Marketing plan

Rubric for Marketing Plan

Level of Achievement

Criteria Excellent

(5 pts)

Satisfactory

(4 pts)

Unacceptable

(1 pt)

Content

Executive Summary The executive summary

clearly communicates the

critical elements of the

marketing plan so that it

reads as a stand-alone

document.

The executive summary

includes most, but not all of

the critical elements of the

marketing plan. Some of

the information provided in

the summary is unnecessary

or trivial to understanding

the plan.

The executive summary is

either too short (less than

one page) or too long (more

than two pages). The

summary contains mostly

unnecessary or trivial

information; therefore, it is

inadequate as a stand-alone

document.

Introduction The introduction clearly

and concisely introduces

the purpose of the

marketing plan.

The introduction is

somewhat unclear and/or

not concise in stating the

purpose of the marketing

plan.

There is no introduction

that states the purpose of

the marketing plan.

Company Description and Mission Statement

Information about the

company or organization is

thoroughly and clearly

reported, including such

things as the mission

statement, type of product

or service, employees,

company history, previous

and current marketing

efforts, current knowledge

about customers and

competitors, etc.

Information about company

or organization is, for the

most part, thoroughly and

clearly reported. But some

information that may be

critical to the marketing

plan is missing.

Company or organization

information is provided, but

there is a great deal of

potentially important

information missing.

Competitive Analysis

Information about all major

competitors or strategic

groups is thoroughly and

clearly reported. Source(s)

of the information is

provided. Any information

that is considered to be

important to know, but that

has not been obtained with

reasonable effort is

identified.

Information about most of

the major competitors or

strategic groups is provided.

Not all of the information is

as clearly reported as

possible. The report does

not explain missing data.

Some information about

competitors is provided, but

the analysis lacks

thoroughness and clarity.

There appears to have been

little effort given to

obtaining competitor

information and there is no

explanation for missing

information

Situation Analysis A thorough SWOT analysis

is provided, based on the

preceding analyses.

Reasoning for each item in

the SWOT is provided and

logical. Strengths and

weaknesses are clearly

internal factors, and

opportunities and threats

are clearly external factors.

SWOT analysis is provided,

but there are some missing

points from preceding

analyses. Reasoning for

each item is not always

thoroughly provided and/or

logical. One or two

strengths/weaknesses are

external, or one-two

opportunities/threats are

internal.

SWOT analysis is provided,

but there are at more than

six missing points from

preceding analyses. There is

no reasoning provided for

the items. More than two

strengths/weaknesses or

opportunities/threats are

inappropriate.

Statement of Goals and

Core Competencies

The marketing objectives

and goals are clearly related

to the

company/organization

mission. Objectives and

goals are clearly stated and

appropriately quantified.

Linkage of marketing

objectives and goals to

company/organization

mission is not clearly

stated. Some of the

objectives and goals are

unclear and/or not

appropriately quantified.

Marketing goals and

objectives are missing or

those that are identified are

not quantified or are

inappropriate.

Marketing Mix The marketing direction

that will frame marketing

tactics of the marketing

plan is clearly and

specifically stated. The

marketing strategy is

logically linked to the

marketing objectives and

goals.

Marketing strategy is

identified but is unclear or

unspecific in some aspects.

The marketing strategy is

logically linked to the

marketing objectives and

goals.

The marketing strategy is

missing or is illogical given

the marketing objectives

and goals.

Target Market Based on the marketing

strategy and SWOT

analysis, the target

market(s) is appropriately

identified and described. A

positioning statement for

each target market is

identified and explained,

and reasonable.

Based on the marketing

strategy and SWOT

analysis, the target

market(s) is identified but

not described in enough

detail. Positioning

statement(s) is provided

but not explained.

Target market and

positioning is missing, or, if

identified, does not seem

appropriate given the

marketing strategy and

SWOT analysis. Positioning

statement(s) is missing.

Product Strategy

The objectives of

product/brand management

are clearly stated and

appropriate. Tactics for

managing the

product/service/brand are

thoroughly and clearly

identified and reasoned.

When necessary, sufficient

detail about tactics is

provided, making it easier

to understand the scope of

the tactic.

The objectives of

product/brand management

are stated, but somewhat

unclear. Most of the tactics

are thoroughly and clearly

identified, but one obvious

tactic is missing. Some

detail on tactics is missing,

hindering understanding.

Objectives for

product/brand management

are missing. More than one

obvious tactic is missing.

Very little detail on specific

tactics is provided. Tactics

are unclear and hard to

understand.

Pricing Strategy The objectives of pricing

management are clearly

stated and appropriate.

Tactics for managing price

are thoroughly and clearly

identified and reasoned.

When necessary, sufficient

detail about tactics is

provided, making it easier

to understand the scope of

the tactic.

The objectives of pricing

management are stated, but

somewhat unclear. Most of

the tactics are thoroughly

and clearly identified, but

one obvious tactic is

missing. Some detail on

tactics is missing, hindering

understanding.

Objectives for pricing

management are missing.

