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Table of Contents

I. Table of Contents 1II. Executive Summary 3

III. Situation Analysis 4

a. Company Analysis 4

A. Company History

B. Company Culture/Mission

C. Company Problems/Challenges

D. Industry/Category/Overall Market Trends

E. Company Opportunities

b. Consumer Analysis 10

A. Primary Research

1. Objectives

2. Methodology

3. Findings

B. Consumer Demographics

1. Age, Gender, Income, Education, Rationality, Usage, etc.

C. Consumer Psychographics

1. Personality & Motivations

2. Wants/Needs/Problems/Interests

3. Values & Lifestyles

c. Market Analysis..........................................................................................................................................18

1. Market Size & Share

2. Distribution & Rationality

3. Seasonality

4. Development Potential

d. Product Analysis........................................................................................................................................20

A. Product/Service/Cause/Candidate

B. Attributes & Benefits

C. Brand Image/Personality

e. Competitive Analysis..................................................................................................................................21

A. Primary & Secondary Competitors

B. Comparative Attributes & Benefits

C. Comparative Messaging & Media Usage/Spending

D. Comparative Share of Market/Voice

f. SWOT Analysis.........................................................................................................................................23

A. Strengths & Weaknesses (Internal)

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B. Opportunities & Threats (External)

IV. Target Market Profile(s)....................................................................................................................................24

a. Sample Portrayal(s) of Typical Consumer 24

b. Brand Essence Chart 27

V. Objectives 27

a. Marketing Objectives 27

b. Communication Objectives 27

VI. Message Strategy 28

a. Creative Brief 28

VII. Campaign Concept/Direction 28

VIII. Multi Touchpoint Marketing Communication Strategy 29

a. Advertising 29

a. Public Relations ..31

c. Promotional..................................................................................................................................................33

1. Digital Promotions2. Supplemental Promotions3. Radio Partnership Advertising Package Promotion4. Direct Mail Marketing Promotion5. Promotional Sponsorship Banners

d. Direct Response 36

IX. Media Strategy 39

a. Media Objectives 39

b. Tactical Recommendations/Media Mix 39

c. Rationale39

1. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)2. Facebook Advertising3. Ball Field Sponsorship Banners4. Direct Mail Marketing5. Radio Sponsorship Advertising Package6. Supplemental Strategies

d. Timing 45

e. Cost 46

X. Evaluation Plan/Assessment Measures 46

XI. Future Recommendations 47

XII. Appendices 49

a. Research Instruments 49

b. Brand Essence Chart 52

c. Creative Brief 53

d. Media/IMC Flowchart 57

e. Budget Breakdown.................................................................................................................................... ....58

f. Sample Designs/Merchandise..........................................................................................................................59

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II. Executive Summary

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is a childhood educational institution for

children ages two to five, located in Floyd County Indiana. It is governed by “The

Creative Curriculum" and Early Childhood Education standards to offer children an

unparalleled educational experience. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s primary

competition includes other local preschools and daycare facilities in the community

that vie for enrollment numbers and top-of-the-mind brand name awareness within

the community.

In 2014, Anne Day, the school’s founder and CEO, expected that Cornerstone

Cottage would see meek enrollment numbers for the school’s first year of

operations. To her pleasant surprise, enrollment closed with a total of 18 students

signed up for Cornerstone Cottage’s first official school year. This number exceeded

Anne’s predictions of 8-10 enrollees, shedding light on the immense potential for

this new entrant in the local preschool market.

Though the first year of operations was good and enrollment numbers beat

expectations, Cornerstone Cottage Preschool still has little to no brand name

recognition. Its lack of promotional materials and community involvement is a

contributing factor to the low awareness. The subsequent IMC plan addresses these

issues and offers proactive solutions.

The primary target audience for this IMC plan are working parents, ages 25 to

35, with preschool aged children living in the Floyd County communities of Floyds

Knobs, Greenville, and Georgetown, Indiana. The secondary audiences include

primary audience influencers such as the media, relatives, peers, co-workers,

pediatricians, and other professionals who are specialists on childhood education or

likely to utilize Cornerstone Cottage Preschool services.

The following objectives of this 2015-2016 IMC plan, entitled the

FUNDAMENTALS Campaign, will boost enrollment by 30 percent, increase web

traffic by 50 percent, increase foot traffic exposure in terms of visitor tours at the

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preschool’s facility by 10 percent, and increase brand awareness within target

audiences by 25 percent by the end of the second quarter of 2016.

These objectives will be achieved through a holistic marketing

communications approach that demands the creation of a corporate identity to

include logo design, business cards, letterhead, brochures, and branded

merchandise, targeted advertising, public relations, and direct response

recommendations, and implementation of website, social media, and customer

service initiatives and announcements. A strategic combination of these

promotional elements will yield measurable positive results for Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool.

It is imperative that all Cornerstone Cottage Preschool communication be part

of an integrated marketing campaign. Everything that comes from the educational

institution must have a uniform look and feel, which will emanate into a consistent

and superior brand image. The following integrated marketing communications plan

will produce exceptionally higher results than the sum of individual communications

executed separately.

