Marketing Plan

1. Mission Statement

The company I chose was McDonalds. The reason why I chose this company is because it is globally known and it has exchanging offerings that satisfy the customer. McDonald's mission statement is to "be our customers' favorite place and way to eat."  The first McDonald's Restaurant opened was in Des Plaines, Illinois by McDonald's Corporation founder, Ray Kroc, on April 15, 1955.  McDonalds has a marketing concept where their primary goal is to maintain a social and economic organization that satisfies what the customer wants and needs.
2. What strengths do you have in the marketplace?

McDonalds is the second fast food chain store (changed to number 2 this year) with  40 million customers visiting it per day. It has over 32,000 branches in 120 countries. It derives 80% of its revenues from eight countries like Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, Japan, UK, Australia and the United States. Their greatest strength is creating an image in the minds of the people and introducing them to the fast food culture. Delivery speed, customer care and cleanliness are the core strengths on which these stores expanded. According to G Hamel “They created a corporate symbol and their advertisement campaigns were highly successful in establishing the brand image and logo in the minds of the millions”. Two main competitors generally identified with McDonalds are Burger King and KFC. McDonalds marketing strategy is concerned with the internal resources, external environment and its basic competencies along with its shareholders.

McDonald's product value is also its greatest strengths. Customers know what to expect when they walk into a McDonalds store. It gives great emphasis to human resources by satisfying both the customer and the employees. Next is the innovation aspect wherein new products line up to catch up with the new trends and tastes of the people. Its diversity into other new business ventures can also be considered as its strengths.
3. What weaknesses do you have in the marketplace?

A few of McDonalds weaknesses would be it uses a lot of advertising that mostly targets children. It also has High employee turn-over. Not many employees work there as a full time job therefore there is not many committed employees. Also it is known for its fatty foods and has yet to accomplish going on the trend of organic food. Even though they brought out a healthier menu they still produce unhealthy meals as well. Mcdonalds has price competition with competitors such as burger king, resulting in low revenue. 

4. What strengths do you have that are not known in the marketplace?


 Mcdonalds is known to have many employees because of the many restaurants they have. The company has also known to have very loyal employees and management. The twenty of its fifty top employees started as low level restaurant employees at McDonald’s. The caring attitude of the company towards its employees is also shown by the fact that around its 67,000 managers were initially hired as restaurant staff. For this reason, the McDonald’s was listed in the Fortune Magazine 2005 as the "Best Place to Work for Minorities."McDonalds invests over $1 billion every year in training its staff, and every year over 250,000 employees graduate from McDonald’s training facility, Hamburger University. All this shows the employee strength of the company.
 
5. What weaknesses do you have that are now known in the marketplace?

One of the weaknesses of McDonald’s that is known is that its core product, hamburgers and fries are slowly getting out of line and being avoided by the people because of the awareness of healthier living and eating habits for children and adults. The company focused and derived a large number of profits and revenues from its burgers and hot food items but the trend is more towards organic foods these days.


6. What are the opportunities and threats that relate to your business? 

McDonald’s is known as a corporate responsible company as its responds to any social change taking place in its environment. The company introduced healthier food with growing awareness that added to its revenues.McDonald’s is also the first Quick service and fast food restaurant that got approved by FDA for its very low calorie and fat hamburger that was introduced in different calorie combinations. Competitive pressures are a threat for the company as new entrants offer greater product ranges, value and healthier food products. The major competitors, the company faces threats from include  Burger King, Taco Bell, Starbucks, KFC, Wendy’s, and local small and fast food restaurants etc.The company has been sued many times because of offering "unhealthy" food, and even charged for using addictive additives.
7. What do you have that's marketable?
Everything McDonalds has put out in the market was a hit. Everything they sell is in demand, from burgers to coffee. The fact that they give a toy with each happy meal is a brilliant way to market to children. All of their marketing techniques work when trying to sell to their customers. We are always trying to find the easy way out and we always want something cheaper and if possible “free”. So when we sell millions of tasty burgers to customers who want their food in sixty seconds, for one dollar, then you know we are doing something right. 

