Digital Marketing Communications Plan for Octopus Energy

This report discusses the digital marketing communications plan for Octopus Energy, a UK-based retailer of electricity and gas supplies. It covers the customers defined, marketing audit, customers/segments objectives, and the first phase of activity for the company. The report also highlights the importance of digital marketing in promoting renewable energy and connecting with customers.

Digital Marketing
Communication

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Overview......................................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Customers Defined.......................................................................................................................1
Marketing Audit...........................................................................................................................1
Customers/Segments Objectives..................................................................................................3
First phase of Activity..................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Promotion of businesses to interact and connect with targeted customers in form of
digital communication or with the help of internet is known as digital marketing. It is dependent
on technology and with the advancement in technology, the scope of digital marketing also
grows. This report covers the understanding of traditional as well as new digital marketing
communications methods and their reach to the targeted audiences (Briones, 2019). The various
ways of audit for online and offline marketing and new elements that are required for growth
oversees.
Overview
For this report the chosen organisation is Octopus Energy which is a UK based retailer of
electricity and gas supplies. The company's mission is to alter energy globally which is quicker
and cheaper to render green electricity to houses, companies, cars, etc. Octopus Energy supplies
energy to around two millions UK homes. The company has recently launch its business in Japan
in collaboration with Tokyo gas.
MAIN BODY
Customers Defined
Octopus Energy headquarter is in London and the company operates in over nine
countries including some big nations such as Australia, New Zealand, US, etc. Octopus Energy
have become fourth largest supplier of energy with around three million domestic and enterprises
customers. The household customers are facing a great challenges of rising prices of fuels and
thus decided to invest in green energy which is cost effective and also environment friendly. At
the time of lock down, people who stayed home switches from conventional energy to green
energy because of the high consumption of electricity (Farinas and Rodiguez, 2021). The
increase in daily consumption of green electricity rises to 30% and gas consumption hikes by
20%. Population with the high income rates and who are aware about the hazardous effect of
conventional energy creates a customer base for Octopus Energy.
Marketing Audit
Octopus Energy invests a appropriate amount of finances to its marketing strategies of
both online and offline channels. In UK, the company has developed its sales strategy in such a
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way that include door to door services to households and conducting conferences as well as
seminars on importance of green energy. Octopus Energy has invested in making its networks in
various big businesses to influence them to switch to green energy. The marketing manager of
the company has managed to gain data about prospective customers and meet them personally to
provide information about benefits of renewable energy. Offline measures of marketing also
consist of advertisement in newspaper which is a common convention method of marketing that
is still in trend to cover a large market. The various online platform used by Octopus Energy is
emails, social media sites, firm's website, text messaging, etc. Online channels for marketing has
played a huge role in promoting and spreading awareness about the Octopus Energy products as
well as its long term vision (Finotto and Mauracher, 2020). The popularity of internet is very
wide and people usually search online to differentiate between same products offering by various
companies. Digital marketing is the best solution to promote renewable energy and to connect
with customers. It gives firm the opportunity to provide detailed information and benefits of
green energy via its website. Internet marketing also gives return on investment to company
through pay per click advertising, email marketing, influencer marketing etc.
The marketers of Octopus Energy will take forward the online marketing elements as it
capture broad market in less time and in cost effective manner. The social media sites will come
up with innovative and creative improvements to attract more customers in brand. Pay per click
is also a great method to engage people in the brand as once someone enters the firm's page they
read about it and it may leave a impression on them (Neuhaus, 2021). Octopus Energy marketers
can also collaborate with famous people for branding of their products, in this way the firm can
enjoy the already developed follower base of those influencers. Octopus Energy marketers will
also continue to deliver its door to door services to make connections with people as this
marketing strategy influences people more to invest in renewable energy.
There are various new marketing elements that can be adopted oversees by Octopus
Energy marketers for growth in Japan. One of them is selling products to an experienced
distributor and by providing e-commerce services. The people of Japan will accept company fast
if the information about products will be displayed in Japanese language (Hu and Olivieri, 2021).
Octopus Energy has come in a strategic partnership deal with Tokyo Gas which is Japan's one of
leading companies of energy. Company's technology platform 'Kraken' will get license in Japan
to deliver best consumer experience and clean as well as smart energy solutions to Japanese
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companies and households. Japan is one of the big consumer of internet, thus digital marketing