III. Situation Analysis

a. Company Analysis

A. Company History

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is a startup founded in 2014 by Anne Day,

Owner and Director of Operations. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool offers Floyd

County, Indiana families a full-service preschool facility for children ages 2-5. The

preschool applies elements of Early Childhood Education standards and follows “the

latest theory and research on best practices in teaching and learning and the

content standards developed by states and professional organizations” outlined in

the comprehensive textbook by Diane Trister Dodge, The Creative Curriculum for

Preschool, 4th edition” (Amazon, 2015).

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool offers a high quality education through a

variety of learning opportunities (small groups, large groups, individual instruction);

developmentally appropriate materials; a predictable organized classroom

environment; a strategically organized, yet balanced schedule; utmost attention to

health and safety; engaging and meaningful interactions with adults and peers;

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responsive, supportive, and encouraging staff; and involvement with families

(Cornerstone Cottage Preschool, 2014).

B. Company Culture & Mission

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool believes that nothing is more important than

a child's education. Furthermore, they realize that every child is a unique individual

with his or her own needs, interests, fears and desires. In this view, the staff of

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool understands that children are inwardly motivated to

develop different capacities at different stages. They focus their commitment to

giving the children in their care the opportunities to perfect their naturally emerging

capabilities at each child’s present stage. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool believes

that this approach will cultivate each child’s full potential as students and human

beings. The goal of their learning services is to ensure that every child receives

personal attention, plenty of support, and encouragement (Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool, 2014).

Though Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is grounded in Christian beliefs,

religion is not their highest priority. The preschool’s curriculum operates under The

Creative Curriculum learning structure and philosophy versus a traditional academia

one. The Creative Curriculum is a play-based program where children choose

activities based on their current interests and are encouraged to go at their own

pace. It is a concept that reinforces a child’s natural tendency to be curious and

explore by integrating fundamental lessons into what the children perceive as

playtime. These programs engage children in dynamic and collaborative play while

inspiring them to ask questions, share ideas, and listen. The classroom itself is

broken up into sections, such as an art station, a home/kitchen area, a science

location, a reading center, and a space with blocks and other toys. The instructor’s

role is to educate while facilitating social, behavioral and emotional skills. Through

this innovative curriculum, Cornerstone Cottage hopes to instill a genuine zeal and

excitement for learning, while also preparing children for kindergarten expectations

such as hand raising, mouth covering when sneezing or coughing, and manners

(Day, 2015).

There are 18 children who are enrolled at Cornerstone Cottage Preschool with

ages ranging from 2 to 5. Tuition for the 2014-2015 school year was set at $150 per

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month but will increase to $175 in August 2015. The increase is due to higher than

expected enrollment numbers, increased consumer interest and need, location and

demographic targeting, and the overall success in the first year in business. The

school’s operational hours are strategically set for Monday, Wednesday and Friday,

from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The rationale for this schedule is rooted in The Creative

Curriculum and other early education research that suggests that young children in

have limited attention spans and fatigue easily. For this reason, these children

should not be at preschool for more than 3 hours per day for 3 days per week. The

preschool is open for 4 hours to accommodate busy parents but breaks for play

sessions to scale back the time. Children ages 3, 4 and 5 are grouped together,

while the 2 year olds are kept in a separate group of their own (Day, 2015).

C. Company Problems & Challenges

The alternative to The Creative Curriculum, practiced by Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool, is the traditional academia learning structure. These programs are

considered more didactic and “teacher-managed.” Teachers lead and guide the

class with lesson plans and activities. The design is aimed at heavily “preparing”

kids for kindergarten. Class time is devoted to learning letters and sounds,

distinguishing shapes and colors, time telling, and other skills. Many parents worry

that a Creative classroom is too chaotic and/or that their child isn’t being prepared

academically for kindergarten. For this reason, a lot of people will put their children

in Montessori and take comfort in knowing that they are learning academics early

on. Many parents who favor the academic method also prefer for the classroom to

be broken down based on age groups, whereas Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

consolidates most of their children into one (Day, 2015).

The overall newness of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool makes a lot parents

hesitate and think twice about their enrolling their child. Additionally, when

considering educational institutions, parents of young children prefer to see

longevity in staff experience and facility maintenance. Another challenge the school

encounters is that many parents will go against staff recommendations by pulling

their 5-year-old child from preschool and putting him or her in Kindergarten

prematurely because, quite frankly, it is cheaper (Day, 2015).

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Lastly, the staff of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is presently not meeting

standards of owner and director, Anne Day. With a 19-year-old teacher’s assistant

and a woman in her mid-60s, the large age gap and varied levels of competency

make it difficult to keep everyone on the same page. For this reason, Anne assumes

the bulk of responsibilities on her own (Day, 2015).

D. Industry / Category / Overall Market Trends

It is generally accepted worldwide that children benefit from a pre-

kindergarten education. In September 2005, the World Bank hosted a series of

conferences that focused attention on the importance of investing in early child

development (ECD) as “a natural starting point for human development and

sustained economic growth and equity”. According to conference specialists,

“Maximizing the human potential is more important than ever before. Children’s

early experience has far-reaching and solidifying effects on the development of

their brains and behaviors, meditating cognitive, emotional, and social behaviors.

