Already, one competitor, M&M/Mars is exploring this channel to increase its sales as well as profit margins. Online, consumers can personalize their own labels or foil overwraps which enable manufacturers to charge far more money for their candy (Moran, 2008). "What they have done is drawn the focus away from the chocolate and drawn attention to the product. For manufacturers and retailers, it's important to understand the difference between what you make and what people buy. & #8230;M&M is selling ego enhancement." (Moran, 2008). Therefore, Everyday will leverage the Web to discover new ways to enhance its own products. Customer Relationship Management

Everyday realizes the importance of CRM which is essential to "the establishment, maintenance and optimization of long-term mutually valuable relationships between consumers and organizations (Introduction to customer relationship management (CRM)). According to this source, long-term customer relationships are the true drivers for delivering value to customers and profits to customers. The same source also states that the core of CRM is the recruitment, retention and extension of products, services, solutions or experiences to customers.

CRM must be supported by information technologies. Sales force automation, campaign management and customer experience management will be our most significant customer relationship management efforts. There are more than 35,000 supermarkets with more than $2 million in annual sales (Supermarket facts, 2008). As such, it will be important to implement sales force automation technology to automate the tracking of customer interactions and the analysis of sales performance and sales forecasts. This takes care of recruitment. Because Everyday will extensively team with supermarkets to promote products, campaign management software will prove very useful for planning, executing, tracking and analyzing marketing promotions. The promotions...

Campaign management can help measure whether we are achieving this objective. A customer experience management will help implement customer satisfaction surveys to gauge both existing satisfaction and to identify ways to improve the product as well as new product extension opportunities.
Conclusion

Everyday is poised to meet its objective of gaining similar market share as leading non-organic chocolate candy bars. Everday is a high quality organic product with a more reasonable price than the competition. It has a strong channel distribution strategy relying heavily on supermarkets where most candy is bought and joint promotions with this channel will enhance customer relations for both the channel and end customers. Further, Everyday will use sales force automation and campaign management technologies to make sure that it is effectively executing its channel and promotional strategies.

Bibliography

Introduction to customer relationship management (CRM)). http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_crm.htm

Moran, M. (2008, January 1). 2008 trend report: Premium chocolate. Gourmet Retailer Magazine. volume 29, number. 1/p. 23.

Nielsen takes the mask off candy sales. (2007, October 22). http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2007_Oct_22/ai_n21055219/

Supermarket facts (2008). Food Marketing Institute. http://www.fmi.org/facts_figs/?fuseaction=superfact

Tirone, A. (2007, October 1). Chocolate sweetens naturals' sales in the candy segment. Natural Foods Merchandiser volume XXVIII/number 10/p. 44.

Zind, T. (2003, April 1). Candy has a role in boosting supermarkets: Besieged by competitors in other channels supermarkets must seek out new ways to add value to the shopping experience. Confectioner. http://www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/food-manufacturing-sugar/538010-1.html