EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Any successful company that seeks to register high sales in whatever its field of operation is
needs to have a proper and well-coordinated marketing program in place. This project will help
the people in the required department of sales and marketing and the executive team know what
their role is and what is expected of them.

This project will help discuss a myriad of issues that - should the company tackle them well -
will result to a great sale:
First we are going to conduct a situation and environment analysis of the market that the firm
will be operating in. This involves taking a close look at the competitive area of the market,
deciphering who the main competitors are and how competitive the market is and what should be
put in place to ensure that the company survives it.
We will take a close look at the economic factors that could affect the sales and distribution of
the product, the impact technology could have either in spearheading the project or better still
curtailing its progress, the political and legal situation in the country the firm is operating in
and whether that can be turned to an advantage or a disadvantage.

Also the other thing that this project will seek to reveal is the SWOT analysis of the company.
The SWOT analysis aims to look at the Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and the threats the
company will be facing while on its day to day operations. This will help the management be
able to know what they should concentrate on and what they should look out for from their
competitors and also their weaknesses that they should work towards improving on.

This project will also work towards developing and setting straight the marketing objectives the
firm will be looking to achieve while producing this homemade dog food. This will be able to
ensure that the team has their eyes set on a common goal and seek to see it achieved.

The other thing that the project will emphasize and concentrate on will be the target market the
company will be looking forward to exploit in the production of the food and the market it will
look to fully exploit to expand their sales beyond Dallas metropolitan area.

Last but not least will be a look at how the company will look to position itself in the market in
terms of pricing, advertising methods and all that with regards to the other competitors. This will
then be concluded by the recommendations and conclusion and a summary about what the whole
project.

1
 SITUATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

a) Competitors:

In any industry it is important that the people competing in it understand the nature of
competition in those markets. In our case, we need to be aware of our competitors and
understand what strategies they are applying in the sales of their produce and the amount of
market they control. We need to understand our competitors in order to best penetrate the
market with our own product. Understanding our competitors will help us determine how we
can gain influence in the market, and ultimately, how we can become the leader in the industry.
After researching the market, we identified are top competitors. Firstly on a local level we noted
two producers and definite competitors of our organic, natural dog food, RAW by Canines First
4908 McKinney Avenue, Dallas, Texas and Homegrown Hounds 4101 Worth Street both of
these competitors are small operations but nonetheless need to be considered. The remain
competitors we have identified as being available in local stores, PetCo, PetSmart, Costco, two
local pet food boutique stores and all are also available online. Presenting competitive fronts on
a local and online basis.

Local: RAW by Canines First 4908 McKinney Avenue, 214.760.8677

Local: Homegrown Hounds 4101 Worth Street, 888.929.2697

Local and online: Party Animal Organic Canned Dog Food

Local and online: Newman's Own Organics - Beef & Liver

Local and online: Kirkland Nature's Domain USDA Organic Chicken & Pea Dry Dog Food

Natural Core ECO 2 Duck Organic Dog Food USDA/ECOCERT Certified

Natural Planet Organics Chicken Formula Dry Dog Food

Figure 1
 b) Economic Factors:

As part of the environment and situational analysis, economic factor is one of the primary
aspects that we need to be take into consideration. Economic factors are judged on the basis of
four main characteristics.

i. Business cycle depicts the current scenario of the overall economy of a country. As per
the latest S&P index report, USA are currently going through the late stages of
expansion or recovery period since 2009. The analysis shows that the recession period
turmoil is being recovered at a slow pace and the unemployment rate is going down
gradually. People are spending more the sources of business opportunities are on the
rise. For a niche market like that of organic, healthy dog food, business scope is
immense and the turn of business life cycle is a well suited environment for this sort of
business to progress.

ii. Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising
and, consequently, the purchasing power of currency is falling. Central banks attempt to
limit inflation, and avoid deflation, in order to keep the economy running smoothly. The
current inflation rate of USA is 1.0% through the twelve months ending in May 2016 as
th
published by the US Government on June 15 , 2016. Due to this the variation in cost and
prices almost remain same for the consumers and thus the market is well balanced for
consumer spending on goods. For a mid-range priced, affordable dog food people will be
well placed to consume or buy the product for their beloved pet dogs.

iii. Resource availability here represents an inverse relationship between price and
demand. If resources are available prices will decrease and demand will increase. And if
resources are scarce the prices will increase and subsequently the demand of goods will
decrease. The availability of resources for wholesome, healthy and organic dog food is
decent and so forth we can interpret that the demand for this particular good is high in
the market with suitable and affordable pricing.

iv. Income is another aspect that represents the overall economic condition. Income can be
analyzed through the purchasing power which is the value of a currency expressed in
terms of the amount of goods or services that one unit of money can buy. The Consumer
Price Index which measures changes in the price level of a market of basket of goods

c) Social and Cultural Factors:

Culture encompasses the set of beliefs, moral values, traditions, language, and laws (or rules of
behavior) held in common by a nation, a community, or other defined group of people.
Culturally determined characteristics include: the language spoken at home; religious
observances; customs (including marriage customs that often accompany religious and other
beliefs); acceptable gender roles and occupations; dietary practices; intellectual, artistic, and
leisure-time pursuits; and other aspects of behavior.
Dogs are very important to the American people. Table 1 below illustrates the extent of
companion dog ownership in the U.S. As indicated by the table, there is a huge business
opportunity to provide goods and services to domestic pet owners, so they can please their pets.
Agricultural producers and firms that market products made from agricultural commodities to
pet owners can capitalize on this opportunity.

Dogs
Percent of households owning: 36.5%
Number of households owning: 43,346,000
Average number owned 1.6
per household:
Total number in United States: 69,926,000

Figure 2
As dog owners continue to humanize their companions with their own dietary trends, premium
foods are expected to continue driving growth in dog food in 2016. High-protein and grain-free
formulas will continue to drive growth, as will freeze-dried or dehydrated raw foods that dog
owners associate with the ancestral diet of their pet. Consumer preferences for minimally-
processed foods will also help dog food with all-natural formulations gain share in 2016. Based
on provisional estimates, these factors will drive up average unit prices and help dog food grow
4% in current retail value terms despite a 1% decline in retail volume sales in 2016.

