Marketing Final Audit.docx



MGMT 350Professor SagoMarketing Audit Produce Barn Marketing AuditTony Bowden, S. Joon Suh, Shaun GuenetteTable of ContentsIntroduction Page 3Management Philosophies Page 4Marketing ObjectivesPage 5Customer Value and SatisfactionPage 6Mission statementPage 7SWOT AnalysisPage 8Competitive AdvantagePage 10Corporate ResponsibilityPage 11Segmentations and Target MarketsPage 12Customer Behaviors and Decisions Page 15Levels of Product Page 16Efforts to Build BrandPage 18Product Line and MixPage 18Outlet ImagePage 19In-Store InfluencesPage 20Inside AtmospherePage 21Sales PersonnelPage 21Purchase and Checkout ProcessPage 23Feasible Pricing VariablesPage 24Promotional EffortsPage29Social MediaPage 30Promotional Decision Process Page 36Budget for Promotion ActivitiesPage 40IntroductionAs students in the MGMT 350 Marketing class at Wheaton College, we were tasked with undertaking the development of a comprehensive marketing audit for our client Produce Barn. Throughout the fall semester many facets of Produce Barn were analyzed then specific recommendations were developed with the hopes of being able to make an immediate positive impact for the company. These areas of analysis included:Business EnvironmentConsumer BehaviorMarketing Strategies and TacticsSegmentation and Target MarketProduct DecisionsPricing StrategiesDistributionPromotionManagement PhilosophiesAs a local store in Norton, Massachusetts Produce Barn aims to provide as many local as well as customers passing by to shop for goods. Regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or political background Produce Barn's top priority is customer satisfaction. To make the environment of the store enjoyable, Produce Barn uses all their resources and materials to create a feel good vibe and comfortable environment to shop in. The mission statement of Produced Barn reads as " The Produce Barn Inc is pleased to announce that we have revised our staff and are now in the process of restocking all hardware, liquor, and grocery items. Our mission is simple. We are committed to providing exceptional customer service, value, and knowledge. It is our goal to earn your complete satisfaction and return business time and again. Your 100% satisfaction and return Business is our reward! If you are not 100% satisfied, please let US know so we may have the opportunity to rectify the situation. If we don't have what you need we will do our best to get it for you. We have access to numerous vendors and will be happy to find what you need." Produce Barn and Liquor Barn, Inc.The marketing concept of Produce Barn is very simple: keep the customers happy. To keep the customers happy they encourage customers to set up free memberships at the store to save money. Whenever a consumer becomes a member of the store they are eligible to receive a 10% deducted rate off of every purchase. Customer value, sales, and production are the biggest focuses of the company. To separate themselves from other local stores, Produce Barn is very customer friendly and goes the extra mile to make the customers happy. This is evident from the many positive customer reviews on their Facebook page.The marketing system and philosophy used is straight-forward, treat their customers with respect and pride. One of the store’s managers, Brett, stated, "Every customer should be treated with respect, class and appreciation. What separates us from other stores is the simple things we do for the customers and how we treat them." Produce Barn stands out from the typical conventional store because of the services they can offer their customers and how they go about offering those services.Marketing ObjectiveProduce Barn has a hardware department, a liquor license, a deli, a mailing center, and they can also copy fax and print, sharpen knives and tools, repair windows and screens and even copy keys. If the store does not have a product a consumer needs it can be ordered at a moment’s notice. Whatever materials are needed for customers the store will provide. Brett, one of the store managers stated "In this business, it’s all about pleasing the customer, and our UPS mailing Center is a proper example of that." We can mail packages for our customers when they need them mailed, we have boxes and mailing equipment that is easily accessible and well only make 30 cents of profit off of the customer but this is convenient for customers so we do it anyways, and it is noticeable how much consumers appreciate that." At Produce Barn the consumers can find products ranging from hardware to produce.Geographically speaking, Produce Barn has had an advantage over other local stores since it was founded. The store is located on Route 140 approximately two miles from the I-495 Mansfield and Norton exits. This route experiences a significant amount of traffic during all times of the year which increases potential customers’ awareness of the store. Another reason that makes Produce Barn successful is the close proximity of the Xfinity Center, a popular concert venue, and TPC Boston, a well-known golf club. The Comcast Center plans to host five concerts in 2015, with a capacity of 17,950 people, a sellout crowd leads to a significant increase in traffic in the Norton area. The biggest event TPC Boston hosts is the Deutsche Bank Championships, which lasts four days, has an annual attendance of over 100,000; another positive externality for increased potential customer recruitment. Concerts and festivals at the Comcast Center and PGA events brings more traffic to the area therefore potentially increasing revenue to the store as well as increasing brand awareness. Utilizing these events allows Produce Barn to advertise, expand, and grow its business. Appearance is extremely important concept that relates to how Produce Barn Marketing functions. The smell of the store makes a difference. The entrance and windows of the store are very appealing to customers. Depending on the Season and time of year, the layout and products in the windows at the front of the store may change. In order to receive more foot traffic the items on the front shelves of the store are almost changed weekly. Candy, water, ice cream, flowers, corn, soda, fire wood, ice, etc, are all common goods at the store that make it more convenient for customers. By all of these basic popular items being placed at the front and center of the store, the store is essentially influencing consumers to buy another item to compliment the original item the consumers may have went to the store intending to buy. Vegetables and Flowers can also be found near the front of Produce Barn as well which is appealing to customers. The appearance, organization, and cleanliness of a store is very important in today's modern world. Factors such as having a fresh smelling store, product placement, internal infrastructure, music, and advertising creates a nice and relaxing atmosphere for the customers. The way customers are treated is what gives Produce Barn a strong reputation. First impressions, appearance, and reputation are central focuses to the Produce Barn establishment. The store and upper management understand how customer value is essential to their businesses’ overall success, as stated in their mission statement.Produce Barn has an active Facebook page, with 1,520 followers, which shows their weekly specials and gives their loyal customers a chance to win a prize. One of their recent contests is the Patriots Challenge, which drew responses from 233 people, gives the customers a chance to win a free gift or meal. Online, it is easy to find the store’s phone number and hours of operations, which further increases the “convenience” aspect of the store, such as the wide variety of products the store has to offer and times of store accessibility.The functionality of the store is to provide customers with quality products for a fair price, which, in return, will increase repeat business. Whether the store maintains customer satisfaction by price matching, ordering parts, or selling goods, the customers will have nothing but a pleasant experience while shopping. Customer Value and SatisfactionProduce Barn enjoys a great amount of customer loyalty. The benefit of being a local store is having frequent repeat customers. These loyal customers are greeted by a first name basis and have moderate personal conversations. A friendly face-to-face interaction with the employees greatly increases the chances of repeat shopping without having to divert more resources to a specific rewards program. There is no solicitation or heavy persuasion of customers, rather a friendly five-minute conversation that draws customers back and makes them loyal. The fact that these customers are able to interact with employees in a more casual way rather than business professional indicates that they want to stay loyal to the store and continue to shop there. While I have not heard of anything negative about Produce Barn, the only reason I could deduce for customers leaving would be the relatively quiet and somewhat intimidating atmosphere. Upon walking through the doors customers will find themselves in what seems to be the hardware section of the store with no employees in sight. Mission StatementThe “mission” of Produce Barn is simple: happy customers means successful business. It has a very clear cut value of customer-orientation as its primary focus. Observing the organizational culture whether it is how the employees present themselves or the employee-customer interactions can see this. I observed how customers walked around with confidence and without hesitation to interact with employees if it’s a simple friendly conversation or asking for assistance. When I spoke with the manager, he greeted me with a smile, asked if there was anything I needed help with, and asked me about myself without getting too personal. I felt welcomed and immediately opened up. Granted, I am an extrovert, I could see how even the most introverted people would open up and feel almost “at home”. Employees had no clear-cut