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Individual Marketing Plan

Angela Deon

BUS 340-01

November 16, 2009

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Table of Contents:

Vision.................................................................................................................

..............................3

Core

Purpose.............................................................................................................

.....................4

Timetables.........................................................................................................

..............................5

Target

Market...............................................................................................................

.................5

Segmenting Target

Market...........................................................................................................8

Attributes and Augmentations (Strengths and

Opportunities).................................................9

Overcoming Objectives (Weaknesses and

Threats)..................................................................13

Competitive

Situations..........................................................................................................

.......15

Promotions........................................................................................................

............................17
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Branding............................................................................................................

...........................20

Budget...............................................................................................................

............................22

Measures of

Success.............................................................................................................

........24

The core product of this marketing plan is myself, Angela Deon. The purpose of the plan

is to determine how to market myself to the job market and my career plans for the next five

years. Currently, I am a full-time student attending Lebanon Valley College majoring in

Business Administration and minoring in English Communication. My individual marketing

plan presented here includes my overall marketing goals and objectives, a situation analysis, my

core strategies, specific plans and tactics, timetables of when I want to accomplish these plans,
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budgets and my measures of success. Overall, my ultimate goal is to enter the beer industry in

the marketing department by showing my employer that I am the right “product” for them.

Vision:

My vision is to enter and be successful in the beer industry, MillerCoors Brewing

Company specifically, and earn a job in the marketing department. Within five years I will

obtain a position within marketing and communications, first through an internship, then an entry

level position, and finally progressing through the company until ultimately being a manager.

Through the next five years, I plan on continuing my education (if I am not able to find a job

right out of college because if I can I will earn my Master’s once I am established) as well as

obtaining a job to build my experience as well as my scholarly knowledge to help give me more

of a competitive advantage and a true asset to the company. I am determined to find a position

within the marketing department of MillerCoors Brewing Company that will fit my needs as well

as the company’s and that will bring excitement to my life each day. I am looking for a job that

will be different with each day and that will exceptionally display my skills to benefit the firm. I

will execute this by implementing my knowledge and skills in the company as well as learn

everything I can about the organization and be open to new ideas. I hope to earn the respect

from my employers and allow them to see my individual skills such as my hard work ethic,

leadership, critical and analytical thinking, verbal and written communication and

innovativeness. My future employer in the marketing department will expect these skills in

order to be a success and I will be able to satisfy them through my experience and education.

Core Purpose:

My interests and education lead me on a path of obtaining a job in marketing

communications. As a prospective Marketing Communications Manager, I would provide a

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broad range of communications and marketing support to the organization. The main

responsibility of this position is to create, implement and oversee communications programs that

effectively describe and promote the organization and its products. Managers often assist in the

preparation of presentations and speeches that are directed toward employees and consumers, as

well as provide supervision and direction to the staff. The requirements for this job include a

Bachelors degree with at least seven years of field or any marketing area experience. Also,

managers must be familiar with a variety of marketing and business concepts, practices and

procedures which I have gained through my education. They must plan and accomplish goals,

perform a variety of tasks, lead and direct others and must be creative. They must also have

strong communication skills, articulate clearly both with the written and spoken word, are able to

understand a variety of people, are confident, team leaders and quick learners. By following this

career path to become a Marketing Communications Manager within the beer industry, I will be

able to show my skills in marketing as well as communication by displaying how strongly I can

communicate with others, how well I work with people and my leadership to become a valuable

asset as a manager.

Timetables:

To reach my ultimate career goals, I first must obtain my college degree. I am currently

enrolled as a full-time student striving to obtain a Business Administration degree with a minor

in English Communications. Therefore, I am taking classes that fulfill these requirements which

will allow me to graduate in May 2011. Through my years in school, I will continue trying to

network myself in the beer industry thanks to my family. I will continue contacting those in
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MillerCoors Brewing Company as well as other companies to make my name known and to

demonstrate my continued interest. Before I graduate, I plan to work as a bartender and to be

certified during winter or summer break. After my junior year in college, summer 2010, I will

obtain an internship hopefully at MillerCoors. As of this moment, it is unclear whether an

internship may be available, so I will expand my horizons to other companies so I may gain

experience in the marketing field. I will also try to obtain an internship my senior year of college

to help make the transition into the workplace smoother so I may receive an entry level position.