As the economic prospects for millennials continue to improve, the outlook for the US dog food
category is bright. Millennials are humanizing their pets and incorporating many of their own
dietary trends into their dog food purchases. Natural, grain-free, paleo, raw and limited-
ingredient formulas all reflect important food trends among this demographic, and continued
growth from these premium dog foods are expected to drive unit prices and value sales growth
in the coming years. For this reason, dog food is expected to register a retail value CAGR of 3%
(constant 2016 prices) over the forecast period to reach US$22.9 billion in 2021.

The other aspects that will come in to affect in the social values are certain trends such as
premium ingredients, local sourcing, custom prepared and delivered, weight-loss regimes,
variety, raw food, make-your-own and also special needs.

d) Political/Legal Factors:
Political and legal factors relate to the level of legislation in a country or an industry. As a
company it is important that in Dallas area are operating in, we understand the level of
legislation in that place. Prior to 2011, in Texas, selling any food from your home kitchen made
you an illegal "food establishment" in the eyes of DSHS, Department of State Health Services
aim to increase coordination among agencies on food safety, which led to setting up of GO
TEXAN food membership to advise them of the need for all food processors to have a food
manufacturing license with the state. This requirement is intended to help keep Texas food safe.
This can be done through a couple of ways. First the firm should have a team of legal
professionals that will be advising the firm on the moves to make in the industry with regards to
various issues that the firm will encounter in its operations. It is good to do so to ensure that
whichever moves the firm decides to pull are well in line with the regulations of the state it is
operating in. also the firm needs to operate on the right side of the law because if they operate
on the wrong side of the law they will face a lot of opposition from the government of the day
which will be very unfortunate for the firm.

e) Technological factors:

Technology factors constitutes the pace of change of consumption, R&D budgets of companies,
increased regulation and minor improvements on a gradual basis. Technology in todays world
has taken lives beyond the normal mode of consumption. It now helps people be a part of the
overall product and service management. Internet has paved the way for people to have a
deeper involvement and give their feedback regarding what they expect and want. The wide
range of social media and digital platform has created the virtual marketplace where anything
and everything is possible. When we come to think of a dog food, technology seems to be the
forethought of not only establishing the business but also successfully evolving it. In terms of
Technology, certain aspects have changed the paradigm of consumer products and services.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has developed network connectivity amongst everyday objects
thus enabling consumers with more reliable and accurate knowledge regarding products and
services. Also companies are gaining more information about their choice of customers in the
areas of needs, wants and demands. Because of this the gap of information between consumers
and providers has reduced significantly and world has turned into an open market.

Online Marketplace provides customers with the ability to shop online through virtual
integration. Amazon, E-Bay have changed how people shop and how companies market and
deliver their products. Easily accessible and interactive, online shopping is now a trend amongst
young adults and teenagers who are looking for a faster way to engaging themselves in
shopping.
Social Media and Digital platform is probably the biggest revolution in marketing and
consumer preferences. Facebook, Twitter has turned out to be a tool for reviews and customer
feedback. Consumers are communicating with consumers regarding various products and
services. Even product/service providers are also utilizing these tools to market their product,
identify target customers and sharing add-on values related to the particular product/service.
Digital advertising is more intriguing nowadays as consumers are always hooking up at
YouTube and other video websites where marketing has come to speed for seeking potential
customers. E-mail, company websites, interactive customer services are the new generation of
technology that are being used for marketing.

For a wholesome, healthy organic good food, the digital platform will be a key amenity to
utilize. Identifying customers, understanding their preferences, tracking down customers,
distribution the product, marketing, gathering feedback and providing add-on values can all be
penetrated through the technological capabilities of the digital platform.

f) Natural Environment:

This involves the natural environment in which the firm is operating in. Our firm should be
able to operate in an environment which is advantageous of our business. This means that the
firm should be located in an environment that is near their target market to make sure they reap
the maximum out of it. Also the firm should be located in an area where it is not prone to
natural disasters like floods and hurricane disasters. Also should be able to stand any weather
condition in terms of extreme heat in Texas environment to ensure that they never incur
additional costs repairing the damage the weather has cost or even work in an environment
which will kind of reduce their level of preservation and operations. (Little, 2014).
 SWOT ANALYSIS

In the SWOT Analysis we focus on the following four areas:

a) Strengths of our Firm.

b) Weaknesses of our Firm
c) Opportunities available in the Industry.
d) Threats within our Industry.

STRENGTHS:
a) Feeding organic and wholesome food is just one facet of a healthy diet and lifestyle
for our dogs. However, the sweeping public opinion that organic food is healthier
than conventional food is quite strong. Our organic homemade dog food will
contribute to environmental groups who dont want pesticides and fertilizers to do
any more damage to pets and environment. Producing organic foods, which do not
use chemicals, seems like a good way for longevity of life span and body size of
our dogs. As producers of organic food we are also very strong contributors to the
idea that organic food is superior to other types of dog food.
b) The fact that we have sponsors already on board to partner with and also firms to
help sell our products can be a very good advantage. This also means that we have
enough funds to compete with others in terms of hiring new professionals, and also
use of modern technology in our business operations.
c) Our firm is reasonably small, yet it will be run and operated by a team of digitally
savvy professionals who have strong backgrounds in promoting and advertising
online. This lends us a significant advantage when we look to build online presence
and strengthen the brand through the use of social networking and the like. Dallas
Dog Food is built upon on strong online, digital marketing principles, online site
is really savvy and attractive to younger users.
d) DDF offers new fun ways to purchase pet food online or through our #woofbook
app, highly targeted personalized consumer experience, i.e. relationship
experience.
e) Our project will also open doors of opportunity for investing in production and
supporting local organic agriculture.
f) People seek nutritional value from their pet food and DDF offers lean meats and
fresh veggies providing top class nourishment.
g) Pet owners want more savings and DDF offers high quality organic pet food for a
reasonable price once subscribed to monthly deliveries, DDF also runs promos
through its online store and via the #WoofBook app.
h) Consumers want additional health benefits from their pet food. DDFs list of
ingredients are all top class organic ingredients and provide a list of health benefits
from flea control, to muscle health. DDF provides all of this information on its
packaging and online. The consumer also has the ability to build a customized
meal plan through the DDF #WoofBook app.
i) Dallas Dog Food or DDF is a new brand so it can position as a 'healthy choice' for
pet owners.
 j) Pet owners are seeking convenience and DDF offers the convenience of being
available in stores and online. It also offers the ability to benefit from discount when
a consumer opts in to a meal delivery subscription, food is delivered every two weeks
to the customers door step.
k) Pet owners today desire positive personal social interactions with their animals and
DDF is an active online friendly brand, active in all online dog forums. Full social
networking platform activity, e.g. Facebook, twitter, Instagram, snapchat, Pinterest,
etc.

