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Used X Performance indicators for SEM Analyze product information to identify product features and benefits Participants should use the facts from the case for each product line to identify how the proposed destination will benefit the multi-generation family. They should consider the types of activities provided teach destination and the appeal for people of various age groups. Solutions should specifically state how the chosen destination appeals to each generation Participants should identify the destinations they believe would be most successful and least successful based on their analysis of features and benefits to each generation. Assess community relations opportunities for a sport/event Participant should identify two current areas (goals) the BIG BEARS are being criticized for: 1. The team is not visible enough in the community 2. The team is not providing positive role model opportunities for youth The team is to identify two outreach programs to improve on these areas Did the participant explain the value of having outreach projects and why they are important? Did the participant identify how the team will become more visible in the community? Did the participant identify how youth will benefit from at least one of the outreach programs? Did the participant outline an effective strategy for these programs? Assess the need to use promoters. 2 Choose appropriate media vehicles for sport/event Company has limited budget. ON STAGE PROMOTIONS has been provided with limited funds for the purpose to buy newspaper and radio advertising. Students should indicate some of these initiatives in the local metropolitan market Students should identify other appropriate media vehicles for the Broadway Production of Rent. These might include: 1. Entertainment section of newspaper, Local cultural and theatre magazines and productions 2. City and entertainment web pages 3. Distribute email lists to season theatre ticket holders as well as any other known lists of ticket holders (i.e. Rock music fans) 4. Distribute information on social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, myspace to potential theatre going customers Students should provide owner of ON STAGE PROMOTIONS with recommendations to obtain publicity: 1. Write a “publicity news release” encouraging theatre fans to take this unique opportunity to see the acclaimed Broadway production of Rent – a Rock Musical! Distribute the news release to local media outlets; television and radio stations, newspapers, magazines and local web sites 2 2 2 8 4 2. Invite theatre critics to an advance special pre-screening of the show. Hopefully these critics’ reviews in the local media will attract interest. Communicate core values of product/service. Conduct a risk assessment of an event Conduct an environmental scan to obtain business information Coordinate activities in the promotional mix The four elements of the promotional mix are: advertising, sales promotion, publicity, and personal selling. All elements used should be coordinated to achieve the company’s goals. All initiatives should be coordinated to target the identified markets, clearly communicate the same underlying message. Advertising includes any paid presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor (Ex. Print ads, radio, television, billboards etc) Place advertisements that would appear locally promoting the award-winning coffee in newspapers, direct mail, posters/billboards Recognize that TV ads would be created for national chain by the national chain itself Sales promotions Incentives designed to stimulate the purchase or sale of a product (Ex. Coupons, sweepstakes, contests, rebates etc. Offer sample coffee taste cups at popular local events and venues) . Sales promotion includes media and non-media marketing communication in order to increase consumer demand, stimulate market demand or improve product availability Public relations includes paid intimate stimulation of supply for a product, service or business unit by planting significant news about it or a favourable presentation in the media and sometimes include direct marketing and sponsorship Contact newspapers and radio stations to come review or feature the restaurant or Sponsor local events Personal Selling is a process of helping and persuading one or more prospects to purchase a good or service or to act on any idea through the use of an oral presentation (Ex. Sales presentations, sales meetings, sales training) Each waiter should up sell by recommending products, especially our award-winning coffee Participants should describe a variety of creative ideas that address all areas of concern. Coordinate channel management with other marketing activities Students should indicate that marketing activities (includes all Advertising, Publicity, Selling and Sales Promotions - contests, coupons, discounts – expanding to new sales outlets, making changes to product or service design, function, etc) need to be coordinated or sequenced effectively. Customers need to be made aware of any changes and given enough time to understand, ask questions and adjust. As a result changes should be communicated effectively and all sales channels should be consistent. It is important to coordinate channel management with other marketing activities to ensure alignment of promotion and communication of information to customers, and to reduce any channel conflict. It is important to set goals, set up communication policies and procedures, and monitor performance. The messages communicated must be consistent with the marketing activities they support so that customers do not receive mixed messages and feel frustrated in the process. This might include important details such as the date, time, and location of events that are critical to organizing the audience to attend These channels need to be re-examined during busy seasons, changes in location, redecorating / renovation, changes in suppliers, You can email customers, put up signs and flyers, give out coupons, local newspaper ads, local radio ads. 2 Coordinate community outreach projects Did the participant outline a timeline for each outreach project? Has this project been coordinated with other team as well as city activities? Have considerations been made to minimize conflicts with other city initiatives and to ensure maximum player and community involvement? Has the participant assigned responsibilities to specific individuals for the various steps in each project? 2 Cultivate Group Sales Group sales are aimed at a variety of groups. Educational groups may come into a venue to learn the business ( Wonderland offers drama and music programs, marketing, physics and food services programs), and businesses may use a group event to boost employee morale or be a team building activity. Initiating the sale means that you are letting educators and managers alike know what you offer, and what it can do for them. The group sales process would include some or all of the following steps: The Preapproach Ensure sales staff are knowledgeable about both the venue and education programs offered, as well as group activities and promotions. Ie hats, tshirts The Approach For educators contact potential customers about new education program opportunities. Offer group or school staff presentations. Presenting the Program Communicate the program to your target audience. Determine which program the client wants Answering Questions At this point a customer may be reluctant to buy; providing information to remove that uncertainty, and helping the customer to make a satisfactory buying decision Closing the Sale Getting customers positive agreement to buy Suggestion selling Suggesting additional programs or services that will satisfy the client’s needs and wants. They may help your client enjoy the original purchase or to save money Follow-up and Relationship building Creating a means of maintaining contact with the customer after the sale is completed Describe data collection methods Data collected may be secondary or primary and may come from sources within or outside the business. Once new information and data are obtained it must be analyzed for the business to use. Data can be collected in various ways including: Surveys – on paper, via email, phone, asking questions as customers leave the store, etc interviews experiments (eg. selling a couple of the new items in store and assessing how well they do) focus groups Participants may also include the importance of ensure that any sample group is representative of the population that they are studying A large amount of data is also collected through points cards and credit and debit cards, and sold to marketing firms. Describe effective advertising layouts Describe factors that affect the business environment The internal business environment includes factors within the organization that impact the approach and success of your operations. The external environment consists of a variety of factors outside your company doors that you typically don't have much control over. Managing the strengths of your internal operations and recognizing potential opportunities and threats outside of your operations are keys to business success Organizational Direction The role of company leadership is an important internal business factor. Your leadership style and the styles of other company management impact organizational culture. The positive or negative nature, level of family-friendliness, effectiveness of communication and value of employees are cultural implications that result from leadership approaches. Companies often provide formal structure or direction with mission and vision statements. These are forward-looking statements that provide the business for company decisions and activities Other Internal Factors The strength of your employees is another crucial internal business factor. Motivated, hard-working and talented workers generally produce better results than unmotivated, less-talented employees. Your business processes and relationships within and between departments and employees also significantly impact business effectiveness and efficiency. In a high-performing workplace, employees not only have talent, but they work well together and collaborate on ideas and resolutions External Competition One of the most critical external business factors is competition. Whether you operate in a concentrated industry with a few major competitors or a large industry with many competitors, you need to know the competition. Many companies do competitive analysis to compare their offerings and prices to those of competitors. When developing business philosophies and products, it is helpful to use your strength in quality production, customer service or operational efficiency to build competitive advantages that benefit your customers Other External Factors fall into several categories, including socio-economic, legal or ethical, political and technological. Socio-economic factors relate to the values, attitudes and concerns of your target customers and their economic abilities to afford your products. The legal, ethical and political environments generally relate to your need to abide by business laws and to meet the ethical or social responsibility standards of your customers and communities. In some industries, technological evolution drives the need for companies to adapt and constantly research for improvements Competition Economic environment Political environment Changes in technology Socio-cultural environment (including location of the business) Changes in demographics Changes in the natural environment Describe factors used by marketers to position products/services Differentiation in the context of business is what a company can hang its hat on that no other business can. The positioning concepts focus on the rational or emotional benefits that buyer