| Course | MKT 421 Marketing (MKT/421) |
|---|---|
| Week | 1 |
| Paper type | Marketing concepts and research plan |
| Length | about 1,141 words, 4 double-spaced pages plus title page and references |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | University of Phoenix |
| Program | BS in Business |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for MKT 421 Week 1
Who Buys Salsa and Why: Marketing Concepts and a Research Plan for a Tucson Food Maker
[Student Name]
University of Phoenix
MKT/421: Marketing
Week 1 Assignment
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
Cactus Wren Salsa Company and all figures are composites written for a model paper.
Cactus Wren Salsa Company began in 2014 when Ana and Luis Moreno started selling their grandmother's roasted tomatillo salsa at a Tucson farmers market. The composite company now makes six salsas and two hot sauces, employs 18 people, sells at four farmers markets and through 40 independent grocers and specialty stores in southern Arizona and earned about $2.4 million in revenue last year. A buyer from a regional grocery chain with 120 stores in Arizona, New Mexico and Southern California has invited the company to pitch. The Morenos know their Tucson customers by name, but they know almost nothing about shoppers in Albuquerque or San Diego who have never tasted their salsa. This paper explains the marketing concepts that should guide the expansion and designs research to fill that gap.
What Marketing Is
Marketing is the set of activities an organization uses to create, communicate and deliver value to customers and to build relationships that benefit both sides. For Cactus Wren, marketing is not just advertising. It includes deciding which salsas to offer, how to price them, which stores to sell through and how to tell shoppers why the product is worth trying.
The Marketing Concept
The marketing concept holds that a firm reaches its goals by understanding what target customers need and want and meeting those needs better than competitors. It contrasts with a production focus, which assumes customers will buy whatever is efficiently made, and a selling focus, which relies on persuasion. The Morenos have practiced a version of the marketing concept for years by listening to farmers market customers, who asked for a milder salsa that became the company's second-best seller.
Market Orientation
Kohli and Jaworski (1990) explained that a market-oriented firm gathers information about what customers need now and will need later, passes that information to every department and then acts on it as a whole company. Narver and Slater (1990) surveyed managers in 140 units of a forest products company and reported that market orientation was positively related to profitability. For Cactus Wren, being market oriented means gathering information about new customers before entering new cities, sharing it among production, sales and the owners and acting on it.
Market-Driven Capabilities
Day (1994) argued that market-driven organizations excel at two things: reading the market, which means learning early about customers and rivals, and customer linking, the ability to build close relationships. Cactus Wren is strong at customer linking in Tucson, where staff talk with buyers every weekend. Its market sensing in new regions is weak, and research is the way to build it.
The Marketing Mix
The marketing mix includes product, price, place and promotion. For the grocery pitch, product decisions include which of the eight items to offer and in what jar size. Price must cover higher costs from slotting fees and distributor margins while staying competitive. Place involves the chain's stores and a regional food distributor. Promotion includes in-store demos, social media and shelf signs.
What the Owners Know
From years of farmers market sales and store reorders, the Morenos know that roasted tomatillo and chipotle salsas sell best, that customers value fresh, local ingredients and that repeat buyers are often Hispanic families and health-conscious shoppers who read labels. Store owners report that the $6.49 price works in specialty stores.
What the Owners Do Not Know
They do not know whether shoppers in Albuquerque, Phoenix and San Diego share these preferences, how many would pay a premium for a small local brand, how Cactus Wren compares with national and regional brands on the shelf or which promotion would prompt a first purchase. They also lack data on the chain's existing salsa sales.
The Marketing Problem
The decision is whether to accept the chain's offer and, if so, which products to offer, at what price and with what launch promotion. A poor launch could leave unsold inventory, cost slotting fees and damage the relationship with a buyer who controls 120 stores.
Research Questions
Four questions follow. Who buys premium salsa in the chain's markets, and what do they value most? How does Cactus Wren's taste compare with the leading brands among shoppers who have not tried it? What price can the company charge in grocery stores while keeping sales volume acceptable? Which in-store promotion produces the most first purchases?
Secondary Research
The company will start with existing data: census information on household income and Hispanic population in the chain's markets, industry reports on salsa and dip sales, the chain's own category data if the buyer will share it and reviews of competing brands online. Secondary research costs little and narrows what primary research must answer.
Primary Research: Shopper Survey
An online survey of 600 salsa buyers in the three metro areas, recruited through a research panel, will ask about purchase frequency, brand preferences, flavor and heat preferences, attributes that matter and willingness to pay at several price levels.
Primary Research: Taste Tests
In-store blind taste tests at six chain stores will compare Cactus Wren's two leading salsas with two national brands. About 300 shoppers will rate taste, heat, freshness and purchase intent. Blind testing removes brand bias.
Primary Research: Price Test
In a small pilot of 12 stores, the company will sell at $5.99 in half the stores and $6.79 in the other half for eight weeks, tracking units sold. Real purchases are more reliable than stated willingness to pay.