From there, I hope to progress through the company over the next few years and gain as much

experience as I can.

Target Market:

My vision is to enter a company who will notice my skills and where I can become a

valuable asset to their firm. I want to work for MillerCoors Brewing Company or any other beer

company because I have grown up with the business through my family. My family has owned

beer stores throughout Pennsylvania and so I want to continue this tradition by working on a

higher level by entering a beer corporation. I have also worked behind a bar which, along with

helping out at the store, has helped me understand the customer’s wants and needs and has

helped me build my communication skills. I desire a company that will respect me and my

work, have respect for the company and its customers and will be new and exciting with each

day. I hope the company will see what I can do for them, the knowledge I have that can help

them as well as realize that I am a very motivated individual who has a lot to offer and has the

will to continue learning.

Before graduation, I would like to obtain an internship at MillerCoors Brewing Company

thus upon graduation I can enter the company through an entry level position. I currently work
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at my father’s retail store and at a bar so I am familiar with the business. Also, I have kept in

contact with Julie Marion-McGrody, the General Sales Manager for Central and Western

Pennsylvania for MillerCoors Brewing Company. I observed her during my “Day of

Observation” in college. She has helped me throughout college and I hope by having this

connection outside of the classroom, I will have a better advantage to obtaining an internship and

job. I have also networked through the company with other employers such as Kevin Murray,

President of Miller Brewing Company, who has been helping me find an internship as well. I

have been trying to keep in contact and remind them of my skills and what I strive to accomplish

upon graduation. By utilizing my networks, I hope they will help me advance into and through

the company.

The geographic location I would like to focus on is around the Philadelphia area.

MillerCoors has a large distribution network in Pennsylvania and I have seen firsthand through

my connections how this works. I also know there are great opportunities in Philadelphia it is

the place where I have lived my entire life and wish to continue living. By establishing a

specific location, this helps me figure out my target market and to focus the area I wish to remain

and find a job.

To obtain my desired position of Marketing Communications Manager in MillerCoors or

any other beer company, I must first gain the experience required of the position. I will do this

through my internship as well as earning an entry level position in the marketing department of

the firm so I may work myself up the corporate chain. In order to do this, I must focus on my

target market to get the internship and entry level position. A target market is a group of people

or organizations for which an organization designs, implements, and maintains a marketing mix

intended to meet the needs of that group, resulting in mutually satisfying exchanges. I must
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focus on the right people to help me get the job so I can help them with their business. In

general, I need to market myself to the marketing department, human resources of the

department, the marketing manager and possibly the Chief Executive Officer. When trying to

receive an internship, I will target who I know in the company, McGrody and Murray, to

increase my chances in earning the position. I will also focus on the Marketing Department as

well as Human Resource because I have learned that all interns must go through the Human

Resource Department in order to receive an internship anywhere in the company. This

department determines the internships. When striving for the internship, I will emphasize my

skills that I have obtained through my education and work with my contacts to help me receive

the position.

After graduation, I will follow up the internship by applying for an entry level position in

the Marketing Department or in sales to build my experiences even further. My skills from my

internship will help me obtain this position, especially since part of the internship is working on

a presentation that will be presented in front of the board and will determine if they will offer the

intern a job going into their senior year of college. It is then that I will have to focus on pleasing

the Marketing Manager and the Chief Executive of the company because according to Forbes,

CEOs are hiring employees based on whether they fit the company’s culture and bring value.

The presentation at the end of the internship will prove this factor and my experience will show

if I fit in with the culture of MillerCoors, which is to have true responsibility and be honest with

the customers as well as in the industry.