will receive or feel by using the product/service. Products/services should be positioned based on their comparative advantages For example, for some companies this is being the least expensive. Other companies credit themselves with being the first or the fastest. Whatever it is a business can use to stand out from the rest is called differentiation. Differentiation in today’s over-crowded marketplace is a business imperative, not only in terms of a company’s success, but also for its continuing survival Positioning is also defined as the way by which the marketers attempt to create a distinct impression in the customer's mind. Positioning is something (perception) that happens in the minds of the target market. It is the aggregate perception the market has of a particular company, product or service in relation to their perceptions of the competitors in the same category. Products/services should be positioned based on their comparative advantages. A company can positively influence the perceptions through enlightened strategic actions Marketers often use a Product Positioning Map to “map” out the position that their products occupy in comparison to the completion These positioning maps are based on 2 dimensions The most common dimensions are price and qualtity So, for example, Rolex may be categorized as high price, high quality. Timex may be categorized as low price, high quality.. Some possible positioning strategies: Focus on healthy low calorie snack (< 200 calories) Price and quality Positioning by features and benefits Positioning relative to competition Describe legal issues affecting businesses As an owner of a small business, the danger of crippling litigation should also be at the top of your priorities. Legal headaches, can take you by surprise and severely hurt your business’ bottom line. Here are some of the most common legal issues facing small businesses in America. Disgruntled Employees will be one of the most common legal headaches. In North America, employees have far more rights than other countries, in the form of unions and reasons for “wrongful termination”. If you terminate a non-performing employee, make sure he or she signs documents carefully drafted by an attorney upon termination to make the terms of dismissal crystal clear. Letting an employee go without any final termination forms leaves the door wide open for legal actions. Discrimination/Harassment Cases The legal ramifications of alleged discrimination – sexual, ethnic, age or otherwise, can cause your company serious problems. Make sure your human resources and legal departments are well equipped to handle these issues should they arise. During the hiring process, make sure you are prepared with all the applicants’ resumes should allegations of discrimination arise, to prove that you hire the most qualified individuals, regardless of gender, ethnicity or age. Hold regular meetings to oversee co-worker relations and insure that discrimination on a smaller scale is not occurring between office cliques, or influencing the decisions of middle and lower managers. Harassment – sexual, racist or otherwise – can be a serious problem in an integrated workplace with workers from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and social classes. Regular meetings and interviews with staff will allow your managers to police these transgressions, which should be eliminated quickly through the swift termination of offenders. Victims of harassment and discrimination tend to attract lots of media attention, which can hurt your company’s public image as well as drain your legal budget. Be proactive and stomp out these problems before they start. Copyright and Patent Issues Cutting edge companies in the tech industry often face aggressive patent litigation. Companies often sit on patents for years, hoping that another company inadvertently violates them, to get easy money through patent and copyright lawsuits. In the product development phase at your company, make sure your research and development teams thoroughly research the patents and copyrights of your current product, to avoid a messy legal battle should you step on a competitor’s toes. Dissatisfied Customers Customers who are dissatisfied can file class action lawsuits against your company, in which they gather in large consumer groups and attack your company over faulty products, services or promises. With enough dissatisfied customers, class action lawsuits can do more damage than any individual or corporation and irreparably tarnish your brand’s image. Dissatisfied customers might also be injured customers who litigate because of injuries sustained while on your business’ premises. Again, be proactive and keep a finger to the pulse of your customers through tech support, online message boards and e-mails. Promptly issue recalls for flawed products and be prompt to address customer issues. Other Legal Issues These are only some of the most common legal issues facing small businesses today. Other ones include tax litigation (a whole other topic) and legal disputes with competitors and contractors. Make sure you are proactive in solving these problems before they start, and make sure you have a solid legal team to back you up should you get sued. Good communication in the workplace and a hands-on approach to management is the best deterrent to legal issues Describe marketing functions and related activities Nine functions of marketing: Purchasing- buying goods and services for a business’ operation (manufacturers purchase cloth and thread; retailers buy the finished shirt for resale in their stores) Selling- providing customers with goods and services they want to buy (to the end user and in the industrial market as materials for business operations) Pricing-deciding how much to charge for goods and services (takes competition into consideration & how much a consumer is willing to pay) Product planning - all the decisions a business makes in the production and sale of its goods and services (products to carry, branding, labelling, packaging, etc.) Marketing information management – the process of getting the marketing information needed to make sound business decisions (marketing research) Promotion-any form of communication used to inform, persuade, or remind people about a business’ products OR to improve a firm’s public image (TV and radio commercials; specially designed perks as gifts with purchase-McDonald’s toys/glasses) Financing-getting the money needed to finance the operation of a business (obtaining a bank loan; offering credit to consumers) Distribution- making decisions about where to sell your product (method of transportation-truck; rail; ship or air) (storage of items is also part of distribution) Risk management- preventing or reducing business loss (one risk that is out of a business’ control is high local unemployment rate; business competition; natural risks) 2 Describe options businesses use to obtain marketing-research data Primary Research and Secondary Research methods are good starting points. In conducting primary research, the participant could create surveys, questionnaires, focus groups or do test marketing. Secondary research can be conducted by doing online research, by reading case studies, by analyzing periodicals, etc. Secondary research can also be purchased through Market Research firms. Primary research can be conducted at the point of sale by asking for basic demographic data like postal codes. In this case, participants could be asked if they are currently students of the university (as this is an issue in the case – mainly university students). This information could be used to devise a strategy to attract alumni, town residents, etc Data collected may be secondary or primary and may come from sources within or outside the business. Once new information and data are obtained it must be analyzed for the business to use. Data can be collected in various ways including: Surveys – on paper, via email, phone, asking questions as customers leave the store, etc interviews experiments (eg. selling a couple of the new items in store and assessing how well they do) focus groups a large amount of data is also collected through points cards and credit and debit cards, and sold to marketing firms Participants may also include the importance of ensuring that any sample group is representative of the population that they are studying Describe techniques for processing marketing information The gathering of relevant and up-to-date information is a key business process. Information consists of organised facts and figures that have meaning within the context that the information is intended to be interpreted by people. Information is thus a valuable business commodity, and frequently businesses pay money for up-to-date and relevant information. Businesses buy: Market research information Information about the financial performance of other companies Information about economic trends, and the economies of other countries Product research and development information. The more up-to-date, accurate and complete is the information, then the more valuable it will be. Increasingly there are market opportunities for companies to provide information on websites that users can pay to access - e.g. information about share prices, market movements, and potentially good investments. Information is gathered: Internally within an organization - e.g. about production performance, sales performance, standard operating procedures, manufacturing systems, etc. Externally i.e. outside the organization - e.g. information about customers and markets. The firm may contract out the collection of such information to an appropriate organization such as a market research company. Information can then be analyzed by using computers or by manual methods. Databases and spreadsheets make it very easy to analyze information. For example, information about the market e.g. market growth, market share, etc. can be entered using a spreadsheet package. This information can then be presented in line graphs, histograms, bar charts, pie charts etc so that it is easy to quickly make sense of the information. Information processing refers to the collection, storage, manipulation, distribution and presentation of data, usually by electronic means. Computers are used widely in business for information processing. 