Writing the Marketing Plan – Getting Down to It

Smith’s Chemicals is a small to medium-sized chemical company that produces and markets industrial anti-bacterial biocides. Major product lines are the responsibilities of product managers, who must plan for these lines so that Smith’s financial objectives are attained.

Bill Jones is product manager of Smith’s Tica-treat range. Tica-treat is a treatment for cooling water used on mines. The chemical on which the product is based is Trichloroisocyanuric Acid (known as TICA). Smith’s major goal for the product is to increase its market share and profitability in this market. As product manager, Bill must prepare a marketing plan for Tica-treat that will attain the established goals.

Contents of the Marketing Plan

Bill Jones’s plan reads in part: The water treatment market is currently worth R 20 000 000, has been relatively stable for some years, and is expected to remain so. Offshoot markets have tended to raise their heads, e.g. jacuzzi/spa treatments and factory water treatment.