Running Head: MARKETING PLAN 1 MARKETING PLAN 10 Assignment 1: Your Marketing Plan Chet L. Walker Strayer University Dr. Alexander Onukwugha MKT 500 – Marketing Management Marketing Plan Hair salons, female beauty parlor, and feminine beauty supply have dominated the beauty supply industry for years. Today, the industry has noted a higher demand for men's hair and beauty products. Because of the rapidly increasing demand for men's hair and skin products, there is rapid growth in the barber salon industry. Earlier, men could go for hair care needs in places like Supercuts or go to their wife's salon to overpay for a haircut that is not different from what they can get at the Supercuts. Men have changed their perspective that masculinity is diminished by the way they take care of their hair and skin. Barber shops are booming across the United States with more than 147,406 shops. The business is expected to grow significantly, with men being considered the niche for the entire beauty industry. An increase in population for younger generations as well as green and organic movements are the factors helping to revitalize the barber industry. The business plan will cover a barber shop business. There is potential growth in the barber industry across the U.S. More so, there are different trends in the industry that can help differentiate competitors from one another. My business will be situated in a high traffic area in New York City between 4th Avenue and 5th Avenue. The company will offer services such as haircuts and shave, brow and ear waxing, beard and mustache trim, straight razor shave, and a buzz cut. Creative Cuts and Styles will be my business name, offering the best and customized cuts in the town. With an increase in the number of haircuts and styles available in social media, customers will get haircuts and shaves tailored to their best choice. In the market plan, I will develop the company's mission statement, state the goals of the business and conduct environmental, SWOT, and need analysis for a barbershop business. Mission Statement A mission statement is essential to define what the business does to its customers, employees, and owners. Developing a mission statement allows a company to establish its goals, culture, ethics, and norms for decision-making. A mission statement helps employees to remember the purpose of the business when conducting their daily activities. Creative Cuts and Styles' goal is to offer customers innovative and customized hairstyles that fit customer's needs. Creativity will be a critical aspect of the business. More so, the company will design new hairstyles that are cool and appropriate, especially for young generation customers. The mission statement for Creative Cuts and Style will be as follows, "Creative Cuts and Styles is focused on advancing haircuts and styles experience for every man's hair grooming to fit personal needs. Our barbers are committed to customizing y ...

1. Running Head: MARKETING PLAN
1
MARKETING PLAN
10
Assignment 1: Your Marketing Plan
Chet L. Walker
Strayer University
Dr. Alexander Onukwugha
MKT 500 – Marketing Management
Marketing Plan
Hair salons, female beauty parlor, and feminine beauty supply
have dominated the beauty supply industry for years. Today,
the industry has noted a higher demand for men's hair and
beauty products. Because of the rapidly increasing demand for
men's hair and skin products, there is rapid growth in the barber
salon industry. Earlier, men could go for hair care needs in
places like Supercuts or go to their wife's salon to overpay for a
haircut that is not different from what they can get at the
Supercuts. Men have changed their perspective that masculinity
is diminished by the way they take care of their hair and skin.

2. Barber shops are booming across the United States with more
than 147,406 shops. The business is expected to grow
significantly, with men being considered the niche for the entire
beauty industry. An increase in population for younger
generations as well as green and organic movements are the
factors helping to revitalize the barber industry.
The business plan will cover a barber shop business. There is
potential growth in the barber industry across the U.S. More so,
there are different trends in the industry that can help
differentiate competitors from one another. My business will be
situated in a high traffic area in New York City between 4th
Avenue and 5th Avenue. The company will offer services such
as haircuts and shave, brow and ear waxing, beard and mustache
trim, straight razor shave, and a buzz cut. Creative Cuts and
Styles will be my business name, offering the best and
customized cuts in the town. With an increase in the number of
haircuts and styles available in social media, customers will get
haircuts and shaves tailored to their best choice. In the market
plan, I will develop the company's mission statement, state the
goals of the business and conduct environmental, SWOT, and
need analysis for a barbershop business.
Mission Statement
A mission statement is essential to define what the business
does to its customers, employees, and owners. Developing a
mission statement allows a company to establish its goals,
culture, ethics, and norms for decision-making. A mission
statement helps employees to remember the purpose of the
business when conducting their daily activities. Creative Cuts
and Styles' goal is to offer customers innovative and customized
hairstyles that fit customer's needs. Creativity will be a critical
aspect of the business. More so, the company will design new
hairstyles that are cool and appropriate, especially for young
generation customers. The mission statement for Creative Cuts