2 Describe the elements of design Elements of design include: Line, Shape, Direction, Size, Texture, Colour, and Value (Tone). Students likely won’t be very specific with these as they are primarily Visual Arts terms. They should however, be able to describe in words and pictures, how they envision the ads Describe the nature of cost/benefit analysis Do costs outweigh benefit derived from it, i.e. is increase in revenue greater than increase in costs Take into account non-financial benefits (greater customer service, better reputation, etc.) and costs (opportunity cost, etc.) Describe the need for financial information Financial information includes raw data, records, and reports; businesses rely on accurate financial information to make sound decisions Financial information is used to match company resources to its planned activities and to identify additional resources that may be needed or secured Businesses use information to identify ways to reduce expenses and invest company assets. Also, information is used to forecast for future budgeting and growth, as well as to control and manage risk The objective of financial statements is to provide information about the financial position, performance, and changes in financial position of an enterprise. Financial information is useful to a wide range of users making economic decisions Owners and managers require financial statements to make business decisions Employees require this information for use in compensation and bonus contracts Prospective investors use this information to assess the viability of investing in a business Banks and lenders use financial information to determine loan terms, loan amounts, interest rates, and required collateral Government entities use this information to evaluate taxes declared and paid by a company Suppliers use financial information to assess the creditworthiness of the business Customers use financial information to assess the company's ability to provide products or services in the future Describe the need for marketing data data is necessary in order to determine whether it is feasible to bring a product, store, team or business to a community information collected should include interest in paying for the item as well as data for potential employees 2 Describe the need for marketing information Without marketing information, businesses are left with no ability to anaylse customer profiles. Marketing information is needed to understand the consumer and to therefore improve the product or the service in ways that will satisfy consumers. Marketing information is also crucial in order to plan and carry out successful and cost effective Promotional efforts – how do you advertise if you don’t know who you are trying to reach? Marketing information informs businesses about sales trends and patterns and helps perfect the timing of re-ordering or discontinuing products. Marketing information can inform businesses about pricing levels and a customer’s perception of value Marketing information management is a fancy term for managing data and information about customer attitudes and development of new products. Marketing research can be done of a formal or informal basis within small and large companies. For large businesses that utilize formal research, the procedures and outcomes must be organized so the business can make sense of the findings and benefit from the research Students should mention the importance of collecting information about customers. The more a business knows about its customers, the better it can tailor its products and services to them. It can deliver products and services to meet and exceed customer expectations. This information also helps the business reach out to potential customers because it informs them about the customer profile of the target market Describe the role of governing bodies in the sport industry. 2 Describe the use of colour in advertisements There will be a broad range of acceptable answers for this performance indicator. Colour can be used to draw and hold interest and attention 3 Describe the use of technology in the channel management function From a business and technological standpoint, perhaps the most significant change has stemmed from the rise of digital. We now live in a world where more than four billion people own mobile devices (a quarter of which are smartphones) and another billion have Facebook accounts. Whether marketers like it or not, the “digitization of everything” is having a profound effect on direct marketing—from the strategies and tactics down to the individual communication channels. Technology has its impact in the direct marketing channel. It can be in the form of: Banners on websites and social network sites Social networks like Facebook and Twitter Email campaigns having bought selected e-mails Technology has created a new channel of distribution known as e-tailing where customers and industrial buyers make purchases using the Internet. The online shopping location is known as an e-marketplace Use of the internet by the customer provides greater convenience to the customer as they can shop from the convenience of their home, at any time of day. E-tailing also provides benefits to the business as orders can be received and processed electronically. 2 Describe the use of technology in the marketing-information management function Collaborative customer relationship management : Organizations must assemble and integrate customer relationship management (CRM) systems that enhance customer collaboration and build customer loyalty and exit barriers. Outsourcing sales and marketing functions: Organizations must strategically outsource sales and marketing budgets to a new generation of businesses, including marketing agencies, e-commerce utilities and service providers, and e-channel partners to obtain talent, technical expertise, and cost efficiencies. Customer-centric organizations: Organizations must recast their familiar organizational and functional models, transforming them into a natural extension of customer segmentation, enterprise selling processes, and complex demand chain partnerships. Operationalizing e-care: Organizations must adopt enterprise-wide management of the customer care processes to ensure seamless service and enhanced intimacy across multiple-channel interfaces and throughout the customer lifecycle. Hybrid distribution systems: Organizations must build multi-channel, hybrid distribution systems that leverage low-cost, high-touch technologies to improve cost efficiency, market coverage, and overall selling performance. Value-added direct sales: Organizations must migrate the role of direct sales to better align high-touch, face-to-face selling interactions with high-value and high-margin products and services. Demand chain remediation: Organizations must restructure demand chain relationships to maximize value creation and customer access while leveraging costs and value-added channel partnerships. Customer interaction centers: Organizations must consolidate and integrate call center, Web, e-mail, fax, and marketing technology assets to better manage selling resources, technology infrastructure, and customer interactions. Product channel readiness: Organizations must design modular, "channel-ready" products optimized for specific sales channels, partners, and customer segments, improving personalization, ease of doing business, and transaction costs. Dynamic pricing and trading: Organizations must creatively manage the impact of buy- and sell-side technologies and trading communities on margins and pricing. Changing role of branding: Organizations must aggressively build brand equity in echannels, in virtual communities, and across multiple selling partners, channels, and points of interaction (POI). Interactive direct marketing: Organizations must deploy new tools, approaches, and strategies for anticipating or influencing the way customers buy. Determining which of these twelve areas are of most importance to your specific organization is a first step in acknowledging the impact of technology on sales and marketing and in moving your organization into the world of e-business. 2 Describe the use of technology in the promotion function The internet, websites and most recently social networking are common ways of using technology in the promotion function. Interactive websites offer consumers a different way to use or experience the product. Participants should be careful to not overuse and get too technical with their use of technology given that many senior citizens use emerging technologies such as the internet for email and basic communication and personal interest. (They are participating in online gaming, for example) Computers-world wide web, on line advertising, online sales, on line catalogues Smart phones with updates on sales, promotions, timed sales, one day promotions Links from computers to store for updates on new merchandise and promotions Describe types of business activities Operations includes every activity needed to manufacture a product or provide a service. Operations is an essential business function, because without a product or service to sell, a business has no reason to exist. Operations activities will always revolve around acquiring raw resources, converting those resources into something to sell and scheduling and controlling the process of conversion. Activities to accomplish those aims include creating production schedules, taking inventory, equipment maintenance, measuring quality and efficiency, and designing workflows. Marketing Without customers for its products or services, a company can't stay afloat, making marketing another crucial business activity. Marketing activities go beyond merely creating ads that entice customers. Instead, marketing activities are intimately connected with a company's products and services. Indeed, by understanding the needs and desires of consumers, those in marketing help shape a company's offerings. Marketing activities determine the needed performance specifications of a company's products and services, the proper pricing, the best distribution channels and packaging. Consumer and marketplace studies, promotion and sales also fall under marketing's purview. Finance The bottom line: Money makes business possible. When approached carefully, finance activities build a foundation for a company's security, ensuring future operations. Finance must measure operations to create forecasts predicting a company's ability to meet future challenges. Creating budgets, allocating funds throughout the company, determining investments, protecting assets, managing credit and preparing financial reports are other necessary financial activities. Two important statements companies typically prepare are the balance sheet, which shows a company's assets and liabilities, and the income statement. By subtracting expenses from income, the income statement reveals a company's profit or loss. Other Business Activities Besides operations, marketing and finance activities, other types of business functions become important as a company grows. With employees comes the need to manage a company's human resources. Important activities under the human resources umbrella include training and hiring. Once a company decides it wants to expand its offerings, research and development becomes an important business activity. Finally, though wise management is desirable at any stage in a company's life, growth demands a more conscious and formal approach to leadership, planning and organization than a oneperson business might demand. 2 Determine customer/client needs The participant should use the following strategies to indentify out what a customer/client needs are: Questioning Observing Listening After carefully doing all of the above, vendors should continue to observe and listen carefully while making suggestions of merchandise to the client They should listen for verbal and non-verbal clues and respond / alter their responses appropriately Determine economic utilities created by business activities Economic utility—a measure of satisfaction Most people will do things that will improve their utility In this case, the owner needs to convince the employees that this 4-day work week is in the employees’ best interest and will improve their utility For example: o the employees can save time by only commuting 4 days instead of 5 o the employees will have more leisure time o the employees will be able to spend more time with their children on their day off— 80% have children under 14 o save money on child care and gas 2 Determine hiring needs The student in the role of human resources manager should identify hiring needs Will require a meeting with staff and management to discuss the needs Hiring needs may include a wide variety of skills Keeping in mind all of the above needs to be accomplished promptly Determine sport/event features and benefits. Determine the profitability of business services. Determine the relationship between government and business Develop a company’s/department’s budget. Develop a public relations plan Develop contingency plans for events Develop production schedules for events Develop project plans Discuss legal ramifications of breaching rules and regulations 3 Discuss motivational theories that impact buying behavior Consumer motivation is linked to Maslow's "hierarchy of needs." According to this model, motivational drivers