Marketing Plan for Your Destination: Business Expansion Strategy

This report outlines a marketing plan for Your Destination, a transportation company operating in London and Essex, aiming to expand its goods transportation services to new cities like Manchester, Glasgow, and Aberdeen. The report begins with a memorandum detailing the roles and responsibilities of marketing officers, emphasizing market analysis, strategic planning, and SWOT analysis. It then explores the elements of marketing, including product (service diversification), pricing (competitive and cost-plus strategies), place (distribution channels and office locations), and promotion (advertising and communication). The report also includes a situation analysis, identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to inform objectives, strategies, tactics, and control measures for the marketing plan. The goal is to help Your Destination gain a competitive advantage, increase market share, and achieve its expansion objectives through effective marketing strategies.

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Marketing Essentials 2
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
Part 1...........................................................................................................................................................4
LO1 “Memorandum”...................................................................................................................................4
Part 2...........................................................................................................................................................5
LO2 “Elements of Marketing”......................................................................................................................5
Product....................................................................................................................................................5
Price.........................................................................................................................................................6
Place........................................................................................................................................................6
Promotion................................................................................................................................................7
People......................................................................................................................................................8
Process.....................................................................................................................................................8
Physical Evidence.....................................................................................................................................9
LO3 “Marketing Plan”..................................................................................................................................9
Marketing Plan............................................................................................................................................9
Situation Analysis...................................................................................................................................10
Strengths................................................................................................................................10
Weaknesses............................................................................................................................10
Opportunities..........................................................................................................................10
Threats....................................................................................................................................11
Objectives..............................................................................................................................................11
Strategy.................................................................................................................................................12
Target Market.........................................................................................................................12
Product Differentiation and Positioning................................................................................12
Tactic.....................................................................................................................................................13
Action ....................................................................................................................................................13

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Control...................................................................................................................................................14
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................14
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................................15

Principles of Marketing
Introduction
Marketing plays an important role in the success of any organization. It helps to
achieve the expected level of outcome and can increase the customer satisfaction level
by designing effective marketing plans. The marketing department is monitored by the
marketing officer who is responsible for all the activities that are related to the marketing
of the organisation (Bondarenko et al. 2017). For the expansion these marketing officers
strategically design their marketing plan which can provide ultimate benefits to the
organization.
Your Destination is a transportation company operating their business in London
and Essex. Your Destination offers two types of services to the costumers. One is public
transportation and other is transportation of goods. Both of the services are operated in
an efficient way. The company has decided to expand their service of goods
transportation in Manchester, Glasgow, Aberdeen, etc.
Part 1
LO1 “Memorandum”
TO: `Your Destination` Marketing staff
FROM: Marketing Manager
CC: CEO `Your Destination`
DATE: MM/ DD/ YY
SUBJECT: Identifying the key duties and responsibilities of Marketing Officers
As our company has decided to expand their business in different cities such as
Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow and Aberdeen, and is looking to recruit Marketing
Officers to cope up with the expansion plan, it is necessary to realize the duties and
responsibilities of Marketing Officers before recruiting them.
The marketing department helps to define and manage the brand reputation. The
marketing function refers to the role of business organization through which products
and services of company can be identified and can be successfully sourced. It helps to
perform market research, support system of sales, product plan, developmental

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process, sales, finance, customer service, etc. These functions are the key roles and
responsibilities of marketing department. All these functions can only be managed
through a skilful marketing officer.
Marketing relates to other organizational departments to fulfil their ultimate goals
and objectives as it oversees the sales department as well as their goal is to increase
the sale of company. This blend of sales and marketing results in increase number of
sales with even better quality products. It is the responsibility of marketing function to
design high-level marketing plans in order to guide the marketing focus of the company
and the strategies that it is going to implement. Successful marketing campaigns can
help the company to increase the revenue and as our company is going to expand their
business in different cities these extra funds can play a critical role. These roles and
responsibilities of marketing function can effectively performed by specialized marketing
officer. Our ultimate goal of business is to expand the business to increase number of
customers and to achieve maximum level of profits by providing transportation facilities
to customers. In this regard, an efficient marketing officer can develop a marketing plan
through which the roles and responsibilities of marketing function can be fulfilled and to
accomplish the organizational goals.
The roles and responsibilities of marketing department such as:
 Market analysis: This is the major task of marketing department that to analyse
and identify particular market areas for promoting and developing the firm in an
effective manner. Marketer conducts research or survey for analysing customers
trends, choices, behaviours, competitors and current situations so that company
can make adequate strategies and action plan for surviving in the competitive
environment.
 Create short and long term objectives and plans: Marketing department
consider the a proper actions plans for achieving particular goals or objectives.
They create an objectives and set a benchmark that must be accomplished
within defined time period.
 Understand marketing trends and current situations: In this, marketer
undertake an appropriate study for the purpose of analysing and determining the