These developmental influences are particularly powerful during sensitive periods of

brain maturation.” The conference acknowledged that, though “awareness of early

child development and investments in early child development (ECD) programs and

services have increased during the past decade, much more attention is urgently

needed” (Young, 2007).

The World Bank conference series reported findings, interpretations, and

conclusions that outline the benefits for society and children when ECD is invested

in. For example, pre-kindergarten educational programs decrease the likelihood of

future dropout rates, improve children's cognition and other brain functions, as well

as improve the overall quality of life. It is for these, and many other reasons, that a

greater emphasis has been placed on preschool and daycare educational programs

in the United States to meet the both the scholastic and developmental needs of

children since both parents increasingly work outside the home. The rate of which

parents are requiring and children are receiving pre-kindergarten education in

daycare centers and preschools is at an all time industry high (Young, 2007). Ergo,

it is in the best interest of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool and its conglomerates to

analyze the overall effectiveness and future of these programs.

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In the United States, there are no mandatory public preschools or crèche

programs. Since the U.S. Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001,

more money has been made accessible for Head Start and other preschool

programs to make sure that children from low-income families have the opportunity

to attend preschool. Still, most families are on their own in regards to finding and

affording preschool and childcare. Additionally, a unique emphasis has been placed

on the education and development of at-risk or special needs children; so much so

that special education preschool grants have been created to fund preschool

programs that accommodate these children (Young, 2007).

Even though efforts are being made to make pre-school education available

for all American children, preschool tuition rates continue to rise with upper-class

preschools in large cities catering to the children of the wealthy. These schools are

often seen as the first step toward the Ivy League and annual tuition rates are

priced accordingly, making it increasingly difficult for parents to send their children

to quality ECD programs. Since many private programs already exist for children

with parents able to afford the tuition, more federal government efforts are being

made to subsidize programs for children with parents unable to afford tuition costs

for private pre-schools (EMP Advisers, 2012).

The preschool and childcare industry itself is evolving, and most institutions

and parents agree the changes are for the best. Preschool and childcare institutions

are being affected by more parents avidly researching tuition costs which, in turn,

becomes a deciding factor on if they cut hours or even pull their kids out of

organized programs entirely due to job losses or budgetary overheads.

Consequently, educational providers have begun offering flexible hours, predictable

tuition rates or even reduced ones, and payment provisions for struggling families

as an incentive to stay. Parents are also analyzing special programs or fees the

schools incorporate into tuition, which in turn has providers struggling to find ways

to lessen costs while maintaining a quality care program for kids (McClure, 2015)

Many of today’s families rely on the Internet to find quality programs for their

children. There is a plethora of websites that offer free preschool and childcare

listings. Additionally, preschool business owners and their promotional firms are

upping their digital presence via SEO/SEM and social media. These platforms are

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utilized due to low-costs and the overall ease of accessibility. Moreover, in today's

rapid "tell me now" society, communications between childcare provider and parent

have never been more crucial. Where monthly newsletters in addition to daily

greetings and goodbyes formerly sufficed, preschool and childcare providers are

employing a variety of tools to bestow parents with ongoing information about their

child's day. An increasing number of facilities stream live video of classroom

activities throughout the day to offer parents peace of mind and the capability to

check on their child as frequently as desired. Other providers regularly take photos

of children and send to parents, post daily or weekly parent blogs or e-newsletters

online, or even swap text messages or emails throughout the day. Advancements in

technology provide parents and providers with tools for staying "in touch" and

bonding. Even with technology, though, face-to-face communications is still

considered the best for cultivating family involvement and strong relationships with

the foundation of trust (McClure, 2015).

An increased number of preschools now offer bi-weekly or monthly

enrichment and after-school options for children to participate in. Parents nowadays

are busier than ever, yet simultaneously desire their child to partake in an array of

activities. To meet this desire, preschools integrate guest instructors from various

industries (think zoologists, musicians, karate teachers) that kids can interact with

and learn from and/or offer on-site after-school programs that provide healthy

snacks and homework help for children until parents are able to get off work

(McClure, 2015).

E. Company Opportunities

When Anne was asked, “Why would parents in this market choose

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool over competitors?” She replied, “We cultivate the

utmost personal relationship between educators and parents.” Family involvement

is a top priority for the overall success of the school and Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool is excelling at it. Involvement efforts are reiterated through frequent

communication with parents via text messaging, allowing Anne to send photos of

their child learning, and encourages the parents to text her with any concerns or

questions (Day, 2015).

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When it comes to the company’s competitive edge over academically

centered preschools, Anne said, “Most kindergarten teachers will tell you what they

really value is that the children enjoy learning, have a set of experiences that got

them used to a classroom setting, and know how to engage with kids and adults in

another setting. It’s not so much that the new kindergartner has the ability to read

or write” (Day, 2015).