have different levels of importance. The most common needs are physiological and concern basic survival--the need for food, shelter and safety. Higher-level needs include social ones (for relationships and love), esteem needs (recognition and status) and self-actualization needs (fulfillment of self). According to Maslow, an individual must meet lower-level needs before being motivated to fulfill higher-level needs Motivational Levels Depending on how important a purchase is to an individual, his motivational levels may vary from low to high. Influences include familiarity with the purchase, status factors and overall expense and value. Where fulfillment rewards are low, as with groceries, motivation levels are also relatively low and involve little decision-making behavior The behavioral aspect of consumer motivation concerns the actions someone takes before purchasing and consuming goods or services. A person might do a lot of research-evaluating alternatives, testing and sampling--before making a selection. She might decide to buy something based on which goods or services most closely meet and satisfy motivational wants and needs. Marketers aim to gain the most impact and eventual sales by linking their products and services to clearly defined consumer needs and by understanding what motivates people to buy Motivational levels differ greatly between individuals and are influenced by many external variables. These include the social value of making the "right" decision, beliefs about brands and alignment of brand values and personal values. If other people are involved in the decision, their motivation also affects the behavior of the primary consumer They may also identify categories of buying motives such as rational or emotional reasons why people eat out and choose one restaurant over another. The key to any business is that they must have a plan to try and understand what consumers are willing to pay for and to try and satisfy their needs. It is not enough to simply open a restaurant and hope customers will come. You have to give them a reason. Maslow is the obvious choice given its popularity in business textbooks. Participant could mention the factors that motivate consumers to purchase without actually naming a theory or theorist. What needs are satisfied when consumers save money on special deals – needs/benefits. Discuss the global environment in which businesses operate 2 Discuss the nature of marketing research problems/issues Participants can cite problems including; the difficulty in properly assessing or measuring the results of spending on promotion (how do you know if your sale worked, or if your commercial was impactful), the difficulty in finding willing survey participants, the reliability of responses to questionnaires and surveys, the expense incurred in conducting primary research, as well as various issues with privacy of personal information that consumers may have Discuss the nature of sampling plans A sampling plan is a detailed outline of what data will be collected, when will it be collected, how will it be collected, who will collect it, where it will be collected and why or for what purpose will it be collected. Students should have a plan for the collection of the marketing information and should be able to describe the staging and sequencing of their proposed solution Explain business ethics in selling e.g. the salesperson must be truthful in its communications with his clients. Should he then proffer that Grenadier may not be around to honour the gift certificates? Salesperson needs to follow company policy, but is it ethical to continue selling gift certificates when there is uncertainty they can be honoured? Is the company adhering to correct business practices? Does the company have a Code of Business ethics? Have customers been informed of policy prior to purchase of a gift certificate Is the gift certificate policy posted in the store for customers to see Easier to keep customers than get new ones Honesty builds trust between customers and the company A company must ensure that none of their claims are fraudulent In this case: The company was ethical because both options were provided and free software was provided for a year. Customers must expect the company to make a profit The company needs to research how many customers renew after the two year subscription or were they angry enough to not renew Explain communications channels used in public-relations activities Participant may discuss, but are not limited to, some of the following ideas: Media ie. Television commercials, social media, radio Advertising and getting the word out to as large of an audience as possible, as quickly as possible Appealing to various target markets (not limiting relief efforts to a single target market ie. Racing Community) Explain company selling policies Layaway policy offered to customers Not common practice to extend layaway dates, policy is if date has passed, merchandise is returned to the sales floor Store policy is if layaway merchandise is not picked up by the date, monies left on deposit are put towards a store credit and not returned to the customer as cash. Explain consequences of unprofessional and/or unethical behavior in marketing Explain elements of the sport/event product Explain employment opportunities in business Explain ethical considerations in providing information Information ethics has been defined as "the branch of ethics that focuses on the relationship between the creation, organization, dissemination, and use of information, and the ethical standards and moral codes governing human conduct in society". It provides a critical framework for considering moral issues concerning informational privacy, moral agency, new environmental issues problems arising from the life-cycle (creation, collection, recording, distribution, processing, etc.) of information (especially ownership and copyright, digital divide, and digital rights). Dilemmas regarding the life of information are becoming increasingly important in a society that is defined as "the information society". Information transmission and literacy are essential concerns in establishing an ethical foundation that promotes fair, equitable, and responsible practices. Information ethics broadly examines issues related to ownership, access, privacy, security, and community In this case, there is a certain amount of privacy on the part of the evaluators, but because of the public nature of their comments, the companies they are evaluating are demanding more information on the evaluations and evaluators The accountant had an ethical and moral obligation not to insider trade If a person has access to information as a part of their job, they are morally bound not to use it for their own gain. They are also ethically bound not to share the information In this case, the accountant used the information to defraud shareholders of the manufacturing firm Explain factors affecting pricing decisions Pricing depends on the objectives of price as it relates to the businesses profitability. The image of the business, supply and demand, the stage of the product life cycle, and the expense related to the product are all considerations. Four factors: costs/expenses; supply and demand; consumer perception; competition 2 2 2 4 Pricing is a competitive tool – indicates quality to the consumer; is a function of supply and demand; position of the company in the market place; laws in place, break even point; economies of scale Participant should mention some of the above and how they affect the ability of the restaurant to offer specials on an on-going basis. They want to increase demand by increasing the number of patrons ordering before 5:00 pm, but cannot exceed capacity The participant should recognize some or all of the following factors: profit variable and fixed costs of the goods and/or services competition business law and ethics Explain how organizations adapt to today’s markets Participants should discuss ways that organizations adapt to today’s markets. A business is constantly engaged in the process of renewal when they choose to use this data. Suggested responses may include: Using tools like SWOT analysis and environmental scans to identify ways the business can improve A SWOT analysis assesses a company’s strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities and threats that surround it An environmental scan is an analysis of outside information that may have an impact on an organization Utilize market research and analysis of consumer, competition and marketplace Determine the 4P’s of marketing as related to their organization and product: Product, price, place (distribution) and promotion Determine the 3C’s of their market strategy analysis Company, competition and customer o In this case, market research of their store location and consumers would be needed, utilizing the 4P’s and 3C’s of marketing / focus on place, competition and customer 2 Explain key factors in building a clientele People eating in a restaurant are making a choice. This is normally not a matter of necessity. Therefore, they will choose to eat at this restaurant if their needs are being met. Some of the more obvious reasons they would have are: The food is good The prices are right They enjoy the ambiance and feel welcome They know the owners They respect and support the restaurant as a member of the community They want their children to be exposed to different dining situations They don’t feel like cooking themselves If the restaurant owners and management want to rebuild their clientele, they must address these (and perhaps other) issues Students need to demonstrate an understanding of why customers will patronize a business; ie, what can the business do to continue attracting and keeping customers. It will not be enough to advertise to attract new customers, it is also necessary to satisfy them in order to keep them coming back frequently. Eating out is not a necessity. Consumers have a choice as to where to spend their money and they will generally do so in a place they enjoy. The market (consumer attitudes) could be changing, and what has worked in the past is no longer popular. The demographics (types of customers in the area) may be changing (aging?) There will likely be new competitors that may be trying to copy your success Ensure every customer has a pleasant experience at the restaurant Relate to creating brand loyalty by providing an excellent product with supreme service in an amazing atmosphere Students could also be more specific and include examples of different types of events or promotions the restaurant could use. Just like retail stores change their window and interior displays, even a restaurant has different things they can do to give the customers a new look or feel This case tries to deal more specifically with having the proper menu items. Did the student explain and develop a defined plan for building and keeping customers? Did the student address issues related to competition and competitive advantage? Explain measures used to analyze economic conditions 2 Explain procedures for handling accidents Hire staff with the proper qualifications—first aid, CPR, customer service certifications, alcohol handling Staff need to be thoroughly trained to handle accidents in the restaurant Create a procedures manual to teach staff how to deal with a variety of risk situations Train the staff on the manual When an accident has occurred, help the customer, contact the manager, solicit whatever help is necessary—ambulance, follow up to make sure the customer is fine, fill out an accident report, discover what can be done to make certain that this type of accident does not occur again a) According to the WSIB (Workplace Safety Insurance Board): i. Get first aid ii. Inform employer and ensure payment for transportation and immediate medical care iii. Pay workers