Marketing Plan Report Guide

An effective marketing plan facilitates business leaders to establish and review expectations for other practical aspects. Evaluate the marketing strategies for Algonquin to set up its new library in Kuwait.

MARKETING PLAN REPORT GUIDE

Executive Summary
An effective marketing plan facilitates business leaders to establish and review expectations for
other practical aspects. The present report aims to evaluate the marketing strategies that would be
framed for Algonquin to successfully set up its new library in Kuwait. The project would focus
on the marketing objective of the report, followed by the marketing mix framework, where the
required strategies for the college would be discussed. The budgetary considerations would be
detailed with the support of authentic academic sources and lastly, the evaluation of the
discussed strategies would be made, based on which the conclusion would be drawn.
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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................4
2.0 Marketing objective...................................................................................................................4
3.0 Marketing mix...........................................................................................................................4
4.0 Marketing strategies...................................................................................................................6
5.0 Budgetary considerations...........................................................................................................6
6.0 Evaluation criteria......................................................................................................................7
7.0 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................7
References:......................................................................................................................................8
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1.0 Introduction
A marketing plan is considered as a document established by business leaders and professionals.
In the opinion of Armstrong, Kotler, Buchwitz, Trifts & Gaudet (2015), it can be stated that the
particular tool provides a lead for the advertising subdivision to put into practice the necessary
steps to line up with stated marketing strategies and objectives. Characteristically, organizations
establish a corrective marketing plan after every alternate year but appraise it every so often for
modifications or changes depending on business strategy. Moreover, Kotler & Armstrong (2015)
stated that the marketing plan may also be defined as a significant document that corresponds to
the greater landscape about the calculated plan of the corporation.
The given report briefly talks about the marketing plan of in the context of Algonquin College
based on Kuwait for opening a new library setup therein. At the very beginning of the study, the
report provides a brief introduction to the topic followed by the marketing objective of the plan.
In the subsequent parts of the paper, the researcher has analyzed the marketing mix based on the
theoretical framework of 4Ps and also the marketing strategies as to how to reach out to the
people to invite opinion on the opening of library service in the intended colleges. In addition,
the budgetary considerations have also been discussed which follows the evaluation criteria for
the plan prepared on the basis of feedback gathered by way of interviewing 5 students of the
college. Finally, the researcher concludes the report by presenting an ending note to the analysis.
2.0 Marketing objective
According to Menon, Bharadwaj, Adidam & Edison (2015), once users’ requirements, outlook
trends and possessions obtainable have been developed, the management or the functional
leaders are supposed to effectively strategize its marketing objectives, the necessary resources
that are to be used, the position and the time scale of function and the policies needed to
accomplish it.
The procedure of framing aims and objectives would definitely involve several aspects. It would
offer an emphasized impression of the library service and also offer guidance and direction in
attaining the objectives. Also, the objectives shall be quantifiable with the purpose of ensuring
effectual assessment. Once the objectives are set, the necessary policies required to accomplish
them can be designed. Moreover, Kotler, Burton, Deans, Brown & Armstrong (2015) stated that
in the current time, the library has been one of the foremost points of attraction in education
institutes.
Proper libraries in an institution can define leverage greater student pool. As student prefer
spending substantial amount of time within the library set up to collect additional notes from
different articles, journals or books that are not purchased, the major objective behind this plan
would be to identify potential investors who can sponsor the towards administrative
functionalities to maintain standard collections of books, articles, journals, etc. to get the
attention of the students in local region. The responses gathered from interviewing 5 students
may form the basis for marketing objectives which substantiates the fact that importance of
library in an educational set up cannot be undermined.
3.0 Marketing mix
Product
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The product lines in a library are it’s a variety of information services provided to its users,
which effectively designs are placing into deliberation the users’ requirements, which includes
the fact that library information services are customer-focused (Baker & Saren, 2016). Library
information services would vary, for example, services offered to the users and potential
clienteles, referral services, reference services and circulation services. Moreover, with the
passage of time, it could be seen that customers are getting more inclined towards the digital
platform, therefore, the provision of e-library services would be another option that can bring
considerable attention of the students. Students interviewed are mostly of the opinion that the
library service is needed as the same helps towards building an inclination towards study and
students may not get distracted if they sit and read within library ambience. Libraries are
considered to be quiet place and hence concentration becomes easier which may not be available
within college facilities or premises anywhere else. Hence, the product will also include the
related service offering in this regard.
Price
Kiseleva (2017) stated that a library is a non-profit organisation is restricted to sell its products or
services line for generating profit however, for maintenance, recovery and other connected
expenses. Library services are usually considered as free services that can relatively affect the
excellence of service lines. This had relatively forced the authorities to assume of extorting at
least a small part of the expenditure from the readers. Obliquely, considerable efforts can be
made to increase the membership charge, temporary membership charges, annual subscription
charges and unpaid charges. Nevertheless, this can also bring some resistance and towards the
required charge to meet the above-stated services.
Place
In the opinion of Doherty, Kearns & O’Rourke (2015), place underscores the fact that the
products and services are required to be offered in a position, which is accessible for the clientele
to effortlessly way in. The data services shall be delivered in a suitable consign for the users. It is
estimated that data services shall be disseminated in a place that can be effectively reachable by
the students, it can be either a physical place or a virtual platform. The place shall also be