WEAKNESSES:
a) Lack of "Dallas Dog Food" brand awareness. The fact that our product will be
new to the market is a weakness meaning that it will be an uphill task to kind of
advertise it and make it popular. This will need a lot of dedication from the workers
as well as the marketing department and this might result to low sales while we are
starting out.
b) The other weakness we have will be the lack of experience from our side in the
industry we are in. This will come with a lot of challenges given that experience is
important when facing competition and trying to set prices as well as
understanding the behaviour of consumers in the market.
c) Some online competitors are cheaper than the price that Dallas Dog Food will
be entering the market at.
d) Dog Food includes whole food ingredients that may appear to add more 'bulk' to
their pets diet than other weight management pet food choices.
e) People/pet owners that do not understand or are not aware of how much their pet's
food plays an integral part of their overall lifestyle and health, might view DDF as
overpriced and not consider the health benefits to have a high enough ROI.
f) The other weakness on our side can be our lack of figures to forecast future
expenditures based on the history of the company because people budget based on the
previous experiences. The lack of previous experiences therefore means that we
might not be able to predict the correct expenses for budgeting and as such we might
over budget ourselves or under budget ourselves which can be a very grave mistake.

OPPORTUNITIES:
a) Build brand awareness by sponsoring local events that appeal to the local community.
This will help generate awareness around our brand and increase our trust bank
within the community, hopefully, they will see us as a firm that cares about their
social needs and this might sway them to buy our products or recommend us to
others.
b) Advertise "farm to table" pet food. Offering source information and data. Local Texas
farms used for poultry, etc.
c) We can also take advantage of the ever growing population by sponsoring the kids in
our local community colleges, especially those that are talented but come from a
home that is financially challenged. This will mean that we will have a constant
supply of skilled labour through internships.
 d) We can take advantage of those people are not aware of the health benefits available
to their pets via organic wholesome food. By educating pet owners on healthier
choices and eating habits for their pet we can entice them to our website, position
ourselves as industry experts and convert to sales.
e) We can also build awareness around the lack of benefits provide through cheaper
pet foods because they contain high amounts of unnecessary grains and high
calories, therefor not benefiting the health of the pet.
f) Our digital savviness as a company offers us incredible amounts of opportunity.
Through our #WoofBook profile/ordering system, and the app, the customer is fully
and consciously involved in their ordering experience. They fill out their pets
personal health history, helping to build a strong and active relationship with our
brand. Through the #WoofBook app we offer a geo based map service that highlights
local dog parks, vet clinics, dog grooming facilities, all pet food supplier locations.
g) We can also take the opportunity the government has for investors by going to them
for a partnership such that in exchange of lifting up the lifestyle of the people in the
community we serve in (i.e. Dallas Fort-Worth) we get loans and funds at low interest
rates. This will facilitate our growth and expansion.

THREATS:
a) The major threat we are facing is the high number of competitors we have in the
industry. DDF is an unknown company. There are a number of companies that offer
alternative or even store branded more affordable organic dog food options, e.g.,
Kirkland Signature Nature's Domain USDA Organic Chicken, etc.
b) Home delivered pet food meal programs (White Rock Pet Food Delivery, Metro Pet
Services, Natures Select of Dallas, etc.) present a threat to our local orders.
c) The other threat we face is the unpredictable nature of the economy which can affect
the prices of the pet food, thereby making our produces fetch for little in the market
and that will mean reduced profits.
d) Another threat is the fact that our food is a wet food. Many dog owners like to feed
their pets dry or food for the benefits it offers to a dogs teeth.
e) Increase in obesity rate (43.8 million US dogs are estimated to be overweight or
obese. Our dog is rich in wholesome ingredients if we do not stress the benefits of
these ingredients sufficiently we could potentially appear too high in calories which
would add to this obesity problem in the eyes of community influencers, such as
vets.
f) The other threats is the rise of alternative means of food for pets. Technology has
improved, and nowadays families are able to make their own home made dog
food. This affects our sales as it lowers the demand for our products in the market.
g) Other pet food companies offer or promise additional benefits such as decreased
shedding, anxiety control, puppy training, skin conditions (Nutri-Vet Shed Defense
Soft Chews, Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Calm Formula, Pro Plan Select Sensitive
Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Recipe, etc.)
h) Humans are creatures of habit and will 'stick with what they know' some people
purchase the dog food that their parents purchased, keeping cheap and happy brands
like Pedigree in business.
 i) We also face the threat that climate change presents to us and our resources. Flooding
and/or drought or other natural disasters can impact produce pricing and increase our
production costs.
j) Last but not least, as a company we face a threat from companies outside the country,
most especially countries that practice organic farming system and sell their produce
at a much cheaper rate compared to ours. If people can go online and order from these
competitors it will result in a decrease in our sales.

SWOT ANALYSIS (Detailed)

Figure 3
 MARKETING OBJECTIVES
1. Develop a sustainable pet product business that produces, manufactures and markets
healthy, organic and nutritious dog foods.
2. Successfully bring Dallas Dog Food to market by November of 2016.
3. Achieve sales volume targets: 4.
Year 1: 25,000 lbs./40,000 oz.
5. Reduce costs after 15,000 lbs. production
6. Reach 30% of the Target Market by the end of Year 1.
7. Reach Break Even point within 12 months of business.