wages for the day of the injury iv. Report injury to the WSIB - An ‘exceeds expectations’ answer will include preventative measures This needs American terminology as well 2 Explain routine security precautions Most stores now incorporate magnetic tags and doorway sensors. Many also now search their employees bags as they exit the store after a shift. The key here is that it must be done for all items, and for all employees. (This however won’t be effective when the manager who is checking is part of the theft problem.) Regular rotating inventory checks will find specific areas with shrinking inventory. Security cameras are also an option In this case it would be wise to inform staff of the situation, that jobs have been lost and that the specific staff who have been fired are not welcome in the store anymore. Hotel security departments usually use preventative tasks such as patrolling, monitoring, and investigating in order to prevent problems Employees’ are properly screened to ensure that they are trustworthy Guests are offered storage vaults or boxes to store valuables Adequate lighting is provided in the surrounding environs to ensure that guests and their property are safe from intruders All staff should be trained in safety and security issues and to consider privacy of information eg. What room a guest is in 2 Explain the components of advertisements Students should reference the major components of ads – the body or copy (the main message which is written if print), the tag line (slogan or short phrase associated with the product), the artwork (graphics and colour), the titles (including the main headline) and the contact (which includes branding – logo- and URLs, phone #s, etc). Students should provide an answer that is descriptive of all of these components Explain the concept of economic resources Also known as the factors of production, economic resources are inputs to produce finished goods. These include human resources, natural resources, and capital resources Human resources include the effort and technical knowledge used in production. Human resources are the people who work to produce the goods and services; also known as the workforce or labour, and includes both the physical and mental work performed Natural resources include naturally occurring goods such as water, soil, minerals, etc Natural resources are those raw materials we get from the earth, water, and air Capital resources are man-made resources such as buildings, equipment and money that is used to produce goods and services Entrepreneurship is sometimes considered another economic resource in that they innovate new ways to produce new products Economic resources are defined as the means through which goods and services are made available to consumers. Another term for economic resources are factors of production The proposed new convention centre will utilize both the city’s human and capital resources in a productive manner To not utilize these available economic resources would stifle continued economic development, a commitment and vision the city has already embarked upon Explain the concept of Market and Market Identification Market is the term which makes reference to your actual and potential customer base Market identification is the process of identifying existing or potential customers Market segmentation – target a specific group of potential customers – divide the total market into smaller groups of people who share specific needs and characteristics Geographics – segmenting a market based on where people live – locally, regional Demographics- characteristics of a population – age, gender, income, ethnicity, education and occupation Psychographics- study of consumer’s lifestyles and the attitudes / values that shape it Product benefits- features built into products to suit the needs/wants of consumers Niche Market (very high end users) and Micromarket (local and individual) are two additional means of segmenting the market 2 Explain the importance of company involvement in community activities Participants should indicate that effective businesses need to be active participants in their communities. Although the primary aim of community relations work is to promote civic pride and to help the local residents, these events also help create goodwill for their business participants. Customers and the general public pay attention to the sponsors of communitywide activities Participant may discuss, but are not limited to, some of the following ideas: Promotion of company’s civic consciousness and empathy Support for company’s workers living in the community Strategic positioning and promotion 2 Explain the nature and scope of channel management Channel Management refers to how a business uses marketing and sales techniques to reach their customer base. Channel Management refers to the ability of a business to operate all of its sales outlets or methods effectively. These Channels of Distribution could include direct from manufacturer, retail, wholesale, import, or specialty channel (internet, home shopping, catalogue, vending machine, etc). When done properly, effective channel management allows a business to deliver products successfully and a manner of its choosing to customers thus strengthening the relationship between the business and its customers Channel management organizes all possible ways to communicate with customers. Organizations must consider their target markets in terms of their preferred methods of communication while trying to reach their goals of gaining and maintaining customers. Regardless of the channels chosen, the messages must always be consistent with the organization’s branding and position. Types of communication channels include but are not limited to: social media, print advertising, corporate website, online advertising, telemarketing, email marketing, webcasts, tradeshows, direct mail promotions, white papers, and face-to-face events In this case Dorm Outfitters is looking at selling in stores in order to reach the population who do not yet feel comfortable buying on line. The decision between retailers must make sense in terms of who it will now reach higher-end shoppers, or lower end shoppers Explain the nature and scope of financing 4 Explain the nature and scope of the pricing function Pricing involves the value of money placed on a product or service. The function of pricing involves the strategies used to set prices of products, pricing computations such as discount and markups, and the overall relationship between pricing and the company’s profitability Participants should be able to identify and explain factors affecting pricing in this situation. The participant’s answer may include (but is not limited to): overhead costs market value of goods (meats, vegetables, seasonal items, etc.) Integral part of the 4 p’s Determines ultimate success of restaurant and customer loyalty Must cover costs, be competitive and offer a profit Participant should some mention of the above information and how it relates to pricing of specials in this case. The discount price is likely a loss leader and must be managed if the restaurant is to be viable in the long run. 2 Explain the nature and scope of the selling function Participants should identify that the selling function provides consumers with the products or services that they want or need. They should also mention that this includes all members of the distribution channel. Participants should explain that the selling process is a personalized communication and influences the purchase of a product or service and future sales Participants should identify the various levels of personal selling in the apparel industry as it relates to the level of interaction with customers: Stores that promote a discount image – may have limited sales staff who offer little service beyond checking out at the cash register Stores that attract customers interested in exclusive, ‘pricey’ items have sales personnel to not only help customers make buying decisions, but also make customers feel important Participants should identify that the selling function is not necessarily the same for male and female customers in a female clothing store and that differences should be present to ensure that all clients are being served and all receive the same level of quality from the sales experience 5 Explain the nature of a promotional plan Detailed plan for delivering your promotional mix identifies all the potential promotional activities in promotional mix, who will carry them out, the costs, etc Calendar based, and is tied in to the buying plan (media, products, etc) It is coordinated with all the different aspects of promotion, with distribution and inventory, staff being ready, store being set up properly The participant should recognize most or all of the following components of a promotional plan: description of promotional methods associated costs and budget explanation of how promotions relate to objective measure of success; maximizing return on promotional efforts An outline of the marketing tools, strategies and resources that a company intends to use to promote a product or service. A promotional plan is usually considered a vital planning tool by most business managers that helps contribute toward the successful launch of a new product or service or its expansion into a new market Promotion is one of the market mix elements or features, and a term used frequently in marketing. The marketing mix includes the four P's: price, product, promotion, and place.[1] Promotion refers to raising customer awareness of a product or brand, generating sales, and creating brand loyalty. Promotion is also found in the specification of five promotional mix or promotional plan. These elements are personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, and publicity.[2] A promotional mix specifies how much attention to pay to each of the five subcategories, and how much money to budget for each. A promotional plan can have a wide range of objectives, including: sales increases, new product acceptance, creation of brand equity, positioning, competitive retaliations, or creation of a corporate image. Fundamentally, there are three basic objectives of promotion. These are:[3] To present information to consumers as well as others To increase demand To differentiate a product There are different ways to promote a product in different areas of media. Promoters use internet advertisements, special events, endorsements, and newspapers to advertise their product. Many times with the purchase of a product there is an incentive like discounts (i.e., coupons), free items, or a contest. This method is used to increase the sales of a given product 2 Explain the nature of channel-member relationships For marketing channels to succeed in a competitive marketplace, independent organizations should combine resources to pursue common goals. Channel members often view each other as partners in delivering value to consumers. Channel member relationships can be strengthen by doing things that are mutually beneficial. 