uniform, but they were dressed well, no tattoos were visible, and they always had a calm and pleasant demeanor. There is a possibility of employees wearing a mask and behaving a certain way simply because the shop holds customers with such high esteem, but the general consensus between my group members and I was that they genuinely enjoyed working there and interacting with customers. The employees might not consciously recognize the shop’s customer-orientation core value(s), but I could easily tell that subconsciously they did. Their body language suggested openness to conversing with store employees as well as the simple but powerful “thank you” they left with.After a quick visit to the Produce Barn website, their marketing objective was clear: food. The current plan is not much but it seems to be effective. They advertise the “Deal of The Week” on a large blackboard next to the menu in the store, and on the website it is presented with large letters in an eye-catching red font that absolutely cannot be missed. However, aside from trying to promote its food and occasionally other goods, such as hardware, Produce Barn does not seem to have a plan for moving forward or one that includes marketing variables. It is a good possibility that something is in the works, but as of now nothing is apparent.SWOT AnalysisStrengthsThe overall internal structure of Produce Barn is very structured. There is a clear hierarchy with signs of strong and effective management such as telling employees what needs to be done and when to do it. The strengths can be seen through several aspects of employee and customer satisfaction as well as the products offered at the store. By continuing to build on these positive aspects, Produce Barn will continue to perform at an effective and efficient level. Strengths are as follows:Employee satisfaction; employees seem happy and work like they want to be thereEmployee behavior; the efficiency of employees is a reflection of their positive behaviorManagement structure; a clear hierarchy is in place as well as effective communication throughout the storeCustomer satisfaction; the number of followers and high reviews on the social media page indicate high customer satisfaction as well as a large loyal customer baseFood; food is of high quality at a reasonable priceProduct diversity; a wide range of products is offered providing customers with many options to choose fromLocation; being located along route 140 is beneficial because of the amount of traffic that passes throughWeaknessesContinuing with an analysis of the internal aspects of Produce Barn are the weaknesses. These should be addressed within the company through top-down communication from the managers to the employees as well as careful consideration of improvements that could be made to change the aesthetics of the store as well as marketing tools such as the store website. Addressing these weaknesses will improve the overall functionality of the store and help retain customers as well as recruit potential customers. Weaknesses are as follows:Website is too simple; lacks functionality. People might want to make online orders rather than calling in large ordersFirst impressions of the store; hardware and landscaping are what catches the eye when in reality Produce Barn offers much moreLiquor section; comparatively small to other convenience/grocery storesPhysical appearance; seems out of date Lack of employeesOpportunitiesMoving on to the external aspect of analysis, opportunities are factors with the potential to benefit Produce Barn. Several positive benefits from utilizing these could lead to an increase in brand awareness as well as creating a competitive advantage, ultimately leading to an increase in sales and profit. Opportunities are as follows:Internet and social media; the growing internet and social media presence is leading to an increase in use by many companies. Produce Barn has a website and a couple social media pages but these can be used more frequently to help with things such as market research and customer interactionsGeographic location; the Norton area and surrounding areas is not saturated with buildings and companies. Using the available land to expand will allow Produce Barn to grow significantlyColleges; having colleges in the area increases the customer base significantly. By using specific marketing strategies to target this demographic can make a large impact in the recruitment of potential customersThreatsThreats are where local competitors tend to play a large factor. Recognizing these could save Produce Barn from getting into pricing wars with other stores or prevent them from gaining a competitive advantage that would be detrimental to Produce Barn. Threats are as follows:Surrounding competition; local stores in the area are constantly finding ways to improve in order to gain a competitive advantage. Also, with the emergence of franchises, such as Subway, into the area potential customers could be led away from Produce Barn because of the name associated with a large franchiseCompetitors’ use of social media; other local stores are starting to cater to the large college-student customer base through the use of social media platforms. Produce Barn could lose a significant number of potential customers as a resultCompetitors’ use of delivery service; more specifically for food, the increasing utilization of a delivery system plays a large role in the consumer decision making process. People are increasingly reliant on more convenient methods of shopping so as to save time and petitive AdvantageOur client has a sustainable competitive market because of the variety of goods that are sold within the store: a hardware store, liquor store, produce section along with a deli. The advantage is the idea of a “one stop shop” or simply because they have such a wide range of goods to be offered. With Norton Liquors, which is located less than a mile down the road, they strictly sell alcohol and offer more varieties of beer wine and liquor. Along with the many other liquor stores that are only minutes away. The Prices of the products all seem to be about the same since both businesses order most of their alcohol from the same distributor. Each is paying about the same price for the products. Since Produce Barn is more than a liquor store and has other areas of gaining profit, they are able to offer lower prices but not by much. Although our client does have a hardware store, the options or variety may not compare to Aubuchon Hardware, which is strictly a hardware store. But Aubuchon does not offer more than hardware items. Since Produce Barn is a family run company and not a large company that can be found all over New England, they will be able to fluctuate the prices as needed. Where Aubuchon Hardware would have a harder time doing so. The main advantage comes when people only want to make one stop for all of their needs. If a customer needs to get alcohol, hardware supplies and groceries, our clients store would be ideal to go to because its all under one roof.RecommendationWatch competitors pricing= By continuing to look into Norton Liquors and Aubuchon Hardwares pricing, Produce will be able to maintain its competitive advantageMaintain Products= Offering the variety of goods that Produce Barn does, is what gives them such the advantage that they have. If the store did not offer produce, meat, liquor and have a hardware section, the advantage would decrease greatly.Corporate ResponsibilityOur company continues to offer quality goods and maintain their high customer satisfaction by providing low or equal prices compared to competitors and high levels of customer service. Since locals are the main customers of the store, our client could, but currently does not, offer fundraising opportunities for some local sports teams from the college, high school, middle school or other local organizations. By supporting local organizations, this would lead to more traffic in the store and lead to increasing sales by getting people who are associated with these organizations to shop there. Another way to do this could be donating a % of the sales to a group, could drive up sales and get more people into the store to see all that is offered. By getting the name out there and showing support for the local people, it is a way of advertising; get more people talking about the store and all that. Continuing to offer fair prices that are comparable to the prices at the surrounding stores of which our client competes with. Produce Barn strives on providing the highest of customer service to all customers. Recommendation:Support more local organizations= show that business cares about the local community, increase the way that the locals, your customers, see the business.Donate Proceeds to organization= 1 night a week, 5% of deli sales go to an organization. This would increase traffic on that one day. Example: Norton Pop Warner Football is currently supported by our client. By designating a time to offer this donation of sales, traffic in the store would increase with parents and other people associated with Pop Warner Football. Although a percentage is being donated, more sales are expected to occur. Segmentation and target marketsOur businesses target market is focused around all the people of Norton and Wheaton College students. Once the school year comes around, another 1,400 people are potential customers and this needs to be used as an advantage. Although Wheaton students are considered to be in the primary target market, more of a focus should be place on getting more students into Produce Barn. Another way that the primary target market could be broken down would be by identifying people looking for produce as their primary market. Since our clients name is Produce Barn, our customers initial thought would be produce and they are also well known for their deli. The secondary market consists of people that drive past the store daily on their commute to work or school. And a small portion of the Wheaton community. The secondary target