Sampling and Bias
Panel surveys may underrepresent older and lower-income shoppers, so quotas will match census demographics. Taste test participants are shoppers who stop at a table, which may favor people who like samples; results will be read with that limit in mind.
Ethics and Privacy
Survey respondents will give informed consent, data will be stored securely and personal details will not be shared or sold. Taste test participants will be told about ingredients and allergens before tasting.
Budget and Timeline
The survey costs about $9,000, taste tests about $5,000 including staff time and product, and the price test about $4,000 in discounts and tracking, for roughly $18,000 over four months, about 0.75% of annual revenue.
How Findings Will Be Used
If taste tests show a clear preference and the price test shows modest volume loss at $6.79, the company will launch at that price with its two leading salsas. If shoppers in one city prefer milder flavors, the product lineup will differ by region. The most effective promotion will be funded at launch.
Conclusion
Cactus Wren's growth depends on applying the marketing concept beyond Tucson. Research on market orientation and market-driven capabilities supports investing in understanding new customers. A plan combining secondary data, a shopper survey, blind taste tests and a live price test answers focused questions that will shape product, price, place and promotion for the grocery launch.
References
Day, G. S. (1994). The capabilities of market-driven organizations. Journal of Marketing, 58(4), 37-52. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299405800404
Kohli, A. K., & Jaworski, B. J. (1990). Market orientation: The construct, research propositions, and managerial implications. Journal of Marketing, 54(2), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299005400201
Narver, J. C., & Slater, S. F. (1990). The effect of a market orientation on business profitability. Journal of Marketing, 54(4), 20-35. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299005400403
What the MKT 421 Week 1 instructions ask
The first MKT 421 assignment usually asks students to explain basic marketing concepts and apply them to an organization, often with a focus on marketing research. Common requirements include defining marketing, describing the marketing concept and market orientation, explaining the marketing mix, identifying a marketing problem or opportunity and outlining how research would inform decisions, including secondary and primary methods. Some prompts ask students to choose a company and describe its target market. Apply each concept to the chosen organization rather than defining it in the abstract, support claims with scholarly or reputable sources and use APA citations. Keep research questions specific enough that the answers would change a decision, and include a brief budget and timeline.
How this MKT 421 Week 1 example is built
A Tucson salsa company selling at farmers markets and 40 local stores wants to enter regional grocery chains, and the paper shows how marketing concepts and research guide that move. It explains the marketing concept and research linking market orientation to performance. It describes the company's present customers and reviews what the owners know from market conversations and what they lack, such as who buys salsa in new cities and how buyers compare brands on the shelf. Research questions focus on target customers, competition and price. The plan combines industry and census data with a shopper survey, in-store taste tests and a test of two price points, with a budget of about $18,000.
MKT 421 Week 1 grading rubric: where the points go
Strong marketing concept papers define terms accurately and then show how each one shapes decisions for a real or realistic organization. Instructors credit a clear explanation of the marketing concept and market orientation, accurate use of the marketing mix, a well-defined problem, focused research questions and a research design that matches the questions. Plans that combine secondary and primary research, explain sampling and address ethics show care. Reviewers also look for a realistic budget and timeline, scholarly sources supporting key claims and a link between what the research would find and what the company would do differently. Organized headings, a short summary of each research method and correct citations make the plan easy to follow and grade.
MKT 421 Week 1 help: mistakes to avoid
Students often define marketing terms without applying them. Tie every concept to the company. Another frequent gap is writing broad research questions such as what do customers want. Narrow them to decisions the company faces. Students also skip secondary research, which is cheaper and often answers part of the question. Start there. Match each method to a question. Describe the sample and how it will be reached. Address consent and privacy, and note any limits in who your sample reaches. Keep the budget realistic for the company's size. Finally, explain how findings will change product, price, place or promotion decisions, since research that changes nothing is not worth paying for.
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- MKT 421 Week 4: Pricing and Distribution
- MKT 421 Week 5: Promotion, Ethics and Global
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MKT 421 Week 1 questions, answered
What does MKT 421 Week 1 usually cover?
It usually covers marketing concepts and research: defining marketing, the marketing concept, market orientation, the marketing mix and a plan for using research to inform marketing decisions.
Where can I find a free MKT 421 Week 1 sample paper?
A complete marketing concepts and research plan for a Tucson salsa maker appears above with margin notes, and our writers can prepare a version built on the company you chose.
What is the marketing concept?
The idea that an organization achieves its goals by identifying the needs and wants of target customers and satisfying them better than competitors do.
What is the marketing mix?
The set of controllable tools a company uses to reach its target market, often summarized as product, price, place and promotion.
What is the difference between primary and secondary research?
Secondary research uses data already collected by others, such as census data or industry reports. Primary research gathers new data for a specific purpose, such as surveys, interviews or experiments.
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