2 Explain the nature of channels of distribution A channel of distribution comprises a set of institutions which perform all of the activities utilised to move a product and its title from production to consumption Channel 1 contains two stages between producer and consumer AAA has a large set of client companies which provide roadside assistance to the client members of the club Channel 2 contains one intermediary. In consumer markets, this is the retailer towing company, and service business They sell their services and expertise to the AAA clients Channel 3 is called a "direct-marketing" channel, since it has no intermediary levels. In this case the manufacturer sells directly to customers. An example of a direct marketing channel would be a towing and auto service companies selling directly to the customer 2 Explain the nature of effective communication Student answers can be vary however they should indicate that communication is effective when it is clear, easy to understand and consistent. Communication is also effective if it is well matched to the target market or target audience of the particular product or message – it should “speak to” the target audience in a clear and interesting manner. Effective communication should also include consistency between communication methods. Communication is the process of exchanging messages between a sender and a receiver Effective communicators need to understand channels of communication and media, effective listening skills, barriers to communication, and non-verbal cues. In addition, one must be prepared to read for meaning, speak properly, and write effectively Channels (or media) are the avenues through which a message can be delivered. The choice of medium depends on the nature and importance of the message Effective listening allows a person to identify the purpose of the speaker, give feedback, and evaluate the speaker’s message Communication may be impeded by a number of barriers, including physical such as distance and position from the speaker, and verbal as in using vague or unclear language Lastly, a person’s non-verbal cues—such as his or her tone of voice, emphasis, and body language—are critical because they often communicate as much as the speaker’s actual words 2 Explain the nature of marketing management "Marketing Management is the analysis, planning, implementation and control of programmes designed to bring about desired exchanges with target audiences for the purpose of personal and of mutual gain. It relies heavily on the adoption and coordination of product, price, promotion and place for achieving responses." As the name implies, marketing management combines the fields of marketing and management. Marketing consists of discovering consumer needs and wants, creating the goods and services that meet those needs and wants; and pricing, promoting, and delivering those goods and services. Doing so requires attention to six major areas - markets, products, prices, places, promotion, and people Management is getting things done through other people. Managers engage in five key activities - planning, organising, staffing, directing, and controlling. Marketing management implies the integration of these concepts Marketing management decisions are based on strong knowledge of marketing functions and clear understanding and application of supervisory and managerial techniques. Marketing managers and product managers are there to execute the processes of marketing management. We, as customers, see the results of such process in the form of products, prices, advertisements, promotions, etc Participants should be able to identify and explain marketing management as it applies to this situation. The participant’s answer may include: Marketing management includes the use of practical marketing techniques to manage resources and activities Tracking and review of a company’s marketing resources and activities Effective marketing management will use a company’s resources to increase it’s customer base 2 Explain the nature of marketing planning A marketing plan is a comprehensive blueprint which outlines an organization's overall marketing efforts. A marketing process can be realized by the marketing mix. The last step in the process is the marketing controlling A marketing plan is the company’s strategy for positioning the product and encouraging sales. It includes a determination of the product, price, place and promotion to be used. This expectation is linked to the previous with the identification of the target market. The marketing plan that is used should make sense given the target market that was previously identified for each line. The product launch time should also be included in the marketing plan Some considerations for the marketing plan might include: Product: May include identification of each product’s features and benefits: quality, fashion, trend-setting, etc Price: The price range has been given in the case for each line. Students may link the price range to the target market they have identified Place: can involve the positioning of each line within the shoe department of the store. Solutions should be logical for the image created for each brand and may include merchandising methods used Promotion: refers to the combination of all methods used to attract and create desire of the customer. This includes advertising, sales promotions, personal selling, etc. Solutions must be tied to target market and be reasonable for the targeted market and image to be created 3 Explain the nature of positive customer/client relations The participant should demonstrate an understanding of this concept through examples A positive customer relations mindset means believing that your customers: Deserve the very best Are your employers Deserve your focused attention Have the right to expect things of you Have important problems and complaints Positive customer relations yield benefits to the: Business Employees Customer Businesses benefit by being: Employees may receive: customer compliments perhaps a raise or promotion for good customer service skills Customers may benefit from: a more pleasant, satisfactory buying experience Positive customer relations need to be demonstrated when speaking to customers in person, over the phone, or online. It should also be evident while handling customer complaints, inquiries and requests. Demonstrate good customer relations by doing the following: considering and attempting to meet their needs concentrating on the without distractions follow up with them following through on what you say you are going to do being efficient in handling issues Explain the nature of sales management Underlying goal of any business is to increase profits By weight the costs and benefits, it is in the best interest of the hotel to pursue the option that can guarantee the greatest profits Sales management includes taking into consideration the long term benefits as well (i.e. if this is an annual dog show and it is a success, the hotel can increase their occupancy during downtimes on an annual basis) Explain the nature of sponsorship in the sport/event industries Participants should explain the benefits of sponsorship to the sponsor as well as the team. Sponsorship and sporting events go hand-in-hand. Provides funding for major events. Used in everything from stadium sponsorships (i.e. Rogers Centre), promotional products, sports gear, etc Sponsorship is to create an image and create revenue for the company Quick way for a company to brand itself Benefits to the sponsor may include but are not limited to: Company name advertised on team jerseys and therefore displayed at all games to other teams and audiences which may lead to more customers for the company Company gets a positive image by the students for supporting their activities which could lead to more students buying the company’s products Benefits to the team being sponsored may include but are not limited to: Access to resources that allow the team to afford jerseys, equipment, and promotional items Explain the nature of sport/event brand/branding. Explain the nature of stress management. 3 Explain the need for professional and ethical standards in marketing The participant should identify what ethical and professional behaviour is and why this type of behaviour and standards are needed in marketing. Companies are encouraged to set standards for their employees to follow when marketing their products. Marketers have a responsibility for ethical behaviour as it relates to advertising and sales Marketers should avoid false or misleading advertising for products or services Marketers should not pressure or mislead consumers with their sales tactics or promotions Without professional and ethical standards, companies may be tempted to engage in deceptive marketing practices. Deceptive practices include, misrepresentation, omission, or misleading practice. Consumers may also encounter deceptive pricing practices or false comparative information. All of these practices may lead the consumer to be unhappy and ultimately stop relying on marketing information from companies. This will make it more difficult for all companies to sell their products 2 Explain the need for sport/event insurance Explain the need for sport/event marketing information. Explain the relationship between customer service and channel management Channel management is a term that refers to the way that a business or supplier of products uses various marketing techniques and sales strategies to reach the widest possible customer base. The channels are all of the various outlets by which the product is marketed and sold to customers. When done properly, channel management motivates those channels to sell the product and ultimately develops a better relationship between customer and product. This is achieved by identifying the goals for each distinctive channel and then implementing various marketing strategies to make sure that those goals are attained, all while staying consistent to the overall brand of the business The world of marketing has become much more complicated as technological advances have taken hold. No longer can a business rely simply on good customer relations or word of mouth to maintain or improve revenue. Possibilities for marketing a product or service grow seemingly each day, and keeping track of all of these disparate marketing avenues is not an easy chore. That is why the concept of channel management has become so prevalent in marketing. Explain the role of business in society Businesses provide employment opportunities for people in society. These people become trained, skilled workers through their work experience thereby increasing their work capacity and potential to contribute to the business and the economy. As workers develop, they are paid reflective of their skills, experience, and contributions Some of the compensation earned by working is spent on consumables purchased from other businesses. This revenue generation allows the businesses to continue to afford to employ more people The government taxes business income, personal income, and purchases. This money is then reinvested into programs such as health care, education, and infrastructure for the maintenance and betterment of our standard of living Businesses also have a responsibility to the environment and sustainable practices such that future generations’ quality of life and standard of living aren’t compromised for today’s society Provide employment to people and therefore compensation and a means of achieving a standard of living Contribute to the improvement of society through the development of inventions and innovations Offer essential services to people via public sector businesses Offer luxury services and allow for the consumption of entertainment, the arts, sports, etc 4 Explain the role of promotion as a marketing function Promotion is part of the marketing mix Promotional mix includes personal selling, advertising, sales promotions and public relations/publicity Talk about promoting brand image and creating brand identity and loyalty Increase awareness Increase sales Persuasive communication Informs people about products and services Used to enhance public image, reputation and to persuade people that the company’s products are valuable Goals of promotion = AIDA – first attract Attention, then build Interest and Desire and finally ask for Action Promotion used to convince prospects to select ABC services instead of the competition Promotional activities explain the major features and benefits of the product/service, identify where it is sold, advertise sales, answer customer questions and introduce new offerings Product promotion helps companies to foster good relations with existing customers and creates loyalty Explain the role of situation analysis in the marketing planning process SWOT analysis: measure of Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats SWOT analysis should distinguish between where your organization is today, and where it could be in the future Once key issues have been identified with your SWOT analysis, they feed into marketing objectives Study of the internal and external factors that affect marketing strategy SWOT Examination of the overall market – opportunities and threats, competition Participant could perform SWOT analysis and determine that the opportunity is ripe for a new product launch – this is the expectation of the owner Explain the selling process Basic selling process: identify need/want, find information on alternatives, evaluate alternatives, purchase, evaluate post-purchase satisfaction Many customers need help in determining the correct products to solve their problems Store personnel have the opportunity to up-sell and cross-sell other products while the customer is there Explain the types of advertising media Mail Print Advertising – Newspapers, Magazines, Brochures, Fliers Outdoor Advertising – Billboards, Kiosks, Tradeshows and Events Broadcast advertising – Television, Radio and the Internet Covert Advertising – Advertising in Movies Celebrity Advertising Explain the use of licensing in sport/event marketing. 