Segmenting My Target Market:

The definition of a target market is a group of individuals or organization that share one

or more characteristics. Therefore, they may have relatively similar product needs. Figuring out
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my target market is one of the most important aspects in my individual marketing plan and it is

also very important to know the segmentation in this market. Upon graduation, I will be broken

up into groups according to, for example, degree. I will be a 2011 college graduate with a

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a minor in English Communications. It is

estimated that there will be 1.57 million within the group of students graduating with a

Bachelor’s Degree in 2011. One part of this 1.57 million will be the group of students who have

earned a Business Degree and are trying to find a job in the same field as me. Therefore,

companies may use psychographic segmentation to determine who will best fit the company. As

previously stated, CEOs are hiring employees based on whether they fit in with the company’s

culture and if they bring value to the firm. Psychographic segmentation can help employers do

this because it is a market segmentation based on the personality, motives, lifestyles and

geodemographics of the market. To fulfill these variables, I will have to prove to my employer

that I am an acceptable candidate by displaying that my personality will fit the nature of the

company. I will prove that I am a “go-getter” who is motivated to get a job done and gets along

with others. Throughout college, I have been working on my networking skills and the contacts I

need to receive a job. I do not wait for the opportunity to come to me, but call someone to talk to

them about the skills, job and advice. Also, I work well with others and have proven my

leadership skills through my ten years as being a team captain for a Relay for Life team in

Bensalem. My experience there has taught me how to be organized and how to advertise. I have

organized fundraisers to help raise money for the American Cancer Society and they have been

very successful. I also have to organize my members and show true leadership to be successful

each year.
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I also have a great attitude when I want to show how valuable of an asset I am with the

company. I have a great work ethic shown through my past and current jobs as well as my

studies in school. Through school I have gained many skills and have taken classes in different

departments of business as well as English, marketing and communication courses. My grades

prove that I have done well in these courses and that I have great time management skills

through school and my lifestyle. I am dedicated to my studies and earning the experience I need

to be successful.

Attributes and Augmentations:

Attributes:

I have grown up in the beer industry and have watched the retail end of the beer industry

from behind the seats since I was a child. I have helped my father work at the store since I was

fifteen until the present time and I have seen firsthand the beer companies’ customers. I would

work the register as well as do odd jobs around the store and help customers. I have learned

what they expect in their product and how marketing in the retail store is executed. Also,

through the store, I have met many people who work in a variety of corporations including other

retail owners, distributors, managers and high executives. The store has helped me interact with

the customers and with networking.

I also have experience on my own in a variety of jobs to help build my work and how I

view the business world. Three years ago I branched off from the family business and took a

summer job as a Sales Associate at Forever 21 Incorporated in the Oxford Valley Mall in

Fairless Hills. Forever 21 is a specialty retail store that specializes in women’s fashion. It was

my job in this store to help maintain the store, help the customers and run the register. It was a

different experience working in clothing retail mainly because it was a different type of market
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than the beer industry. I worked with customers in trying to find what they were looking for,

give advice on clothing and respond to customer’s problems such as damaged goods and

customer returns.

After working in clothing retail, I moved on to the service industry by working for

Kemper Sports Incorporated at the Highlands Grille at the Makefield Highlands Golf Course as a

server and cart girl. I work behind the bar by serving drinks to the golfers, worked the register

and serving food to tables. I also work outside on the golf course by selling beer, soft drinks and

snacks to the golfers. Through this job I have acquired skills such as being able to balance

multiple situations at once, prioritizing jobs, handling money without the use of a computer, and

responding to customer’s needs right away. Since I work by myself for most of the time, I also

gained confidence in my work. Communication was key as I had to respond to customer

complaints and provide fast service. If the consumer was unsatisfied with their service or

experience, it was my responsibility to make sure they leave satisfied and the willingness to

return.

During my first year working at the Highland’s Grille, I had a second job at Function

Drinks Corporation. Function was a new drink that competed with Vitamin Water. It was

created by UCLA physicians to help work with one’s body to help perform a variety of different

tasks. For example, there was an energy drink, a detox drink and a drink to help one’s immune

system. I worked for Michael Rigney, who formerly worked for Arizona Tea as a distributor.

He would send me to different sites to hand out samples of this new drink. I had to be bold and

confident to grab the consumer’s attention and inform them of the new product. This was one of

my first interactions with real marketing through sampling.