market could also be focused on people looking for liquor or hardware supplies. Since neither is apart of the name of our client, this could be considered their secondary market. More Wheaton students need to become more familiar with the store, although the hardware section is not really needed to them, there is also the chance that a purchase may need to happen. Mostly in the produce and liquor section is where the Wheaton students can have an effect. Being 1 mile down the road from a college is a great location, the opportunity is right there, it just needs to be captured. Our clients current positioning in the market involves recognizing problems that arise and being able to adapt to make the needed changes. One activity that our client currently does to maintain their positioning is by matching the prices of their competitors. Another way this is done is by ordering products that are not available in the store. This makes the store more versatile because it will prevent customers to going to another store for their needed product. By ordering what the customers need shows quality service that the customers will remember. A way to get more Wheaton students through the doors of Produce Barn may be to focus more on Facebook and their promotional efforts. The website and Facebook both are customer friendly in a sense that they both give hours, prices, and current deals being offered. RecommendationsFocus more on getting Wheaton Students into primary target marketMacro uncontrollable environment - SWOT portion-Demographics- Norton is a small town with a tight knit community and is also a college town. Along with the current locals that are regulars at the store, attracting more college students during the school would help our client out. Once all of the students are back in town, that’s 1400 more potential clients coming through the door.-Technology- Is our client active on the Internet? This is key because so many people are on the Internet or social media all of the time. When someone needs to look something up, they go to the Internet. Our client has a website where they post deals and prices. They also have a Facebook where they offer weekly challenges for prizes. By winning the challenges people must go to the store and they can receive money to the store or a product. This is an effective way of making people aware of Produce Barn and into the store. Improving social media sites in general will make the sites more effective. This is discussed later in social media section. -Competition- Are there other small family run local stores in Norton that our client competes with, if so what do they offer that Produce Barn does not. Norton Liquors, Aubuchon Hardware, Roche Bros are all competitors of Produce Barn, but they all offer different products, none of the competitors offer as wide of a range of products as our client. Although Roche Bros is a supermarket, they do not have a hardware section. -Suppliers/Distributors- Does our client have the access to all of their needs, do they get the needed goods on time and at a good price. A way to get more customers through the door could be by offering local produce from farms. A local business supporting another local business. This could be a good way to make ties with other small companies like our client.Purchase situationIn the case that a customer needs a product from the liquor, deli, produce or hardware section, or even just 2 of the 4 sections. If customers are looking for a variety of things, Produce Barn offers one stop shopping. Since our client is located on a busy road, people may be driving by after work and need to pick up some groceries and some liquor. If people begin to hear more about Produce Barn they might stop in to see what the store has to offer. Just getting people into the store is a great place to start because they are now aware of the variety of products that are offered. Consumer Internal Behaviors-Social class – Do they have the money to afford it vs a super market. Since the store is a small family run business, prices are not as flexible as they are at big supermarkets. This is a potential area that could hurt Produce Barn if customers are looking for lower prices. But could also help our client if they keep their prices, it shows consistency and that our client is not simply trying to get as much money customers purchases. This factor can also help when looking into loyal customers because price will not affect where they shop. -Reference groups – The more people talk about the store, and all that can be purchased there will result in more people talking about the store. Word spreads fast in a small town and on a college campus, especially if the service and quality is high. Keeping negative comments to a minimum, since people are more apt to tell more people about their experience than about a positive experience. Since reference groups are powerful it is very important to keep all customers satisfied. -Family life cycle/marital status/lifestyle- All of these variables can be tied in together when analyzing consumer behavior strategies. What point is a person at in the family life cycle, are they married or single, do they have kids. People in the workforce may drive by and need to pick something up for dinner or pick up some tools and equipment for an at home project. Families are more apt to go to a grocery store and buy in bulk whereas people that are single or married but have no kids can shop on a smaller scale. What are our customers’ lifestyles? Some customers may believe in supporting your local business instead of larger corporations, this factor would lead more customers to Produce Barn because they are a small family run business.Consumer DecisionsCustomers displaying routine behavior within our clients store are the people that know what Produce Barn is about, local people that are in the frequently. When something is needed that our client offers, they will go there without having to do research about it. Since our client’s store is split into 3 sections, maybe some people have never been out back to the Deli or never been over to the hardware store. These are our customers displaying limited decision-making. If they have only been into a portion of the store, they may need to do some research to see what else is offered within the store. Extensive decision-making could be done for any portion of the store, alcohol, deli, meats and items in the hardware section; none of the items in the store are of high cost. Prices between our client and the surrounding stores, which they compete with, are relatively similar since our client aims to match the prices of other stores.By making more people aware of what our clients store has to offer, more people are likely to go for their wants and needs. When someone needs meat of alcohol, Produce Barn should be the first place that comes to mind. Advertising the variety that is offered within our client’s store can get more people into the store and have Produce Barn be their first option instead of driving by and going to Norton Liquors or Roche Bros. People that are from other towns are also willing to make the drive to the store because of the quality and service that the store has to offerPost Purchase BehaviorHow our customer responds to the purchase, are the products provided by our client of a high quality? If so this will lead to positive post purchase behavior and people will begin or continue to talk about the service they received. Such comments and reviews can be found on their Facebook page or website. Most of the people walking through the door have been into the store before and know what to expect. But the new customers do not know what our clients business is all about, being a small family run business. If someone does have a problem with a product that was purchased or the service they received, our client is open to criticism, which can help them recognize and make changes. Without receiving such comments, Produce Barn would not be able to make the needed changes and could lead to losing some customers if nothing is changed. Levels of ProductThe core products Produce Barn offers to its customers consists of a wide range of quality products as well as high customer service. The core values are present in the sense that a customer can shop and buy all their goods with ease, proving to be very beneficial. The hours of operation are Monday – Saturday from 8am - 8pm and on Sunday from 8am - 5pm which further enhances the convenience aspect of the store. Customers can go to Produce Barn during the hours of operation and pick up the goods that are needed and, in addition, call the hardware store and have them order parts if the desired parts are not in stock. By providing such warranties, customers will be satisfied with the service that they receive therefore also increasing the chances of repeat business. At Produce Barn there are many actual products for customers to physically purchase, ranging from produce and alcohol to hardware supplies. Food is also offered at reasonable prices, which many customers find attractive. Produce Barn also offers the items it sells based on a seasonal scale which brings their store more sales. Depending on the season the store offers selected goods out front. Recently the store just started putting out salt buckets for ice, ice scrapers for cars, shovels, and snow blowers in the hardware section. In the hardware section tons of hardware tools and pieces are available for the consumers. Earlier this year wheelbarrows and mulch are two prime products that can be used as examples. All landscapers usually need a wheelbarrow or trailer in order to actually perform the task of landscaping. The hardware department sells products such as screws, bolts, pipes, shovels and power tools. While the convenience store sells anything from gum, headphones, deodorant to snacks, sandwiches and beverages. Actual items that are popular amongst society are probably the best sellers for Produce Barn so it is important the store is always updating their shelves