TARGET MARKET
The primary market for dog food is dog owners. A study sponsored by Pet Food Institute (PFI)
that the number of pet dogs has reached an all-time high. According to APPA National Pet
Owners survey 2015-2016 number of households that own dogs are 54.4 million and the total
number of dogs owned is 77. 8 million. Additionally, there are some basic annual expenses for
dogs which includes:

Annual
Surgical Vet Expenses
$551
Routine Vet $235
Food $269
Food Treats $61
Kennel Boarding $333
Vitamins $62
Grooming Aids $83

Figure 4

As the trend for todays dog food has turned into specific sets of healthy and nutritional
benefits along with creative positioning comprising of factors such as: premium ingredient,
local sourcing, custom prepared, weight-loss regimes, variety, raw food, make-your-own and
special needs.
Segmenting the Market:
The dog food market is most easily segmented by age, as spending on dog food varies
significantly with age. Older householders are the biggest spenders on dog foods. Married
couples without children at home, most of them empty nesters, spend 30 percent more than the
average household on pets and their foods (especially dogs). The best customers of the dog food
industry (the households that spend the most on pet products and services) are married couples
with adult children at home. These "crowded" nesters spend 45 percent more than the average
household on dogs and their foods. Those aged 55 to 64 spend 26 percent more than average.
Spending on pets is below average among householders aged 65 or older and also among those
under age 35. Married couples with preschoolers spend less than the average household on
pets, as do single parents and people who live alone. The following tables provide a
demographic profile of dog owners and growth projections for this market.

Gender % Marital Status % Region %

Male 34 Married 62 Northeast 1
5
Female 66 Unmarried couple 3 Midwest 2
Single, never 17 South 36
Age % Divorced/separated 9 West 2
18 - 24 9 Widowed 6 3
25 - 29 8 Refused 3 Education %
30 - 34 11 8th grade or less 2
35 - 39 12 Children Under % Some high school 5
40 - 49 26 18 in Household High school graduate 3
50 - 64 20 Yes 39 Some college 23
65 or older 13 No 60 College graduate 2
Refused 1 Refused 1 Graduate study 38
Refused 2
Race % Total %
Family
White 85 Less than $20,000 10 Use the Internet %
Black 6 $20,000 - $34,999 14 Yes 5
Asian 1 $35,000 - $49,999 21 No 4
Hispanic 5 $50,000 - $74,999 19 Refused 32
Other 1 $75,000 - $99,999 8
Refused 2 $100,000 + 7 Internet Usage %
Refused 21 Once a day or more 6
Hispanic % Mean (000's_ 53.4 At least once per week 2
Origin
Yes 7 Median (000's) 46.6 At least once per month 78
No 91 Less than once per month 3
Refused 2 Varies too much to say 0
Don't know/Refused 0
Figure 5

Based on these data, we can set our target market based on two factors

1. Demographic
2. Psychographic
 Demographic:
I. Aging baby boomers specially middle aged female,
II. Extended and Blended families,
III. Minimum Education High School Graduate and beyond
IV. Annual Income of $50,000 and more
V. More focus on ethnically diversified White/Caucasians

Psychographic
I. Dog Enthusiasts who consider dogs to be an affordable luxury
II. Passionately committed to their dogs and consider them family member because
More than half of all U.S. dog owners say they are more attached to their pets than to at
least one other human being, and from 4-13 million say they are as attached to their
dogs as they are to their best friend (13 million), children (6 million), or spouse (4
million).
III. People who spend passionately on this emotional bond and are internet savvy.

Geographic
I. Initially Dallas, Plano, Richardson (Year 1)
II. Later on Moving further towards Fort-Worth, McKinney, Waco, Irving etc.
III. The Big Plan is to spread out the business in the southern regions such as Texas,
Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia etc.

Benefits Sought Segmentation

I. Dog Owners looking for Healthy and Organic ingredients
II. Fulfills dogs appetite and keeps them healthy
III. Accompanies important vitamins and vet approved nutrition elements
IV. Easy to get, Custom made and delivered at home
 POSITIONING

Dallas Dog Food is positioned very carefully, a wholesome, organic and healthy dog food that
addresses a major concern of dog-owners better than any of the competitors. Our marketing
strategy is primarily based on making this information available to our target market, the
affluent, suburban, middle-aged female baby boomers whose children have left home ("empty
nesters"), who lavish attention on their dogs and consider the health and vitality of their dogs
the most, visually via point-of-purchase displays and graphically via creative ad copy and
graphics. This basic strategy should allow this product to stand out in a field of competitors that
appear to employ no clear marketing strategy.

The value proposition for Dallas Dog Food lies with the dog owner. With DDF, the dog owner
will have a healthy, organic and nutritious means of feeding their dog. Because dog owners
identify this task as one of the most challenging aspects of owning a dog and because the target
market has substantial disposable income, they will be willing to pay a premium price to acquire
this superior product.

Value Proposition

Just wholesome goodness because we know you love

them.
Dallas Dog Food uses only 100% grain-free, organic, farm-to-table, locally sourced ingredients.
Life force food to nourish your dog, giving them the vitality, strength and protection to live a full
and healthy life.