Another unique advantage that Cornerstone Cottage Preschool exhibits is

their routine of sending children home with Friday “Take Home” Folders.  This

practice is uncommon for a preschool as it is more commonly seen in kindergarten

and early elementary grades. This small assignment instills a greater sense of

responsibility in the children and parents while simultaneously fostering family

involvement. One side of the folder is designated as “Return to School” -

registration forms, tuition checks, notes back and forth, etc. - and one side is

labeled as “Stays at Home” - activities, crafts, etc. (Day, 2015).

b. Consumer Analysis

A. Primary Research

1. Objectives

The purpose of descriptive primary market research for Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool is to assess the situation of the marketplace by understanding where

opportunities and drawbacks exist, plan future programs and policies, and identify

specific existing and potential customer attitudes. The main goals of Agent C’s

marketing research can be summarized as follows:

● Identify problems that exist related to the marketing or any other factors that

affect the marketing and company awareness.

● Discover precise issues so that the actual problem is identified and defined.

● Collect all the information that is needed to market and generate success

properly.

● Look for and define new markets.

● Find ways to make old or current markets more profitable.

● Identify customer attitudes, needs, interests, concerns, and issues.

● Help develop and implement a plan according to the research findings.

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● Evaluate changes in organizational, market, or community structure by

keeping track of the decisions and monitoring the market constantly.

2. Methodology

The five most common approaches to primary market research are surveys,

focus groups, personal interviews, observation, and field trials. For Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool, Agent C determined that surveys would be most effective in

understanding current clientele’s perceptions, needs, and problems. A concise and

straightforward questionnaire was distributed to every child via the “Return to

School” side of their Friday Folders. This form of “mail” survey was a cost-effective

way to reach our representative target market. This type of research design offers

big advantages such as extremely specific consumer targeting and projections. On

the downside, low returns tend to plague mail surveys - only generating response

rates of 3 to 15 percent. Despite this information, Agent C felt that our clientele

send-home survey would yield above average returns due to several contributing

factors.

For starters, with the study having such a small number of potential

participants (18 parents total), any returned surveys - even just half - would give

the Agent C team and Cornerstone Cottage a better understanding of the clientele

as a whole. However, it is understood that the larger the sample the more reliable

the results would be. For this reason, the questionnaires’ context and content was

strategically written to generate desirable response rates.

The general concern and attitude exhibited by preschool parents was another

element indicating that most will likely jump at the opportunity to give active

feedback in order to better their child’s educational experience. In order to reduce

nonresponse rates, an advance letter was included in the survey. The brief, yet not

overdone, personalized letter made it clear that the participants’ “cooperation and

input” will serve as a “guide in planning future programs and policies” for the

preschool’s organizational structure and curriculum. The research topic was

described and then closed with the surveyor’s appreciation of cooperation.

Furthermore, we offered the parents the opportunity to remain anonymous by

welcoming them to mail the survey in and provided the preschool’s address. It is

understood that in order to gain an accurate scope of the opportunities, needs and

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problems, the surveyed clientele needed the option and privacy to remain

anonymous. Agent C understands that many parent participants would feel

uncomfortable sending in potentially negative comments/reviews to the school with

their child. Finally, the extreme family involvement atmosphere that has already

been established by the preschool indicates that most parents will feel comfortable,

confident and honest in giving their feedback.

The first part of the survey included a Likert response scale that asked 9

opinion questions on a 1-to-5 bipolar scale of 1 being extremely poor and 5 being

excellent. The remainder of the survey consisted of two-point questions that drew

out yes/no or unsatisfied/satisfied answers, yet specifically requested open-ended

elaborations. The combination of both quantitative and qualitative research

methods would give Agent C the advantages of time-efficiency, ease of

interpretation, and the ability to investigate the meaning of responses, while

allowing the participants to respond to the questions exactly as they like.

Appendix A contains a complete transcript of the actual surveys sent home

with the 18 preschool students to be given to their parents, filled out, and returned

to the school.

3. Findings

Of the 18 students, 10 of them returned the surveys filled out by their

parent(s) - an above average 56 percent response rate. Seven out of the ten

surveys received a rating of 5 across the board for the Likert response scale portion.

The areas of discourse on the remaining three surveys showed less than favorable

ratings in the following areas:

● The overall quality of the curriculum offered to your child. (4, 4, & 3)

o The participant who rated this a 3 elaborated, “Not sure - didn’t see

much come home. Which could be a good thing if it’s hands on.”

● The physical appearance of your child’s preschool. (one participant rated it a

3)

o The participant who rated this a 3 elaborated, “Rooms available for

student learning at age levels would be nice.”

● The overall level of comfort with the tuition rate. (one participant rated it a 3)

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● The overall satisfaction with the days and times currently offered. (one

participant rated it a 3)

o Participant commented, “The only thing with the days and times were

that sometimes those times are difficult to get there. Nothing really to

do with you just difficult for us.”

● How well do you feel that your child is being prepared for success in

kindergarten? (3, 4, & 4)

o The participant who rated this a 3 elaborated, “Lots of age groups

together and seeing the really needy ones who are super young makes

me question. We have loved the play-based approach, all learning

together. This has been a great approach our 3 year old. However, I do

feel that the material would not challenge him or prepare him at 4 or 5

years old. Not a huge problem, just a personal parenting preference.”