3. and Style will be as follows, "Creative Cuts and Styles is
focused on advancing haircuts and styles experience for every
man's hair grooming to fit personal needs. Our barbers are
committed to customizing your hair grooming to fit your choice
of style and cuts and finish it with fresh organic care for
aftershave services.
Main Goals for the Business
Goals and objectives determine the purpose of a business.
Business grows by making short-and long-term goals. The
short-term goals are the steps suitable to attain long-term goals.
Goals can relate to areas such as advertising and revenue. In
my business, I have several goals that I would design to ensure
success and growth. Among the primary short-term goals that I
would like to achieve is to contract an advertising consultant for
the next three months to help understand and capitalize on my
customers' trends of buying. The advertising consultant will
help in understanding the market and the best methods to
advertise the business. Also, I will require to learn my
competitors in the first two months and brainstorm on how to
offer differentiated products. Understanding primary
competitors will help design a new marketing program and
campaign, highlighting the unique nature of my services.
Secondly, I will develop a customer research process about their
feedback about the services such as incentives and
questionnaires (Le, 2018). For positive feedback, I will utilize
offering services at discounted prices on customers who take the
time to give their input.
Furthermore, I would develop an employee's award system
within the first year to ensure continuous creative input. I will
also conduct short training sessions to help employees create
exclusive skills and enhance creativity. More so, I will provide
all the necessary equipment are available and in good condition
for employees to have a conducive and friendly environment to

4. perform their duties. To inform the community about the
business, I will partner with three high-profile charity events
within the area within the first year. Lastly, I will find other
media of advertising my company, such as billboards,
sponsoring college games, and recreational activities as well as
parties and concerts. Short-term goals are made to support
long-term objectives and contribute to successful business
growth.
Short-term goals are suitable to sustain the momentum of long-
term objectives. For the sustainability and continuous growth
of my business, I will set various goals. Firstly, I will have a
fully equipped shop with adequate employees. Besides, I will
have to implement mobile barbering to increase my market
reach capability (Houman et al., 2019). The current generation
values convenience on how services in terms of accessibility to
services. More so, I will ensure I have achieved 80% positive
customer feedback. It will be my goal to have acquired five
competent and skilled fulltime barbers with quality barbering
skills. Besides, I will ensure the Creative Cuts and Styles can
sponsor one charity program in a year and organize one college
event and games in different colleges every year. In addition, I
would ensure the business has developed a website and
increased website traffic by 50 percent. Lastly, I will work
towards achieving three times revenue by the end of the fifth
year and be in a position to open a new shop in Houston.
Environmental Analysis
The market keeps on changing every day with new things being
developed. The environment that surrounds it also affects
businesses as well as the situational factors that the company
finds itself in. Therefore, companies should be on the lookout
to analyze the environment within which it operates. The
barber industry is affected by different environmental factors
such as competition, technology, legal requirements, political

5. factors, economic, and socio-cultural forces.
Competitors
Firstly, many competitors are influencing how barber business
is conducted in Houston City. For example, The Argyle League
in Houston is a crucial competitor for my business. The Argyle
League has been in the market for a long time; hence, it has
attained a better share in the market. According to the research
I have conducted, the salon décor offers a fine selection of good
whiskey free to the customer. This is a unique marketing
strategy for the company that helps it to attain a competitive
advantage. More so, the services offered at Argyle League are
almost the same as what my business will offer. However, the
market is broad and allows my business to provide services to a
large population base for professional customers and the
younger generation. Besides, Creative Cuts and Styles offers
customized services to customers. Customers will have their
cuts and shave according to their style of choice. My barbers
will develop new haircuts and techniques that are unique in the
market, hence acquiring a competitive advantage. Lastly, with
the innovation creativity of our services offered at friendly
prices, more male customers and the young generation will
choose to visit my business for quality services.
Technology
Technology is essential in today's businesses, and customers
prefer companies with advanced technology equipment.
Creative Cuts and Styles will sell high-quality products with the
latest development in the barbershop industry. The computer
systems in the business will incorporate the latest and most
advanced software and hardware to manage database, email
capabilities, historical data, market research and development,
transaction history, accounts receivable, and payroll (Le, 2018).
A back system will be performed on a daily basis to monitor and