The positioning statement is well suited to support the advertising, pricing and distribution of the
product
Advertising: The promotional aspect of DDF will be focused on its healthy, organic and
nutritious ingredients. The elements of this particular dog food is quite unique and carries
essential minerals and vitamins for the dog. Apart from that peoples affection towards
their dogs and the willingness to prioritize the health and vitality of their dogs is
paramount and they treat their dogs as members of the family. This particular
characteristic is essential to advertise and showcase the positioning statement.
Pricing: As for the pricing, the product is classified as specialty premium product
and the pricing will be skimmed in order to showcase its uniqueness and premium
offering. The market though has many competitors in the arena of dog food but in
terms of nutritious and healthy offering, DDF will be something unique and of great
value to its customers. So, the pricing will also justify and portray the positioning.
 Distribution: The distribution will be conducted through online shopping portals,
specialty online catalogue stores, website, big-box retailers and premium pet stores.
The positioning of the product is such that only exclusive outlets will be chosen and
partnered for distribution. This will increase its perceived value and premium
positioning.
 PRODUCT
A Product is a bundle of physical, service, and symbolic attributes designed to enhance
buyers want satisfaction.

a) Packaging
a. Dallas Dog Food, falls into the Specialty Good classification of consumer
goods. This product is in the introduction stage of the product life cycle. Dallas
Dog Food packaging provides protection, identification, information: offering
an honest and transparent list of all ingredients on the back of packaging, usage
enhancement: offering a CTA for consumers to go online to our website where
they can build a unique Meal Plan for their pet based on their pets age, health,
breed, daily exercise level and more, disposal enhancement: worked with a
sustainability agency to develop a bag that constructed using 70% recycled
materials, innovative: the bag is fully re-sealable using the latest packing
technologies to preserve products while maintaining clean-label status, and
offering channel acceptance enhancement: packing is fully aligned with
branding efforts to improve shelf presence while attracting consumer interest in
all active areas of target market.

b) Warranties
a. The Dallas Dog Food Company stands proudly and honestly behind our
products. Therefore, we encourage feedback, offering a 10% discount per each
customers first online testimony. In addition to this, we provide an email address
and telephone number for all consumer complaints, comments or feedback.
b. We also offer customers a 5-Day Return Policy (5 days because our product is
perishable item): If you are not completely satisfied with an item, you may
return it within 5 days from the date received. We will accept returns in store or
online. If we shipped the wrong product, we will pay for the cost of shipping the
product back to us. Anything beyond our 5 day limit will be considered for a
credit.
A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design or a combination of them intended to identify
the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of
competitors.
c) Name
a. The Dallas Dog Food, proving to be the most popular choice during
our marketing research, also suggests a function.
i. This name strengthens our image because it is immediately clear what our
product offers. It is food that is locally sourced and provides dogs with the
energy and vitality to live a wholesome life.
ii. The Dallas Dog Food uses this name for its company trade name and
individual brand name strategy, e.g. the company is called Dallas Dog
Food and the product is called Dallas Dog Food.
iii. Dallas Dog Food offers a line extension offering more variety of flavors
and products for small and large dogs. Dallas Dog Food is available in
wet food choices and the following flavors: chicken and beef.
d) Brand Equity
a. The name also helps to increase brand equity of our brand. Dallas Dog Food,
adds value to beyond the functional benefits provided by dog food. It is not only
satisfying the basic need of the animals need to eat and dog owners need to care
for their pet but it adds to this the value of farm to table, locally sourced, local
homegrown wholesome ingredients, high quality food and care. Speaking highly
to the consumers desired self-portrayal image, e.g. caring, responsible, devoted
pet owner.
e) For Dallas Dog Food product development we followed the Booz Allen Hamiltons
New Product Development Process:
a. New Product Strategy Development
b. Idea Generation
c. Screening and Evaluation
d. Business Analysis
e. Development
f. Testing
g. Commercialization
 PRICING
Pricing is an important aspect of a product because it determines a lot of things. Among which include:

a. The amount of people who will be buying our products.

b. It also determines the amount of money we as affirm will be getting as
profit.
c. It also determines the amount of prices of our competitors if we are the
market leaders.
d. It also determines the prices of substitute goods.

This shows you that if we are to price our products correctly then we will not only be winning
control of the market but we will also be driving our competitors out of business which is
essential for our long time survival in the industry.

To be able to price our products correctly and be able to make our products attractive to the right
market we will have to price our products based on certain factors. The factors that we will have
to consider include;

Price of our competitors. We will price our products based on the prices of our
competitors products so that our goods are not too cheap to hinder us from
running our activities smoothly and neither should it be too expensive that it
discourages people from buying our products.
Prices of substitute goods. We will have to make our products cheaper than the
prices of substitute goods so that our customers will not consider substitute goods
at our expense. This will help us stay in business.
Price of inputs/ raw materials. For a business to run successfully the goods we
are giving out needs to be able to pay back the money used to buy inputs for us.
Therefore, based on the prices of inputs we will price our goods accordingly to
make sure we reap profits from it.
Others are inflation level of the economy.
Profit margin we need to have after sales for perpetual existence of our firm.

All this factors are important in the pricing of our goods but the most important thing to consider
when pricing should be the customers. The more customers we attract and the amount of
customers we control in the market the better for us. Therefore, as a firm we will need to be able
to price our products at a level where we will be able to keep our current customers and even
attract more.

Therefore, in pricing we will consider the economic situation of the region or country we are in
and the consumer buying power of the market and fix our prices based on those observations.
Also as part of our value proposition, we have identified the only factor that differentiates
Dallas Dog Food product from other competitors in at least one way. We set our sights on two
only factors to differentiate our product. These factors are price and quality. Price, especially,
is often at the forefront of every consumers budget or goal.
In the organic dog food market, the top competitors all compete on similar to same pricing. We
are aware of this similarity, and even our customers are aware of this through their own personal
price market research.

In this new era of technology development world, its a fact of life. With a few product words in
their browser search box, consumers can leave your website and find the prices of every
competitor in your market.
The best solution is we try to present our competitors prices right on our website. By providing
a price comparison, we effectively solve one issue we know the customer will need addressed.
In cases where our product is little higher than our competitors, we did try add a statement
showing the value customers receive by paying more could also be helpful, to showing them
why they should buy from us in terms of ingredient and discount we provided for our customers,
and no contract agreement. After all, a dollar sign doesnt signify the only cost in a purchase.
Comparison with product that is identifiable in the market, we based our DDF product on the
products that meet the same need or intended for the same purpose. In practice this means that
we comparing ours and the competitors most similar product or clearly state the differences
between them, so that the basis of the comparison is made clear.

