Competency
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:
Determine target customers and desired customer experiences as part of marketing strategies
Scenario
SNHU Pet Supply
Food, Toys, and Supplies for Your Four-Legged Family Members
You are the assistant to Francis Del Corral, the marketing manager of SNHU Pet Supply, a large pet supply company that sells pet food, toys, and supplies in brick-and-mortar locations and through an online store. Francis, who knows of your interest in pursuing a career in marketing, has asked you to determine target customers for a new high-quality pet food line for both cats and dogs.
Directions
Target Market Analysis: Your manager, Francis Del Corral, has asked you to conduct a target market analysis. Using your analysis, you will recommend a target market for the new pet food line and determine the desired customer experience. Francis wants you to clearly demonstrate how your recommendations align to the company’s overall marketing strategy in a written report supported by evidence from research.
Note: If this project would be appropriate for a company you work for, you may use that company instead of the one provided in the scenario. If you choose a different company, you must provide a 1-page summary with background information about the company, their overall marketing strategy, and a new product line. Present your summary in the last section of your written report. For an example of how to present this information, review the Target Market Analysis: SNHU Pet Supply Case Study.
Read the Target Market Analysis: SNHU Pet Supply Case Study located in the Deliverables section. This case study includes important details about the company. If you chose a different company for your project, provide a 1-page summary with background information about the company, their overall marketing strategy, and a new product line. Use the Target Market Analysis: SNHU Pet Supply Case Study as an example of how to present this information. Include your summary as the last section of your written report.
Research a target market for your product. You may use the sources presented in the Supporting Materials section to begin your research. Make sure you use authoritative sources throughout. Remember to cite your sources appropriately.
In your target market analysis, be sure to address the following:
Describe the target market for your new product in detail. Address these points in your response:What is your company’s target market?
What is the demographic, psychographic, and geographic breakdown of your target market?
What are the wants and needs of this target market?
How might the psychological, personal, and social factors impact consumer behavior of this target market?
Justify why the characteristics of the new target market make it suitable for your product. Support your response with evidence from authoritative sources. Consider the following:Why did you choose this target market?
What other potential markets did you research? Why did you decide not to choose them?
How would the product appeal to their wants and/or satisfy their needs?
Determine the desired customer experience for your new target market, providing specific examples. Consider the following in your response:What story do you want your company to tell this target market about the product?
How would you use integrated marketing communications to ensure a consistent message?
What marketing channels would you suggest the company use to reach this market? Why?How will you leverage your target market’s behaviors in the marketing channels you are suggesting?
Demonstrate how your new target market and the desired customer experience align to the company’s marketing strategy. Provide specific examples.How does your target market align to the marketing strategy?
How does your customer experience align to the marketing strategy?
How do your recommended channels align to the marketing strategy?
What to Submit
Every project has a deliverable or deliverables, which are the files that must be submitted before your project can be assessed. For this project, you must submit the following:
Target Market Analysis (1,000–1,500 words)
Your manager has asked you to conduct a target market analysis in which you will recommend a market for a new product and determine the desired customer experience. Present your findings as a written report with enough detail and evidence from research.
The Target Market Analysis SNHU Pet Supply Case Study includes important details about the company, the product, and the marketing strategy that will be useful when completing your target market analysis.
Supporting Materials
The following resource(s) may help support your work on the project:
Citation Help
Need help citing your sources? Use the CfA Citation Guide and Citation Maker.
Website: Pet Industry Size & Ownership Statistics
This resource from the American Pet Products Association provides information about the pet industry. Note that these resources offer a combination of free and paid resources. You are NOT required to purchase any of these resources.
Website: Pet Food Market Trends
This resource provides information about market trends in the pet industry. Note that these resources offer a combination of free and paid resources. You are NOT required to purchase any of these resources.
Website: Discover Community Lifestyle and Demographic Information
Use this resource to find information about your target market. You will need to input a zip code first. Use these resources if you need to look up zip codes in the United States:
USPS: Look Up a ZIP Code
50States.com: State Zip Codes
Reading: Writing Guide
Review the tutorials and resources in the Writing Guide document if you need help with the writing-related aspects of this project.
Reading: How to Design and Deliver an Effective Presentation
This document provides a list of tutorials and resources that will be useful when completing your target market analysis if you choose to create a presentation. These tutorials cover core functionality and tool features, as well as the elements of effective presentation design.
Website: American Pet Products: Press Releases
This resource provides information about market trends in the pet industry via press releases. Note that these resources offer a combination of free and paid resources. You are NOT required to purchase any of these resources.
Website: Petfood Industry
This resource is the website for the Pet Food Industry Association. It reports regularly on the latest news associated with the sale of pet foods in the United States.