Download Marketing Plan Guide - Australian Business and Management Network

Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Marketing Plan DRAFT
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Summary
ABMN has experienced mild growth in its membership base, but a higher than average renewal of
memberships. Training products and services experienced a better than expected growth in 2014. This
is partly and directly attributable to a range of targeted marketing strategies and activities, focusing on
face-to-face marketing activities, such as networking and attendance at events and conventions.
The addition of the Quality Auditing training products and consulting services also resulted in slightly
higher returns, although more research is needed to better understand customer and market needs.
In 2015, ABMN will continue to increase brand awareness to non-members, provide more value to
existing members, and will also take advantage of a range of promotional activities via online
marketing channels and forums through a targeted e-marketing strategy, that will present little to no
cost to the organisation.
The release of ABMN’s Strategic Plan for 2015 to 2018 will also have a significant impact on the
direction and focus of marketing activities for the coming year. The Strategic Plan has also been
included in the document (see below) to show the link between marketing activities and overall
strategic goals.
The Future of ABMN
Vision statement
Setting the global standard for business excellence and innovation
Mission statement
To be integral to the business success of ABMN members through the provision of
exceptional services, support and advice.
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Strategic goals and objectives
Goals
Objectives
Area responsible
1. Be an industry leader.
1. Foster and develop innovation
and creativity.
ALL
2. Demonstrate best practice
across all areas of the business.
ALL
3. Attract, develop and retain the
best staff.
People, Culture &
training
4. Minimise our impact on the
environment.
ALL
1. Continually increase active
membership.
Marketing
2. Foster and maintain
relationships with members.
Products & Services
Marketing
3. Enable members and clients
Australia-wide to network
regularly.
Marketing
1. Continually improve products
and services to meet changing
business needs.
Marketing
Products & Services
2. Develop a knowledgeable and
highly-skilled staff.
ALL
3. Produce a profitable range of
products and services.
Marketing
New Ventures
2. Largest professional
network in Australia.
3. Excellence in product
and service delivery.
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
SWOT. Analysis
Strengths
One-stop shop
One of the largest professional networks in
Australia
Reputable and trusted
Offer range of specialist services
Multiple marketing channels (online, f2f, email,
web, print)
Wealth of knowledge and experience in HR,
Marketing and Small Business
Innovative and responsive
Low overheads
Membership features (unique)
Value for money
Loyal membership base
Traditional/solid/respectable image
Sustainable work practices
Weaknesses
Average customer service
Lack of gravitas
Lack of knowledge in international business
Lack of market research / information
Ad-hoc approach to marketing
Internal systems and processes
Lack
Opportunities
Innovation
Expanding NBN
Potential markets:
Threats
Competitors
Economic downturn
Staff turnover
Change in client preferences (self-learners)
Decrease in consumer demand
Competitors offering student m’ships
Competitors offering f2f training / short courses
Free online education, tutorials, training videos,
etc.
Online resources, such as articles and blogs
providing expert advice for free
Govt. advice/support agencies
Specialised professional associations