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While attending Lebanon Valley College, during the first semester of my sophomore year

and my junior year, I took a job in the Office of Advancement as a Phonathon caller for the

Valley Fund. Since my other jobs were during the summer, taking up a job during the school

year was a good test of my time management skills. It also helped me to build my expertise in

customer relations. The responsibility of my job is to call alumni and parents from Lebanon

Valley College and build a rapport with them as well as for a donation to the Valley Fund that

helps support the current students through their scholarships. I act as a representative from the

college and so I must remain professional as well as build a relationship with the possible donor.

Other than through my jobs, I have acquired leadership skills through my work with

Relay for Life that helps support the American Cancer Society. I have been a team captain of

fifteen for the last nine years and through my position I have organized fundraisers such as

Caroling for a Cure, Bowling for a Cure, bake sales and raffles. I have also organized my

members on my team to perform certain tasks for the Relay for Life event such as decoration

committees and to have them raise money on their own.

My competitive advantage through my attributes continues through my experiences with

different cultures. I have traveled to eight various countries as well as studied and lived in Italy

for four months during my time in college. I have gained an understanding of distant cultures

and diverse people who have helped me learn a new language as well see marketing on different

levels. I have firsthand experience on what citizens of different countries expect and how their

needs vary compared to our culture in America.

Through all of my work experience at my family’s business, during the summer, during

school, and for nonprofit organizations, I have fully enhanced my communication skills, learned

the customers through direct contact, time management skills, multitasking skills as well as
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leadership skills. My various positions have helped me learn the different business situations

and I have experience working in both retail and in a service. I am now a versatile person who

has worked in different business atmospheres.

Augmentations:

I believe I stand out against the rest of my competition because of my background, my “go and

get it” attitude and leadership as well as my education. It shows that I understand the industry as

well as knowing what I want from my career and unafraid to acquire it. Leadership is also a

great quality that I have through my community service work with Relay for Life. I am able to

keep organized and plan events and fundraisers. I am not afraid to do what I can and to go and

get what I want.

I am also willing to learn as much as I can and through my education, I will have training

in not just marketing, but other business departments. I have learned computer skills,

management and marketing skills, communication skills and I have also taken classes in Finance,

Economics and Business Law. Through my communication and business courses as well as

experience, I have also become excellent public speaker. I was given the opportunity within my

education to be trained on how to speak properly and gain excellent communication skills that an

employer will look for.

Furthermore, I have experience dealing with customers through my job position at my

school as I communicated with the alumni and parents from Lebanon Valley College. I hope to

take all of these skills and experiences and use them to earn an internship while I am continuing

my education and to finally achieve my ultimate goal of acquiring a Bachelor’s Degree in

Business Administration. From there, I hope to receive an excellent entry position and I work up

the corporate ladder and become a success.

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Overcoming Objectives:

Due to this current economy, I know trying to enter the field of marketing will be

difficult. First, many companies are not hiring and are cutting their internship programs which

makes it extremely difficult for me to enter the industry of my choice. Firms simply do not have

the money to hire more employees, and since interns are prospective new employees, they do not

want to give them the opportunity. Also, many of the firms that I would be interested in do not

have internship program at all, such as Yuengling Brewing Company and other microbreweries

in the area. Since they are smaller firms as well as family oriented firms, they do not take on

interns and instead look for employees when they need to. For example, Yuengling Brewing

Company does not have an internship program; however, they did make an exception last

summer when they created an internship for the daughter of a friend of owner Dick Yuengling. I

have talked to the Marketing Manager at Yuengling, Lou Romano, and he has confirmed that

internships are not something that they do, however, they can make the exception like last

summer if it is approved by the Human Resource Department. Other microbreweries are the

same way, which causes a potential difficulty.

Another situation with the internships is that if a company offers internship positions that

I may desire, they may not be in the area that I am willing to work in. MillerCoors Brewing

Company has recently posted marketing internships for the summer that are in Chicago, Illinois.