Generally, parents said that they chose Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

because it was close to home, its cozy and inviting atmosphere, its acceptance of 2

year old students, its tuition rates and Play-based curriculum, the fact that it was

oriented on Christian values, its level of convenience based on times offered and

location, the attitudes of teachers and the director, and the overall cleanliness and

appearance of the preschool facility. Across the board, parents expressed great

satisfaction with Cornerstone Cottage’s overall flexibility, lovingness and care, in-

house field trips, their child’s happiness and development with the obvious

retention of knowledge, and frequent communication via text messages and

Facebook posts.

As far as suggestions go, parents generally said that they would benefit from

a blog with weekly/daily postings that only Cornerstone Cottage parents could

access. All participants said that they would recommend Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool to a friend and praised Anne for welcoming feedback for growth. When it

came to determining how parents initially discovered Cornerstone Cottage, results

indicated that 5 of the 10, or 50 percent, derived from road signage, 3 of the 10, or

30 percent, were referred by a friend or family member, and 2 of the 10, or 20

percent, found the preschool via Facebook.

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When analyzing the results, Agent C has determined that Cornerstone

Cottage’s greatest source of promotion as road signage, yielding a total of 50

percent. Word of mouth advertising has a strong influence, while the school’s digital

presence could be stronger in terms of Facebook advertising and web-based

promotion such as blogs. It is also apparent that some survey participants were

concerned with the school’s play-based curriculum and its effectiveness in

preparing their child for kindergarten. We predicted that some parents would be

more inclined to a more Montessori structured classroom, while others were more

receptive to the hands on activities, in-house field trips, and collaborative learning.

In this study, one of the ten parents felt that this was a good curriculum for the two

and three year olds, while she felt that it did not prepare the four and five year olds

for advancement. The other two ranked the curriculum lower than most because

they would like to see more of their child’s work sent home. The moderate to low

ranking of the school’s physical appearance also links to issues with the curriculum.

The parent who rated the physical appearance as a 3 indicated that she’d prefer an

approach that catered to specific age groups and learning levels. This approach is

better catered to students through a more traditional preschool curriculum rather

than Play-based.

Agent C is confident in the overall customer satisfaction and perception of

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool. Our results clearly indicate where the school is

excelling and where it is falling short in the mind of parents. The responses will help

our team generate strategic marketing and promotional techniques, as well as

specialized consultation advice for the director in regards to the school’s overall

initiatives and future proceedings.

B. Consumer Demographics

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s target consumer audience consists of

young, affluent, working married couples with pre-school aged children, living in the

Floyd County communities of Floyds Knobs, Greenville and Georgetown, Indiana.

Floyd County, a fast-growing, forward-thinking, metro fringe community, is heavily

comprised of these textbook “New Suburbia Families.” The majority of these

parents are heterosexual married couples, ages 25 to 35, and earn a combined

household income of approximately 75k-100k. A large portion of this segment is

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college-educated, with 45.9 percent having a bachelor’s degree or higher. More

than two-thirds of these households have both parents earning a salaried income

through the labor force. Approximately 54.2 percent of them work in blue-collar

professions such as hairdressing, construction, retail trade, accommodation and

food services. Comparatively, 45.8 percent of these people are employed in various

white-collar occupations like professional, scientific and technical services,

administration, educational services, and health care. Many live in newer or

renovated subdivisions worth nearly 40-50 percent above the U.S. average

(Experian Information Solutions, Inc., 2015). This energetic demographic are

typically only moderate consumers of most media due to the fact that they are

always on the go and are often too busy to read a newspaper or a magazine. When

it comes to television viewership, many watch network sitcoms and reality shows as

well as sports and entertainment channels. The most frequently watched television

channels for this group are local news networks, CNN, TBS, AMC, FX, ESPN, MTV and

Comedy Central. This segment commonly listens to radio stations that offer news,

sports, classic rock and adult contemporary music. Furthermore, these working

parents go online primarily to trade/analyze stocks, search for jobs, check out real-

estate listings, subscribe to blogs of interest, and seek social media and/or

entertainment updates (Experian Information Solutions, 2015).

Although parents of preschool-age children are the primary target audience,

it is important to recognize that there are multiple influences in the decision-making

process surrounding a child’s education and development. Due to the substantial

importance placed on choosing the proper childcare and early education institution,

the decision making process for this service is considered both high-risk and high-

involvement, signifying that the purchaser conducts thorough research and

deliberation before the making a final decision and the actual purchase itself. The

decision making process may also include input from outside, or ‘non-user’, sources

such as public forums, childcare blogs, and trusted relatives (siblings, grandparents,

aunts, uncles, fictive kin), friends, coworkers or neighbors, and other reliable

community experts (teachers, pediatricians) (. Agent C outlines the Decision Making

Unit (DMU) for early childhood education services in the following list. The DMU is a

collection of individuals who participate in a buyer’s decision making process

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regarding the purchase of a service or product (Halgunseth, Peterson, Stark, &

Moodie, 2009).

● Initiators : Parents and guardians of users, children ages 2-5, are the active

participants in finding an early childhood education program, and are the first

to see the need for such services. This audience segment research and

inquire about the quality, cost, scheduling, and other benefactors of early

childhood education facilities.

