to
sell & distribute the product inside a specific domestic market. It also presents Budget, expected revenue or losses,
plus additional resources needed to finish the desired task.

Section A – Executive Summary

After finalizing the required investigation for the 3rd deliverable (explained in Section B), elaborate a summary of
maximum 3-5 pages long, highlighting the most important aspects of your Marketing Plan and considering the most
relevant issues related to the first 2 deliveries (1-Political, Social & Economic Analysis and 2-Product & Cultural
Analysis). As a consequence, this Executive Summary should encompass deliveries 1, 2 & 3.

Section B – Marketing Plan (no more than 30 pages long, without including attachments)

1. Product
a. Product evaluation from an innovation perspective (as it is perceived by the market) and product
adaptation or modification so it can have acceptance in the target market.
2. Marketing objetives
a. Market size
i. Estimated sales for the business sector to which your product belongs for the current year
(# units sold, sales in USD $). This number can be calculated using historical data and a
macroeconomic index like inflation, for example. Don’t forget to include data sources.
ii. Estimated sales for your own business associated to the year in course (# units sold, sales
in USD $). Justify your approach and explain.
iii. Expected sales growth supported on a macroeconomic index or expectations for the
business sector (estimate in # units sold and sales in USD $ from the first to 5th year).
Justify your approach and explain.
b. Market penetration and desired coverage strategy description.
c. Product positioning considering preference diversity and consumer need. Will there be differences in
the offered product depending on chosen market segments?
3. Advertising and promotional mix
a. Advertising (objectives, media mix and message, considering possible cultural barriers)
b. ¿Which sales promotional tactic will be used (coupons, free samples, rewards, personal sales,
tasting experiences, others…)? ¿What is the objective of this chosen tactic?
4. Competition & substitute products: Identify similar products and/or substitutes, describing their particular
characteristics and analyzing the following issues (to the group’s discretion, additional elements might be
evaluated): Brand/name, quality, price, consumer positioning, product situation considering customer
demands & requirements, product characteristics, marketing strategy, strengths & weaknesses. Locate,
identify and analyze at least three competitors or substitutes.
5. Distribution (from its origin to the product’s final destination)
a. Intermodal transport
i. Option 1 – Negotiate directly with transportation company: Select port / airport of origin and
destination, as well as justification of chosen transport means (maritime / aerial / land).
Include names of chosen transportation companies, as well as freight rate and selected
packing method (break bulk, bulk or container).

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 UNIVERSIDAD TECNOLOGICA DE BOLIVAR
INTERNATIONAL MARKETING
PROFESOR: ING. JORGE CASSALINS D.

ii. Option 2 – Freight forwarder / agent: A third party can be chosen, and a freight forwarder
can be an excellent choice for some companies, considering advantages and
disadvantages. If this is your option, name of the freight forwarding agent must be included.
Note: In whichever of the 2 options, its mandatory to detail and justify the chosen proposal.
b. Distribution channels: This section reports data related to intermediaries available throughout the
different market channels. You are asked to investigate only retail intermediaries (important note: no
data related to wholesale intermediaries or import agents is required). Describe the role played by
chain stores, department stores and specialty stores as well as their penetration in urban & rural
markets in your assigned country. Include methods of operation, size (average # of stores) and scale
of sales on a national level (small / intermediate / large). List and name the most important (ideally,
at least three of them).
i. Chain stores (ex. Wal-Mart, Target, Homecenter, Exito)
ii. Department stores (ex. Falabella)
iii. Specialty stores (ex. Panamericana)
c. Paperwork and documents
i. Requirements associated to packaging and packing (regulations related to marks and
labeling, approved materials for packaging according to the product, etc.)
ii. Required documentation and insurance complaints
6. Price fixation
a. Production cost: Cost of fabrication for your product or buying price from factory. Be as precise as
possible.
b. Logistical costs (consider CIF Incoterm for calculations): Costs of shipping, transport, insurance,
document & customs costs, packaging, cargo handling, etc. (in other words, consider total costs
contemplated within CIF).
c. Intermediary’s margin, tariff calculation and distribution channel costs in country of destination.
d. Final price offered to the consumer and expected gross margin and profitability for your team for the
first year of operations. Make a projection for the 5th year of sales, according to point 2a.

Section C - Conclusions for the project

What’s the outreach of this project? Is the export of this product logical? Justify and explain. Feel free to include your
personal opinion based on gathered data.

NOTE (Please consider the following recommendations):

1) Develop the report following the stipulated order presented in this guide, clearly identifying each point.
2) Do not elaborate an extensive report. Stick to the maximum suggested length: 30 pages.
3) Number and title annexes charts, graphs, tables, referencing them accordingly in the main text.
4) Do not use information older than 3 years.
5) Deliver a high-quality report (visually speaking), with a small file size.
6) Use footnotes when necessary.
7) Do not start a table in one page and finalize it in another page.