| Course | BUS 320 Principles of Marketing |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 8 |
| Paper type | Marketing plan |
| Length | About 1,031 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Aspen University |
| Program | Business Administration |
| Updated | September 2026 |
Free sample paper for BUS 320 Module 8
Juniper Row Coffee Roasters: Marketing Plan for the Coming Year
Student Name
Business Administration Program, Aspen University
BUS 320: Principles of Marketing
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Juniper Row Coffee Roasters: Marketing Plan for the Coming Year
Executive Summary
Juniper Row, a composite coffee roaster in Albuquerque with annual revenue of about $1.9 million, will focus the coming year on two target segments, home espresso enthusiasts and work-from-home customers who rely on a steady morning cup. The plan aims to grow active subscribers from 640 to 900, cut monthly subscriber churn from 7% to 5%, and restore margins eroded by rising green coffee costs. Key actions are a focused seven-coffee line with a new espresso roast, prices of $18.50 per bag and $17.50 for subscribers, flexible delivery, brewing support and an integrated launch campaign. The marketing budget is $36,000.
Situation Analysis
Juniper Row sells through its café, website and subscription, and to 22 restaurants and offices. Green coffee prices have risen sharply, a competing local roaster has launched a subscription, and home espresso ownership is growing. Research found that subscribers value delivery control and brewing help more than lower prices. The table summarizes strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Roasting skill; freshness; loyal local following | Low awareness outside the neighborhood; high subscriber churn; thin margins |
| Opportunities | Threats |
| Home espresso growth; interest in sourcing; flexible subscription tools | Rising green coffee costs; competitor subscription; national brands |
Objectives
The plan sets four measurable objectives for the year: grow active subscribers from 640 to 900; reduce average monthly churn from 7% to 5%; sell 6,000 bags of the new espresso roast; and raise average contribution per bag from $8.10 to at least $9.40. Each objective has an owner and a monthly measure.
Targets and Positioning
The primary targets are home espresso enthusiasts and work-from-home customers who rely on a steady morning cup. Restaurants remain a steady secondary market. The position is: the Albuquerque roaster that matches each roast to a customer's brewing method and teaches them to use it well. Every element of the mix below is meant to support that promise, so customers experience it at each point of contact rather than only reading it in advertising.
Product
The coffee line will shrink from 19 coffees to seven, including a new espresso roast and a monthly rare lot for enthusiasts. Every bag will show the roast date, a recommended brewing method and a code for a brewing video. Brewing support by text will be part of the subscription.
Price
Single bags will rise from $17 to $18.50 and subscriptions will be $17.50 per bag. The espresso roast and rare lots will be $20. Wholesale accounts will see a comparable increase, announced two months ahead. The change will be explained honestly, citing green coffee costs.
Place
The café, website and subscription remain the core channels. Juniper Row will propose a limited trial of a 10-ounce bag in six Albuquerque grocery stores through direct delivery, with a subscription offer on each bag, rather than accepting a distributor arrangement that would lose money.
Promotion
Communication will center on one message tied to the position. The fall espresso launch will use search ads, social video, two disclosed creator partnerships, café sampling and a postpurchase email series. Year-round, email and social media will share brewing tips and sourcing stories, and every bag will link to the brewing library.
Retention Program
Keeping subscribers is the plan's highest-return activity. Reichheld and Sasser (1990) found across a range of service businesses that cutting customer defections by five percentage points could raise profits by 25% to 85%, because long-term customers buy more, cost less to serve and refer others. Juniper Row will let subscribers pause or change delivery by text, contact new subscribers at days seven and thirty, reward twelve-month subscribers with a free rare lot and ask every canceling subscriber for a reason.
Budget
The $36,000 budget is allocated as follows: $12,000 for the fall espresso launch; $8,000 for year-round digital advertising; $6,000 for brewing video production; $4,000 for the retention program; $3,000 for the grocery trial; and $3,000 held in reserve for the best-performing channel. The Small Business Administration advises small businesses to set marketing budgets deliberately and track results so spending can be adjusted (U.S. Small Business Administration, n.d.).
Controls and Timeline
The marketing manager will report monthly on subscribers, churn, espresso sales, contribution per bag and channel performance. In the first quarter, prices change and the product line is trimmed; in the second, flexible delivery and the retention program launch; in the third, the espresso roast launches; in the fourth, the grocery trial runs and results are reviewed for next year's plan. Brand associations with ease and expertise, which build brand equity over time (Keller, 1993), will be tracked with a short annual customer survey.