● Influencers/Gatekeepers: Parents and guardians of users actively seek advice

from trusted sources such as relatives, peers, co-workers, and pediatricians.

These sources play a persuasive role because they influence the deciders’

brand attitudes, as well as their realization and assessment of other available

brands. Influencers also help the decider gauge their own personal

benchmarks in the childcare and preschool market.

● Deciders/Purchaser: While both parents have significant say in the decision of

the child’s early education, the mother is often the decider of which

institution the family will enroll their child in. Budgetary and scheduling

factors often act as primary factors in the final decision.

● User: The preschool children, ages 2-5, and the parents/guardians are those

who put the service into operation once the decision and purchase have been

made. Their opinions will be important due to their heavy involvement in the

post-purchase evaluation phase of the buyer decision process.

C. Consumer Psychographics

1. Personality & Motivations

These middle-upper class people are characteristically driven in terms of

personal success. They are goal-setters and tend to be overachievers who

simultaneously exhibit qualities in terms of affection, sincerity, excitement,

involvement, competence, and sophistication. They are extroverts who are often

classified as ‘type A’ personalities. They are motivated by anything that will

cultivate or nurture strong relationships and provide stability. They thrive off of

effective two-way communication and a near constant stream of information. They

are very much so in tune with the world around them and yearn to know more. As

relatively new parents, they often come off as nervous or apprehensive in terms for

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what’s best for their child - frequently second-guessing themselves. They are

moved by compelling arguments, factual information, and engaging concepts. They

are analytical in their journey for constant enlightenment and improvement. At the

end of the day, though, their child is the key motivational factor in every aspect of

these parents’ lives.

2. Wants/Needs/Problems/Interests

These people want to consciously know that they are good parents

intrinsically, while also wanting others to perceive them in this way. For this reason,

they are ambitious in terms of their child’s cognitive development and already

begun engaging him or her in forward-thinking concepts such as art, reading,

singing, and socialization. Unfortunately, they tend to struggle with allocating an

ample amount of time to raise their child during work-filled weekdays. To

compensate, this segment is able and more than willing to pay a moderately high

tuition rate for sophisticated childcare. They desire an elevated curricula paired with

trusted, personalized and flexible care. These contemporary, educated, and hard-

working individuals can appreciate an unconventional approach to structured

learning processes.

3. Values & Lifestyles

These market segments have crafted active and children-centered lifestyles.

They drive their kids in SUVs and minivans to obligations, activities and to zoos,

aquariums and campgrounds. They fill their grocery carts with kid friendly and

health conscious eats. These parents have modern hobbies such as owning books,

video games and electronics like cell phones, gaming systems, home theaters.

These people have relatively moderate to large families where it is crucial that

money is managed. They uphold that price and functionality trump style though

they can afford higher priced goods and services. They do most of their shopping

for practical goods, electronics and clothing at retailers like Target, Best Buy and

Wal-Mart and Kroger. Many in this market segment have lengthy commutes to work

ranging from 20-60 minutes. Typically these households are debt-heavy due to first

mortgages and home-equity loans so saving money is valued above all in

purchasing research and prioritization.

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With both parents working, this segment often encounters the need to set

provisions for the education and overall care of their child. The United States

Census Bureau reports that 42.1 percent of young children under 5 years old are

cared for by relatives, compared to 23.5 percent that are cared for by an organized

care facility such as a daycare center, nursery, preschool, or Head Start school

(Laughlin, 2013). While relatives are suitable for babysitting on nights out or

weekends, yet our target demographic understands that this form of child care

simply cannot compare to an organized learning and development program that

occurs at ECD institutions like Cornerstone Cottage Preschool. With both parents

being hardworking professionals, they are ambitious with their child’s education and

willing to pay a higher tuition level to get the best program. Furthermore, as

America continues to be a society of people working long hours, there will always be

the need for childcare. The trend of longer workweeks drives Cornerstone Cottage’s

business.

c. Market Analysis

1. Market Size & Share

In 2013, the Census Bureau reported that the Floyd County population is

comprised of 4.4 thousand children ages 5 and under (The United States Census

Bureau, 2013). This statistic gives an accurate idea of the market size for preschool

age children in the desired market area. The market share possessed by any one

preschool in the area is comparatively small; for example, Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool has 18 students for its 2014-2015 session, a minuscule percentage of the

total market, showing that there is ample room for growth. The secondary target

areas of Georgetown and Greenville have 300 children ages 5 and under (The

United States Census Bureau, 2013). When our secondary target areas are

combined with the primary target market, a substantial untapped market share is

available.

2. Distribution & Regionality

The location of the primary target market is Floyds Knobs, Indiana. This area

is close to Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s location and makes an average

household income of $91,354. Over 35 percent of these households make six

figures annually, indicating that this is a thriving economic region that can

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comfortably afford the $175 monthly tuition (The United States Census Bureau,

2013). The towns of Greenville, Galena, and Georgetown are considered secondary

target markets. We will target and market directly to those in zip codes 47122,

47124 and 47119, which covers a 15-mile radius around Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool.