I would graciously take the opportunity if I was to earn it; however, they are not in my ideal

locations, such as Philadelphia. However, an internship located more in my desired location may

be available through one of my networks, but it is still irresolute. If an internship is not where I

would prefer, I will have to overcome my fear of living on my own in another part of the

country.
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Another situation I need to address is the way I may handle problems and my fear of

making a mistake. I know that a major quality requirement for marketing managers is being

decisive. When a situation is presented to me, I take too much time thinking about what to do

and am indecisive about it. I become afraid that I will make the wrong decision or handle the

problem in the wrong way that may affect the overall outcome. I need to learn to overcome

these situations and face them head on. If I make a mistake, then I will have to deal with it. It is

better than not making a decision at all, or taking too long with it.

Moreover, I do not take many risks when I am unsure the outcome. I fear of being in a

situation when I know will make me uncomfortable, which is why I do not put myself in

situations I know will be helpful to me in the future. However, I did put myself in a situation

where I lived in a different country for four months, and so if I can do that and was willing to put

myself through that, I am sure I can handle whatever an employer may throw my way. I know I

have a great attitude when I know what I want, and I want the employer to see that. Even if I am

afraid, I need to learn to just do it, and remember that I have been in worse situations and that if I

can live in a country where I do not know the language, I can do anything.

Competitive Situation:

Competition:

Employment in a marketing position is expected to grow in the next few years, which

increases the competition I will be facing once I enter the job market. Those who have a

Master’s degree and a certification may have more of an opportunity in obtaining the positions.

However, for a Marketing Communications Manager, a Bachelor’s degree will be sufficient

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along with the experience. Employers are looking for the experience and how one fits in with

the company’s culture.

My true competition are those competing for the same position with me first for an

internship, then at the entry level position of an Assistant Marketing Manager and finally my

fellow employees who also wish to advance their careers within the company. To overcome this

potential competition is through my competitive advantages such as my networks, education,

experience and effective skills. I will prove that I am the right person for the internship, job and

advancement within the company. Also, there is a large need for those with effective

communication skills in both writing and oral communication. With the advancement in

different communication styles, jobs are opening up to keep up with the technology and social

networking. For example, Lou Romano, Marketing Manager of Yuengling Brewery Company,

says that their company has created jobs just to keep up with the social networks such as Twitter

and Facebook. These jobs will be coveted and thus there will be great competition for them.

With the increased graduation of students, I will need to exemplify my competitive advantages to

achieve my goals.

Analysis: Potential Earnings:

Earnings for a marketing position vary according the geographic location, position and

company. Since my desired geographic locations are Philadelphia and the areas surrounding the

city, those are the ones that I focused on. According to figures from basic market pricing reports

that were prepared by analyzing a survey of data collected from Human Resource departments in

the specific areas, an entry level job as a Marketing Assistant earns around $40,000 to $42,000
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around the Philadelphia area and in the city. Eventually, after working in corporate and gaining

enough experience to work higher in a company, one can acquire the position of Marketing

Communications Manager Salary, which, to start, the typical median ranges between $88,324 in

the city of Philadelphia. A Marketing Communications Manager salary in my hometown of

Morrisville is $92,774.

Analysis: Education and Training:

For marketing, sales, and promotions management positions, some employers prefer a

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on marketing.

Courses in Business Law, Management, Economics, Accounting, Finance, Mathematics and

Statistics are said to be very advantageous. Marketing Communication leaders must be familiar

with these various marketing and business concepts, practices and procedures, which I have

gained through my education at Lebanon Valley College as I strive for my degree in Business

Administration.

There are other features and skills that must be attained to make it in this type of

business. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people who are interested in this field

must be mature, creative, highly motivated, resistant to stress, flexible, and decisive. Through

training, they must be able to communicate persuasively, both orally and in writing, with other

managers, staff and the public. These interpersonal skills are crucial because the job of a

Marketing Communications Manager requires them to perform a variety of tasks including being

able to lead and direct others. It is important to have exceptional communication skills to be able

to be an effective leader.