International business

Expanding NBN

Regional development

Sole traders / partnerships

Small business

Multinational

Government/public entities

Students
 Academics
Website development
Govt. education funding
Align with govt to deliver training
Micro-business / sole trader advice and support
Continued HE and TAFE funding/HECS
of integration between departments
Outsourcing of services
Lack of customer perception
High staff turnover
Technology-dependant
Limited membership types
Ineffective website
Lack of promotion / reliance on word of mouth,
networking events to obtain new members
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Our products and services
Membership
ABMN offers two levels of membership: Individual and Corporate. Aside from having access to one of
the largest networking communities in Australia, membership offers a range of other benefits, such as
free and discounted training, support and advice, as well as access to ABMN’s exclusive monthly
eNewsletter and eBulletin, providing insight into new and emerging practices in members’ industries
and professions.
Training Products
ABMN offers both face to face and online training products, designed to meet the needs of busy
professionals. One-day, face to face training products are held at either the Melbourne or Sydney
offices, and focus on providing essential and specialised skills to professionals, as well as introductory
knowledge on various operational aspects of a business. Webinars run for approximately two hours,
and designed to ensure the professional stays current and informed on trends and emerging practices
in their profession.
ABMN currently positions its training products for two distinct markets:
 Professionals
Professionals (including salaried workers working in small, medium and large corporations, as well
as contractors and consultants) working in HR, Marketing or QA Management who upgrade their
skills regularly to stay informed and current about new and emerging principles and practices in
their profession.
 Small business owners
Small business owners and managers that want to understand the fundamentals of HR, Marketing
and QA Management so they can manage these functions in their small business.
Training products are closely aligned with the needs of employers and industry, and ABMN conducts
regular surveys with various employers to ensure we are providing the right skills to meet the training
and development needs organisations.
Consultancy Services
ABMN recognises that industry and employer needs are constantly changing. Given this evolving
business environment, ABMN acknowledges that its member and customers may require ad-hoc
support and advice. ABMN’s consultancy services are designed to provide members with ongoing
advice and support as needed, specifically in the areas of:
 HR Management
 Marketing
 Quality Auditing
 Small Business.
HR Management
ABMN provides advice, support and consulting on a range of HR/Management functions, including:
 Recruitment and Induction
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
 Workforce planning
 Remuneration and staff retention
 Separation and termination
 360 profiling.
Marketing
Our Marketing Team uses their extensive knowledge and experience to assist members to expand their
customer base, focus on their target markets and ultimately to achieve a greater return through tried
and tested marketing activities. ABMN can assist marketing professionals to:
 Undertake segmentation to identify their target market
 Conduct focused market research
 Develop marketing plans
 Undertake marketing audits.
Quality Auditing
The QA team provides exceptional auditing assistance and advice to support the needs of its members
working within a QA framework. ABMN’s certified quality auditors can assist with:
 Internal Audit planning
 Assurance mapping
 Developing QA performance measures
 Implementing a Total Quality Management (TQM) system
 ISO 9001 Compliance.
Small Business Advisory Service
Micro and small business represents the majority of businesses in Australia. ABMN provides a range of
specialist knowledge and advice for those working as sole traders and small business, including:
 Business planning
 Marketing and sales
 Bookkeeping and financial management
 Recruiting and managing staff
 Website and promotions
 Legal.
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Pricing Structure
Service
Non-Members
Membership
Individual
Corporate (11+)
$300 per year
$3000 per year
Training Products:
$500 Per Day
2 free courses per year 20 free courses per year
 Courses
$80 per webinar
 Library
Unlimited access to
Library and Resources
Unlimited access to
Library and Resources
 Resources
10% training discount
10% training discount
 Webinars
Free webinars
Free webinars
$250 per hour
1 free consultation (up
to 2 hours) then $200
per hour
5 free consultations (up
to 8 hours) then $200
per hour
Dependent on
the event
Free award night
5 conference delegates
free award night and
annual conference
 Blogs
Consulting Services:
 HR Management
 Marketing
 Quality Auditing
 Small Business
Events and
Conferences:
Event discounts
 Breakfasts
Event discounts
 Conferences
 Seminars
 Awards night
News:
On request
 Monthly
Newsletter
Weekly e-Bulletin
 Weekly e-Bulletin
Electronic + 1 printed
copy (upon request)
Electronic + 5 printed
copies (upon request)
Weekly e-Bulletin
Weekly e-Bulletin (extra
upon request)
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Our customers
[Is this still relevant? Need to review for 2015]
The current customer base consists mainly of individual members, typically made up of professionals
and managers working in various industries, as well as corporate members concentrated in larger
corporations, who have head offices located in the major cities.
Our competitors
[Is this still relevant? Need to review for 2015]
ABMN is a relatively new player in the market, where some competitors have been operating for over
70 years and have therefore established a presence and a high recognition profile.
The main competitor in the business services membership space is the Australian Institute of
Management (AIM). AIM is recognised within the Australian business community as the leader in the
business services market. There are several other smaller competitors, offering specialised services and
advice. Some operating from outside of Australia, and slowly making inroads into the Australian
market.
Competitor
Market
share (%)
Value to customers
Australian Institute of Management
(AIM) (www.aim.com.au)
58%
Cheap rates for all AIM courses, qualifications,
events, consulting and research services
The Institute of Internal Auditors
(www.iia.org.au)
63%
Specialist training, advice and support in QA and
ISO 9001 compliance
Professionals Australia
18%
Discouted provision of financial planning,
marketing updates, member advantage
(www.professionalsaustralia.org.au)
programs
Australian Human Resources
Institute (www.ahri.com.au)
82%
Specialised human resources training,
conferences and networking
Australian Marketing Institute
79%
Speacialised markerting training and events
(www.ami.org.au)
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Environmental/industry analysis
[Is this still relevant? Need to review for 2015]
Market research performed on our behalf for 2013/14 by DBB Marketing detailed that the business
market has experienced a re-bound in growth during the year, following a slump in 2011/12 when
global activity was subdued. However, corporations are experiencing a more discerning consumer,
who is using their discrctionary spending to reward organisations that are demonstrating triple bottom
line strategies. The triple bottom line requires organisations to be economically profitable, deliver
products and services in an environmentally sustainable way and to place emphasis on contributing
socially to the community from where the organisation derives its profits. A more sophisticated social
media is driving a commitment from organisations to demonstrate social, environmental and economic
responsibility.
As a consequence ABMN needs to now direct its approach to the market in this new context, while still
maintaining the cost constraints and growth strategies that are already tasked in the business. The
rewards for positioning the business in this market context will be significant over slower moving
competitors who are hamstrung with an old, less flexible and more resource intensive model. Thisa
model will also act as a notable product differentiator for the push into the international market,
where these pressures are beginning to come into play.
The Market
Total market
The total market consists of Australian businesses and professionals.
There are currently over 2 million companies operating in Australia, including government entities.
ABMN’s current active memberships is almost 850,000, consisting of individuals (professionals) and
businesses (Australian). This figure represents approximately 40% of market share in our industry
sector.
Target markets
[Awaiting data]
Market position
[Awaiting data]
Unique selling position
ABMN is the only business service that offers specialised advice and support to industry professionals
in the areas of HR, Marketing , Quality Auditing and small business. ABMN is also the only business
service that offers its services in an online environment, in addition to face-to-face and phone support.
This includes consultation and training, as well as resources. This has the following benefits for clients:
 Ready access to services
 Convenience for the client
 Access to most services 24/7
ABMN is a competitive player in the business services industry, filling around 22% of the served market
space. We maintain competitive advantage through the following features:
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
 ‘One-stop shop’, offering a range of specialised business services
 Focus on specialised functions and operations within the business, (HR, marketing, etc.) regardless
of business type or size
 Set apart from competitors that specialise in only one area of business (management or marketing
or human resources)
 Ideal for micro- and small business owners who require specialised knowledge and advice on
occasion, and not willing or ready to hire permanent employees to manage these specialised areas
of the business.
Marketing mix
[Awaiting data]
Anticipated demand
[Awaiting data]
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Marketing strategy
As electronic advertising and marketing presents a lower cost to ABMN over traditional forms of
marketing, and has shown to product a higher return, ABMN will focus much of its marketing activities
on relevant online and social media platforms, as well as attracting visitors to the website.
ABMN will continue to expand their social media presence and increase consumer awareness through
non-direct marketing and promotional activities. ABMN will also use social media to collect data that
will enable ABMN to gain a greater insight and understanding into our customers’ needs, interests and
wants.
Marketing objectives
The following marketing objectives have been developed for the next 12 months, based on ABMN’s
Strategic Plan and SWOT analysis:
1.
Increase active corporate membership by 10% annually.
2.
Increase active individual membership by 10% annually.
3.
Build on relationships with active members, by completing 20 in-depth customer surveys/month
among ABMN’s top 500 members.
4.
Increase market share for each our of products to 50% within 12 months.
5.
Identify new membership types based on market research within 3 months.
6.
To expand into international markets by signing at least 2 new partnership contracts with
overseas affiliates within 12 months.
7.
Identify and add 1 new/improved product/service within 6 months.
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
ABMN Marketing budget
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Media strategy 2015
[To update for 2015]
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Appendix 1 – Marketing Results 2014
Marketing Activity
Cost
Expected Outcome
Actual Outcome
Annual Conference
$12,000
Raise awareness of product and service
offerings
7% increase in use of products and
services in 3 months following
conference