Dallas Dog Food vs. Competitor Pricing Chart

Figure 6
 PROMOTION

Our main Marketing Strategy will be centered on the Pull Strategy which will combine some
fixtures of traditional marketing and mostly features of Inbound Marketing with a collective
usage of social media and the digital platform.

a) Promotional Strategy

The primary goal of our sales and marketing strategy is to simply and succinctly explain our
product to our target market. An explanation of this innovative product is best accomplished by
means of a visual demonstration. Market research within the target market shows that, while
there is a significant amount of interest in this product based on a verbal description, this
interest can be greatly magnified by a visual demonstration. Retail product demonstrations will
be accomplished with point-of-purchase displays that allow customers to try the product for
themselves. In addition, the product itself is packaged in such a way that consumers can operate
it and see for themselves how it works. The product website will also be used to visually
demonstrate the product.

Creative application of print media will provide a product description for catalog and ad copy.
We will be working on our advertising to develop ads for selected pet magazines like Dogster,
Fetch etc. This effort alone should be sufficient to set this product apart from a field of
competitors that appears to lack any type of marketing strategy. We are also planning a series of
press releases timed to coincide with the product launch.

Our Overall strategical steps for promotional activities involve two phases: Adoption and
Interest
a. Adoption Phase: This will involve Market research and Initial marketing of the
product prior to its launch.
i. Market Research: For the Market Research we will use two tools that
will be most effective to our cause: Focus Group Interviews and Online
Marketing Surveys. These will be conducted for two weeks to gain insight
on the needs, wants and perception of our target market. Based on the
research we will start introducing our product prior to its launch. For the
adoption phase the platforms that we will be using are Online and Social
Media, instore campaigns and print media marketing.
ii. Pre-Launch Marketing Campaign
1. Online and Social Media:
2. This campaign will start simultaneously with the market
research and will continue up and until the launch.
3. A company/product website that showcases healthy dogs,
importance of a healthy and nutritious dog, various ingredients
that are good for dogs and their detailed nutrition descriptions
along with vignettes videos of our product.
 4. A Facebook page with interactive daily dog facts, ask the expert
sessions, uploaded videos from dog enthusiasts, interactive games
and our product teasers such as logos, messages, posters/artworks,
people expectations etc.
5. An Official YouTube subscription pages with veterinary
instructions, dog health videos, different types of dog games and
the guidelines and of course our product vignettes and teaser
videos.
6. A Twitter account sharing pictures and happy moments of dogs
and their owners along with countdown tweets of our product
launching day.
iii. Instore and Printed Campaigns:
1. This campaign will start off after the market research has been
conducted and the results have been evaluated
2. A booth for advance bookings of the product along with free
delivery and membership offerings.
3. A shelf with catalogues and brochures of our product which will
feature coupons and vouchers that customers can avail on their
initial purchase
4. Photo Booth where people can take pictures with their dogs or of
their dogs in various poses.
5. Sample Packages and Products to help customers get a first-hand
experience of the new product that is on its way to the market.
6. Posters posted on walls of Supermarkets, luxury pet stores,
residential areas and housing complexes to create awareness
along with free brochure supplies to houses and apartments.

b. Interest Phase: This phase will initiate after the launch of the product and stay on
so that we can continue engaging customers in various ways and generate interest
of the product amongst our target market. Primarily we will focus on Inbound
Marketing through utilization of digital media and social media marketing. After
six months we will incorporate traditional outbound marketing as well.
i. Social Media Campaigns:
1. We will generate interest in the product through the clever use of
digital marketing utilizing social media tracking posts and social
reach via the hashtag #woofbackrequesting consumers post
pictures of their dogs with the hashtag associated and comment
on what makes their dog happiest, e.g. #woofback Piper loves
rubs behind her ears while we sing who let the dogs out.
2. Also, we will initiate a personalized section in our website named
WoofBook where our customers can open their dogs profile
with pictures and #moments. They can help connect their dogs
with other dogs and start a trend of canine friendship. Woofing at
each other, scheduling a walk in the park event and mostly
buying Dallas dog food and enjoying the happy meal together.
Its going to be a Facebook for dogs.
 3. Other social media tools such as Instagram, Snapchat and a
mobile app will be introduced along with the traditional
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter accounts. These platforms will be
widely used to share pictures, play interactive games, viewing
guidelines from veterinarians and video/picture messages from
happy customers of Dallas. Also, there will be videos posted each
week from specialty chefs on how to use our product in making
an exquisite culinary dish for the dogs.

ii. Outbound Strategies:

1. E-Mail Marketing will be used in the post-launch period after six-
months. Personalized e-mails to existing customers, referral codes
for customer existing customers to share with new customers and
get a discount, buying history of customers, thank you messages,
special day wishes will be conveyed as part of personalized e-
mail marketing. The E-mail marketing will solely focus and
prioritize dog owners.
2. Limited sponsorships in special dog events will be part of the
outbound marketing campaigns. This will help generate greater
awareness amongst other potential customers and people
outside our target market.
3. Community Outreach Program: Dallas Dog Food Develop a
partnership with local OperationKindness.org and devote 10% of
all sales to support their efforts. We will attend events and
volunteer DDF hours to distribute DDF Flyers in those Community
Development programs and also request participation in
#WoofBook to earn a month-long dog food.

Budget for the Promotional Campaign:

Dallas Dog Food is a privately owned business entity and will file for a S- Corporation
status. Total start-up costs include expenses incurred before the start of the plan include legal
counsel (patent, trademark, and business), promotional (marketing, advertising), and research
and development. Assets required at the start of the plan include manufacturing tooling and
initial product inventory. Additional funds are required to launch a marketing campaign,
finance daily/monthly operations, and have cash available for contingencies. A portion of the
start-up costs has been financed by direct owner investment. The remainder of the start-up
capital required will be provided by a combination of investment, SBA guaranteed loans, and
lines of credit.