current trends and fashions regarding products or services so that predetermined
goals or objectives can be attained.
 Strategic planning: Generally, organisations focus on capturing market by
formulating better strategies as well as action plan to achieve competitive
advantages in well manner.
 SWOT analysis: This is an another marketing department's role that manager
have to conduct SWOT analysis for finding the actual internal situations of
organisation. This will support in removing the conflicts or barriers in the Your
Destination organisation such as:
◦ Strengths: They provide quick and fast services to the customers. They also
focus on adopting the marketing strategies to promote the products or
services in the international market.
◦ Weaknesses: there are less skilled employees who are working within Your
Destination. The another weak point is lack of communication at the
workforce.
◦ Opportunities: They can consider modern technologies for improving their
existing performances and also protect to the company from any frauds and
cheating as well.
◦ Threats: Increase the level of competition can be biggest threats for the
company. Close substitution is also creating barriers in running business.
Marketing departments also considers the online and offline tools or techniques for
promoting the business in the international market. They follow particular structure in
which operates setting of B2B and B2C such as:
 B2B (Business to Business): This elaborate the ways of marketing by
maintaining relationship with other businesses. Your Destination provide the
products or services to the another organisations by considering online, offline
and many more for selling goods or services.
B2C (Business to Consumer): In this, company sells their products and
services to the customers as they consider coupons, displays, store fronts and another
offers for the purpose of increasing sales revenues and generate higher profits as well.

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Your Destination undertake various offers to the customers for transportation services in
an effective manner.
It is essential to keep the viewpoints in minds before recruiting marketing officers
because an active and efficient marketing officer can design an effective marketing plan
for the expansion of companies through which maximum level of outcome can be
achieved. Thank you for the assistance.
It is necessary to manage and maintain the relationship of marketing department
with other functional areas of organisation so that company can achieve best possible
outcomes in an effective manner.
Roles and responsibilities of marketing relate to other functional areas of organisation
There are number of roles and responsibilities of marketing functions that must be
followed by the organisations so that they can run the operations in smooth manner.
There is necessary to coordinate with other organisational functions so that better
strategies and actions plans can be formulated for attaining specific goals or objectives
of Your Destination as well. These are as followings:
Sales: This is very important department which helps in increasing or generating
revenues by making maximum sales. These are interlinked with other department and
functions of organisation. Marketing department analyse the better tools or techniques
for attracting number of consumer towards organisation so that sales can be increased
in well manner. Your Destination use promotional strategies or important tools such as
advertisements, display, publicity and hoarding for providing informations to the targeted
audiences.
Finance: This is also an important department for every business firm because
they provide proper information about actual financial position of the organisation.
Finance are required to operate and run businesses as it is backbone of the company.
Therefore, marketing department provide information to the finance department
regarding new tools or techniques for marketing and arrange proper funds to adopt such
changes within the firm.
Production: this department is also interrelated with other function as marketing
department give adequate informations regarding the new trends, current situations,
fashions, competitors, customer's choices, tastes and preferences, environmental

factors and many more by conducting research or survey. Production department make
decisions regarding producing of goods and services as per the requirements and meet
actual demands of customers.
Human Resource: this department also play vital role in every organisation
because manpower is necessary to perform the entire task or activities and also
achieve particular goals in better ways. HR manager focus on finding suitable
candidates and recruit best one among applicants pools so that they can attain targets.
Part 2
LO2 “Elements of Marketing”
Product
National Express is dealing in Public transport company which provide or operate
various services such as Bus, train, coach and tram in the UK, US and other countries.
the Information Technology, consulting and services and the business solutions. They
have been operating their business under B2B, C2C, and B2C operation modes. This
product strategy has helped National Express to diversify their product portfolio. In order
to attain a competitive advantage over National Express, Your Destination should aim to
offer a variety of service options to the customers such as Your Destination Express,
Global Forwarding, Freight services, Supply chain and Your Destination Global mail.
Through these divisions of services, the customers can take the advantage of
standardized, traditional and specially-designed freight options.
Your Destination can increase its market shares and growth by 10% through
improving products or services quality which will be beneficial in expanding business at
other cities. This is their main objective and they are providing better quality of
transportation facilities included luxury buses, coaches, trains, so customers can enjoy
their rides and satisfy their desired expectations as well. If customer will like product and
service of company then Your Destination can easily attain their objectives.
Price

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The pricing policy can be a major aspect of any organization through which
companies can gain competitive advantage over the rival brands (Mohammad, 2015).
The pricing policy implemented by National Express helps to generate increase level of
revenues and profits. It also helps to increase the total assets of the company. The
pricing strategy of Your Destination is not as effective as the pricing strategy of National
Express.
For standardized operations, Your Destination should prefer implementing a
cost-plus pricing strategy through which the final price by adding a limited percentage of
cost as profit margin can be decided. By implementing a competitive pricing policy and
setting the final price in comparison with National Express can help the organization to
attain competitive advantage over the rivals. Your Destination can also offer special
prices to the loyal customers and to the most important companies in the market so as
to be a market leader.
Place
National Express has been operating their business in a number of cities in UK.
They have spread their international presence by having several subsidiary companies
in UK in Manchester, Glasgow, London, etc. They have also marked their footprint in
global countries. They have been backed by different string ethical and powerful brands
through which they have gained widespread business network in the industry of
transportation facility. National Express has a number of offices and delivery centers in
order to offer world-class services effortlessly to the costumers.
However, Your Destination also has branches in London and Essex, but for
expansion in other countries, it is essential to look after the place strategy so that the
company may be able to attain a competitive advantage over National Express because
the place strategy of Your Destination is not as effective as National Express’s placing
strategy. The selection of the distribution channel should base on the service quality,
costs, and equipment or the facilities. The ultimate goal of Your Destination’s placing
strategy should be to attain centralized points of distribution so as to achieve increased
efficiency of the company. They are required to own their offices in main locations
which provides ease to consumers in visiting of different places. This will provides the