of Octopus Energy will result in informing a huge part of country about the company and its
products.
Customers/Segments Objectives
The marketers of Octopus Energy can opt for various marketing techniques to promote
their products and provide information about company's objectives to people. The
communication theory includes making public relations with the existing customers of company
so they will further help to promote the product. Direct marketing, advertisement, sales
promotions, billboards are all some good marketing techniques that can result in increase sales.
Another technique is Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning which is a great marketing tool
top promote products in existing market as well as in new markets. It aims at providing
commercial effectiveness to firm by selecting important segment and then creating marketing
mix accordingly.
Market segmentation means to divide a large area into small segments according to their
demographics, purchasing power, standard of living, etc. The marketers of Octopus Energy can
choose various segments of market which can be potential customers for the company.
Next step is to evaluate target customers of each section and determining which section
will be the most profitable (Ketter and Avraham, 2021). Thus, targeting means to examine
where to direct companies efforts that can leads to more profits. Octopus Energy marketers
makes strategies according to the needs of each segments and also provides customised services
according to customer's needs.
Next step is positioning where the company put its products differently from its
competitors and which is also convenient to reach by its targeted audiences. Octopus Energy
marketers opt various mixture of marketing activities after determining its target section to
transform them into customers. Positioning helps firm to functionally position its product at the
places where people are facing the challenges of conventional energy. Advertising and PR
activities are also best tools for marketing of green energy. PR firms of Octopus Energy can raise
the issue of global warming as well as of climate change and can aware public to switch to
renewable energy.
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First phase of Activity
The first phase of activity for Octopus Energy in Japan is to determine market needs and
their expectations from the company. This involves providing information about the company
and its vision of sustainable energy to the people of Japan. This can be done by creating various
marketing campaigns which will spread awareness about the benefits of green energy and by
collaborating with famous people of Japan who have the power to influence a large group of
people. The marketers of Octopus Energy have to schedule marketing activities in such a way
that it increase their customers base quickly. Adopting the approach of marketing mix can play a
great role in marketing the product rightly (Ratten and Thompson, 2021). The first step is to
determine the price level of targeted customers and thus deciding the prices according to that.
The product needs to be solve some issues people are facing otherwise they will not invest in it.
Thus the marketer needs to aware people of Japan about the harmful long term effects of
conventional energy on their health and environment. Octopus Energy strategist are also
planning to start e-delivery services of their products with the help of digital marketing. The
evaluation of objectives of Octopus Energy have transform from just earning revenues to saving
environment. The main goal of Octopus Energy is to aware the whole world about the hazardous
impacts of conventional energy and its contribution in global warming. Octopus Energy owners
have set a vision to expand the business in all countries to create sustainable energy globally.
CONCLUSION
From the above information it is concluded that new digital marketing helped the firms to
a great extent to increase their sales. It can be done through various sources such as social media,
websites, advertisements, etc. Marketing plans of a company are very important part in deciding
a products fate. Communication theory, market planning, STP and advertising are great tools that
helps businesses to promote their products or services. It also assists companies in expansion to
other countries as internet is being used worldwide. Digital marketing has allowed businesses to
create relationship with its customers and also modify products if customers are facing any issues
with that. An enhanced digital communication will help firms to increase their sales by
continuously evaluating customers' needs and expectations.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Briones, C. L. T., 2019. Digital Marketing as a Communication Tool in Emerging Businesses.
In Handbook of Research on Digital Marketing Innovations in Social Entrepreneurship
and Solidarity Economics (pp. 353-366). IGI Global.
Farinas, L. M. and Rodiguez, D., 2021. The influence of digital marketing on recruitment
effectiveness: a qualitative study. European Research Journal of Management and
Business Economic. 6(1).
Finotto, V. and Mauracher, C., 2020. Digital marketing strategies in the Italian wine
sector. International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business. 11(4). pp.373-390.
Hu, L. and Olivieri, M., 2021, June. How to Leverage Digital Marketing in B2B: A Study on
Italian SMEs During the Covid-19 Outbreak. In Digital Marketing & eCommerce
Conference (pp. 112-120). Springer, Cham.
Ketter, E. and Avraham, E., 2021. # StayHome today so we can# TravelTomorrow: tourism
destinations’ digital marketing strategies during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of
Travel & Tourism Marketing. 38(8). pp.819-832.
Neuhaus, T., 2021. A Nudge Psychology Perspective on Digital Marketing and Communication:
Learning From the Nigerian Scam. In Innovative Perspectives on Corporate
Communication in the Global World (pp. 122-140). IGI Global.
Ratten, V. and Thompson, A. J., 2021. Digital Sport Marketing. In Developing Digital
Marketing. Emerald Publishing Limited.
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