Assess your companys market competition. Use the factors listed in the course text graphic (p. 123 | Assess the Competition) to assess your companys market competition.Defend your strategy to successfully compete against market leaders in your segment. Hints: For example, in the soft drink market, it is intimidating to try to compete against Coke and Pepsi. Newcomers in mature markets typically must pursue niche markets or even create new market categories, as Red Bull did with energy drinks. Defend your plan to differentiate yourself from the competition using the information detailed on the worksheet in the text (p. 131 | Market Share Distribution). Hints: Every business faces competition and the non-alcoholic beverage market is an especially crowded market. Clarify your companys message using the information provided on the worksheet in the text (p. 160 | The Five Fs). Hints: Before you choose your marketing vehicles, you must determine the message you want to convey through those vehicles. Identify the marketing vehicles you plan to use to build your companys brand. Justify the key reasons why they will be effective. Provide examples of other non-alcoholic beverage companies that use these tactics effectively. Hints: If you plan to use online marketing tactics, refer to the worksheet in the text (p.171 | Online Marketing Tactics) to aid your response. Remember that even if youre selling through grocery stores you need to build your brand and social media is a major part of that in regard to beverages. Some of the marketing tactics that beverage companies use include: sampling in grocery stores, building a following on social media, sponsoring events, exhibiting at trade shows attended by retailers, and so on. You will use a combination of these tactics. For example, if you decide to give out samples in grocery stores, promote your sampling on your social media networks and those of the grocery store. Hints: If you are planning to distribute through resellers, describe how you plan to reach them, for example, through industry trade shows or by establishing your own sales force. For information on trade shows, visit the Trade Show News Network (http://www.tsnn.com). You can exhibit or network at these shows.