Marketing Techniques- The case of The Sea Life Centre
The Target Markets, Promotional Techniques, and Communications used by The Sea Life Centre retail businesses. The Sea Life Centre can be viewed as a business unit that sells its products to the clients just like any other business. The water’s edge Brindleyplace scheme contains a retails space that covers a distance of 60,000 square meters.
Section A 1
Advertising and Design- Target Market Profile
In every business venture there exists market target that may either pull the business down or develop it depending on how the business strategies used. The target market comprise of individuals who are most likely to consume a particular product. The target market profiling is thus vital as it shows the products that the company offers to the target market. It is a form of advertising since it notifies the consumers of the available offers in the business. In the retail business at The Sea Life Centre, the target market profiling should consider criteria such as the age, level of income, interests of the clients and education (Rosenbloom 2013). The age and interest are the most crucial factors since they determine the willingness of the consumers to purchase.
Section A 2
Product differential
In marketing, it is crucial to have one’s products’ differentiated from the competitors’ so as to reach the target market. The organization may choose to use the unique selling or the emotional selling proposition strategies (Magin 2006). The former is concerned with the functionality of the products while ESP appeals to the emotions of the customers. In the business, the ESP is the most appropriate strategy since it has the potential to convince consumers that they have a unique product that cannot be offered at any other place (Beath & Katsoulacos 1991). Besides, it helps the company achieve long-term customer loyalty as compared to the USP.
Section A 3
Advertising media
In business the sales volume is determined by the intensity and effectiveness of advertising media used by the company. An organization may opt for above the line advertising strategies that include mediums such as televisions, radio, print, billboards, internet, and cinema. The strategy is effective when it has to reach a large target market just like in the case of the Sea Life Centre. The company needs to reach the young generation and the middle-income class thus it needs to use strategies that capture the attention of the target market. However, it does not only mean that the company cannot have the other individuals as their potential customers, say, older generations, and the high income social class. The use of above the line advertising ensures that all these classes are captured. In the case of The Sea Life Centre, the company may use the television and billboards for its advertising.
Television is one of the best ways to reach consumers since most people can access the information. The televisions can be used to remind the existing consumers of the products in the market or inform new consumers of the products. There are some merits associated with using television as an above the line advertising media. Most people believe that televisions are educational because of the programmes they offer thus it is a trusted medium of communication. The consumers believe that anything aired on television is genuine thus; it is an advantage to the business. In addition, the television commercials reach a large number of people at once thus can be used to communicate the benefits of a product to the potential and non-targeted market (Gregory & Chapman 2007). However, the television can be a disadvantage to the company because it s hard to determine the best channel or timing to air the advert. The company may pay for the adverts in a channel that may not be popular with the target market. There are very many channels to choose from and it is not possible to have the advertisements aired in all the channels.
Another way that the Sea Life Centre can use the above the line advertising strategy is by use of billboards that are aimed at passing the information to a large population. The passing pedestrians and drivers are the target audience of the billboards and this account for a large number of potential customers. The primary advantage of using the media is the guarantee that the information will reach a large number of people since they are usually located along busy highways and streets. The fact that people see the billboard regularly as they pass through the street or the highway makes the brand more familiar to them each day (Ferrell & Hartline 2011). It is therefore easy for them to identify with the products. To achieve the best results, a company may choose to place the billboard at a strategic place such as highway exits where it is likely to be noticed better. However, billboards have a limitation in the number of words that can be used thus it may fail to communicate the benefits of a product fully. It may fail to capture some vital details such as the cost and opening and closing times of the venue. The other issue is the duration of the billboard contracts. They often last long and this may limit the flexibility of the company in terms of advertising campaigns. Besides, the customers may stop noticing the billboard if it is located at some point for too long.
Section A 4
Below the Line Promotional Media
Apart from the above the line media, a company may opt to use the below the line media to advertise its products. The medium is quite different from the above the line since it targets a particular niche. The advertising strategy aims at reaching the target market directly without the use of intermediaries thus is may be considered more effective. However, the enterprise must evaluate the effectiveness of the media so as to ascertain its profitability to the company. The company’s decision to utilize Promotional leaflet and a web site for its advertising may be advantageous but it may also cost the company more than it yields (Smith & Taylor 2004).
The promotional leaflets can only be effective if they are sent other right people, at the right time. This may probably the time that they are most likely to consume the product. The offering must also be compelling to the target audience in terms of cost and convenience. The design of the leaflet must attract the attention of the audience otherwise; they may fail to notice important information. The key messages such as the cost of the products, opening, and closing time must be indicated in the leaflet. The primary merit with using this kind of promotion is the ease of production thus the message reaches the target market quickly (Niederhofer & Schneider 2009). The method is also effective due to the convenience of distributing the leaflets. Further, the leaflets are direct to the point and thus the consumers are able to get the message clearly. However, there is a limitation in the number of potential customers that the leaflets can reach. It may not be economical to produce too many leaflets thus the market may not be fully exhausted. The cost involved in processing the leaflets may outweigh the benefits.