As part of the Promotional Campaign the expenses can be divided into Two Segments

1. Adoption Phase
 2. Interest Phase
Based on these two phases the overall marketing campaign can be budgeted below:
Promotional Campaign Budget
Pre-Launch Campaign
Market Research $500
Company Website $1,000
Video Production $2,000
Prototyping $7,000
Product Design $5,000
Marketing Materials: Brochures, Catalogues, Coupons, Posters $5,000

Advertising $1,000
Total $21,500
Post Launch Campaign
Online Campaign $2,000
App Development $2,000
Video Production $2,000
Marketing Materials $7,500
Sponsorships $5,000
Social Media $1,000
Other Marketing Possibilities $2,000
Total $21,500
Figure 7
Total Promotional Costs accounting for maximum $43,000 for Year 1
 PLACE (DISTRIBUTION)

As part of the 4 Ps, Place (Distribution) is an essential element to the envisioned success of
Dallas Dog Food. Since our product falls into the category of Specialty Goods and our
target market are affluent female baby boomers, we need to place our products in well-known
pet stores, retail stores and well-known online shopping portals.

Our initial sales strategy will focus on regional retail sales, specialty direct mail catalogs (e.g.,
Drs. Foster and Smith, Sharper Image, Brookstone), and e-commerce (Amazon, Facebook,
Company Website. This initial strategy is intended to control growth and keep sales in line with
projections for the first six months. As sales increase and more working capital becomes
available we will begin to focus on national retail sales after six months. Although 'big-box'
retailers (e.g., Petco, PetSmart, Wal-Mart) are key targets, most products enter these retailers via
distributors. To get our product into these stores we will pursue agreements with distributors that
already have relationships with these stores. Product distribution will be accomplished by pet
product distributors and the order fulfillment provider. The primary distribution channel for pet
products is through regional and national pet product distributors. We will be actively pursuing
agreements with regional distributors and will be attending major industry trade shows to
develop contacts with distributors and retailers.

a) Initial Six Month Distribution Plan:

i) Regional Retails Sales: Individual Shelf Space and Personalized Booth with
the availability of variety of Dallas dog items.
ii) Specialty Direct Mail Catalogues: Drs. Foster and Smith, Brookstone, Sharper
Image will offer our complete product line with home delivery services. This will
enable e- commerce placement potential.
iii) Online Shopping and E-Commerce: Amazon and our very own personal website will
also facilitate Dallas items with specialized discount, membership and coupon
programs.
b) Final Six Months Placement Plan (Additional Coverage):
i) Distributorship: Regional distributorship through Philips Pet Food Supplies, Summit
Pet Food Distributors or NewCo Pet Food Distributor for extended coverage and
marketing objective fulfillment.
ii) National Big-Box Retailers: Shelf Spaces will be allocated in Petco, PetSmart,
Walmart, Target and other Big-Box giants for extended availability
iii) Trade Show and Events: Booths will be set up in specialized pet events and pet
industry trade shows to reach a wider market exclusive of our potential target
market bracket.
iv) Other avenues such as the e-commerce and specialty direct mail stores will be
widened to reach customers within and outside our target market.
 IMPLEMENTATION

The implementation of Dallas Dog Food, we will be focusing on the timeline of the
promotional campaign and how the overall process will be conducted. The aspects that will be
looked into for the implementation phase are followed hereby:

The Phases
The Programs
Initiation Date
The Completion Date
Who will implement?
Where the implementation will take place?
What will be done?
Why is the process Important?

1. The Phase: Adoption Phase

The Program: Market Research
Initiation Date: Thursday, September 1, 2016
Completion Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Who will Implement the Process: Activation Executives along with volunteers will
identify sample target market representation and collect data from online surveys and
focus group interviews
Where the Implementation will take place: The online surveys will be conducted using
the Survey Monkey platform and the focus group research will be conducted on parks,
recreation centers and local community halls. There will be a single online survey and 3
focus group interviews for extended knowledge
What will be done: The market research will mainly focus on online surveys and
focus interviews of target market through identification of representatives within the
target market
Why is the process Important: The market research will help gain insight on the needs,
wants and demands of the target market.

The Program: Pre-Launch Campaign

Initiation Date: Thursday, September 1, 2016
Completion Date: Sunday, November 6, 2016
Who will Implement the Process: The Social Media Campaigns will be part of Inbound
marketing conducted by social media activation specialist and supervised by marketing
manager; a 3 member conducted the overall operations related social media activation
and penetration
 Where the Implementation will take Place: The Social Media campaign will initiate
through in office orientation and planning and circulate through the various online
portals and websites over the six-week long period
 What will be done: The Social Media Campaign will cover the frontiers of Facebook,
personalized website, Twitter, YouTube with interactive tools and ideas that intrigue the
target market about the product prior to its launch
Why is the Process Important: The pre-launch social media campaign will create a
buzz among the target market and through the various interesting and creative
campaign modules and tools potential customers will gain knowledge and attachment
with the upcoming healthy, organic product for their beloved dogs

The Program: In-store and Printed Campaigns

Initiation Date: Monday, October 3, 2016
Completion Date: Friday, November 4, 2016
Who will Implement the Process: The In-Store and Print media campaigns will be
conducted by 'Dog Enthusiast' Volunteers, Field Activation Executives, Creative
Designers, Sales Representatives, supervised by marketing Manager and CMO. A total of
15-member group to execute this marketing campaign
Where the Implementation will take Place: The marketing campaign will take place in
regional retailer shops, national 'Big-Box' Retailers, Luxury pet stores, popular Pet
Magazines
What will be done: Booth for advance offerings, free delivery and membership offerings,
Photo Booth, Sample packages and products to try out, dedicated shelf with catalogues
and brochures of the product and posters and brochures on Supermarkets, Pet-Stores, Up-
Scale residential areas
Why is the Process Important: The In-Store and print media marketing campaigns will
generate ample interest amongst the target market and also enforce trialability in terms
of testing out prototype products and develop brand equity and relationship with
customers in advance which will be a great step forward.

