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Ensuring that the customer service, customers receive is to the highest of standard during their stay in order to gain repeat custom and a loyal customer base. These are smart targets virgin could use: S – For all staff to achieve excellent customer service skills with every customer using the hotel. M – If staff have excellent customer service skills, customers will enjoy threw stay and use the hotel again. A- It is achievable as the company will have a excellent training regime for all staff. R- It will be realistic if the company employs the correct people for the Jobs needed.
T – The objective does not have a specific time limit. To gain more customers than all other hotels in the area. S – To achieve a quarter more customers than all other hotels in the area. M- If more customers visit the hotel profits and sales will raise making more money than the other hotels keeping ahead of competition. A- It is achievable as new attractions and a good marketing campaign will be used that will attract new customers. R- It is realistic as the hotel can offer better up to date facilities than any other hotel in the area.
T- The objective will be timed to one year so progress can be measured. The Company should focus on how they communicate to ensure they reach out to all potential customers. MIMIC is the mix of communication strategies a business can employ. It consists of the following: Advertising Personal selling Sales promotion Direct marketing Public relations 2. 1 Advertising needs to be used to market the hotel to highlight the hotels services and advantages to its customers this will be a good way off emphasizing to potential customers the reasonable prices the hotel will offer.
Schultz argues that “marketing communications often presents the only differentiating feature that can be offered to potential consumers, by recognizing the fact that everything a company does consist in some form, of communication between its self and its customers, it becomes aware f the increasingly important role of marketing communications as a strategic tool” (Schultz et al. 1992) . There is a wide range of target markets that virgin need to reach as the hotel offers a wide range of facilities from virtual reality entertainment centers, crychess, sea life centers to business meeting rooms and conference facilities.
Demographic variables need to be looked at to develop its target markets. Age, occupation, lifestyle and family life cycle are the main variables virgin need to look at as their potential target markets are: families, tourists and other business as he facilities of the hotel match the needs and wants of these target markets. Cryptographic variables also need to be focused on to develop a further understanding of the wants and needs of the consumer. Marketers regard segmentation as a natural process. “As young children, we naturally group things together… He concept of splitting people into groups is essential to our lives” (Bond and Morris 2002) To achieve coverage of a defined target audience the appropriate communication and advertising needs to be chosen. Virgin could use public relations to develop a relationship with its potential customers and to develop its corporate mage. As virgin are already a well established company the corporate image will not be an issue for virgin when launching and advertising the hotel as it is already trusted as a successful business.
Press releases could be used in the process of launching the hotel to communicate to potential customers information about the hotel. Video release would be the most suitable form of press release virgin could use at information can be communicated by pictures real footage, music and voice 2. 2 Advertising objectives virgin could use when launching the hotel are: – Build awareness of the hotel and create a good brand image. To use different marketing tools such as special offers to increase repeat custom to ensure the business breaks even during the first year. – To target every target market in the region with a TV advertising campaign.
Advertising strategies virgin could use are: Timing – advertising will be powerful and repetitive in the months may to August and December to February. Creative – use creativity which is adaptable to work in all media and draws in the target audience. Virgin will need to spend more time on advertising and sales promotion to generate demand from the target markets. An example of this is Blackball pleasure beach. The company have an onsite hotel called the big blue. The hotel offers luxury suits with separate funky children’s sleeping areas with TV’s and games consoles.
Blackball have the same target audience as virgin and could be seen as a competitor, Blackball target their audiences mainly using big television campaigns during peak times of the year such as summer and half terms. The company also use direct marketing to inform their target markets of special deals and offers. Virgin could look at using this method to attract their audience as the hotel is new the audience will also be curious o using deals such as IEEE stays for a family of four could generate demand especially If offered at peak holiday times of the year.
Another idea for promotion is using a competition. When launching the hotel the virgin could state that every family booked throughout May and June will be put in a draw to win a free 3 nights stay at the hotel with vii treatment. The advantages of virgin using advertising is that it can help boost sales which is really important when launching the hotel, it can also help to improve the company’s corporate image, even though virgin itself is seen as successful and trustworthy the hotel itself could improve its own brand image.
Advertising especially TV advertising can really build awareness. Virgin could make this advantage really work for them if they create a really powerful and informative television campaign and have it broadcasted at peak times when family’s will see it for example tea time. The disadvantage of using advertising is that it is costly but as for virgin this may not be an issue as there budget is EH million and this is high. Another disadvantage is that advertising can take time to have an affect on the target arrest. Effective communication depends on getting the attention of the person you want to communicate with and saying what you want to say in language and with a tone of voice that they can understand. And saying what you want to say to them in terms that have some kind of bearing on their self-interests. (Salmon 2001 P, 244) To target the business target market virgin will need to emphasis on personal selling. If done correctly it will inform, educate and persuade the audience to use the hotel facilities.
Virgin could invite local companies and business along to a pre launch here oral and multi media presentations can be done showing the target audience the facilities the hotel has to offer to their company. To make the audience feel welcome food and drinks could be provided at the event and also personal tours of the hotel can be offered to show off the meeting and conference rooms and computer and multi media facilities. Holding and event like this before the launch will help the business create good customer relationships with the community and other businesses.
Gaining information from the target markets is very important to any business as it allows a business to understand more clearly the needs and wants f the customer. “the study of the processes involved when individuals or groups select, purchase use or dispose of products, services, ideas or expenses to satisfy needs and desires” (Solomon 1996) The advantages of using personal selling are that it can improve sales and build customer relationships. The disadvantages are that it can cost a lot of money and may not be effective. Public relations is another way virgin can reach out to their potential customers.
Public relations is creating and developing relationships between the company and members of the public. These can be the shareholders, employees or society. Virgin could use public relations to develop good customer relationships the company can do this by using corporate identity materials. These could be pens with the virgin hotel logo on, stickers, business cards and key rings. The public relations can be linked into the personal selling. During the pre-launch these materials can be handed out for the public to keep, they are also a distinctive reminder of the business.
An example of this is ‘kea. Kea have boxes of little wooden pens located all around their stores for customers to use and keep when filling out product codes. Another way virgin can use public relations is creating a website for the hotel where customers can leave feedback on the hotel, this again encourages a relationship with consumers. The advantages of using public relations are that it can boost sales and is a constant reminder of the brand. The disadvantage of using public relation is that it can be costly as materials need to be bought and percentages do go to waste.
Sales promotion is another method of communication virgin can use. Sales promotion has been defined as a range of tactical marketing techniques designed within a strategic marketing Ramee work to add value to a product or service in order to achieve specific sales successful and trustworthy the hotel itself could Advertising especially TV advertising can really t this advantage really work for them if they cream; television campaign and have it broadcasted at for example tea time. The disadvantage of using for virgin this may not be an issue as there budge Another disadvantage is that advertising can take market. Effective communication depends on GE want to communicate with and saying what you tone of voice that they can understand. And says terms that have some kind of bearing on their To target the business target market virgin will r If done correctly it will inform, educate and peers facilities. Virgin could invite local companies and where oral and multi media presentations can b the facilities the hotel has to offer to their comic welcome food and drinks could be provided at TTT the hotel can be offered to show off the meeting computer and multi media facilities.
Holding will help the business create good customer reel other businesses. Gaining information from the any business as it allows a business to understand of the customer. “the study of the processes invoice select, purchase use or dispose of products, seen deeds and desires” (Solomon 1996) The advantage it can improve sales and build customer relation way virgin can reach out to their potential custom developing relationships between the company can be the shareholders, employees or society. Develop good customer relationships the comma identity materials. These could be pens with the business cards and key rings.