Held in Sydney

400 attendees
Business breakfasts

6 in total

Held in Sydney, Melbourne,
Brisbane

Available to non-members at a cost
Seminars focusing on consulting services
such as HR, Marketing and Small Business

1 per month

Held in Melbourne and Sydney x3
each, Brisbane x2, NT, WA,
Tasmania and SA x1 each
Free webinar (promotional costs only)
Increase in products and services utilised
by members
$1,000 per breakfast
(relies on paying
attendees to make it
cost effective)
Increase in new members
$1,500 per seminar
(relies on paying
attendees to make it
cost effective)
Raise awareness of consulting services
offered
Improved networking among members
Increase in use of consulting services
Increase in new members
2% increase in individual memberships
as a direct result of attendance at the
business breakfasts
Awareness of consulting services offered
increase by 12% according to member
survey
No noticeable increase in use of
consulting services following seminars
2% increase in corporate memberships
following the seminars in Melbourne and
Sydney
$150 per webinar
Increase in new members
Increase in participation in future
webinars
4% increase in membership sales
following webinar
No noticeable increase in future
participation in webinars
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Australian Business and Management Network Marketing Plan DRAFT
Marketing Activity
Cost
Expected Outcome
Actual Outcome
Promotional mail out (1 per quarter)
$1,250 (postage)
Increase in new members
Average of 8% increase in individual
memberships per quarter
Increase in new members
1% increase in membership sales
following training

Non-member promotions

Targetting approx. 2,5000 nonmembers
Free training (promotional costs only)

Need attendance of at least 4 nonmembers to cover running costs
$1,250 (printing)
$150 per training
session
Membership discount for new members
(promotional costs only using print and
online advertising)
$500
Attendance at Small Business Convention
$500 per convention
Increase in participation in future
training
Increase in new members
5% increase in corporate memberships
2% increase in individual memberships
Increase in new members
Raised awareness of ABMN and our
prodcuts and services
Advertising in professional publications
(Business Weekly) or newspapers (The Age)
4% increase in participation in future
training programs
$250 per month
Increase in new members
No noticeable increase in new
memberships
Increaseed awareness of ABMN products
and services
7% increase in corporate members
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