with innovative and easy to sell products. All of these are actual products that people often have to purchase. In their hardware store consumers receive warranties on products while also getting signed receipts from store employees that indicates when each consumer purchased a product. Most of the power tools and expensive products have warranties that come along with them and instructions so that the consumer can use them appropriately. If any consumers purchase a large quantity or surplus amount of meat from the Deli that has spoiled, the store will replace it free of charge. Food quality and management of the whole food and deli section is important to the store. Customer satisfaction and profits are their number one goal because they know the importance these two values play in a company’s sustainability. In doing so, Produce Barn holds all their manufacturers such as Milwaukee and Black and Decker responsible to their companies’ standards in the hardware store, just as the butchers do to their food in the Deli. If a customer purchases a product from Produce Barn that fails, Produce Barn will send it back and reimburse the customer if appropriate. Also, as an added bonus, members of the store receive a 20% discount on selected holidays and when specials are running.The adult beverage section also advertises a variety of brands with special offers on “sodas and waters” in the front windows of their store. The convenience store also has name brand gummies, candies, and snacks as well as hygiene products, also name brands such as Crest and Colgate, for example. The hardware section also sells name brand products such as Black and Decker, STIHL and John Deere products. These are very reputable names and, piping, building, and demolition jobs. All of these are all very reputable brands and reliable brands, which can help increase Produce Barn’s own brand awareness through customer recognition and the popularity of these products.Client’s Efforts to Build Their Brand Being a small family owned business in a small town, it is highly unlikely that customers will become aware of Produce Barn through radio or TV advertisements. The way Produce Barn promotes their business is through word of mouth and supporting local organizations. The use of social media to inform customers about current deals is another tactic that works well in a small town atmosphere. By continuing to provide quality service, to those who frequent the store, it is assumed that talk of the good service will spread and bring more clientele into the store.Produce Barn does not have any major advertisements on TV or radio rather smaller ones through the use of their website and social media platforms, therefore increased pressure is put on customer satisfaction. Quality customer service will result in increasing the store’s awareness throughout Norton, specifically through word-of-mouth from customers. This can be effective but in turn could hurt the company if a customer were ever to have a bad experience at the store. Recommendations to Build BrandSupport and/or sponsor (more) local organizations (i.e.: Norton Pop Warner, Norton High School sports); help promote store as well as benefit local organizations throughout NortonDonate a percentage of profits during specific time period to an organization; increase in number of purchases due to lower prices. Example: Every Tuesday night, 5% of all meat sales will go to an organizationClient’s product line and product mix Produce Barn has much to offer to customers in each of the 3 sections of the store. Their product line is divided up into 3 major sections: 1) hardware, 2) produce/food, and 3) alcohol.-Hardware: nails, screws, piping, wheelbarrows, shovels, hoses, sinks, a wide range of tools, lawn care, brooms, paint, plumbing needs etc.-Produce/Household Items: Deli meats, vegetables, fruits, pots/pans, bread, chips/snacks, soda, sports drinks, cleaning solutions, pet food, pasta/sauce, spices-Alcohol: Beer, wine, rum, vodka etc. and if enough people ask for a certain alcohol that is not available it can be ordered from the distributor.The name of the store, Produce Barn, unfortunately misleads new customers to believe the produce section is larger than it truly is. Increasing the size of the produce section could provide a wider array of produce making the name fit better with what the store truly has to offer. A more large-scale recommendation would be to find a way to make the whole produce/food section larger and the hardware section smaller. Upon observation, customers had a greater tendency to purchase products from the produce section. Also cleaning up all of the clutter in the hardware section would make it more appealing and presentable.Recommendations for Product line and MixIncrease size and products offered in the produce section; increased quantity and variety of products will lead to an increase in sales because more options are available to customersIncrease size of the middle (produce section) and potentially decrease size of hardware store; creates more of an equilibrium and places emphasis on all facets of store rather than just hardware sectionClient Image As customers drive by, the Produce Barn sign can clearly be seen during the day and at night. The sign outside provides daily/weekly deals and specials, which of course change week to week. Along the side of the sign is another smaller one that always says “Propane.” Surrounding the building on both sides are two homes and directly in front of the store is a high traffic street. The left side of the parking lot has wheelbarrows which line the front of the hardware section. On the liquor store side there are signs in the window detailing the deals and various alcoholic beverages that side of the store has to offer. The store also sells firewood and wood pellets. The signs outside are effectively placed because any car that drives past the store can easily view each of them. The image of the store outside is also changed to match the seasons and various holidays throughout the year. For example, around the time of Halloween scarecrows and pumpkins as well as decorative planters are scattered around the few entrances. The placement of the wheelbarrows outside the hardware section of the store are well placed because just by driving by the store it is clear to see that there is potential to have all hardware needs met. Being on such a busy street is both positive and negative for the business. This is positive because many people drive by on a daily basis either going to or from work since the street leads to many businesses and the highways to get there. It is negative because the street is so busy at certain times, customers may decide to go to another store that is in a more accessible location. Attempting to turn left out of Produce Barn at rush hour could result in a couple minutes of waiting. However, because this is such a high traffic area there is a little to do to avoid this negative issue. The atmosphere inside the store is exactly what the signs and decorations outside present; small, locally/family owned with an old country feel. The displays are not modern by any means and the decorations inside do not distract from the products inside. In-store influencesWhen walking into the store, signage can be seen all over the front windows. Depending on which side customers park, ads for beer, hard liquor, wine or adds to drop off mail and other packages can be seen. Even though the profit is only around 30 cents for packages or mail that can be sent out, this makes the Produce Barn that much more convenient and adds to the services that are already offered.The signage on the front of the store in the windows is a bit overwhelming to look at because there are so many different signs promoting different things. No matter what door you walk in,each of the three sections can be accessed with just a few steps either way. This is effective because time can be used efficiently without having to wander through each section just to find the product in the section you need. Also effective, for example, are the pop-up displays of wine in the produce/deli section. This is effective because it involves taking a product from another department and making a display to draw customers to the other departments. However, the only displays like this were the wine displays. An effective boost for business may be to make more than just wine pop-up displays.Recommendations for In-store InfluencesSigns in every isle telling customer what is in each separate isle; helps customers more easily locate productsRemove some signs from windows; too much clutter Inside AtmosphereImmediately upon entering the store a certain smell and feel arises. Typically the store plays music like country or oldies hits low to add to the customer experience. This music combined with the smell of the fresh produce and hardware offerings only adds to the small town friendly home feeling. The sales personnel are very friendly and they also add to the relaxed atmosphere with their laid back jeans and t-shirt style. It’s a very welcoming feeling that makes going back an easy thing to do.The feel of the store is almost enough to take away from the smell which is pleasant from the produce perspective, but the hardware smell leaves little to please especially when paired with the produce smell. Recommendation for Inside AtmosphereChange the smell of the store; hardware smell is overwhelming Sales PersonnelProduce Barn’s sales personnel need significant improvement in their abilities to assist and offer shopping advice. Employees are friendly but do not make a clear effort to interact with customers, simply smiling without any small talk. The sales personnel as a whole are very efficient and work well together. Employees understand their roles, complete them well, and do so in a very efficient manner. Customer service is good but could be improved. Again, the lack of social interaction leaves customers lingering when they could be helped and locate their needs sooner. This is a threat to