| Course | MKT-4790 Applied Marketing Practices |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 4 |
| Paper type | Module 4 marketing plan assignment: developing the marketing strategy |
| Length | About 467 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | B.S.B.A. in Marketing |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for MKT 4790 Module 4
Dry Cider From Our Own Orchards: Targeting, Positioning and the Marketing Mix
Student Name
B.S.B.A. in Marketing, Thomas Edison State University
MKT-4790: Applied Marketing Practices
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
Dry Cider From Our Own Orchards: Targeting, Positioning and the Marketing Mix
What the Research Showed
The research results in this plan are illustrative of what the Module 3 plan would produce. Nine of twelve retailers said they would stock a local cider if the cidery provided in-store tastings and shelf signs. In the consumer survey, craft beverage explorers showed the highest purchase intent and made up about a third of respondents; gluten-free drinkers showed high intent but were a small group. The orchard statement beat the gluten-free one on purchase intent by a clear margin.
Target Market
Walker and Mullins (2013) advise choosing target markets by their attractiveness and the firm's ability to compete for them. Craft beverage explorers are large enough, interested in local products and reachable in the stores and restaurants the cidery can serve directly. Taproom loyalists will follow without much marketing. Gluten-free drinkers will be reached as a secondary group through labeling.
Positioning
The positioning statement will be: "For craft beverage drinkers who want something local and different, Hopewell Valley Cider is the dry farm cider made only from our own New Jersey orchards, unlike sweet national ciders and beer." Keller (1993) argued that brand equity comes from customers' knowledge of a brand, its awareness and the strength, favorability and uniqueness of its associations. The orchard association is unique, favorable among the target and something national brands cannot copy.
Marketing Mix
| Element | Decision |
|---|---|
| Product | Two dry ciders in 12-ounce cans, four-packs; label showing the orchard and apple varieties |
| Price | $14.99 per four-pack at retail, above national brands, near local craft beer |
| Distribution | Direct sales to 25 stores and 15 restaurants in year one, delivered by the cidery's van; seek a distributor in year two |
| Promotion | In-store tastings twice a month, social media featuring the orchard, restaurant menu placements, taproom promotion of retail availability |
Budget
Tastings receive the largest share because retailers made them a condition for stocking.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| In-store tastings, staff and samples | $14,000 |
| Shelf signs and point-of-sale materials | $6,000 |
| Social media content and paid posts | $10,000 |
| Restaurant support and events | $6,000 |
| Contingency | $4,000 |
| Total | $40,000 |
How the Mix Fits
Each element supports the positioning: the label shows the orchard, the price signals craft quality, direct delivery lets the owners tell the story to retailers and tastings let customers taste the difference. Rust et al. (2004) proposed judging marketing spending by its contribution to customer equity, the total lifetime value of a firm's customers; tastings that convert explorers into repeat buyers build that equity.
Conclusion
The research points to craft beverage explorers as the first target and the orchard as the positioning. A mix built around direct distribution and tastings fits a small budget and the cidery's strengths. The final plan part will set out how to implement and control it.
References
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299305700101
Rust, R. T., Lemon, K. N., & Zeithaml, V. A. (2004). Return on marketing: Using customer equity to focus marketing strategy. Journal of Marketing, 68(1), 109-127. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.68.1.109.24030
Walker, O. C., Jr., & Mullins, J. W. (2013). Marketing strategy: A decision-focused approach (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
What the MKT 4790 Module 4 instructions ask for
The third marketing plan assignment develops the marketing strategy. Expect to choose target markets, write a positioning statement and design product, price, distribution and promotion decisions that fit together, based on your analysis and research. If you did not carry out the research, label any results as illustrative. Show how each element of the mix supports the positioning, and include a budget that fits the business. Research on branding or customer equity strengthens the reasoning behind positioning and spending choices. Keep the budget realistic for the business you chose. Write a full positioning statement naming the target, the frame of reference and the point of difference. Explain each mix decision in a sentence.
How the MKT 4790 Module 4 example is put together
The paper reports the research results, labeled as illustrative. A targeting section chooses a first group using the textbook's criteria. A positioning section writes a full positioning statement and uses brand equity research to justify the association chosen. Tables set out the marketing mix and the budget. A section explains how the elements fit together, with research on customer equity, and the conclusion previews the implementation part of the plan. Two tables carry the mix and the budget, and the text explains how each element supports the positioning. Research on brand and customer equity justifies both the positioning and the emphasis on tastings, so the strategy rests on evidence rather than preference.
Reading the MKT 4790 Module 4 grading rubric
Mentors grade this plan assignment on targeting and positioning grounded in analysis and research, a coherent marketing mix, a realistic budget and clear writing. Positioning statements that name the target, the frame of reference and the point of difference show mastery. Showing how each mix element supports the positioning demonstrates integration. Budgets that follow from the research, such as funding what retailers require, show decision-focused thinking, and research on brand and customer equity adds depth. Mentors also value a strategy that follows from the research results, with each choice traceable to a finding. Clear tables and accurate citations support the grade. A budget table that matches the text is expected.
MKT 4790 Module 4 help from the desk
Students lose points by choosing every segment as a target, by writing positioning statements that could fit any brand or by designing mix elements that contradict each other. Others present budgets with no connection to the strategy. Choose one primary target. Name a point of difference competitors cannot copy. Check that price, product, distribution and promotion send the same message. Spend where the research says it matters. Check that your price fits your positioning and your channel; a premium position with a discount price confuses customers. Tie every mix decision to the positioning. A free first sample on your own MKT-4790 strategy assignment is available on request.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Thomas Edison State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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MKT 4790 Module 4 questions, answered
Where can I find a free MKT 4790 Module 4 sample paper?
Targeting, positioning and a $40,000 marketing mix for a cidery entering retail are set out in the plan assignment above.
What is a positioning statement?
A short statement that names the target customer, the category, how the brand differs and why customers should believe it.
What is customer-based brand equity?
The value a brand gains from customers' awareness and the strength, favorability and uniqueness of their associations with it.
How should a marketing budget be set in a plan?
By funding the activities the strategy and research show matter most, within what the business can afford.
What is customer equity?
The total lifetime value of a firm's customers, which marketing spending should aim to increase.