3 Explain the use of technology in the pricing function spreadsheets can be used to show different options to the customer easily (i.e. price differences in meals, rentals, etc.) accessibility to the internet for current market values, use it as a research tool Explain types of advertising media Direct mail advertising is advertising sent to prospective buyers through the mail Outdoor advertising includes signs and posters, painted bulletins, billboards, and other rented spaces along city streets, highways, etc Transit advertising is advertising used in buses, cabs, and subways; and in airline, bus and railroad terminals Specialty advertising is advertising which provides a useful product with an advertising message on it. Pens and pencils, calendars, balloons, key rings, and chains with companies' names on them are examples of specialty advertising Television advertising is advertising broadcast on TV. Spots are usually 15, 30, or 60 seconds in length Radio advertising is advertising broadcast on the radio. Spots are usually 15, 30, or 60 seconds in length Magazine advertising is advertising printed in magazines. Magazine ads can be printed either in black and white or in color Newspaper advertising is advertising printed in the newspaper. Newspaper ads are printed most frequently in black and white but may be printed in color. They are sold by the line Online advertising is advertising appearing on specific websites on the Internet. Examples include: banners around a webpage, a precursor to videos, pop-up ads, and, embedded ads in social media. The websites the advertisement is to be displayed should have some connection to the target market in order to reach the most applicable viewers Participants should identify an appropriate combination of the above media to be used in the hospitality industry. For example, advertising online on travel sites such as Expedia.com and Hotels.com to attract tourists, in addition to specialty advertising on pens, notepads, and other common takeaways in the guest and conference rooms to remind the guests to come again 2 Generate product ideas The conditions given involve low-fat alternatives to other fast food places. This recognizes that the target market will include customers with knowledge of nutritional information and a desire for healthy eating. Our location is near a large shopping mall. Most of the customers will probably be middle and upper aged adults, some with young children. The more popular sandwiches would be chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, tomato, cucumber, egg, etc. Avoid the heavier red meats, although it might be acceptable to have an option of lean roast beef. Soups selections should concentrate on low sodium and mostly clear soups. Since we are not a chain, it would be acceptable to try different types of soups on a rotating basis and eventually we would find which ones were more desirable. The sides should include a variety of salads (healthier choices like spinach, house, and cole slaw), an assortment of fresh fruits or fruit salads, and possibly cookies or “sweets” that have been prepared with healthier ingredients. The beverages should include a variety of teas and coffees, as well as water, juices, and diet drinks. The conditions also included little food waste. Students could suggest using some of the scraps in the soup or buying fresh to avoid having to dispose of cans, cartons, and other packaging As previously mentioned, the participant should acknowledge that the product must be low in cost to the consumer as well as small in portion while maintaining the quality that the company is known for. The participant may generate any number of products that fit this criteria, as long as it falls in line with the restaurant’s chicken theme Introduce soups, cold meats sandwiches, wraps Freshly squeezed juices, vitamin water Identify ‘out-of-the-box” sales promotion ideas for sports/events should identify some creative ideas to obtain publicity and promotion for the Broadway show Rent Consider ON STAGE PROMOTIONS have limited budgets so these initiatives should not be costly Identify communication channels used in sales promotion Marketing communications are the means by which firms attempt to inform, persuade, and remind consumers - directly or indirectly - about the products and brands that they sell Traditional methods can be covered (print, television, radio) as the target market is an older audience who may/may not use social media (the target are those who are purchasing the gift cards, not the graduates themselves) Communication channels used in promotion may include: Print media – newspapers, magazines, direct mail Broadcast media – radio, television Display media – billboards, signs, posters Electronic media – internet, mobile web Social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. The participant should demonstrate an understanding of the target market and select the appropriate promotional medium (i.e. print, broadcast, etc.) Identify data monitored for marketing decision making participant may discuss need to reduce bias within data in order to ensure that sample is representative of the population participant should discuss which information is important to collect and how it will be used to make decisions 3 Identify factors affecting a business’s profit Profit is the monetary return a business` owner receives for taking the risk of investing in the business. Profit equals income less expenses. There are two types of profit: gross – the money left over after the cost of goods is subtracted from sales, and net – the money left over after the operating expenses are subtracted from the gross profit Factors that affect profit include: the demand for the good/service, expenses, prices, the economy, and chance. To increase profit, a business can increase worker efficiency, increase sales or decrease expenses Revenues: number sold * sales price per ruler Expenses: Fixed costs + (variable costs * number produced) 4 P’s of marketing – Product; Price; Place; Promotion 4 C’s of marketing – Consumer wants/needs; Cost to satisfy; convenience to buy; Communication The amount of sales The cost of the merchandise Price merchandise is being sold for Amount of overhead Cost of sales Competition Success of an advertising campaign Merchandise that is being sold Ability of the sales staff Ability of staff to close sales and to add on sales once an initial sale has been closed Revenues: rentals Expenses: advertising, salary, rent, utilities expenses 2 Identify product opportunities Need to identify appropriate target markets and further develop their individual needs and wants. This would be preferable to simply advertising a general service. Many of the answers will be based on the specific location and demographics we deal with. Requires market research, market segmentation, product research etc 2 Identify product’s/service’s competitive advantage An advantage that a firm has over its competitors; allowing it to generate greater sales or margins and/or retain more customers than its competition. There can be many types of competitive advantages including the firm's cost structure, product offerings, distribution network and customer support Competitive advantage is a set of unique features of a company and its products that are perceived by the target market as significant and superior to the competition. It is the reason behind brand loyalty and why you prefer one product or service over another. There are three different types of competitive advantages that companies can actually use. They are cost, product/service differentiation, and niche strategies Cost is not going to change in terms of the service provided, except that for the customer it provides convenience in still being able to get to work easily, To add product service 2 2 2 4 differentiation, providing transportation to work would be an added value for the customer. Being the only service centre close to the place of employment of so many people is a niche strategy and making special offers to these customers will create a brand loyalty With the advent of product differentiation and niche and direct marketing, that reality has changed, and now there are niche markets in which both individual and wholesale buyers are looking for products with very specific characteristics or special services. These characteristics often use strategies that don’t focus on costs and volumes exclusively; rather the product or service may be of premium quality, be differentiated from other products and services available in the market (such as organic, natural, or humane production), or have a value-added component (i.e. flavored meats, pre-washed salad mixes, etc.) Identify resources needed for a project Identify skills needed to enhance career progression Identify sources of career information Identify sports/event trends Identify the elements of the promotional mix The combination of personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing and public relations make up the promotional mix. Each plays a vital role in promoting businesses and their products Reference: o Personal Selling – Personal selling requires that a company employ sales representatives who generate and maintain direct contact with prospects and customers. It is one of the costliest forms of promotion. Direct contact can take the form of personal meetings, telemarketing, email contact and correspondence o Advertising – is a form of nonpersonal promotion. Companies pay to promote ideas, goods or services in a variety of media outlets. Advertising can be found everywhere from magazines, newspapers, televisions and web sites to gymnasiums and city buses. With advertising a company engages in one-way communication to the prospect or customer o Sales promotion – represents all marketing activities – other than personal selling, advertising and public relations that are used to stimulate purchasing and sales. The objectives of sales promotions are to increase sales, inform potential customers about new products and create a positive business or corporate image o Direct marketing – advertising directed to a target group of prospects and customers rather than to a mass audience. The two forms of direct marketing are printed direct mail, which is information sent via regular mail to home or business and electronic direct mail. The goals of direct marketing are to generate sales or leads for sales representatives to pursue. Generally direct