6. evaluate operations in the business. More so, frequent clients
will be emailed about new products and new haircuts that fit
their needs. Clients will also be able to book an appointment in
advance. Lastly, Creative Cuts and Styles will incorporate
wireless networks such as Wi-Fi connection within the business
facility. This technology will provide services to customers
who need access to the internet while waiting to be served or
receiving activities in the facility.
Economic Factors
Population growth is increasing in Houston and the high traffic
flow of customers. Houston is the home of a thriving business
economy in areas such as medical research, health care, medical
research, and professional services. There is also a high flow of
younger generations studying in the area. The city is friendly
and attractive to entrepreneurs. Considering these factors, the
city is rapidly growing economically. Therefore, there is a
ready market for my business and a chance of developing due to
the increasing demand. Increased number of younger
generations in the community who will be among the primary
customers for the business. The number of the younger age is
expected to grow rapidly over the years hence ensuring the
sustainability of the company. As noted above, there increased
the number of professional workers in the area provides a
potential market for my business. My business focuses mostly
on professional males and the young generation population.
Political and Legal Factors
The safety of the products that customers use is an essential
topic in the United States. In the barber industry, the issue is
necessary because the product is designed for skin-to-skin
conduct. The federal government has set several regulations
through FDA to ensure businesses comply with the Personal
Care Product Safety Act to ensure all products are safe (Hall &

7. Pokharel, 2016). All products sold or used in the beauty and
barber industry are required to comply with legislative and legal
requirements. FDA examines all products entering the country
from foreign countries to ensure they meet legal and political
requirement standards. The agency is committed to providing
cosmetic shops; barber shops and beauty salons products
comply with standards required by the federal government.
Socio-cultural Factors
Men have a cultural belief that beauty and making hair
diminishes masculinity. This perspective is a contributing
factor in the buying behavior of men, which are our primary
customers. The view of men not supposed to be concerned
about skin and hair care will limit my customers from trying
new hair care products as well as modern styles (Barber, 2016).
Through advertising campaign and promotional programs as
well as social media to create awareness for men to change that
perspective. However, that mentality is changing, especially
among the younger generation, who recognize the need to look
neat and stylish (Houman et al., 2019).
. Besides, celebrities and social media are exposing younger
men to new styles, which they want to try for them to look fresh
and classic. Beards are also experiencing a renaissance,
modifying men's thinking about keeping up appearances.
SWOT Analysis
With the current age of social media, hipster, and selfies
culture, men have begun to care about their appearance.
Modern society, people are judged by how they look, dress, and
carry their selves. Grooming is an essential factor to be
considered when hiring employees. Proper grooming helps
people making more money than less appealing people do. The
current beards trend has impacted the masculinity and is the

8. contributing factor to the increasing number of barber shops
(Houman et al., 2019).
There are various strengths favoring barbershop businesses as
well as the whole beauty industry. Firstly, the company is
targeted only towards men and can be designed to meet men's
needs. In areas where only men are found, they feel
comfortable, and they can spend more in a male-friendly
environment. Secondly, in my business, I will have highly
skilled staff who will offer quality and good haircuts. I will
ensure all my employees have competent skills that exceed the
capabilities of cosmetologists working in a unisex salon trained
mainly to focus mostly on women's style. The location of my
business has a high population due to the presence of
professional workplaces and medical care centers, as well as
education centers. Men can get their haircuts even on work
breaks and enable the business to attract new customers.
Weaknesses of the business include the high prices that I will
charge compared to other regular Supercuts barbershops.
However, this will depend on whether my business attracts only
single men who have no financial constraints or family men who
have other responsibilities to cater for. The income of my
business will depend on the number of customers working in the
shop and the number of customers attending the shop. The
number of barbers and clients need to be high to cover expenses
that I incurred investing and still make profits. Lack of
professional and customer-centric approach to the client will be
a weakness at the start of the business. Employees will take
time before learning the art of dealing with customers.
The business will utilize opportunities such as introducing Uber
barbering to the market. This is a new business strategy, mostly
practiced in Europe. More so, with the increased use of social
media, I will be able to advertise new haircuts and styles as well
as new products to customers (Nisar et al., 2016). The current

