Developing a Marketing Plan for Selwyn's Seaweed: A Detailed Report

This report details a comprehensive marketing plan developed for Selwyn's Seaweed, a UK-based manufacturer of seaweed snacks. The plan begins with an introduction that defines marketing plans and outlines the report's structure. Part A provides a thorough situation analysis, including an examination of the current market, a SWOT analysis identifying the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and the identification of current and potential target audiences. Part B focuses on the marketing mix strategy, detailing the 7Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Evidence) in the context of Selwyn's Seaweed, offering recommendations for each element. Part C outlines evaluation and control mechanisms, including the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the plan's effectiveness. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of a well-defined marketing plan for business success, with a strong emphasis on market analysis and strategic decision-making.

Develop a Marketing
Plan

Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
Part A - Situation Analysis........................................................................................................................3
a) Current Market and Situation Analysis for Selwyn’s Seaweed...........................................................3
b) Identification of current and new/potential target audience(s).............................................................4
c) Marketing Plan Objectives..................................................................................................................5
Part B - Marketing Plan............................................................................................................................5
Marketing Mix Strategy...........................................................................................................................5
Part C - Evaluation and Control..............................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
A marketing plan can be defined as a document that explains the strategies relating to
marketing as well as advertising within a company. It also describes all the business activities
that are involved in attaining particular goals and objectives within a particular time frame
(Burns, 2016). Organization chosen for this report is Selwyn’s, which is a manufacturer of
seafood snacks that decided to redesign the packaging of its Crispy Seaweed Snacks so as to
increase overall distribution in the United Kingdom (Yang and Gabrielsson, 2017). The report
explains a marketing plan for the company which includes an up-to-date situation analysis of the
company, identification of current and potential target audiences along with a marketing mix
strategy. An outline of how the plan will be monitored, controlled and what tools would be used
to do so is also included.
Part A - Situation Analysis
a) Current Market and Situation Analysis for Selwyn’s Seaweed
Current Market
Selwyn’s Seaweed conducted a research in order to get an understanding of the
customers in their market (Wiley. Mariotti, and Glackin, 2016). The research revealed that
consumers in the United Kingdom are more open to their choices of snacking which is the result
why Seaweed has seen extensive growth over the last few years. It was also observed that food
and drink products that had seaweed as an ingredient also increased between the years 2011 to
2015 and is still expected to grow.
SWOT analysis
It can be defined as a framework that can be used by both individuals as well as
organizations to identify their strengths as well as weaknesses (Canhoto and Murphy, 2016). The
analysis also provides and insight about the opportunities and potential threats that can impact
the overall performance of the company. The SWOT analysis of Slewyn’s Seaweed is explained
below–
Strengths – One of the major strengths of the company is that it is the one and only
seaweed snack that is purely the product of UK. Also, the original bell of Selwyn is a key equity

for the brand. Selwyn’s Seaweed is one of the oldest companies in the UK and has a loyal base
of customers (Selwyn's Sells Seaweed from the Seashore, 2017).
Weaknesses – The old packaging of products was designed by its accountant and the
brand did not have a consistent visual equity. Each packet had a different color variant and the
products were not able to stand out in the shelves (Chaston, 2016). This was because the
packaging looked out dated and unappealing as compared to competitors like Itsu etc.
Opportunity - Since the research revealed that there were plenty of opportunities
available to Selwyn Seaweed, the major one was that seaweed snacks had been eaten in the
region for a very long time and was still preferred by people. People were increasingly exploring
new tastes in the market.
Threat – The company faced an intense amount of threat in terms of packaging from
brands like Clearspring an Itsu. There was tough competition in terms of healthy snacking
options as well as seaweed products.
b) Identification of current and new/potential target audience(s)
In order to identify current and potential target audiences, the Selwyn Seaweed will
understand their needs and expectations. The primary target audience of the company are women
in the age group of 25-45 years who are seeking options for healthy snacks in between the meals
and support the idea of “smart” foods that not only taste great but also nourish the body (van
Scheers and Makhitha, 2016). On the other hand, the new/potential audience of the company’s
seaweed snacks will be people who are conscious about their health and are looking out for
healthy snack options in the market. Apart from this, people who are searching options with
foods that are rich in protein will also be considered as new audience. The audience will not only
be segmented based on age groups, but also their individual preferences. Selwyn’s Seaweed will
also target customers across various geographical locations around the world.
Once the target audience is decided, the company will opt various measure in order to
increase engagement of consumers on its website (Gustafson, Sharrow and Short, 2017). And in
order to do so, the company will mark its social media presence across various platforms again.
After analyzing the previous packaging carefully, the company found that the target audience
found the presence of nutritional values to be important. Another target segment of the company