Using the website as a means of promotion is also profitable but it depends on its ability to reach the target market. The effectiveness of this form of advertising lies in the ability of the company to use it at the minimum cost and the lowest risk. The domain name, the simplicity of using the website and the content determine the success of websites to a great extent. The medium is relatively cheap as compared to other means of advertising and it can reach out to a wider audience (Jefkins & Yadin 2000). Most consumers find the method appealing due to the convenience of shopping at their own pace. It is also easy to collect data in cases of market research using this medium thus, evaluations can be done easily. However, the method may not be effective as the competitors can easily copy the content for their commercial purposes. The internet users who are the main targets may ignore the advert due to the increased level of spam emails.
Section A 5
Promotional Techniques
There are various modes of promotion that the company can choose.. The most important factor to consider is the cost of the technique in relation to the benefits. The primary aim of the promotional technique is enticing the clients to buy a given good or service. As a result, the company achieves an increased market share and increased productivity as well. An organization may opt for the public relations as a promotional technique. For the technique to be effective, the public’s or the target audience must be considered (Malaval 2001). The technique works by influencing the attitudes and behaviors of the consumers in a positive way thus increasing the market share. It aims at establishing healthy and long-lasting relationships between the company and the public. Using public relations is more beneficial to the company because it is focuses more on the objectives of the company. It helps the company mitigate crisis, build reputation and brand as well as engaging the consumers. The engagement is helpful to the company because through the feedback received from the clients, the company is able to understand the areas that need modification. The good will that results from use of public relations is beneficial to the company not only in the short-term but also in years to come.
The most crucial factor in public relations relates to what the public expect from the company. The company must understand the behavior, perceptions, and attitudes of the target market so as to deliver the required level of satisfaction (Hough, Tye & Colburn 2005). The company must aim at obtaining useful feedback from the public so that it determines the best way to satisfy the customers. The term public as used in the technique implies a group of identifiable individuals who are reachable and homogenous. There are different types of publics that the company has to deal with in public relations. The first group is the customers who buy or receive the organization’s output. There are those who are occasional, regular, loyal potential, former, and current. The customers may also be categorized according to their age or income. It is crucial for the enterprise to reach the former customers and convince them of the importance of using the company’s products again. The current ones need to be maintained through techniques such as offering discounts. The potential customers need to be attracted into buying the products of the company and then embark on how to retain them. The age matters also as it determine the features that the customers may be interested.
The other group of publics that the company needs to be concerned about is the producers. It includes the employees, investors, donors, managerial and the non-managerial staff. The group determines the success of the enterprise to a great extent. The employees for instance are the main people involved in provision of the services thus should have their issues addressed such as good payment and working conditions. The management is involved in decision making thus must be motivated to have the best interests of the company. The investors and the donors also need to be guaranteed that their resources are used wisely so that they do not withdraw.
The enablers are the other publics that the organization may have to deal with. They include the community, government bodies, and environmental organizations. The main aim of ensuring good relations with this group of people is to have a business that is uninterrupted. The business needs to pay due taxes to the government organizations to avoid litigation expenses and bad reputation. It also needs to have beneficial activities to the community around such as academic sponsorships. The company must ensure that the regulations on the environment are followed to the letter.
Section A 6
Design Analysis
The promotional leaflet used by the company can be effective or fail to achieve the set marketing objectives. The design of the leaflet determines whether it captures the attention of the readers effectively. It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of the leaflets so as to determine whether the design needs to be changed. A good design should meet the requirements of the company in terms of conveying the intended message. It should have enough space for all the relevant information needed to be communicated to the readers. The images used in the leaflet should be consistent with the message intended so that it does not give a different meaning to the readers (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt 2012). The images should also be in line with the culture of the community around so that they do not send the wrong message. The color and the arrangement of the images used should be able to capture the attention of the readers. The images should also be related to the subject. The fonts used in the leaflet must be large enough to attract the attention of the readers and also able to accommodate all the relevant information needed. The font should not be plain but different font types and sizes can be used so as to make the leaflet more appealing to the readers. It should be legible, suitable to the subject, and proportionate to the size of the leaflet. The layout of the leaflet should be such that the readers can connect the information. It represents the choice of the images used and the font. One must consider the proportion of the two, the color, style, and alignment. The enterprise must consider the target audience. The language used in the leaflets should be one that the target audience can relate to and understand.
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