3. Seasonality

The New Albany Floyd County school system begins classes on July 31st.

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool and its competitors will be following this schedule

closely, if not exactly. Consumers’ interest and investigation usually extends over a

9 to 12 month period of time before they expect to enroll their child in a preschool

program. Interest levels peak during the final three months preceding enrollment,

or the months of May, June, and July (Zachry, 2013). This is when parents are

researching different preschools in the area and making the decision on where to

send their child. This is also when enrollment begins, and is therefore the period

where revenue is highest for educational institutions such as Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool (Day, 2015).  

4. Development Potential

As stated above, there are almost 5,000 children under the age of 5 years

living in the primary and secondary market areas (The United States Census

Bureau, 2013). This, when held against the current market share possessed by

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool, shows the large potential for growth that exists in

this area. Our goal is to grow the size of classes, but not to the extent of

overwhelming the staff or the facilities. If necessary, an afternoon class could be

added to accommodate growth beyond what the current class times can facilitate.

d. Product Analysis

A. Single Product Line/Service/Cause/Candidate

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool provides the service of early childhood

education to children 2-5 years old. This education focuses mainly on classroom

etiquette and preparing the students for the transition into Kindergarten. An

emphasis is placed on teaching proper behavior and conduct, as well as basic

alphabetical, artistic, and mathematical skills. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

chooses to teach these skills through a play-oriented curriculum that keeps children

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both focused and entertained. This is the only product or service offered by

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool.

B. Attributes & Benefits

Classes are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:30 AM to

12:30 PM, with days consisting of 3 hours, 20 minutes of learning and 40 minutes of

constructive playtime. Class times are kept short in order to hold the children’s

attention, and not overload them with more information than they would be able to

process. A play-based curriculum is used to prepare children for kindergarten and

grade school. The goal is to teach the children proper behavior for school

environments, necessary motor skills, and basic knowledge such as colors,

numbers, shapes, etc. The curriculum is Christian-based, but not religiously focused;

the focus is placed on the learning, and each child is allowed to learn at their own

pace.

C. Brand Image & Personality

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s existing image is fun, colorful, and creative.

They are a Christian based, play oriented preschool. They are open, approachable,

and excellent at keeping parents involved and informed. They are low-cost and are

small enough to give each child the individual attention that they need and deserve,

while in a nurturing and engaging environment. The essence of the brand is early

childhood education to ensure a brighter future.

*See brand essence chart in Appendix B.

e. Competitive Analysis

A.  Primary and Secondary Competitors

1. Primary Competitors

● Lafayette Academy Preschool

● Kids of the Kingdom Day School

● Shepherd of the Hills

● Seeds of Knowledge Preschool and Daycare

2. Secondary Competitors

● DeBest Kidz Daycare

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● Little Rascals Daycare

B.  Comparative Attributes & Benefits

1. Primary Competitors

● Lafayette Academy Preschool: Lafayette Academy offers educational

preschool services, and is also daycare certified. The rates for their preschool

range from $138-$330 a month, depending on desired classes. Lafayette

offers extended programs so children are able to stay longer than just the

four-hour school day, as well as a summer camp that runs during the months

when school is out of session. Lafayette has the largest portion of the market

share out of all the primary competition (Lafayette Academy Preschool,

2015).

● Kids of the Kingdom Day School: Kids of the Kingdom offers preschool

services, and is church-affiliated, allowing children to stay longer than the

four-hour school day without the facility being daycare certified. Tuition for

Kids of the Kingdom is $250 a month. The educational style of Kids of the

Kingdom is very “Christ-centered,” focusing heavily on Biblical knowledge

and stories/lessons from the Bible, rather than alphabetical and mathematical

skills. Kids of the Kingdom holds a smaller share of the market than Lafayette

Academy, but is still a substantial competitor (Kids of the Kingdom, 2015).

● Shepherd of the Hills: Shepherd of the Hills is church affiliated, offers

preschool services, and allows children to stay beyond regular school hours.

Tuition cost is the lowest among all competitors, around $100-$110. Based on

their mission statement, the curriculum is heavily Christ-centered and

seemingly overlooks educational aspects of preschool such as motor and

critical thinking skills. Shepherd of the Hills is similar to a vacation Bible

school as opposed to a preschool because teaching is mostly from the Bible.

Shepherd of the Hills holds the smallest market share out of all of the

competitors (Shepherd of the Hills, 2015).

● Seeds of Knowledge Preschool and Daycare: Seeds of Knowledge is affiliated

with Floyd’s Knobs Christian Church and offers preschool, daycare, and after

school services. The educational aspects of the preschool focus on the

individual child, employing hands-on learning techniques, while using

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“imagination stations” to help children learn at their own pace. Prices for the

preschool services range from $160-$175 a month, on par with the average

price range of competitors. The market share held by Seeds of Knowledge is

comparable to competitors of Cornerstone Cottage (Seeds of Knowledge

Preschool and Daycare, 2015).

2. Secondary Competitors

The word ‘childcare’ is a loose term for institutions like Little Rascals or

DeBest Kidz that lack educational structure and image. The price for their

services is significantly lower, typically in the $60-$100 a month range.