Other than training, employers are looking for those who have enough experience for the

position. An internship during one’s education is highly recommended. For a marketing

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position, especially a Marketing Communication Manager, not only is education important, but it

is required that the potential manager must have at least seven years of experience in a marketing

field. This allows growth in the company to earn this position and the opportunity to learn as

they work up the ladder.

Promotion:

In a situation such as this where I must promote myself to my future employer to get an

internship, entry level job and then work myself up the industry, personal selling is the best tool

to use. Personal selling is the direct communication between a sales representative (myself) and

one or more prospective buyers (potential employers). The advantages of using this type

promotion it is that it allows me to interact with my potential future employer and provide a

detailed explanation and demonstration of what I am capable of. This is usually done by a

planned presentation to one or more prospective buyers for the purpose of making a sale. This

concept is vital to my individual marketing plan because it means that I will personally tell and

show my future employers on what I can do. It will appeal to them and promote my best

attributes.

Due to my family’s background, I have increased my buying power by establishing

networks thus increasing the receptivity of future employers. My family’s beer store, Pat Deon

Beverages in Fairless Hills, is the top retail store in the state of Pennsylvania. I have met

employees at various companies, including Julie Marion McGrody, General Sales Manager of

Central and Western Pennsylvania for MillerCoors Brewing Company, and Lou Romano,

Marketing Manager of Yuengling Brewing Company. When I first met McGrody and Romano, I

first called them to establish interest as well as ask them questions for projects that I had to do

during my time at Lebanon Valley College. While we talked, I informed of my interest and
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some of my capabilities while still focusing the conversation on themselves. After this initial

meeting, I have met McGrody three times face-to-face, e-mailed, and called her to remind her of

my interest. Through these connections, I believe I have increased my potential in establishing

an internship which will also establish interest in an entry level position in their company. By

using this personal selling tool of promotion to talk to McGrody and Romano, we have

exchanged information because I have told them of my interest and they know about what I can

do for their company through my experiences on the retail level with my father’s store as well as

behind the bar. On the other side, they have informed me of various aspects of their company as

well as how to enter their company with internships. By starting early, this has given me the

upper hand as I try to promote myself to the beer industry. Networking is a great opportunity to

establish myself into the industry by continuing my interaction with potential employers.

To help promote myself further into the beer industry, I am continuing to gain more

experience with retail and customer interaction. Future employers will see that I have experience

working at the retail level at my father’s store as well as my time as a bartender at Makefield

Highlands Golf Course in Yardley, Pennsylvania. To go along with my experience behind the

bar, within the next year I plan to be certified in the profession to help my competitive advantage

with other potential employees who are trying to receive the same opportunities I am striving to

achieve. Employers will see through my continued experience that I am dedicated to learn what

I can and that I have firsthand experience with the company’s target market.

Since I have already established myself into the industry through my connections, I will

seal the deal with my sales proposal in the layout of my resume. My resume will show the

details of my education, degrees, classes, and internships (when I attempt to enter the industry on

an entry level position). It will also be thorough about my experiences and previous occupations
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such as my work in the beer store, a clothing retail store, doing sampling for a drink company,

and as a server at the golf course. Other experiences are not in a form of an occupation, but are

important to add to my resume such as my role as captain of my Relay for Life team for the past

nine years and my worldliness as I have traveled in various countries through my life and took

the opportunity to study abroad in Italy while I was in college. These features in my resume will

show employers that I am different with my jobs, my roles and community service, as well as my

expansive knowledge of other cultures.

When I go for my interview for a job, I will be able to “sell” myself to the company by

showing them my exceptional communication skills and discuss my experiences in full detail. I

will let them now the knowledge and skills I have gained through my experiences and

demonstrate why I am best fitted for the position. I will show I have great potential through my

continued connections, resume and interview.