9. customers will also help promote the business to new customers
through social media, expanding the market share. The
changing trends in the barbershop industry provide
opportunities for growth (Barber, 2016). On the other hand, the
business faces a threat of stiff competition from regular salons
in the market. They have dominated the market for a long time;
hence, it might be hard to penetrate the market. Lastly, there is
a threat of dreadlocks trend in the market where some men
prefer to keep their hair long and attend unisex salons or beauty
salons for retouch and waxing.
References
Nisar, N., Sattar, M. M., Memon, U., & Raza, A. (2016). New
Wella Salon: Exploring Growth Opportunities (A). Case Studies
in Business and Management, 3(2), 112-121.
Houman, J. J., Eleswarapu, S. V., & Mills, J. N. (2019). Current
and future trends in men’s health clinics. Translational
Andrology and Urology.
Le, P. P. (2018). Business plan for a barbershop and
hairdressing salon in Lappeenranta.
Hall, J. C., & Pokharel, S. B. (2016). Barber licensure and the
supply of barber shops: evidence from US States. Cato J., 36,
647.
Barber, K. (2016). Styling masculinity: Gender, class, and
inequality in the men's grooming industry. Rutgers University
Press.
Assignment 2: Part B: Your Marketing Plan
Due Week 6 and worth 240 points
Using the same hypothetical company from Assignment 1, for
this assignment, you will focus on the company’s branding

10. strategy, primary and secondary target markets, positioning
statement, and consumer behavior.
Note: You should create and/or make all necessary assumptions
needed for the completion of this assignment.
Instructions
Create the second part of your marketing plan:
1. Describe or list the feedback you received on Part A of your
marketing plan. Explain how you will use the feedback to
improve your plan.
2. Develop a branding strategy for your product / service that
covers the brand name, logo, slogan, and at least one brand
extension.
3. Thoroughly analyze the primary and secondary markets that
you want to target. Thoroughly include the demographic profile
(e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, etc.), psychographic profile,
professional profile, geographic profile, and any other
segmentation variable you deem necessary.
4. Prepare a positioning statement. Include a perceptual map
that shows your company’s position against its competitors.
From this map, create a statement that depicts your position.
5. Examine the relevant consumer behavior for your target
market. Explain the main reasons why the brand name, logo,
slogan, brand extension, as well as the positioning statement are
right for the identified target market.
6. Use at least three academic resources as quantitative
marketing research to determine the feasibility of your product /
service. These resources should be industry specific and relate
to your chosen product / service.
Note: Wikipedia and other similar websites do not qualify as
academic resources.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
· Be typed, double- spaced, using Times New Roman font (size
12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references
must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your
professor for any additional instructions.

11. · Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the
student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the
date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in
the required assignment page length.
The specific course learning outcomes associated with this
assignment are:
1. Analyze marketing environments and strategies used to
strengthen product or service positioning.
c. Examine the marketing science of customer behavior and
products in the marketing exchange process.
2. Evaluate marketing strategies used to create/communicate
customer value.
a. Analyze the marketing framework through a situation
analysis.
b. Evaluate target customer segments and positioning products
within these segments.
c. Evaluate the basis for market segmentation and approaches
to segmentation.
3. Create an effective marketing plan.
a. Develop recommendations based on market analysis and
strategy.
b. Develop strategies to assess performance and achieve
marketing goals.
c. Develop dynamic strategies for competing.
d. Develop branding strategies for existing and new products
or services.