BM562 Consultancy Project: LSST's Expansion into Online Learning

This consultancy project portfolio examines London School of Science and Technology's (LSST) strategy for introducing a new online/distance learning product line targeting busy professionals. The research employs a positivism philosophy and a deductive approach, utilizing quantitative data collected through a survey questionnaire. The analysis reveals that targeting students aged 20-25 and busy professionals with business, management, IT, and computing courses through social media and content marketing is the most effective approach. The recommendations include adopting digital marketing strategies, focusing on social media marketing, and prioritizing content marketing. The expected outcomes are a larger student base and improved brand awareness. The report concludes that implementing these strategies will significantly benefit LSST by expanding its reach and enhancing its market presence.

2022
BM562 Consultancy in Practice
Name:
Student ID:
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A
Consultancy Project Portfolio
On
Human Resource Department /
Information Technology /
Marketing
Executive Summary
The aim of the report is to establishing the new product line into the new
market segment by LSST. New product line is to provide online/distance learning

specially to the busy professionals. This is done using social media marketing
using digital marketing technique. Research philosophy used is the positivism,
research approach used is the deductive. Research choice used is the mono
method that is quantitative form of data collection. Research strategy used is
the survey in the form of questionnaire. Research time horizon used is the cross
sectional studies. Research technique and procedure used is the primary and
secondary form of data collection. Results drawn out are the college can target
their market of busy professional. College can adopt the digital marketing strategies and
can focus on the social media marketing type of digital marketing. Moreover, college can
opt for the content marketing and can also prefer the business and management course
and also information technology and computing course as well. Conclusion made is such
that college will be benefitted more due to the large number of students and improved brand
awareness in the market place.
Table of Contents

Page No

1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction
3. Problem Statement
4. Research Methodology
5. Analysis
5.1 … ( Your chosen analysis)
5.2 Analysis of Current Business Plan
Analysis of Current Online Marketing Plan
Analysis of Current Marketing Plan
6. Recommendation
7. Forecast
8. Conclusion
9. References
10. Appendices
10.1
10.2
10.3
2. Introduction
The current research report is based on the London School of Science and
Technology (LSST). It is a college which comes under the academic sector and has total
four campuses that are in Aston and Luton along with the Wembley and Elephant & Castle.

Currently, the college is having 4000 students studying different types of courses offered by
the college such as business and management along with the health and social care and
also the information technology and computing. There are several options through which
the student’s fees are paid such as using the public purse and also with the help of student
loan company in which the students are required to apply for the eligibility. The vision
statement of the university is to assist the students of all backgrounds and different abilities
along with the aspirations so that accordingly their potential of learning and achievement
along with the progression can be fulfilled. Its mission statement is such that the university
aspire to be recognised as a leading provider of higher education which must be inclusive
and inspiring along with the barrier free from any type of learning rendered by the college.
Its values include the transparency and accountability along with the integrity and
professionalism and also the excellence as well. Students and client both seeks some sort
of the expectations from each other which is required to get fulfilled. Such as to be familiar
with LSST brand and business, to have the roper market place within the industry of
education, to have an appropriate communication, to deliver the content in a timely and
professional manner and proper team management. There are expectations also regarding
the original brief and proper information access to clarification to the emerging questions
and answers and also to provide the constructive feedbacks so that enhancement and
improvements can be made accordingly. The following discussion is based on the problem
statement, research methodology, analysis, solutions, forecast and outcomes, conclusion
and handover.
3. Problem Statement
LSST is considered as one of the biggest college operations in UK. But in the last
recent years, there are many new entrants in this particular industry which has resulted in
the high competition in market place in terms of new courses and good placements along
with the advanced marketing strategies and also the facilitation of online or distance
learning. This has resulted the decision made by the senior management of the college to
explore the new markets in which the college can enter instead of just continuing within the
same market which is now highly saturated in nature (Alghizzawi, 2019). Therefore, there
has been decided by the senior management to start up with the online or distance learning
using the digital marketing strategies so that they can reach wider students and deliver the
lectures in an online manner. in order to accomplish this strategy of growth and expansion
of college, it is highly essential to collect the relevant data and conducting research about it
so that proper analysis can be made in order to get the accurate solutions and results of
implementing new business strategy. It is suggested that the online or distance learning
must be adopted to enter the new market segment in the UK. This can be done by simply

attracting the busy professionals who wishes and aspires to undertake the qualifications as
per their wishes without any commitment to the full time education. The current project has
the objectives such as to enter new digital market segments and also to identify which
market segments have the least barriers to entry and the potential for higher profitability.
This can be done by simply conducting and undertaking the environmental and competitor
analysis with the emphasis on the digital markets to identify which competitors in the UK
offer online qualifications and advise LSST which segments can potentially enter in the
digital markets (Kumar and Nanda, 2019). Taking about deliverables, it includes the
relevant market research and competitor analysis, clear strategies on how to enter selected
digital market segments and proposals, in the light of relevant research on how to increase
differentiation. Contact time and resources planned to commit to this project are the 3x
Written Communication and 3x Face to Face or Webinar Meetings.
4. Research Methodology
Research philosophy are basically of three types that are positivism and realism and
also the interpretivism. The current project report uses the positivism philosophy. This is
because the analysis is based on the facts and figures which have the numeric values and
accurate numbers of interpretation in which the knowledge is gained through observations.
Research approach are basically of three types that are deductive and inductive and also
the abduction. The current project report uses the deductive approach (Pandey, Nayal and
Rathore, 2020). This is because the analysis is based on the scientific investigation and
testing the hypothesis that emerges from the theories which helps in gaining the numerical
values of data. Research choice are basically of three types that are mono method and
mixed method and also the multi method. The current project report uses the mono method
choice in the form of quantitative type of data collection. This is because the analysis is
based on the single type of data collection method that is the quantitative which is in the
form of numeric and figures and also it is interpreted for accurate results. Research strategy
are basically of three types that are experiment and survey and also the case study. The
current project report uses the survey strategy in the form of questionnaire containing the
closed ended questions. This is because the analysis is based on the gathering of the first
hand information directly through the respondents which uses the random sampling type.
Research time horizon are basically of two types that are cross sectional and longitudinal
(Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). The current project report uses the cross sectional time
horizon. This is because the analysis is based on the short durations of research of
approximately it will be accomplished within week. Research techniques and procedures
are basically of two types that are primary and secondary. The current project report uses
both the technique and procedure. This is because the analysis is based on the data which

is collected in the manner of first handed and second handed which means direct and
indirect form of data collection using the internet and books along with the questionnaires
and surveys (Ibrahim, Aljarah and Ababneh, 2020).
5. Analysis

Data interpretation
Interpretation: It is interpreted that there are 60% of respondents who says that students with age
group of 20 – 25 are the major market segment who are more interested in online/distance
learning. There are 40% of respondents who says busy professionals are more interested in
online/distance learning. There are 0% of respondents of students with age group of 12 – 19.
Interpretation: It is interpreted that there are 80% of respondents who says that digital marketing
is effective in online/distance learning. There are 20% of respondents who are confused about it.
There are 0% of respondents of no option.

Interpretation: It is interpreted that there are 80% of respondents who says that social media
marketing is the type of digital marketing which is more effective in online distance learning. There
are 20% of respondents who says that search engine optimization is the type of digital marketing
which is more effective in online distance learning. There are 0% of respondents of google ads.
Interpretation: It is interpreted that there are 40% of respondents who says that influencer
marketing is used as the digital marketing tool in promoting online/distance learning. There are
other 40% of respondents who says that content marketing is used as the digital marketing tool in
promoting online/distance learning. There are 20% of respondents who says that microblogging is
used as the digital marketing tool in promoting online/distance learning.

Interpretation: It is interpreted that there are 60% of respondents who says that business and
management is the type of course which is most demanded by students in online/distance learning.
There are other 40% of respondents who says that information technology and computing is the
type of course which is most demanded by students in online/distance learning. There are 0% of
respondents of social and health care.
Interpretation: It is interpreted that there are 80% of respondents who says that large number of
students and improved brand awareness in the market place are the benefits gained after adopting
and implementing the online/distance learning with the specific digital marketing strategy. There
are other 20% of respondents who says that large number of students is the benefit gained after
adopting and implementing the online/distance learning with the specific digital marketing strategy.
There are 0% of respondents of all of the above.
6. Solutions
The solutions are based on the above analysis made with the help of questionnaire
and also according to the answers received on the business problems of LSST. Therefore,
as per the first question, it is recommended that the college must target their market of

mainly focusing on the students of age group of 20 to 25 and also the busy professionals as
well. As per the second question, it is recommended that the college must adopt the digital
marketing strategies and techniques in order to get the wider reach to the targeted
audiences (Shen, Luong, Ho and Djailani, 2020). As per the third question, it is
recommended that the college must majorly focus on the social media marketing type of
digital marketing and also the search engine optimization as well. As per the fourth
question, it is recommended that the college must opt for the content marketing and also
the influencer marketing as well as the digital marketing tool and strategy. As per the fifth
question, it is recommended that the college must mainly prefer the business and
management course and also information technology and computing course as well
(Dwivedi, Ismagilova, Hughes and Kumar, 2021). As per the sixth question, it has been
analysed that college will be benefitted more due to the large number of students and
improved brand awareness in the market place.
Ansoff growth matrix mainly has four quadrants. First is of the market penetration in
which existing products are promoted in the existing market. Second is of the product
development in which new products are promoted in the existing market. Third is of the
market development in which existing products are promoted in the new market (Saura,
Palos-Sanchez and Correia, 2019). Fourth is of the diversification in which new products
are promoted in the new market. According to the above analysis, it is recommended that
the college must prefer the fourth quadrant of diversification in which new product is
promoted in the new market. The reason behind this is that college has to enter the new
market of busy professional with new product line that is the online/distance learning using
the new and advanced strategies of digital marketing in order to be more competitive in the
market place.
7. Forecast & Outcomes
There are various stages through which the strategies can be formulated and
challenges can be overcome of adopting the new product line into the new market segment
of the LSST. The below stages are for the implementation of the content marketing
strategies in the form of social media marketing under digital marketing. Setting up the
mission and goal is the first step. It is important to set up the objective of the social media
post so that content can be formulated accordingly. Establishing the key performance
indicator is the second step. Knowing the audience is the third step (Majid, Lopez, Megicks
and Lim, 2019). It is essential to analyse about the various key performance indicators so
that the measurements can be performed accurately. Assessing the current position is the
fourth step. It is necessary to determine the existing stability and reputation of the of college
over the internet. Figuring out the best content channels is the fifth step. It is crucial to