With MillerCoors Brewing Company, it is important to receive an internship with their

company due to the potential of having a job before one graduates college. As of this moment,

internship opportunities are available for the summer for those about to enter their senior year of

college. Once one receives the internship, they will learn the ins and outs of the company as well

as work on a presentation that they will have to present in front of their department teams. If

they agree, the intern may be offered a job on the spot, so it is important to receive the internship

to improve one’s chance in entering the firm. I have kept in contact with McGrody as well as the

President of MillerCoors, Kevin Murray, to find information about this opportunity. If I was to

receive the internship, through sending in my resume and interview which I will still follow my

plan listed above, I will utilize personal selling on a different level. I will demonstrate to the
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employer my abilities so they may see how I can be an asset to MillerCoors and the exchange

would be that I would help them if they help me, by offering a position in their company.

Overall, through this plan, I can show that I am the best candidate for the job/internship.

Personal selling is important because it is a way that I can explain and demonstrate to my future

employer on how I can help their company and in return, they would help me by giving me the

opportunity and offering the position. I will use my education and experiences to give me an

edge and will “sell” myself because I know I am worthy to receive the position.

Branding:

The success of any kind of business depends on the target market’s ability to distinguish

one from the other. This is why branding is the main tool that marketers use to distinguish their

product from the competition’s. In this type of situation, the product is myself and my target

market is the employer and departments that I have discussed earlier in my individual marketing

plan. It is important to establish my brand identity, prior to graduation from Lebanon Valley

College, to attract potential employers that will find me desirable to hire. I need to make sure

that I am distinctive compared to my competitors and fellow graduates. Also, proper brand

equity will contribute to my success with my future goals. My personality, education, training

and experiences listed will help create my personal brand and show the companies that I can add

value to their firm. They will perceive my quality for their company. Furthermore, it will create

brand awareness by getting my name to the employers so that they will recognize it when the

time comes for hiring. By combining awareness as well as brand recognition, positive

associations, preference and insistence, I can effectively develop my brand equity.

To follow the branding model, I first must identify my brand. A brand is a name, term,

symbol, design or combination thereof that identifies a seller’s products and differentiates them
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from competitors’ products. For employers to identify me as a brand, I must create brand

recognition. Employers will first recognize that I am a college graduate with an education,

hopefully an internship, various skills and experience. This can be achieved by detailing my

traits to my potential employer and so they will recognize me. Also, by continuing to contact

those within the industry will help build not only my brand recognition but my brand equity.

When a company sees my name as I apply for internships and jobs, that is when I know I have

brand recognition.

Along with establishing my brand recognition within the company, I also want my target

market to have positive associations when they recognize me. To create these positive

associations, I must continue contacting and communicating with my target market so they will

think of me. Today, some of these contacts include Julie Marion-McGrody, Kevin Murray as

well as Lou Romano. Also, the positive associations I want them to have along with recognition

is that I am hard working, dedicated (since I continue my interest in their company and contacts

with them), communicate effectively through my conversations, and overall have a good head on

my shoulders. Through my resume, they will learn of my education, training as well as my skills

and experiences. However, seeing it on paper is not always enough. I have had face-to-face

interactions and through my communication skills. I have demonstrated that I am able to speak

and communicate effectively, communicate through e-mail which shows my writing capabilities,

as well as my determination. I have shown my initiative to know what I want and my will to get

it. I am very strong-minded and am not afraid to pick up the phone and call someone for help,

advice, or to keep in contact. I do whatever I can to follow my dream, and it is through this that

my potential employers, whether I have already contacted them or someone in their industry or
 Deon 23

not, know (or will know) my continued interest. This has helped me and will continue helping

me create positive associations.

By receiving an internship during my college career, I will also create positive

associations with a company as they will see that I can demonstrate what they saw on paper and

what I have told them in person. This will create brand preference as I continue to demonstrate

what I am capable of through an internship. The company will prefer me over the other

competitors due to my skills and what I can do. The internship and as well as an interview, when

applying for the job, will create my brand preference.

Once I have brand preference within MillerCoors, I will build myself with my continued

interest as well as through my internship to go beyond my limits until the company knows I am

the best person for the job. I will strive to make sure my skills are clear and I will strive to

complete all tasks. It is also important that a company knows how dedicated a prospective

employee is to the firm and their position. Between my brand recognition, positive associations,

brand preference, and brand insistence, MillerCoors or any other firm in the industry will see that

I have brand equity to add to their corporation.

