Description

Module code: UGB 321

Module Title: E- Marketing Strategy

Title of Assignment : Management Report

Task

You are required to submit a report for a case-study scenario outlining a proposed e-marketing strategy for the individual concerned (see page four of this document for more details]. The report is addressed to the individual and you are to write it as if you are a consultant engaged to research and present the information. The report (in management-report format) should identify and critically analyse the fundamental issues related to e-marketing strategy and show clear evidence of synthesis and evaluation of the subject in the recommendations given to the organization. Note that the recommendations made in the report should be specific to the case-study organization, and not a generic description of the elements of e-marketing that are available to any organization.

 

The assignment addresses all of the module’s learning outcomes.

Assessment criteria

 

Your report will be assessed on the following:

 

• Method – the quality and depth of research including the initiative used in its collection. The quality of the analysis undertaken.
• Content – the quality and clarity of the presented recommendations and the ability of the student to demonstrate their expertise in the subject area.

 

 Case Study

Michelle’s Fancy Dress Costumes

Having worked back stage as a seamstress in the theatre and movie industries for over 20 years, Michelle has decided to start her own business close to her home city of Newcastle. Her parents are delighted at this decision as her work has taken her away from home for much of her working life. In light of this, they have given her sufficient funds to lease and stock her own fancy dress costumes shop.

The outlet – called ‘Michelle’s Fancy Dress Costumes’ – is located in the Metro Centre in Gateshead. It stocks a wide range of costumes for rent featuring all of the popular themes such as Movie and TV characters, Music, Sport, Super Heroes, Villains, Fantasies, Sci Fi and so on.

However, far from being the cheap throw-a-way costumes worn for nights out which are readily available both on- and offline, Michelle’s Fancy Dress Costumes caters for the higher-end market where customers are hiring the costumes for more traditional fancy dress parties, balls or events. Michelle also offers a unique service – based on her extensive skills – of customizing or altering costumes for a better fit and look, though obviously she charges for this service.

Although Michelle’s Fancy Dress Costumes does not sell costumes,   the shop does stock an extensive range of accessories for the costumes which are for sale rather than hire.  Given the almost bespoke nature of her service, Michelle has taken the decision not to sell or take orders online.

Her professional experience has given her an insight into many aspects of business, but although she has used the Internet for many years for both business and pleasure, Michelle has no experience of using it for marketing purposes. Despite this, she has identified ‘digital’ as being the most effective and cost efficient way of marketing her services and so is concentrating on this to the exclusion of any ‘offline’ marketing.

Solution

1. Introduction

E-marketing is the management of marketing activities using digital platforms such as email, web, interactive TV among other media (Chaffney, 2006). In modern days internet is no longer being used for providing information only but has diversified its uses to include socialising, learning and a business promotional tool. Dave (2008) points that more and more businesses are implementing e-marketing as a way of increasing global scope and enabling global operations. The popularity of internet provides marketers a platform to advertise and promote their products. According to Mintel (2010) companies used close to half a billion pounds on internet advertisements in the year 2009. This is a massive increase from about 114 million pounds which were used in 2002.  The growth shows the fast growing pace of internet and explains the importance that firms are attaching to its use in advertising and marketing (Nowsell.com, 2012).

E-marketing is an essential part of business strategy that any business must strive to integrate in its operations. Being a new business, you should ensure that you have incorporated e-marketing as one of the critical strategies in popularizing your business.  This report offers an insight to Michelle’s fancy dress costumes on the development and implementation of e-marketing strategies that will help it grow its business more.  It gives a detailed analysis of the strategies that Michelle’s fancy dress should employ in developing the e-marketing component of its marketing.

2. Situational analysis

Michelle Fancy Dress Costumes is a business designed for offering hiring of costumes to the high end actors and persons mainly in movies, theatres, sports, music and so on. In addition to the costumes it is also commendable that you stock high quality costume accessories for sale. Moreover, tailor-making the costumes to fit the specific requirements of customers would attract more revenue in addition to showing the business’s commitment to customers’ satisfaction.

However, the business currently uses offline marketing despite the fact that it is located in Metro centre in Gateshead. Additionally most of its target customers include some people who are located far away from Newcastle. As such, the current approach of depending on the physical store is limiting as most of the potential clients would not be able to visit the store due to distance factor. As the store is located in metro centre, the current offline approach limits the clientele to the local areas and its surroundings. Therefore, the main issues that the business is faced with include limited business scope and the need for more enhanced business approaches to attract more customers. Without prior knowledge and experience in e-marketing and owing to the wide diversity of e-marketing, Michelle Fancy Dress Costumes needs not incorporate all aspects but choose a few strategies that would help build its client base……………………..

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