retaining repeat customers. Produce Barn also lacks in staff numbers; there are only a few present at any given time. In the event of an influx of customers, the staff will be overwhelmed and efficiency would likely decrease. Employees are also hard to find, which, in the event a customer needs assistance, is a problem.Recommendations For Sales PersonnelIncrease customer interaction; leads to increased customer satisfaction as a result of more “welcoming” feelingIncrease store presence; absence leaves new customers a little helplessIncrease number of staff numbers; assists with improving store presenceOther Variables Related to Shopping Experience and Finding ProductsThe first and most noticeable aspect of Produce Barn is the smell of hardware. The scent of metal carries over to the deli and produce section, which significantly impacts the psychological shopping thought process of customers. People are less inclined to purchase a sandwich because of the metal smell that carries over. Also, hardware appears to take a priority in terms of marketing although the store places high value in its produce and deli products. There are more signs for hardware products and the hardware products take up the majority of available space within the store.The structure of Produce Barn is impressive. All facets of the store are clearly marked off without the use of signs because there are doors that lead to each section of the store rather than it being one large and open space. Customers who frequently shop at or have moderate knowledge of the store will be able to navigate throughout the store without much difficulty. The layout of each ‘department’ is very concise and products are placed strategically well. The produce section is well maintained, the hardware has clear sections for small, medium, and large goods, and the alcohol section groups different goods according to the type of alcohol (ie: beer section, wine section, liquor section, etc.).The product mix is also very well managed according to goods that complement each other. Pasta is placed together with tomato sauce, cleaning products with “messy” products such as grills and grill supplies, and wine has an assortment of cheese, to name a few. These strategies of product grouping and structured section layouts will not only make purchase decisions easier for customers but also greatly increase the likelihood of customers buying additional products as a result of subconscious wants.Continuing the observation of the lack of employee-customer interactions, it has been noted that employees do not smile when they do interact with customers. This lack of a simple nonverbal cue leads to intimidation and loss of repeat business. Absence of small, but important, aspects such as body language, nonverbal interaction, and lack of staffing will result in the loss of potential customers through word of mouth from customers who experience this subpar shopping experience.The deli section is one of the highlights of Produce Barn because that is where the majority of customers gravitate and employee presence in that particular section is high. However, the store would benefit from an improved menu sign and the sales personnel would do well to suggest their favorites or flavors that pair well together. This would be of significant help for first-time customers.Recommendations for Other VariablesDevelop a system to contain hardware smell; keep smell of hardware in its section and not leaking over into other sectionsInclude clear menu for sandwiches/subs; sign for meats is provided, but new customers might not know what sandwich options arePurchase/Checkout ProcessThe checkout process at Produce Barn is very similar to other stores: A customer goes in, finds the product they want, then takes it to the register where the transaction happens. The employees working at checkout do their job well and very efficiently. Employees know the price of products without a barcode in the store very well thus expediting the checkout process.Recommendation for Purchase/Checkout ProcessClear pathway to checkout line; minor obstructions in way that could cause congestion in busy periods of dayOther Store-Related Variables Related to Consumer Satisfaction/RetentionProduce Barn, although small in size, enjoys good customer satisfaction and retention, but has the potential to improve these things and further grow its business. The quality of products in each section of the store is very good with the price being reasonably low and, in some ways, creating a competitive advantage over other stores. The produce section contains all fresh products and the store in general has a very diverse product mix. These two aspects alone provide customers with the feeling of providing them with nothing but the best, and inevitably resulting in high satisfaction as well as repeat business. Produce Barn is also located on Route 140 which sees a lot of traffic. People traveling to or from places such as Mansfield and Attleboro frequently pass Produce Barn which greatly increases the customer base as well as maintaining customer retention through the convenience of its location.Recommendations for Other Store-Related VariablesPlace Produce Barn signs along roads with high traffic; increases recruitment of potential customersPricingPricing Influencing Variables (Feasible Prices Model)In order to analyze how well our client sets their prices, we will use the Feasible Prices Model to see what variables have the strongest influence on the final price. By looking at each of the 7 variables, a clear look at what opportunities and influences Produce Barn were related to the future of their prices and maintaining a competitive business. Produce Barn’s current pricing objective is a status quo, meaning that our client aims to match their competitor’s prices or to maintain their current prices. A company with rising and falling prices displays instability and inconsistency. By keeping prices consistent it shows customers that the business is running well and is stable. Using status quo pricing carries along some strengths and weaknesses. A strong positive aspect of this is that offering prices the same as competition will keep the loyal customers around but causes potential customers to make a decision as to where to shop. A weakness that arises is that this puts a lot of pressure on other aspects of running a business such as high customer service and quality products. Maintaining prices could also add a negative effect is another competitor reduces the cost of a certain product that our client is not able to do because of cost or low inventory. Again, brand preference will be the deciding factor as to whether or not customers shop at another store. The first variable is the nature of demand, which is determined by the amount of interest that customers have towards a certain product; high demand can lead to high prices while low demand leads to lower prices. Since Produce Barn offers so much to their customers, there are certain products that are more popular than others, which leads to differing prices. By focusing on products that do not seem to sell very much, displays come into play. By making eye-catching or informative displays, customers can become more exposed to these less popular products. Rising prices cause customers to ask questions and ultimately seek the products they desire at other stores and businesses.Next is the level of product differentiation that can be found within Produce Barn. By setting higher prices, there must be a reason for the higher price, and that reason has to be in the interest of the customer. Produce Barn promotes their high quality meat, an area where the prices could be higher than Roche Bros, or other large grocery stores. In the liquor section, there is not much differentiation; a Bud Light in Produce Barn is the same thing from the Norton Liquors store down the street. The same goes for nails or screws in the hardware section. These products are not going to be different than those at Aubuchon Hardware, located only a few miles away. Being able to pinpoint reasons for price differentiation helps the customers recognize the quality of the products they are purchasing.Produce Barn’s main pricing variable that is used when setting their product prices is their competitor’s prices. Since it is a small family-run business, setting the lowest prices in town would simply put them out of business because profit would be so small. Matching the prices of the competition is ideal and is, in fact, their current method of pricing. Produce Barn’s goal is to offer the best prices they can for their customers in order to ensure repeat business. Some products’ prices could rise or drop anytime due to the changes in competition. This could be an advantage for Produce Barn in some instances; if competition raises prices but for some reason our client does not have to, this puts them at an advantage. This works to the opposite effect as well if competitors are able to drop prices but our client is unable to.Price of substitutes is another variable that comes into play when setting prices and is based upon two closely related products, such as Coke and Pepsi. By keeping the prices of such substitutes offered in the store at similar prices, customers that favor either one will know that the prices will be consistent. If our client favors a certain brand that they offer, and clearly prices them at a lower price, this could attract or push away customers. Staying consistent across all brands is a sure way to keep the customers happy and coming back for more.The cost of the product when our client orders it from their supplier is a key price influencing variable because it will affect how high or low Produce Barn can offer their prices once these products are placed on the shelves. If one supplier begins raising prices for some reason then a new supplier should be used in order to maintain their prices. The upside to this is that most businesses get their supplies from the same distributor because Norton is a small town; there