Budget:

To implement my plan is not a cheap process. Major expenses are required in order to

follow-through with my plan of education, training, promotion and finally my plans after

graduation up through my first year of full time employment. My education and training are

keys to my success in life. It is through these and my experiences with my education and

training that will help me to be hired at MillerCoors Brewing Company. A table below lists

these expenses. All numbers are approximates.

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Education/Training Year Expense

College Education at LVC 2007-2008 $21,475*

2008-2009 $25,987*

2009-2010 $21,475*

2010-2011 $21,475*

Bartending Certification at Within 2010 or 2011 $100 enrollment

The Bucks County School of
Bartending

Fox School of Business and If a job is not feasible. $752 per credit hour
Management for Graduate Within the next ten years
Studies
*Tuition is $38,570 and these numbers are tuition less financial aid and grants. Loans and out of
pocket expenses are included. Books and other supplies are not included but add up to around
$4,000.

My expenses for my promotional needs, including clothing to make a good impression, resumes

and gas expenses for traveling will roughly equal $1,500. This number is based off of what I

have spent so far on these items and what I may in the future.

I hope to pay off my loans for college within two years of graduating Lebanon Valley

College. With an interest rate of 3.75%, my minimum monthly payment on my loans will be

$58. However, I hope to pay them off as quickly as I can and pay more each month. Once I

graduate, I hope to have an entry level position in the Marketing Department as a Marketing

Assistant with a salary of around $40,000 to $42,000. To lessen my expenses for the first few

years out of college, once I receive a job, I will remain at my parents’ house until I can afford to

move into a townhouse in my area. Since I want to work out of Philadelphia, living at home is

feasible as I could take the train into the city for work. This plan is to raise some money and to

pay off my college loans earlier without worrying about rent to a large extent. The only rent I

would have for the next few years after graduation would be to my parents. In my house we
 Deon 25

have an in-law suite which is like another house inside my house. I would pay for my own food

and rent of $100 per month to live at home and so I may pay off loans. Through my first year of

employment, I plan to live in this manner paying rent to my parents, commuting to my job by

way of the Septa regional rail train, pay for my food and clothing as well as car insurance. My

total expense for my first year employment with these charges is about $3,500.

If a job is not accessible once I graduate college, I have a different plan in mind for my

life. The ideal situation is to obtain a job upon graduating Lebanon Valley College and

eventually the company may pay or help me in achieving a Master’s degree in Marketing

Communications at Temple University. However, if this is not the case, I plan on taking more

loans out to attend the graduate program at the Fox School of Business and Management at

Temple University in Philadelphia where I may strive to earn my Master’s in Marketing

Communications. Taking out more loans is risky, but in the long-run, earning my Master’s will

pay off as I may be able to acquire a higher paying job. I would still live at home and commute

to Temple, so my expenses would include the tuition, and the $3,500 that I stated previously.

Through my time in graduate school I would have another job to help pay for these expenses as a

bartender or in another industry. Once I graduated and was able to receive a higher paying job, I

could pay back my loans as well as move out of my parent’s house into a town house in my

desired location. This would be after my full year with my first job.

Measures of Success:

• Acquiring networks that help me to find an internship and with the process of earning it

• Obtaining an internship by the summer of 2010 (between my junior and senior of college)

• If I receive the internship at MillerCoors:

• Being able to show the company what I can do for them

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• Gather research for the presentation and be successful at the presentation

• Being offered a job, due to my excellent presentation, for when I graduate college

• Being certified as a bartender

• Receiving my diploma from Lebanon Valley College in May 2011

• Finding an entry-level job in the Marketing or Communications Department of a company

• Being able to pay off my college loans within a reasonable time frame

• Being able to climb the corporate level within three years of being with the company (being

promoted within those three years)

• A salary increase due to my excellent performance at the company

• A salary that can support me and possibly a family.

• Loving what I do and going to work knowing it will be different with each day. I do not want

to work for a company where I dread going to every day. As long as I am happy and I keep

interested and excited in what I am doing, then I am successful.