Integrated Marketing Communications Project 5/2
Situational Analysis: Carlstron Company deals with the production and manufacture of designer watches. The main reason of developing this types of products is to satisfy the need of the market in the production of affordable and yet high quality designer watches. To penetrate the market, the company needs to have an efficient and effective relations plan, and sponsorship plan. This is because the company aims at sponsoring the various sports activities of colleges and universities.
Goals and Objectives of the PR Plan:
One of the important goals of the companies PR plan is to increase and promote the company’s goodwill within its target market. Goodwill refers to the creation of a positive rapport with all the communities that are found within the region in which the company operates (Ramachandra and Chandrashekara, 2010). If the company manages to create a strong goodwill, then chances are high that its products will manage to achieve an increase in sales. Another goal and objective of a PR plan for the company is to provide information on the services and products of the organization (Grewal and Levy, 2010).
For example, the company might send weekly or monthly emails to its target customers explaining to them on the quality of their products, and if a new set of designer watches have been manufactured. The reason as to why this is important is because giving information to customers on a constant basis, will help the company to get positive feedbacks/ sentiments from the market ( Peter and Donnelly, 2013). This will in turn make the company to be able to effectively compete against their competitors.
Goals and Objectives of the Sponsorship Plan:
The objective and goals of the organizations sponsorship plan is to increase an awareness of its products and brand name. Creating an awareness of the organizations products and brand name is important method for new business organizations and companies to establish a strong recognition within their target market (Miskelly, 2013). The sponsorship plan also aims at changing the attitudes of its target customers concerning the company and the quality of its products.
For example, Carlstron is just a new company that is emerging, and it seeks to offer quality and yet affordable designer watches. It is within the knowledge of various people that designer watches can never be affordable, and cheap. Engaging in a sponsorship program will help to change this attitude (Pricken, 2010).
Target Public:
The target public for the organizations PR and Sponsorship programs are young people, who have not surpassed the 35 years of age. The company will look for them through the social media, colleges, high schools, and university institutions.
Strategies and Tactics:
The following are the PR strategies that the business organization should use (Dunay and Krueger, 2010);
Use of the social media to communicate with prospective customers on the available products and services.
Use of newsletters, emails and online blogs to provide information concerning the products of the organization.
Establishing a call center, whereby customers can call for purposes of seeking information concerning the company’s products.
The following are the sponsorship strategies for the organization;
Identifying a sports team belonging to a college so that the company can fund its activities.
In sponsoring the sports teams, the company will manufacture their uniforms and print its logo on these uniforms. This will help to create an awareness of the existence of the company’s products, and services.
Budget:
For purposes of implementing this plan, the company needs to spend at least 500, 000 US Dollars. This money will be shared equally amongst the sponsorship and the PR program. That is, each program will get 250, 000 dollars.
Evaluation:
In evaluating the performances of this plan, there is a need of conducting an online survey system, to find out whether there is an increase in the awareness of the company’s products, and an increase in its brand recognition. There is also a need of evaluating the company’s sales figures, in order to find out whether there is an increase in sales or not. If there is an increase in sales, the company should find out whether it was the PR and Sponsorship strategies that lead to the increase in the organizations sales.
References:
Dunay, P., & Krueger, R. (2010). Facebook marketing for dummies. Hoboken: John Wiley &
Sons.
Grewal, D., & Levy, M. (2010). Marketing (2nd ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Miskelly, M. (2013). Encyclopedia of major marketing strategies. Detroit: Gale/Cengage
Learning.
Peter, J. P., & Donnelly, J. H. (2013). Marketing management: knowledge and skills (11th ed.).
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Pricken, M. (2010). Creative strategies: idea management for marketing, advertising, media and
design. London: Thames & Hudson.
Ramachandra, K., & Chandrashekara, B. (2010). Marketing management (Rev. ed.). Mumbai
[India: Himalaya Pub. House.