are not many options for businesses in Norton to get their supplies from so it is likely that if a competitor is changing prices, Produce Barn will also need to change their prices and customers would be seeing the same changes all across the board.Macro-uncontrollable variables are another set of factors that contribute to the pricing of products. The variables are: social, technology, demographics, economy, government/legal, and competition. These uncontrollable variables are not all used by Produce Barn. Knowing the demographics and competition are arguably the two biggest factors. Demographics is especially important because that is where the target market is found, and competition because that is where our client looks when setting prices. Other variables are: suppliers/distributors, independent media and natural environment. Some big grocery stores will mark up prices if there is a possibility of inclement weather because people will most likely be stocking up on food before the storm passes through. Our client does not implement such strategies; their pricing is consistent and never unfair for the customer.The last variable is the pricing objective of the company, which is determined by what our client wants in return from the prices they set. These objectives include; higher sales (profit based), increased market share, more profit or maintaining their current position, which is known as status quo. Each of these objectives will result in different prices by our client. Using a profit based objective will lead to higher prices because product prices will be marked up in order to make the maximum profit that is attainable. If increasing their market share is the focus, prices would be lowered so that more consumers will buy their product. Also, status quo price setting maintains the prices their competition sets their products at ,or even a little higher or lower depending on the situation, but ultimately the prices are relatively the same.Results From AnalysisProduce Barn has been matching their competitor’s prices for years and they have been very successful in doing so. By offering quality products at reasonable prices, they have gained a large base of loyal returning customers over the years. Although our client does not have the lowest prices, they do not have any unreasonably high prices for products that are not proportionally equivalent in quality. By continuing to implement fair and reasonable prices, compared to competitors, alongside occasional deals and generally high quality service, Produce Barn’s business will continue to thrive.Our client should consider incorporating nature of demand into their price setting process in such a way that if a product is not producing many sales then a display should be made for the product. This display should also be accompanied with a sale of some sort to help move the product. Product differentiation could be utilized for the pricing of the meats sold in the deli section. Since Produce Barn offers such high quality deli products, setting a higher price could have a negative effect on sales if customers do not see the price increase as necessary. Customers need to be able to feel that what they are paying for is truly worth the cost they are paying. Finding the right price may take some time; if the price is set too high then customers may be inclined to go somewhere else for the product they desire. Most people that stop in at Produce Barn looking specifically for meats, go there because they know what is offered and price is not a factor for them. The quality outweighs whatever price changes the products may face. By continuing to match the prices of the competition and offering the customer the type of products they want at the right prices, customers will continue to remain loyal. Since Produce Barn has high customer loyalty, a small rise in prices will not push away many, if any customers at all.Recommendations - Pricing VariablesPOP displays of items that are not selling, offer sale (nature of demand)If there are products with low sales or items are out of season, make a display or ask distributor for a display to properly promote the product. Clearly show what the deal is, include money that could be saved by making the purchase. Meat prices can potentially be higher since the quality of the product is higher and well known (product differentiation)Use the quality of meat as an advantage, mark-up the prices a little bit and see how customers react. Make sure the increase is not too large. Too high of a price and customers will shop at other stores. Continue matching prices and providing quality products with consistent prices.Pricing Strategies Currently EmployedThe current strategies that are employed by our client consists of maintaining and increasing/reducing the price when necessary, which goes along with their status quo pricing objective. Sometimes when competitors’ prices are moving up or down our client will keep their prices where they are. In terms of pricing tactics, Produce Barn offers discounts on some products. Reasons for a discount can range from inventory surplus to the product being seasonal and approaching the end of the season. They also offer discounts for Wheaton students when purchasing deli sandwiches. Although the discount is not much, many students learn about it, try it and then tell their friends about it.Recommendations - Pricing TacticsBy utilizing some of the following pricing tactics, our client will be more attractive to their current and potential customers. The tactics are: Providing couponsCoupons are always a good way of getting people into the store. Even a small coupon with a discount or some sort of BOGO deal on it can be a way of getting more people through the door. Such coupons could be offered online on their social media sites or directly in the store.Seasonal discountsSeasonal discounts could be used for products that are out of season; since they are not desired by customers at that time, offering a discount will make the product more appealing.Does not have to be a large discount, just enough to catch the eye of the customer Bundling cost. With this, customers could make purchases for a handful of goods within the different sections of the store.Bundling in this way would promote customers to make purchases from each of the store sections. This would be an effective way of using the store’s unique structure to their advantage. Produce Barn offers a wide range of options in each store section which will help customers take advantage of all the options available.Current Promotional EffortsProduce Barn has few promotional efforts. If there are more than are initially seen at first, it is not structured in a manner that catches the attention of many people. The front sign for the store is most noticeable since the store itself is relatively hidden. There are also multiple signs hanging at the front of the store with mixed messages ranging from what is provided or what the current sale of a product is. These signs, however, are predominantly promoting hardware goods which raises the concern of miscommunication at the basic level between potential customers and the store. Social media is also being utilized to promote Produce Barn. Despite predominantly using only one social media platform (Facebook, the other being Twitter), activity is high enough where potential customers can catch a glimpse of Produce Barn while current customers can participate in promotional events the store has to offer, such as giveaways. The final component to the promotional aspect is Produce Barn’s website. This website is very well structured with clear outlines on the products, address, hours of operation, and sales or “deals of the week”. That being said, the promotional side of our client lacks much needed attention. Many college students fail to notice Produce Barn as being multifaceted rather than just selling hardware and landscaping equipment.Social Media Objectives Produce Barn currently utilizes a Facebook account, an Instagram account and a Twitter page, although all three sites could be used much more efficiently. Produce Barn also has a website of their own which offers hours of operations, prices along with deals, and represents the company perfectly. In this paper there will be suggestions on ways of improving the websites through the use of new social media tools. In using these tools, the client will reap the benefits of social media and over time, these objectives will in turn, increase brand awareness, brand engagement and potentially lead to more talk around town about the client. The main objectives for these three social media accounts include:· Listen and Learn· Build Relationship· Increase Awareness· Promote Products and ServicesThe first objective for the client’s social media improvements includes Listen and Learn. The point of this objective is to observe what customers today are saying about the store. Whether or not it is good or bad, our client should be recognizing and acknowledging the many things their customers are saying. If a customer has something negative to say, it should be addressed and appropriately responded to by whoever is managing the social media accounts. Using the social media accounts to address what the clients are saying goes both ways, so when something good is being said, these comments may be addressed as well. In general, comments and concerns on the social media accounts give the client some insight into what they’re doing well. Because word of mouth is such a strong factor in social media, what people are posting on these three sites can affect the business in both positive and negative ways.Using what current customers have to say about their trip to Produce Barn goes hand in hand with the next objective; building Relationships and Awareness. This main objective is aimed towards potential customers that are not already aware of what Produce Barn has to offer to its customers, engage with the all customers and build relationships while also answering any questions these