2. The Phase: Interest

The Program: Social Media and Online Campaigns
Initiation Date: Monday, November 7, 2016
Completion Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Who will Implement the Process: The Social Media Campaigns will be part of Inbound
marketing conducted by social media activation specialist and supervised by marketing
manager; a 3 member conducted the overall operations related social media activation
and penetration. The CMO and CEO will overlook the whole process and sanction
various tools as per requirements
Where the Implementation will take Place: Facebook, Product website, Instagram,
Snapchat, Mobile App, Twitter and other marketing automation tools
What will be done: #Woofback in social media, WoofBook in website, Instagram
pictures, snapchat uploads, twitter tweets will be used along with an interactive app
 and innovative features that sets a long lasting relationship platform between customer
and product for the long run
Why is the Process Important: Marketing automation of social and digital media
campaigns through tailored innovative ideas will enhance word of mouth, resales and
 generate extended profits. Innovative and interactive campaigns in the social media will
enable customers to participate and make the product a part of their daily lives.

The Program: Out-Bound Strategies

Initiation Date: Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Completion Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Who will Implement the Process: Outbound or Traditional marketing strategies will be
initiated and performed by sales executives, customer relations trainees and marketing
managers, overlooked and monitored by the top management
Where the Implementation will take Place: Existing customers and new customers will
be part of e-mail marketing campaigns and also sponsored special dog events will also be
part of the new marketing venture.
What will be Done: Personalized e-mail marketing, referral codes, membership add-ons,
discounts and coupons, buying history of customers, birthday wishes will be part of the
campaign that will solely focus on dog owners. Also, the product/company will sponsor
special dog events on a limited basis which will generate awareness outside our target
market
Why is the Process Important: Recurring sales, increased word of mouth, increased
customer satisfaction along with an extended customer base will be the focus for the
traditional outbound marketing campaigns over a six-month period.

The Program: Community Outreach

Initiation Date: Wednesday, June 7, 2017
Completion Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Who will Implement the Process: Outbound or Traditional marketing strategies will be
initiated and performed by sales executives, customer relations trainees and marketing
managers, overlooked and monitored by the top management
Where the Implementation will take Place: Existing customers and new customers will
be part of e-mail marketing campaigns and also sponsored special dog events will also be
part of the new marketing venture.
What will be Done: Personalized e-mail marketing, referral codes, membership add-ons,
discounts and coupons, buying history of customers, birthday wishes will be part of the
campaign that will solely focus on dog owners. Also, the product/company will sponsor
special dog events on a limited basis which will generate awareness outside our target
market
Why is the Process Important: Recurring sales, increased word of mouth, increased
customer satisfaction along with an extended customer base will be the focus for the
traditional outbound marketing campaigns over a six-month period.
 FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS

Product sales generate the primary revenue stream for Dallas Dog Food. As such, the financial
projections are closely tied to the sales forecast. While we believe that the sales forecast
presented is conservative and reflects a clear understanding of the market, we have considered
scenarios in which sales lag or lead our projections. For our financial projections we have
calculated some aspects related to our businesses

a) Start Up Requirements and Costs

b) Income Statement (Year 1 and Consolidated Monthly)
c) Break Even Analysis

The Table below shows the assumptions of the Start Up Requirements and Costs

Start Up Requirements
Buildings/Real Estate
Lease Deposit $500
Remodeling $5,000
Other $1,000
Capital Equipment List
Furniture $10,000
Equipment $3,000
Fixtures $3,000
Machinery $10,000
Transportation $10,000
Other $2,000
Admin Expenses
Rent Costs $2,000
Legal and Accounting Fees $3,000
Insurance $1,500
Contingencies $2,000
Opening Inventory $2,000
Marketing and Promotional Expenses $40,000
Total Funding Required $95,000
Owner Investment 40,000
Funded Investment $55,000
Figure 8
Income Statement/Profit-Loss Statement
Based on the sales projections and our low fixed cost operations strategy, Dallas Dog Food
will achieve profitability within six months of its operation. From then onwards for steady and
stable growth the sales volume will remain the same up until October 2017.

Figure 9
Break-Even Analysis
We anticipate breaking even within the first year of operation. Listed below are the calculations
that shows our projected break even sales and break even units on a per product basis

Break Even Analysis

Unit Variable Cost $12.00
Unit Fixed Cost $22.00
Unit Sales Price $48.99
Break Even Points 0.59
Break Even Unit Price in Dollars $29.14
Figure 10
Net Profit
Month Net Profit
Nov-16 $(5,688.00)
Dec-16 $(2,959.00)
Jan-17 $(30.01)
Feb-17 $(30.01)
Mar-17 $(30.01)
Apr-17 $(30.01)
May-17 $1,823.99
Jun-17 $3,288.49
Jul-17 $4,752.99
Aug-17 $4,752.99
Sep-17 $4,752.99
Oct-17 $4,752.99
Figure 11

Net Profit
$6,000.00
$5,000.00
$4,000.00
$3,000.00
$2,000.00
$1,000.00
$-
$(1,000.00)
$(2,000.00)
$(3,000.00)
$(4,000.00)
$(5,000.00)
$(6,000.00)

Figure 12
Sales Forecast
Month Sales
Nov-16 $4,899.00
Dec-16 $9,798.00
Jan-17 $14,697.00
Feb-17 $14,697.00
Mar-17 $14,697.00
Apr-17 $14,697.00
May-17 $19,596.00
Jun-17 $22,045.50
Jul-17 $24,495.00
Aug-17 $24,495.00
Sep-17 $24,495.00
Oct-17 $24,495.00
Figure 14

Sales Timeline
$30,000.00

$25,000.00

$20,000.00

$15,000.00

$10,000.00

$5,000.00

$-

Figure 14
 EVALUATION & CONTROL

The evaluation and control process of a business is necessary to determine the progress and
apply corrective action to improve and excel in the long run. For a small business marketing
plan, it is necessary to stay in motion with the strategies but also measuring the various metrics
from time to time helps to identify needed adjustments and set guidelines for the future to
achieve marketing and business goals.
For our Dallas Dog Food business, it is imperative to track the business progress, analyze the
outcomes and take corrective measures for future success. For our product we plan on
performing quarterly evaluation methods to get insight on our business achievements and
failures. The management will oversee the evaluation and take decision upon the control and
corrective decision of the scenario. The ways or the tools we shall use to evaluate our
marketing plans are described below: