MAR021-2: Digital Marketing Communication Plan for Octopus Energy

This report outlines a marketing communication plan for Octopus Energy Group as they expand their business operations into Germany. It begins by identifying target customers and segmenting the market using the STP framework (Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning). A SWOT analysis is conducted to assess the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The report then sets SMART targets and objectives for the customer group and discusses the communications mix, including advertising, direct & digital marketing, public relations, personal selling, and sales promotion. Budget proposals are also included to estimate the necessary investments for implementing the marketing tools and techniques. The plan emphasizes the importance of digital marketing methods for effective communication with overseas customers. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments for students.

Marketing
communication in the
digital age
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Marketing communication plan..................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES:...............................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Digital marketing is increasing in the market as it helps in promoting goods and services.
In digital world, it is necessary for an organisation that they should use digital marketing in order
to promote goods and services (Bassano and et.al., 2019). Digital marketing is very useful for the
purpose of expanding business operations in the market. In this context, Octopus Energy Group
is undertaking which is the renewable energy group of British that specialise in sustainable
energy. They are currently focusing on expansion of business operations beyond UK. They
choose Germany as their target market in order to expand their business operations. For that
purpose, they need to make marketing communication plan that assists them to meet their
strategy for growth. This report will be discussing defining new customers, marketing methods
that includes both offline and online, targets and objectives for customer group.
MAIN BODY
Marketing communication plan
Octopus Energy Group is currently planning for expand their business operations beyond
UK in many other countries. It is very important for an organisation to formulate a marketing
communication plan in order to expand the business operation of an organisation. Marketing
communication plan is defined as the strategy that uses by organisation for the purpose of
informing to the target group about their products and services (Mihalcea, 2017). Marketing
communication plan is come under operational plan which is necessary for expanding business
operation. With the assistance of marketing communication plan, an organisation is able to
achieve their target market goals and objectives. It is concerned with the tools and techniques
that apply by an organisation in order to meet with marketing goals and objectives. It is a process
which covers various steps that are discussed below:
Identification of target customers
In the case of Octopus Energy Group, it is identified that they are running their business
in UK so they already have customers of UK. Now they are planning for expansion of their
business operations and that;'s why they are trying for other countries such as Germany,
Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the USA. They provide electricity and gas to the domestic
customers. But currently they are more focus on Germany. It is very important step in marketing
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communication plan that company should identify their target market so that they can develop
communication strategy accordingly. In digital world, the communication is becoming very easy
for organisation. Now offshore organisations can easily communicate with the customers in an
effective way so that they can achieve their goals and objectives. It is also found that marketing
communication plan should use STP framework in order to identify their target groups.
Segmentation
It is the first step in which Octopus Energy Group needs to start with the dividing of
market into smaller and identifiable groups. This process is known as market segmentation. It is
crucial for an organisation that they should make segments with characterise into similar needs.
That means segments are including same characteristics and needs of customers (Mohr, 2017).
For example, in Germany, Octopus Energy Group is segmented their market into smaller groups
according to the needs of organisation of their products and services. There are many
segmentation criteria found in the market such as demographic, psycho graphic, geographic, etc.
Octopus Energy Group is segmented their market on the basis of geographic variables.
Targeting
Targeting is the second step of STP model in which an organisation is targeting the
customers for their organisations. It is mainly concerned with set target group for the
organisation so that they can make marketing communication strategy to their target group.
Octopus Energy Group is targeting the company of Germany which needs energy power in order
to run their business and industry.
Positioning
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It is concerned with ensuring an organisation that their brand have a right spot in the
mind of target groups. This is important for an organisation to give the reason to the buyers for
buying their products and services of Octopus Energy Group (Idrysheva and et.al., 2019). It is
found that Octopus Energy Group is providing sustainable energy solutions to the organisations
which is the main reason for the customers of Germany to buy their products and services.
SWOT analysis
Now the next step in marketing communication plan is to analyse internal resources and
capabilities of an organisation. This can be done with the assistance of SWOT analysis
framework in which an organisation analysed four important elements that are strengths,
weaknesses, threats and opportunities.
Strengths Weaknesses
 They are providing sustainable energy
solutions which is the main strength of
an organisation.
 They have approximate 2.5 million
domestic customers Whitlock shows a
strong customer base.
 They are entering into new market. But
they have no experience of facing new
market challenges.
 They have lack of digital skills in their
employees which become a weakness
in order to promote their goods and
services.
Opportunities Threats
 With the help of marketing
communication plan, they have an
opportunity to increase the customer
base.
 It is found that digital technologies
attracts customers.
 Pandemic is the main threat for
expansion of business in new market as
it gives a great impact on their
operations.
 Competition is the another threat for
organisation which is increasing.
Set targets and objectives for customer group
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It is crucial for an organisation that they should set targets and objectives for customer
groups (Tiautrakul and Jindakul, 2019). The objectives of Octopus Energy Group is mentioned
below on the basis of SMART goals:
 To promote products in target market i.e. Germany.
 To increase the customer base by 10% within a year.
 To earn 15% profit in next two years.
Communications mix
It is concerned with all the tools and techniques which are necessary for an organisation
to use in order to communicate with the potential buyers. It is found that Octopus Energy Group
is expanding their business operation in Germany and because if that they need to communicate
with their customers (Vasile, Mototo and Chuchu, 2019). It needs communication so that they
can promote their goods and services effectively and attract more and more customers. In that
case, Octopus Energy Group need to follow communication mix which is an important tool that
are discussed below:
Advertising
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It is the first and foremost tool that assists an organisation to communicate with their
customers. It is the traditional method that includes TV, press, radio, etc. Octopus Energy Group
should use these type of methods but they are expensive as compared to other communication
methods. They can cover most of the target market if they choose this method.
Direct marketing & digital marketing
Direct marketing is the most effective method for the organisation as they can directly
communicate with their customers (Kumar, Kirpalani and Sharma, 2021). In direct marketing,
digital marketing is playing an important role as Octopus Energy Group is able to directly
communicate with the customers. In digital age, it is crucial for an organisation to use digital
marketing methods that include social media, content marketing, email marketing, etc.
Public relations (PR)
Public relations are concerned with using of brand messages in their stories so that people
can relate their emotions and sentiments with the organisation. It is an effective method in order
to build loyalty in their customers.
Personal selling
Personal selling is the face to face method which is used by organisation for the purpose
of selling their products and services in the market. With the assistance of this method, Octopus
Energy Group is able to analyse the customer behaviour.
Sales promotion
In the current business environment, it is found that Octopus Energy Group is using sales
promotional method in order to attract top the customers towards their organisational products
and services. They are trying to interact with the assistance of sales promotion that include
offers.
Budget proposals
It is very important for an organisation that they should make budgets in their marketing
communication plan so that they can analyse the estimate amount which is necessary in order to
apply marketing tools and techniques (Ištvanić, Crnjac Milić and Krpić, 2017). Octopus Energy
Group needs to involve budget for digital marketing methods as in digital world they are easy to
promote goods and services in the market. With the assistance of budget, Octopus Energy Group
is able to implement their communication plan in an effective way.
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Particulars Amount (£)
Marketing 10000
Promotional activity 20000
Plant and machinery 120000
Print media 7000
Total 148000
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above discussion that marketing communication plan is very
important for an organisation in order to promote their goods and services in the market. In the
expansion plan, company needs to sue digital methods in order to interact with the customers as
they are easy to interact even for overseas customers. It is analysed that company needs to
identify the customers first and then make strategy for their communication plan. It is also found
that STP is the best model in order to identify target customers. In addition to this, this report
also covered communication mix.
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REFERENCES:
Books and Journals
Bassano, C., and et.al., 2019. Storytelling about places: Tourism marketing in the digital
age. Cities, 87, pp.10-20.
Idrysheva, Z., and et.al., 2019. Marketing communications in the digital age. In E3S Web of
Conferences (Vol. 135, p. 04044). EDP Sciences.
Ištvanić, M., Crnjac Milić, D. and Krpić, Z., 2017. Digital marketing in the business
environment. International journal of electrical and computer engineering
systems, 8(2.), pp.67-75.
Kumar, M., Kirpalani, C. and Sharma, R., 2021. An Analysis of Impact of Digital Marketing
Communication on Student decision making process for higher studies in India. Turkish
Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT), 12(6), pp.3869-3874.
Mihalcea, A., 2017. Employer branding and talent management in the digital age. Management
Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy, 5(2), pp.289-306.
Mohr, I., 2017. Managing buzz marketing in the digital age. Journal of Marketing Development
and Competitiveness, 11(2), pp.10-16.
Tiautrakul, J. and Jindakul, J., 2019. Famous People Media Through the Use of Artificial
Intelligence in Digital Marketing. Available at SSRN 3405188.
Vasile, S., Mototo, L. and Chuchu, T., 2019. Using “Memes” as a Marketing Communication
Tool in Connecting with Consumers within the Age of Digital Connectivity.
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