Responsibilities
Each part of the plan has an owner. The marketing manager leads communication, the budget and monthly reporting. The head roaster leads the product line and espresso launch. The operations lead manages flexible delivery and the grocery trial. The café manager trains staff on brewing questions and the new prices. The founder approves prices and reviews results quarterly. Naming owners prevents the common problem of a plan that everyone supports and no one carries out. Owners will present their results at a short monthly meeting, where the team can move money or effort between activities based on what is working.
Risks and Contingencies
The main risks are further increases in green coffee costs, a stronger response from the competing subscription and slower adoption of the espresso roast. If costs rise again, the plan allows a second price review at midyear. If the competitor cuts prices, Juniper Row will compete on service and freshness rather than match them. If espresso sales lag, the budget reserve will shift to whichever channel is working best. If the grocery trial disappoints, it will end on schedule without affecting the rest of the plan, since it was designed as a limited test from the start.
Conclusion
This plan brings together the year's analysis into one set of choices: two target segments, a clear position, a focused product line, value-based prices, a disciplined channel strategy, integrated communication and a strong retention program. Its objectives are measurable, its budget modest and its controls monthly, giving a small roaster a practical path to growth and healthier margins.
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
Reichheld, F. F., & Sasser, W. E., Jr. (1990). Zero defections: Quality comes to services. Harvard Business Review, 68(5), 105-111.
U.S. Small Business Administration. (n.d.). Marketing and sales. https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage-your-business/marketing-sales
What the BUS 320 Module 8 instructions ask for
Aspen's BUS 320 ends with a marketing plan for a small business, and every earlier assignment feeds into that capstone document. The Module 8 assignment itself comes through the course, so this example presents a complete plan for one company. Open with an executive summary. Analyze the situation and summarize it in a SWOT. Set objectives that are specific, measurable and dated. Name target segments and a position. Make decisions for product, price, place and promotion that support the position. Include a way to keep customers. Allocate a budget with reasons. Assign owners, set controls and a timeline, and plan responses to the main risks so the plan can adapt during the year.
How the BUS 320 Module 8 example is put together
The plan begins with an executive summary naming two targets, three goals and a $36,000 budget. The situation analysis covers channels, costs, a competing subscription and research findings, summarized in a SWOT table. Four objectives cover subscribers, churn, espresso sales and contribution per bag. Targets and position come next. The product section trims the line to seven coffees; price sets $18.50 and $17.50; place proposes a direct grocery trial; promotion outlines the espresso launch and year-round content. The retention section cites Reichheld and Sasser. The budget splits six ways with a reserve, citing SBA guidance. Owners, monthly reporting, a quarterly timeline, brand tracking and contingencies close it.
Reading the BUS 320 Module 8 grading rubric
Marketing plans are evaluated on completeness, internal consistency, measurable objectives, realistic budgets and controls. This plan links every decision to the targets and position, so its parts reinforce one another. Its APA references are the Small Business Administration's marketing and sales guide, Reichheld and Sasser's Harvard Business Review article on customer defections and Keller's Journal of Marketing article on brand equity. Measurable objectives with owners make the plan accountable. The budget reserve and contingencies show awareness that plans meet surprises. Drawing on the analyses from earlier modules demonstrates the integration the final module is designed to test. Named owners and monthly reviews turn the document into something a small team could actually run.
BUS 320 Module 8 help: mistakes that cost marks
A common weakness is a plan whose parts do not connect, such as a premium position with discount promotions. Check that every decision supports the targets and position. Another is vague objectives; include numbers and dates. Budget realistically and explain allocations. Include retention, not only acquisition. Assign owners and review points. Plan for risks. Keep the executive summary short and specific. If you draw on earlier assignments, update them with what you learned since. When a plan grows long, check that a reader can find each decision quickly through clear headings, and cut anything that does not affect what the business will do. Finish by rereading the executive summary last, after every other section is final, so its numbers match the plan.
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 Aspen 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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BUS 320 Module 8 questions, answered
What does BUS 320 Module 8 usually ask for?
Aspen's BUS 320 ends with a marketing plan for a small business, drawing together targeting, positioning and the marketing mix. Follow your classroom prompt.
What are the main sections of a marketing plan?
An executive summary, situation analysis, objectives, target market and positioning, marketing mix decisions, budget, and controls with a timeline.
What makes a marketing objective measurable?
It states a specific result, a number and a deadline, such as growing subscribers from 640 to 900 within twelve months.
Where can I find a free BUS 320 Module 8 sample paper?
The full marketing plan is posted above, with an executive summary, a SWOT table, measurable objectives, the four Ps, a retention program, a budget and controls.
How long should a small business marketing plan be?
Long enough to cover the situation, objectives, targets, mix decisions, budget and controls; many small business plans fit in eight to fifteen pages.