expedient for students to the entrance, since, the place is inconvenient, on that note, it might lead
to pose emotional troubles to the students’ convention of library services, and hence, the
usability ratio would drastically reduce. Baker (2016) speculated that the library has to increase
its service area to the platforms in which customers can with no trouble extract required
information. With e-library service, it is imagined that with the digital information services it has
become flawless for institutions to deliver information in the correct layout at the precise time
and at the right place
Promotion
The primary objective behind the promotion would be to enhance patronage and efficient use of
library resources, enhancing the value proposition for the students and educating the future
generation and setting their vision into the right track (Kiseleva, 2017). Herein, the promotion
would involve using influential data regarding general services and conveying the information
before the target segment that would be the potential clientele for Algonquin. The organisation
can determine types of a promotion involving, public relations, publicity, advertising, personal
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representative and sales promotion. According to Kotler, Burton, Deans, Brown & Armstrong
(2015), in the context of Librarianship, the concepts like developing clientele associations,
repackaging of data resources and branding, designed services, and planning are quite
elementary to the endorsement of the library services to get the desired result and student pool.
The promotional lines need to be lucrative enough to get into the attention of the investor who
would be ready to invest capital in the library service.
4.0 Marketing strategies
Social media promotion would be one of the marketing efforts that can relative bring positive
outcome (Kotler & Armstrong, 2015). Since, the organisation is having a budgetary issue, where
it is struggling to place required books and journals within the library; therefore, social media
promotion would an effective effort to spread its reach before a wider number of internet
audience and hitting the minds of its prospects as well, who are the investors. The specific action
would also help the college to draw relative attention of the student base as well.
It has already been discussed in the above section that the students generally prefer taking
admission in the institute that provides proper library services. This can facilitate them to jot
additional notes from different articles and books from the library to score better marks in the
exam and to enhance their knowledge base as well (Baker & Saren, 2016). Since the younger
generation in the present time prefers spending majority of their free time over internet
platforms, therefore, promoting the service lines in the digital platform would relatively be an
easy effort to tap the target base as well. Thus, adding social media into the marketing strategies
would definitely be a potential effort for the organisation to campaign a cost-effective promotion
where both the target segments can be tapped.
In addition, the effort may also be directed towards offline promotion by way of distribution of
handout and leaflets circulating local areas and nearby places. People within the vicinity of the
college may provide an honest opinion about their thinking and interests towards the proposed
library set up in the given college.
5.0 Budgetary considerations
As stated earlier, the given marketing strategy for the library faces the issue of budget
constraints. Since social media promotion is one of the most widely used and accepted medium
for promotion, the same may be used here. For the purpose, the cost implication of the same has
been computed and it is expected that an approximate budget of 1,000 Dinar may be incurred by
way of social media promotion as well as offline marketing through handout distribution and
leaflets distribution among the local people. Also, the time frame for such cost implication is
assumed to be next 6 months which will ensure whether the amount has been spent well towards
the cause of setting up library and gathering public opinion about the same. Out of the budget,
almost 60% which is 600 Dinar may be budgeted for offline promotion and rest 400 Dinar may
be kept aside for social media advertisements including Face Book and others. Finally, it may be
concluded that a well designed budget will substantially help the researcher to gather public
opinion and ensure the objectives of creating library in most sustainable and cost effective
manner for the long run.
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6.0 Evaluation criteria
It can be assessed that each year new batches of students get admitted in an Institution or college;
who are not effectively well versed with the ongoing system of the library. Hence, it isn
accountability of the library to plan out the strategies of marketing and promotion of its library-
based service lines at the very onset of the academic year and it shall be severely followed as per
the designed plan. Every single batch of the student requires taking at least around in the library
and the staff shall concise them regarding what the particular library possess, the way of using,
and the available facilities included in it. Since the brand is facing a funding issue, therefore, the
marketing team would require investing a considerable amount of time to promote its beneficial
service lines that can in actually come into various academic uses for the student. This would
effectively work as a convincing factor before investors to spend their time in understanding the
approaches the institution taking for students and the depicted outcome as well.
7.0 Conclusion
On the basis of the above discussions, a concluding statement has been drawn, which highlights
the fact that the brand alongside the traditional strategies and actions, the brand needs to focus
equally on the digital services to fit the expectation and demands of the recent time users.
Students are getting more technology savvy with time; hence, offering e-service along with the
physical aspects would fetch better result. This would also facilitate to serve its purpose within
minimum costs. Finally, it may be concluded that a well designed marketing technique followed
by strong initiatives undertaken by the people driving the venture will significantly contribute
towards the attainment of common goal of sustainably on the long run in most time and cost
efficient manner.
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References:
Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Buchwitz, L. A., Trifts, V., & Gaudet, D. (2015). Marketing: an
introduction.
Baker, M. J. (2016). What is marketing?. In The Marketing Book (pp. 25-42). Routledge.
Baker, M. J., & Saren, M. (Eds.). (2016). Marketing theory: a student text. Sage.
Doherty, A., Kearns, J., & O’Rourke, V. (2015). Integrating mobile into marketing
strategy. Journal of Digital & Social Media Marketing, 3(3), 279-287.
Kiseleva, A. (2017). Marketing strategy of the territory in the investment policy of the
city. Strategic Management, 22(1), 22-29.
Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2015). Principles of Marketing-Global Edition. Pearson.
Kotler, P., Burton, S., Deans, K., Brown, L., & Armstrong, G. (2015). Marketing. Pearson
Higher Education AU.
Menon, A., Bharadwaj, S. G., Adidam, P. T., & Edison, S. W. (2015). Effective Marketing
Strategy-Making: Antecedents and Consequences. In Proceedings of the 1997 Academy
of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference (pp. 224-224). Springer, Cham.
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