Southwest

Executive Summary – This is important. Always include this at the beginning of all assigned

documents, and always include preview of key data (e.g. business metrics).

Marketing Environment

1. General business trends (if directly pertinent to the brand’s performance)

a. Economic

b. Social

c. Governmental (where applicable)

2. Market trends

a. Current business situation

b. Trends versus previous periods

c. Forecast of future trends

3. Competitive Audit

a. Overall description of current competitive environment

b. Profiles of key competitors*, including strengths and vulnerabilities

1) Size, business performance trends

2) Management strengths

3) Strategic/planning skills and structure

4) Technological expertise

5) Marketing support

6) Past successes/failures

7) Assessment of threat based on all of the above

* Remember that a subject brand’s “competition” may not always be located in the subject

brand’s category, or may not even be in the same form as the subject brand.

Subject Brand’s Apparent Marketing Strategies

1. Likely Business Objectives

a. Volume/revenue/share/profitability, as discernible

2. Likely Brand Marketing Strategy

a. Apparent source(s) of business (e.g., Increasing current user base, obtaining new users,

etc.)

b. Corresponding marketing strategy (e.g., build share, grow category, etc.)

3. Likely Operating Strategies (Not all of these are necessary to present. Focus on those that

are crucial to the marketing of the brand to date, but always include Targets and Brand

Platform)

 Target customers and prospects

1) Provide profile of likely demographics and other target descriptive information

 Brand Platform

1) Brand Positioning

2) Strategic Brand Persona (including brand attitude, if applicable)

3) Value proposition

4) Other Platform strategies that might be relevant 4

 Pricing Strategy (if critical to this brand)

1) Apparent pricing strategy (e.g., price leader,...