will be consumers who are more adventurous about their snacking and are exploring new tastes
for their snacks. Thus, all of the segments and types of people stated above will fall in the
category of either current or new/potential target audience of the respective company. In order to
identify the audience, the company will look into current and future trends of the market.
c) Marketing Plan Objectives
 To attract new customers in order to increase overall sales by 20% within 5 months.
 To increase overall distribution in the nation by 500% rebranding, changing the
packaging of the products within 7 months.
 To differentiate itself by 15% by developing a brand mark that is different from
competitors as well as appealing to the customers within 5 months.
Part B - Marketing Plan
Marketing Mix Strategy
Marketing Mix can be defined as a set of actions that are used by the marketers of an
organization to promote itself and its products in the market (Leonidou and et. al., 2017). The
7Ps of the marketing mix are Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process and Physical
Evidence, which are explained below in context to Selwyn’s Seaweed.
Product – Since many retailers had rejected Selwyn’s from stocking its products in their
stores, the company is recommended to redesign the packaging of its products in the Crispy
Seaweed Snacks range. Rather than just redesigning the packaging, the company should recreate
its visual identity as well (Ubed and Khandre, 2020). Also, in order to engage a greater number
of customers, it is recommended that the company should look at the current as well as future
trends of the market. The nutritional values should be highlighted on the products which will
help in increasing the sales of the products.
Price – The current pricing strategy of Selwyn’s Seaweed is competitive pricing so the
company is able to attract more customers and gain a competitive advantage against competitors.
It is recommended that the company should lower down its prices and then sell them to the
customers (Review, 2018). The company should understand the needs as well as income levels
of its customers so that the prices can be decided accordingly. In order to offer products at low

and pocket friendly prices, it is recommended that Selwyn’s Seaweed should analyze its supply
chain in order to eliminate any kinds of extra costs.
Place – The company currently sells its products through different retailers across UK
and other places such as Ocado, Whole Foods, Planet Organic, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason,
FenwickPartridges, Yo Sushi, Budgens and The Health Store wholesalers nationwide. To further
increase its sales and attract a greater number of customers, respective company is recommended
to build its presence on various e-commerce platforms and sell its products through them
(Ruzzier, Ruzzier and Hisrich, 2013). This will significantly contribute to the sales of the
company and also, introduce self-checkout options in the nation wherein people can access
healthy seaweed snacks on the go.
Promotion – In order to promote its products, the company currently carries out various
marketing campaigns. To further enhance its awareness in the market, respective company is
recommended to work on its e-commerce website and debut presence on various platforms of
social media like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc. It should post regular updates about any new
offers, discounts or new launches which help in increasing awareness about the products (Taylor,
2017). This will also lead to an increase in the customer engagement and they would be
encouraged to purchase the products. It can use various promotional tools such as direct
marketing, public relations, advertising through various media.
People – Selwyn’s Seaweed values the people that work for it the most and hires
candidates in large numbers. The company also significantly invests in providing to its
employees so that they acquire new skills and assist customers in an effective way (Sethna, Jones
and Harrigan, 2013). Also, since the company operates on a small scale, people are the most
important and valuable assets that can help it in attaining desired goals and objectives.
Process – There are various processes that are involved in its system like whenever a
customer purchases the company’s products, he/she is greeted by the staff members. The
customers then place the order offline and pay for the same. Once the order is packed, the
customers are informed and they checkout of the stores (Taylor, 2017). The company is
recommended to initiate a similar process online on its website as well as on various other e-
commerce platforms so that the complete process of order being placed and then delivered is
carried out in a very smooth manner.

Physical Evidence – The physical evidence of Selwyn’s Seaweed are not only retail
outlets and employees but also the bell that Grandfather Selwyn used to ring so as to let people
know that the seafood van was coming (Widyawati, 2018). Other physical evidence of the
company is its online website wherein people can easily order products of their choice and pay
online through various payment options. Also, the company is recommended to adopt new
design for its retail stores so that more customers are attracted.
Part C - Evaluation and Control
Evaluation and control are important steps within a marketing plan that make sure the
plan is implemented in an effective way. When the plan is implemented, all the activities that are
included in the plan are evaluated by professionals (Stokes and Wilson, 2017). If any kind of
errors or mistake is identified, it is rectified immediately so that no issues are identified. The
progress of the plan can be monitored and evaluated through various tools like questionnaires,
changes in sales and profitability etc. The company can even compare its strategy with those of
competitors.
Key Performance Indicators or KPIs can be defined as tools that are used to measure
performance and evaluate the success of an organization. The KPIs for Selwyn’s Seaweed are
the number of customers acquired by the company in a particular period of time (What Are Key
Performance Indicators in Marketing?, 2020). Social media can also be used as a key
performance indicator to measure the progress of the marketing plan. Other KPIs that the
company can use, include measuring increase in the overall sales of products in the market.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that a marketing plan is an essential
component for a company as it contributes towards its overall success. A situation analysis
comprising of SWOT analysis can also be used in order to analyze the different situations,
identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities as well as threats that can impact the productivity
as well as performance of the company. Also, in order to achieve goals and objectives
effectively, the 7Ps or Marketing Mix can also be used. This can help in formulating effective
strategies and make efficient decisions.

REFERENCES
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Online

Selwyn's Sells Seaweed from the Seashore. 2017. [Online]. Available through:<
https://file.globalacademicresearch.com/projectfiles/internal_cust_document/
CaseStudy5BUS1031Marketingforsmallenterprise2020_1587186655.pdf>.
What Are Key Performance Indicators in Marketing?. 2020. [Online]. Available through:<
https://www.exactdrive.com/news/what-are-key-performance-indicators-in-marketing>.