More than one obvious

tactic is missing. Very little

detail on specific tactics is

provided. Tactics are

unclear and hard to

understand.

Distribution Strategy The objectives of

distribution management

are clearly stated and

appropriate. Tactics for

managing distribution are

thoroughly and clearly

identified and reasoned.

When necessary, sufficient

detail about tactics is

provided, making it easier

to understand the scope of

the tactic.

The objectives of

distribution management

are stated, but somewhat

unclear. Most of the tactics

are thoroughly and clearly

identified, but one obvious

tactic is missing. Some

detail on tactics is missing,

hindering understanding.

Objectives for distribution

management are missing.

More than one obvious

tactic is missing. Very little

detail on specific tactics is

provided. Tactics are

unclear and hard to

understand.

Promotion Strategy

The objectives of the

promotion strategy are

clearly stated and

appropriate. Tactics for

promoting are thoroughly

and clearly identified and

reasoned. When necessary,

sufficient detail about

tactics is provided, making

it easier to understand the

scope of the tactic.

The objectives of the

promotion strategy are

stated, but somewhat

unclear. Most of the tactics

are thoroughly and clearly

identified, but one obvious

tactic is missing. Some

detail on tactics is missing,

hindering understanding.

Objectives of the promotion

strategy management are

missing. More than one

obvious tactic is missing.

Very little detail on specific

tactics is provided. Tactics

are unclear and hard to

understand.

Budget, Schedule, and Monitoring

A thorough and specific

implementation plan is

clearly identified for

budget, schedule, and

monitoring; the plan

identifies who is

responsible for

implementing the tactic,

when it should be

implemented, the cost,

measurement of

effectiveness, and any other

relevant information. The

implementation plan is

specific enough so that the

company/organization has a

blueprint for using the plan.

In addition to specific

effectiveness measures for

each tactic, overall control

measures for the marketing

plan, and contingency

actions, are identified.

An implementation plan is

identified, but one to two

tactics are not addressed.

Specificity of some of the

plan could be improved.

The company/organization

will be able to use the plan

to implement the marketing

plan, but may be confused

about some aspects because

of missing information.

Overall control measures

are included and

contingency actions are

identified, but they lack

thoroughness.

An implementation plan is

identified, but more than

two tactics are not

addressed, and the plan

generally lacks specificity.

Because of missing

information, the plan will

not help the

company/organization

implement the marketing

plan. Overall control

measures and contingency

plans are not identified.

Conclusion

A brief summary that

identifies the expected

outcomes with successful

implementation of the

marketing plan is clearly

presented in a short

paragraph.

A summary of expected

outcomes is provided but

lacks clarity.

There is no conclusion.

Written Communication

Organization Written work is well

organized and easy to

understand. Sections of the

plan are marked with

appropriate headings.

Tables and charts are

appropriately used and easy

to understand, and

contribute to the ease of

reading the plan.

The organization is

generally good, but some

sections seem out of place.

Some headings may be

missing. Tables and charts

are included, but are

difficult to understand (e.g.,

poorly labeled).

The plan is disorganized to

the extent that it prevents

understanding the content.

There are no headings.

Inappropriate use of charts

or tables; or, use of tables

and charts is indicated, but

not included.

Writing Style The plan uses APA Style

that is uniform throughout

the paper and appropriate

for this type of written

project. There is no

indication that the paper

involved multiple authors.

APA Style lacks uniformity

at times and is not always

appropriate for a marketing

plan. There is some

indication of multiple

authors (e.g., different

fonts, different paper, etc.).

Plan is clearly the work of

multiple authors with

different writing styles,

margins, printer fonts,

paper types, etc. Does not

use APA Style.

Grammar, Spelling, and

Formatting

The plan has been

thoroughly spell-checked

There are a few spelling

and/or grammatical errors.

There are frequent

misspelled words, serious

and proofread. There are no

to almost none grammatical

or spelling errors. There are

no formatting errors.

There are one to three formatting errors.

grammatical errors, and

formatting errors, indicating

that time was not taken to

spell-check and proofread.

Use of Appendices

Information is appropriately

placed in either the main

text or an appendix.

Appendices are documented

and referenced in the text.

Information is sometimes

misplaced. Documenting

and referencing in text are

somewhat incomplete.

Appendices are poorly

documented and referenced

in text.

Considerable amount of

material is misplaced.

Appendices are not

documented or referenced

in text.

References Material used in the writing

of the plan taken from

external sources is

appropriately referenced

both within the document

and on a reference page

using APA Style.

Some material taken from

external sources is not

referenced, either in the text

or on a reference page.

No references in the text or

on a reference page are

provided, although it is

obvious that material from

external sources has been

used.

Professionalism Overall, the written

communication of the

marketing plan conveys a

sense of professionalism, a

written document that

appears and reads like it

was developed by

professionals, not students.

Many aspects of the

marketing plan convey a

sense of professionalism,

but there are some written

communication problems

that are not congruent with

a professionally prepared

marketing plan.

The marketing plan lacks

any sense of

professionalism and is

clearly prepared by

students.