marketing generates a response from the targeted customer i.e. special offer coupon. Direct marketing gives recipients an incentive to respond o Public Relations and Publicity Public Relations (PR) – activities enable an organization to influence a target audience. Often public relations campaigns try to create a favourable image for a company, its products, or its policies. However, companies can rely on public relations strategies and techniques for many reasons. One of the goals of a public relations program is to cultivate media relations with reporters who cover a specific industry One of the most important media tools is the news release. A news release is an announcement that is sent to the appropriate media outlets Publicity involves bringing news or newsworthy information about an organization to the public’s attention. This process is known as placement. The main function of publicity is to develop a positive perception or awareness of the organization in the marketplace. The right kind of publicity can create and maintain a company’s image; negative publicity can devastate it. People like to do business with respectable companies. Placement of publicity is free. A news story on the evening news is free while advertising can cost thousands of dollars. News reporters are usually viewed as more objective than advertisers. The disadvantage is that you cannot control the content of publicity Identify ways to track marketing-communications activities Web traffic and traffic patterns e-newsletter response rates event registration phone calls press mentions referrals social media metrics Participants may discuss keeping track of chatter via social media as well as monitoring the amount of surveys that are completed 2 Lead change Maintain a safe work environment Participants should outline what a safe work environment entails. Factors to consider include: Layout of the warehouse and associated risk factors to both employees and inventory Employee breaks Lighting Implementing training programs for employees to learn and refresh essential safety procedures and precautions in the warehouse Participants emphasize the value of a safe work environment with the following benefits: Less employee absenteeism due to injuries Less damaged inventory Increased productivity and efficiency due to employees’ security and faith in the company’s ability to maintain a safe work environment Increased sales and revenue as less damaged goods are created and therefore less are being marked down by 40%, as well, higher productivity and efficiency may give the company the opportunity to expand delivery further 4 Make oral presentations Is the student speaking professionally and communicating clearly Are the indicators flowing into each other smoothly Is the student speaking directly or are they reading from their notes 2 Monitor internal records for business information Information is the foundation of control The emails and phone calls should be monitored. The results should be communicated to the employees that are not adhering to the policy and their managers. Employees that are not following the policy should be disciplined. This would entail being warned verbally once, written up at the second offense, suspended without pay at the third and fired at the fourth offense. This process may vary based on how the employees deal with these steps Employees that adhere to the new policy should be acknowledged This is a company that makes money by dealing with secure credit card information. All of the internal records (beyond emails and phone calls) should be monitored on a continual basis Proper inventory control is necessary to prevent loss Inventory is an asset of the business that needs to be protected Internal records provide the history of the business which helps to predict and plan for the future Orient new employees When new employees are hired, it is important they complete an orientation process. This is used to introduce them to the business’s culture, brand and ways of working. It is also an opportunity for the business to communicate its expectations based on accountabilities, customer service, quality, etc. Orientation also involves training new employees on how to do their jobs The participant may discuss the role of the assistant manager in training new employees. They may also point some specific aspects of new employee orientation that will be important, such as: Giving new employees a tour Providing new employees with an opportunity to shadow other employees doing the same job Providing new employees with training on any equipment they are required to operate including POS systems, computer-based systems for entering customer orders and making table reservations, etc The participant may also provide additional examples of what will be included in new employee orientation at this restaurant Once a candidate is selected, the most basic part of training is employee orientation through which employees get acquainted with company policies and programs, personnel with whom they will interact, and the nature of the job This probationary period can last between 2-4 weeks Mentors may be assigned within a relevant department to assist the new employee through this process Persuade others Prepare sales analysis reports 2 Present report findings and recommendations 2 Provide directions for completing job tasks The participant as human resources manager is to outline a set of directions to complete the job tasks. This might include: Instructions to assess employees needed to work the event Hiring process Instructions for orientation and training of new and existing employees Instructions to evaluate and to reward employees Instructions to identify employees the company may wish to hire for other events in the future Give clear directions Be consistent 2 3 2 3 2 Treat employees fairly Be firm when necessary Set a good example Delegate responsibility Foster teamwork Be ethical Recognize/reward employees Students are to outline ways to: Recognize employees i.e. a plan to implement an easy to use employee evaluation system. Supervisors to grade employees who are direct reports Reward employees i.e. bonus for quality efficient work Explain that you appreciate and value the business that Reinforce service orientation through communication Service orientation refers to a focus on service. In communication, service orientation can be maintained by demonstrating emphasis on customer service in all communication. Similar to handling difficult customers, communication with a service orientation should demonstrate empathy and a focus on finding solutions that will satisfy the needs of the customer staff to be trained in proper customer service techniques, including greeting customers, asking to assist them, wishing them a good day when leaving, etc customer service training, tips and messages to take place on on-going basis in staff meetings, employee newsletters, employee bulletin boards training to include role plays of customer service situations thanking customer to be part of role plays concluding transactions at cash employees must make it clear to customers that we want to help them; the whole experience in our store must be positive open communication from customer – employees – management (full circle) customers can be given opportunity to fill out comment cards/on-line surveys, perhaps with chance to win something/discounts employees also be given chance to fill out feedback forms, surveys, suggestions Select advertising media Participant demonstrates an knowledge of advertising media (four categories: print, broadcast, online and specialty) Participant outlines a media plan with rationale for each medium selected Will this combination of media selected be effective in reaching the teams target market? Did the participant provide cost/budget considerations for the advertising selected? Select strategies for maintaining/building fan support Sell a venue Did the participant discuss the importance of the promotional mix to sell a venue? These techniques could include advertising, sales promotion, publicity, personal selling, direct marketing This discussion might include the following: o Target market awareness of new educational programs o Facilitate prospect trial of new programs o How to create a customer demand and preference for these programs o Reminder advertising for these programs once program awareness is created Did participant select and justify specific examples of techniques to be used to sell the venue? These might include presentations, meetings, brochures, videos, direct-to-home, ecommerce etc.. 2 Set marketing goals and objectives Need a clear understanding of the purpose. What is to be accomplished Must know what the measurable results will be. For example, the program will increase sales by 10% Most important is being able to measure the results. In other words, if sales do increase, how do we know it was because of our marketing program and not some other factor? Set sponsorship objectives to expand your audience beyond your fan base to raise funds and obtain products to be used before/during/after the event to promote the event as well as the product to develop relationships between the sport and the sponsoring organization to increase revenue and profit to give profile/image to the company Track cost data 2 Use conflict resolution skills The participant may demonstrate conflict resolution skills by: Clearly communicating the company’s policies and procedures Effectively listening to the customer’s concerns and questions Responding appropriately to the customer’s concerns and questions Actively seeking a solution that both parties are satisfied with Identifying when an approach or proposed solution is not working and suggest other possibilities to solve the problem It is important to listen carefully to all sides of a situation Conflict can be constructive if handled properly. They could have just moved their business without telling you and giving you an opportunity to fix the situation Work collaboratively with the staff to brainstorm possible solutions to the problem. This way the staff will buy in to the solution. As well, they may have some clever and creative ideas to solve it It is possible to make both sides happy; they just need to be separated 2 Utilize resources that can contribute to professional development (e.g., trade journals/periodicals, professional/trade associations, classes/seminars, trade shows, and mentors) A successful organization can generally trace its success to motivated employees. A look at the synonyms for the word ‘motivated’ such as induce, move, provoke, prompt, and cause, shows that without motivation at some level, nothing really gets started However, motivating people can be difficult; there are no magic formulas or programs to motivate individuals. Motivation is also personal. While one employee may appreciate time off, the next may enjoy new challenges. The basic rule is to discover what your employees want and create a way to give it to them or encourage them to earn it. Following this principle should motivate your employees and allow them to become engaged in the success of the campus and your department 2 Write informational messages Unlike academic papers, which are almost always persuasive pieces of writing, the purpose of much business communication is to deliver a message, whether good or bad. As a result, you may find yourself writing positive messages, negative messages, or persuasive messages Depending on the decision of whether to do animal testing or not, the presenter will have to write informational messages for the public as well as the shareholders. For an effective informational message the message is presented clearly and concisely so that the listener or reader can understand it easily Basic considerations when writing the message might include: Know your audience Know your purpose