customers might have in a timely manner. This can only be effective if our client is quick to respond to its customers. Taking too long to respond can be costly to the company because the customer may take their business to another store for their services. Checking the social media sites somewhere around 1-3 times a day would definitely be effective. Building strong relationships with local customers will open up the doors for these customers to return with their business repeatedly. Since Norton is such a small town, many of the people that walk through the doors are regulars or are recognized by the store employees. Something that was noted when visiting the store is the local support that Produce Barn displays. On the checkout counters, there is a small donation can for the Norton Pop Warner football teams. This relationship could be further advertised by mentioning it on the Produce Barn Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter. A potential advantage to mentioning this on their social media pages would also allow room for more local support. The organization that is being promoted could also see more customer traffic in their store or more interest to their organization.The last objective for our client’s social media improvements is to Promote the Products and Services they’re able to offer. By showing pictures and briefly talking about the products and services that are offered, potential customers could see what they were in for. Some potential customers may be unsure if Produce Barn has exactly what they are looking for. By updating the social media outlets, people could simply type in what they’re looking for and save themselves the trouble of traveling and not finding it, or save themselves the trouble of traveling to another store. By increasing the amount of posts on their social media websites, Produce Barn will increase the amount facetime their company has.Recommended Social Media As stated before, Produce Barn operates three different social media accounts; Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The two main social media tools that will be looked at more in depth will be Facebook and Twitter. Although the target audience is Norton and its surrounding towns, Facebook has the most users worldwide and is very popular especially on college campuses. Facebook also covers all age ranges, from teens to grandparents while Instagram and Twitter both lean more towards people in their late teens up through late twenties. The Twitter account that Produce Barn operates needs some work. The limited posts that are on there now are small and do not relate to the services Produce Barn has to offer at all. Although the Instagram is not part of this report, many of the suggestions can still be applied to the site. By making improvements to these sites, Produce Barn will be able to build up its brand awareness and get people talking more about their business.Measuring the Social Media ProgramWithout measuring certain aspects of the social media accounts our client would have nothing to base their current and future activity on. In order to measure the effectiveness and return on investment, we look past the profit aspect and look more towards the increases or decreases in the following categories:BuzzInterestParticipationWebSite MetricsMeasuring the variables above will be done by observing before any changes are made to the social media sites and then every month, the measurements can be done again. Increases and decreases will be able to show how effective the changes truly are. Without measuring, the effect of such activity will not be able to be known. Another way of measuring could be based on rising profits from sales and increased traffic in the store. Measuring Buzz is based solely on the posts that talk about our client, Produce Barn; these posts range anywhere from pre purchase of a product to post purchase of a product or something as simple as a customer commenting on a memorable visit to the store. Some people may make suggestions about products or services offered and how our client handles these comments can be crucial to how the customers view the business. If people are making multiple suggestions or comments that go unanswered by the business, the customer may begin to build negative ideas and feelings.Interest can be measured by a number of different things: number of likes on a post, number of fans/followers/friends and how each of those categories grows over time. Measuring this and comparing it to past months or past posts can help our client see if what they are posting on the social media sites is actually drawing attention, and within that, whether or not the attention is positive or negative. Participation is measured by the number of comments both made by the business and by customers talking about the business. This also includes number of pageviews, retweets on Twitter and reposts on Facebook. This measure is similar to interest but it is different because it is a person making specific comments about their individualized trips or about a product that they were pleased or displeased with. This increases awareness of the business along with increasing the word of mouth. Friends of the people making these individualized posts will see the posts about Produce Barn on their news feed.Lastly, measuring the Website Metrics provides our client with the number of times someone goes onto the social media sites. In other words, how much traffic the sites are seeing. This could be measured in many ways. How many times a day people visit the website, what days of the week the website sees the most traffic, what type of clientele is part of the traffic viewing the site. All of these things can help to improve further website changes.Produce Barn will be able to take all of these different ways to measure how effective social media sites and utilize this information to overhaul their current sites to make significant and simple improvements. This is an easy fix because current customers will benefit just as much as potential customers. Regulars can visit these social media websites and improve their already working relationships and potential customers can start off on the right foot. Some people may never even look at any of our client’s social media websites; maybe they just go to the Produce Barn website directly for the necessary information. Knowing this is also helpful, it could lead to our client improving their personal website if it is revealed that site gets the most clientele traffic. Once some data is collected on the measurements of their three social media sites, our client can make comparisons to other small town family run companies like their own and see how they size up. Looking at the competition could also spark some ideas of new ways to get more people involved on their social media.Managing the Social Media Feedback Loop1. Monitor the conversation- By keeping up with the social media accounts, clear contributors will become apparent along with any positive or negative problems that people mention. Addressing all comments that require a response is very important. The customers need to feel heard. Also by monitoring the conversation about the company, there is potential feedback that could be received immediately is someone makes a specific post about Produce Barn and their services.2. Identify influential individuals- People who are constantly commenting, liking, tweeting or retweeting the most frequently are the people who should be considered influential. Some of these people could have negative comments that should be addressed as soon as possible. Even though the messages are negative they greatly affect how people see the business since word of mouth is such an influential action.3. Identify the factors shared by influential individuals- Find out what made these people interested in the business. Ask what they like and dislike about the current social media accounts. By asking these influential individuals, this could lead to asking those specific customers if they have recommendations for Produce Barn. See what these people are saying about the business to their family and friends.4. Locate the potential influencers who have relevant interest- Narrow down the influential customers that are interested in growing the brand, these will be the people are continuously making positive comments and even recommendations to go to Produce Barn. To increase the brand engagement, message the people that have been the most active on the social media sites and get to know them. Talking to the customers on more personal level now, get to know the customers that are interesting in growing the business.5. Recruit these influencers- Once the influential customers have been identified and talked to in a friendlier manner, See if they are willing to continue promoting your company and became brand ambassadors for Produce Barn. Provide some incentives for these customers since they provide positive word of mouth towards the company.6. Incentivize the influencers to spread positive word of mouth- Offer some sort of loyalty program for customers that are constantly giving positive messages about the company, give them a reason to continue to do what they are doing. The program could include certain deals on specific days of the week. It could also be something as simple as 5% the total cost. The options for incentivizing the ambassadors of the company could vary widely and would be specific to what Produce Barn can offer.Plan for Building Consumer Social Media Involvement In order to get attention our client needs to be very active on social media, posts need to be made about products, services, deals, discounts. One way to get more involvement is to make post that involve the customers, games that require people to make guesses and whoever wins receives a gift card or some sort of prize from the store. Currently, produce Barn makes post before all of the Patriots games where customers guess the total number of points that will occur in the game and who’s going to win. This