opportunity to expand their business and attraction of large number of tourists. They
have bring changes in existing structure of their operations and service quality to
effectively compete with National Express in more appropriate manner.
Promotion
National Express is one of the most powerful and recognized companies of UK
and has undertaken a number of marketing plans that help them to retain and increase
the brand value in the market. The promotional strategy of National Express includes
different sporting and athletic activities and events at national and local level in order to
gain brand visibility. Through these strategies, the value of the satisfied workforce is
acknowledged. They have also adopted a green infrastructure, resource efficiency and
green IT so as to fulfill their corporate responsibility. This can provide benefit the
company because customers are more interested to use the products and services of
companies that are indulged in corporate social responsibilities.
Your Destination should prefer to introduce its service offerings through television
advertisements so as to gain increased market share in the transportation facility
industry of UK. By holding several sponsorship deals like in Rugby World cup, Fashion
Week, different premium leagues, Your Destination can highlight themselves in the
market and in the eyes of costumers. They should advertise their service through mass
media and traditional manners before and after going for expansion in further regions of
UK so as to generate brand awareness and to occupy an increased level of actual and
potential costumers. They should get involved in different corporate social
responsibilities like carbon efficiency system to diminish the environmental harms that
are created by the logistics industry.
People
National Express treat their employees as an integral part of the organization
through which the net outcome of the operations is increased due to the employee
satisfaction. Companies who are not only concerned for the customer satisfaction but to
also for employee satisfaction can achieve an increased level of output as compared to

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the companies that just focus on the customer satisfaction and do not focus on
employee satisfaction. National Express is among the organizations that take care of
their employees and provide different training and development programs. The
employees of National Express are also rewarded by different incentives and
compensation plans that help to enhance their efficiency of performance.
Your Destination also provides a number of training and development programs
to their employees so as to optimize the output of the company. It is important in a
transportation facility industry to provide a complete Code of Conduct, Policy of
Information Assurance, and Adaptation to Competition and fight against the corruption
to the employees. This can help to enhance the skills of the employees through which
the company can gain maximum benefits and can generate increased revenue. Your
Destination should implement different training and development programs in the
organization before going for expansion because skilled and qualified employees can
increase the sales and can improve the customer relations. Along with the training of
employees required to motivate employees which provides the opportunity to increase
their passion towards their working. This will enhance their learning abilities which
provides opportunity is to grab the knowledge in effective way about legislations and
code of conduct.
Process
National Express pays special attention to the processes involved in the
operations of the organization and to measure the customer satisfaction. They have
implemented different programs through which they can ensure that effective processes
are been carried out in the organization that can optimize the annual profit and can
improve the level of satisfaction.
Your Destination understands that process strategy plays a critical role in the
transportation facility industry of UK. Your Destination has also implemented different
programs and software through which they are able to align their processes with the
business strategy. These activities can provide ultimate benefits to the organization as
the process strategy help the organization to plan their processes in a systematic
manner so that the expected output can be achieved.

Physical Evidence
In the industry of transportation facility in the UK, the components of the physical
layout which include odors, colors, temperature, noise level, and even comfort of
furnishing can impact the perceived service provider’s performance. National Express
as being the market leader of the industry have emphasized on the physical evidence
while establishing service standards because the tangible evidences and customer
attitude stipulates the quality of the experienced service. Before using any service,
customers are reluctant to judge the service through its tangible clues that surrounds it,
that is why National Express plans this strategy so as to specify their tangible clues.
Your Destination, on the other hand, should reinforce their identity through logos
and symbols as it can help the customers to recognize the brand easily and can attract
the customers towards the organization. Your Destination has realized the importance
of website design that is why they have employed skilled employees for the design of
website, brochures and business cards. Main emphasis is provided on the application of
innovative technologies in the process improving their brand image in market. In this
regard, another step which is taken by the management of organisation is about use of
social media and support PR agencies which helps to spread awareness. This will helps
the organsiation is achive their desired objectives improve their physical evidence.
It has been concluded that these strategies and tactics play a crucial role in the
accomplishment of organization’s objectives. The set objectives and goals of any
company can only be achieved through the strategies that are implemented by the
organization according to Hoberg and Phillips, (2016). The marketing department of
Your Destination should design their marketing mix in such way before the expansion of
the company in such way that can provide the best service to the customers in a
specified time through which the sales of the organization can be increased.
LO3 “Marketing Plan”
Marketing Plan