6.3.1. Planning 

Planning begins with a solid understanding of and commitment to the marketing plan’s goals and objectives. The manager should ask: “What are our organizational or departmental goals?” and “What do we aim to achieve?” For example, is the goal to attract new customers, retain existing ones, or influence specific purchasing behaviors?

This self-analysis often involves a formal process known as a SWOT analysis, which examines strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. By evaluating these factors, management can determine what unique offerings can fulfill a recognized need for a particular target market. For instance, a college dining division might see its food quality at a reasonable price as a strength or identify a lack of modern dining spaces appealing to young people as a weakness. Opportunities could include providing catering services to nearby office buildings, while threats might involve competition from nearby restaurants targeting student spending. Such an analysis helps the foodservice understand its current assets and identify areas for development to appeal more effectively to target customers.

General goals should be outlined as part of the organization’s long-term or strategic planning. To make these goals actionable, specific objectives must be set. Objectives need to be clear and measurable to facilitate program evaluation. Responsibility for achieving each objective should be assigned and a timeline established. For example, a hospital cafeteria might aim to increase patronage from employees and visitors. A specific objective could be to boost the number of customers using the cafeteria between 11 A.M. and 1 P.M. by 10 percent. To determine the food and service preferences of the target market, personal interviews or online surveys can be conducted. The manager can then use the survey results to develop specific plans to achieve the objectives. Without concrete action plans, well-defined objectives may fall by the wayside and desired goals may not be realized.