8. Internal and External target markets 
Mcdonalds is known for its fast and friendly customer service. I believe the internal primary tarkets for the company would be the employees who are serving the customers. They are the most important because they are the ones who are speaking to and serving the customers.  I believe McDonalds external primary target market is children. Their commercials are primarily focused on children and since their children can’t buy their own food their parents are also a part of it. McCafe was a brilliant way of getting more revenue because of the fact that parents are always there with their children. It’s also a way of getting families closer together.
9. What are your companys goals?


 Sustainable Supply Chain
  • Set goals and make tangible progress for priority products as identified in our Sustainable Land Management Commitment
  • Reduce environmental impacts of direct suppliers by continuing to utilize our Supplier Environmental Scorecard as a continuous improvement tool
  • Work with other stakeholders on next actions resulting from the Global Conference on Sustainable Beef
Environmental Responsibility
  • Increase adoption of energy efficient equipment and technology in the restaurants
  • Improve tracking of restaurant energy consumption data
Employee Experience

  • Energize our restaurant crew and managers and differentiate McDonald’s as an employer of choice through continuous and aligned focus on our global Employee Value Proposition
  • Identify ways to bring our Values to life at the restaurant level in ways that enhance employee commitment and the customer experience
 Community

  • Leverage local and global sponsorships to have more positive impact on kids and communities
  • Increase participation in the corporate volunteer program

10. Based on your goals, what are some of the action steps you'll take?
Goal One: more fruit and vegetables added to the menu 
  
Action Step 1: gather all the food we already have on the menu and add more fruit and healthy vegetables to the menu.
  
Action Step 2: add a healthier breakfast menu since that is the most important meal of the day. So far I believe our company has already made a huge effort by adding oatmeal with fruit to the menu.   
  
Action Step 3: decrease the use of oily and fatty processed foods to the menu. Start by getting healthier meats. I believe adding sweet potatoes to the menu is healthier than the regular potatoes.
  
Goal two: Environmental Responsibility
  
Action Step 1: start by educating our employees on how important our environment is and to realize the savings and benefits to the environment.

Action Step 2: Improve efficient energy equipment and start by using less plastic and electricity.

Action Step 3: take charge and start by changing the environment and the way people treat it.
  
Goal Three: Community
  
Action Step 1: Influence sponsorships around the globe to have more positive impact on kids and communities.

Action Step 2: Increase financial and volunteer support to Ronald McDonald House Charities through communication outreach
Action Step 3: Increase participation in the corporate volunteer program
11.  Putting it together

As of now 2011-2013 McDonalds has lots of goals ahead.  Nutrition and Well-Being would be their primary goal. Our company wants to “accelerate and expand food and beverage choices containing fruit and vegetables across our menu. Also increase awareness of fruit, vegetable and dairy options for children available on our menu.” The McDonalds website has a whole list of what their goals are for now and the future , these are a few:

We aim to make concrete progress on the following goals between now and 2013: Nutrition and Well-Being. Accelerate and expand food and beverage choices containing fruit and vegetables across our menu. Also Increase awareness of fruit, vegetable and dairy options for children available on our menu. Secondly, increase energy awareness and education across our business to continue to realize savings to the bottom line and benefits to the environment. And many more goals I have listed above. 
Action Steps - There are many action steps that are involved in this process. We are starting by informing and educating our whole business on what needs to be done. First and foremost is the health of our customers. We are always keeping them in mind and are finding ways on how to make our food healthier and safer for the environment as well.
Resource Requirements- As far as money is concerned we don’t have an actual price set. We know it will cost a lot more to raise healthier farms and buy energy efficient equipment but in the long run it will pay off. We have the money for it and we know at the end the results will be worth all the time and money.
Coordination- The coordinators would include many people such as the board of directors. Of course all of this would have to be passed by the CEO Jim Skinner and then the board of directors will choose who the best leader for all of these goals is. Since we have a lot on our list I’m sure it will include many people to accomplish all of our future goals at McDonalds by the end of 2013.