should be done on both Facebook and Twitter to try to attract a more broad range of people. Providing links on the Facebook post to their Twitter account can increase the amount of activity on the Twitter account and vice versa. If customers aren’t aware that our client has a Twitter or Instagram, this will help make people more aware of all of the social media sites that Produce Barn has to offer. Another way to engage more customers would be to ask a random question or ask for customers to post a picture of a meal they created from products from Produce Barn, with the most creative or interesting one wins a prize.Recommendations (Advertising/Promotional Process Decision)As remedies or additions to assist with promotion, recommendations are as listed based off of the Advertising/Promotional Process Decision:ObjectiveShift some focus towards Brand Awareness, in more than just a few demographic areas. Wheaton students constantly drive on Route 140 but do not often stop at Produce Barn. This is a large customer base that is not being taken advantage of, but could provide very useful and steady business.Target Market(s)Once again, recruiting college students as customers will significantly and immediately increase the consumer base.Families, specifically parents, are a large portion of the customers. Parents are closely networked with other parents and make up of over 60% of Facebook users, which will increase brand awareness almost two-fold if utilized properly.BudgetUse money wisely, but overspending should not be of concern. The estimated annual revenue for Produce Barn is $1.7 million. For a small company this is a potential opportunity to start making investments or taking high-reward risks. Start looking into other places to spend money such as television ads or indise renovationsMediaUse print advertising (newspapers and magazines). These are cost efficient ways of increasing Brand Awareness.Bring food and show support for local sports organizations. Person-to-person marketing in this sense creates an altruistic image ultimately leading to an increase in potential customer recruitment.Start moving towards TV and Radio advertisements. Norton is a small town which means the cost of producing these ads will not be too high.Use an additional social media platform, preferably Twitter. Many mobile device owners check Twitter multiple times a day increasing the chances for increased Brand Awareness. News of special sales, promotions, and giveaways will also be conveyed much quicker.Message Type(s)Specifically focused on radio and TV advertisements because these will hit more of a wide range of people from potential to current customer.Use humor or a jingle. With relatively smaller towns a more simplistic approach could stay in the minds of many consumers. Humor will want customers to pay attention to the next time around while a jingle will get stuck in consumers’ heads and lead to an increased focus and brand awareness.FrequencyThe average number of times an advertisement needs to be seen is 3-7 times. Use this number to think about when to air advertisements on TV maybe even the radio. Any higher than 7 and people will feel overwhelmed and irritated while anything less than 3 will be almost instantaneously forgotten.ReachStart small then begin to get more broad. Focus on surrounding Norton and towns that are of close proximity. These towns include: Mansfield, Easton, Bridgewater, Taunton, Attleboro, and Raynham.Going into cities such as Boston and Providence may not be effective because each is about 40 minutes away. TimingMonday through Friday, 2:30pm-9:00pm, advertise on television. A good number of viewers could be high school and college students.Friday and Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm. This is a great time to be showing advertisements to a younger demographic group using the specific time frame to draw customers that will stay out late away from the area.Monday through Friday, 7:30am-6:00pm, A high number of residents in the area commute to their jobs via I-495. Especially during rush hour, in order to help time pass by, the radio will most likely be played.9. Evaluate and Make Revisions Hold weekly meetings to go over basic logistics and see how people are doing/what they are doing to be prepared for another week of work.Establish a quarterly meeting. By meeting once every fiscal quarter large issues can be more easily seen as well as briefly going over new or revised company goals.Individual Assessments will create a better relationship at the more personal level while also providing employees and employers with feedback for improvement to help with the overall effectiveness and efficiency.Expected Results - Promotions More college students need to be aware of the stores specials produce Barn currently offers local students and college kids who go there. The store will receive a more receptive audience if the store advertises promotions and specials for students of Wheaton. If more attention was shifted towards brand. The store should develop a concentrated budget to focus strictly on advertising, promoting and becoming affiliated with local businesses and organizations. Using newspapers, tv ads, the radio and billboards would enable Produce Barn to grab prospective customers attention and influence them. Developing a positive and trustworthy attitude with customers would improve the vibe and reputation locals have towards the store. For example if the store potentially sponsored little league teams or local youth organizations and sports teams the business the store receives would be expand. Parents and local leaders could pass on influential and positive word of mouth which would increase the store's reputation.In today’s modern society reputation and local influence are very important. If the store decided to be more altruistic they could potentially improve the store's reputation locally. Creating signs and sponsoring local tournaments or local events would grab the attention of local consumers in the area proficiently. The store will develop more brand advocates if they support the local community. Using advertisements such as billboards and signs at local high schools sporting events or extra curricular activities at schools in the surrounding area such as Mansfield, Easton, Bridgewater, Taunton, Attleboro, and Raynham could open the door to many new opportunities for Produce Barn to take advantage of. The store will generate a larger client base by incorporating recommendations from their local consumers and being more actively involved in local communities. Produce Barn can also develop affiliations with other Businesses and even create more Business to Business opportunities. The stores prominence and reputation throughout the local area must be a positive and justifiable one. Marketing and advertising strategies that actually benefit the customers will lead to an unjustifiable amount of new business opportunities for Produce Barn. The store could easily expand and grow in the local area. Towns such as Mansfield, Easton, Bridgewater, Taunton, Attleboro, and Raynham have prospective clients. When locals at Produce Barn start to shop there and see how reliable and trustworthy the service they receive is word of mouth will spread. Potentially customers could even drive out of the way to shop at Produce Barn instead of other stores if they start to trust or like the store more opposed to others. Developing and creating Strong ties and affiliations with organizations such as local churches businesses, schools, sports teams and clubs would certainly give the store more of an audience. Developing and strengthening local ties and affiliations would benefit the store in a multitude of ways. Even if it costs the store a bit of money to sponsor teams or local organizations it would pay off. Imagine the proceeds the store would receive if they sponsored adult softball leagues. A little extra effort and new promotional strategies that target locals and college students would certainly increase profits for the store. It is important for the store to represent itself well to the customers’ eyes. Proper signage promoting store specials and deals based on seasons and what current events are occurring in the world and local area would positively reflect the store. Promotions for charities and non-profit organizations would also increase the reputation the store has. Running advertisements and creating specials that stand out to customers would definitely increase the store's customer base and spread word of mouth. Advertisements that include humor along with a complimentary tactical strategy that is simple and makes a point to the audience targeted will hopefully draw more positive of a positive and receptive audience to shop at and stay involved with the store. BudgetMarketing ExpendituresQ1Q2Q3Q4Magazine Advertising---------------$1,500.00---------------$1,500.00Newspaper Advertising---------------$258.00$258.00$258.00Local Sporting Event---------------$6,000.00$6,000.00$6,000.00Roadside Signs---------------$4,500.00$4,500.00---------------Billboards---------------$5,000.00$5,000.00---------------TV Advertising$45,000.00---------------$45,000.00---------------Radio Advertising---------------$6,000.00$6,000.00$6,000.00Customer Service Training (1 hour, 2 days)---------------$1,699.00---------------$1,699.00Marketing Expenditure By Quarter$45,000.00$24,957.00$66,758.00$15,457.00*All budget calculations based on estimates, prices can vary depending on factors such as: quality, frequency, company, etc.Total Marketing Spent → $152,172.00Total Company Sales → $1,700,000.00Marketing As Percentage of Sales → 9.1%Source CitedFindTheBest Inc. “Produce Barn Inc.” December, 2014. FindTheBest Inc. website, accessed December 1, 2014. Data sources provided for FindTheBest Inc. “Produce Barn Inc.” from: Dun & Bradstreet, Neustar Localeze, HG Data, Zacks Investment Research, Xignite Financial Services, Securities and Exchange Commission, and . ................
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