Children are provided with a guardian, as well as toys, snack time, and

naptime to keep them occupied, but there is little to no learning involved.

These childcare services fluctuate in size on a regular bases, but generally

have between 8-15 children in attendance at any given time.

C.  Comparative Messaging & Media Usage/Spending

1. Primary Competitors

● Lafayette Academy Preschool: No real advertising, just Facebook and

website. They rely on word of mouth to gain new clients.

● Kids of the Kingdom Day School:  No advertising, only Facebook and a

website. The preschool is church affiliated and gains most of its’ clients

through this avenue.

● Shepherd of the Hills: Again, there is no advertising other than Facebook and

a website. Clientele is almost exclusively affiliated church members.

● Seeds of Knowledge Preschool and Daycare: Advertising is limited other than

the website. Also gains most of its’ consumers through church affiliation.  

2. Secondary Competitors

● DeBest Kidz Daycare: Yellow Pages profile but no other media/advertising.

● Little Rascals Daycare: Yellow Pages profile supplemented by a Facebook

page, but no other media/advertising.

e. SWOT Analysis

A. Strengths & Weaknesses (Internal)

1. Strengths

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Cornerstone Cottage Preschool has a satisfied and loyal customer base, who

reported through a survey that they were generally pleased and would continue to

use Cornerstone Cottage Preschool for future children. The low cost is another

strength; at $150 it is well below the competition. The smaller class sizes are a

strength because it allows for more personal interaction with each child. The

relationship cultivated between the educators and the parents keeps parents

feeling informed and involved in the education of their children.  The environment is

safe, reliable, and comfortable; while the location is convenient for the target

market.

2. Weaknesses

The recent inception of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is a factor that

parents consider when searching for preschools; typically, parents prefer a

preschool that has proven longevity. Until Cornerstone Cottage Preschool becomes

more established, lack of longevity will continue to be a weakness. Some also see

the play-oriented teaching style as inadequate, and prefer a more academically

focused model of education. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is not daycare certified

or church affiliated; because of this, children are not allowed to stay for longer than

a four hour periods each day. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool does not group

children according to age; aside from the 2 year olds, all children learn together. An

additional weakness is the lack of racial diversity; all current students are

Caucasian. This is certainly due to a lack of racial diversity in the target market, but

may be a discouraging factor to families of other ethnicities. A final noted weakness

is that Cornerstone Cottage Preschool does not currently show up on Google maps.

B.   Opportunities and Threats (External)

1. Opportunities

Since Cornerstone Cottage Preschool has no desire to become daycare

certified, one option to accommodate substantial growth is to have two class

sessions per day (i.e. a morning and afternoon session.) This would allow for more

children to attend without increasing class sizes to a point of detriment.

2. Threats

Other preschools obviously pose a threat, however, another threat lies in the

growing trend of alternative preschool methods such as cooperative preschools,

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home groups, etc. These options provide children with the social interaction and

learning opportunities of traditional preschools without the high cost. Many parents

opt not to send their child to preschool at all.  

IV. Target Market Profile(s)

a. Sample Portrayal(s) of Typical Consumer

1. Jacquelyn is a married Caucasian woman aged 29 years old with a combined

household income of $120,000 per year. She resides in Floyds Knobs, Indiana

near the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool facility. Her regular commute to her

job in Louisville ranges anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, so mornings are

hectic when she tries to get her 3 year old son Luke ready for preschool. She

works long hours as an RN at Norton Hospital and will frequently have her

husband, who works a 9to5 accounting job, pick up Luke at 12:30 PM during

his lunch break to take him to her mother’s house until one of them is off

work. The demands of her job only allow her weekends with Luke, therefore

she values a preschool that can cultivate developmental skills in a loving,

encouraging and playful environment. Jacquelyn needs a preschool that will

prioritize educating Luke on things that she herself cannot designate copious

amounts of time to. These types of lessons include engaging activities that

teach basic manners, colors, shapes, numbers, and letters. She is a

thoughtful person who carefully weighs all options before making any kind of

purchase. She does her research and actively seeks information to make the

'right decisions' concerning her only child. General knowledge is accessed

from the Internet at home or on a cellular/portable device through parenting

blogs, forums, and articles. She is willing and able to pay more for elevated

education and engagement because she and her husband are unable to raise

their son during the day. Jacquelyn is forward thinking and educated which

allows her to appreciate the value of diversified education for Luke.

2. Amber is a 25 year old Caucasian single mom who generates an income of

approximately $55,000 per year working as a hairdresser Monday through

Thursday in New Albany and bartending Friday and Saturday nights in

Louisville to generate some extra cash. She has little time to spend with her 4

year old daughter, Ava, and values their Sundays off doing fun, mother-

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daughter activities together. Amber and Ava reside in the cost-effective

Edwardsville Trace apartment complex in Georgetown, Indiana. In Ava’s

infancy and first couple years, Amber relied on her retired parents for

babysitting during weekdays and weekend nights. However, Amber

frequently converses with coworkers, friends and family on parenting and

childhood education and recognizes the need for a more sophisticated and

structured childcare institution. Money is tight for her so she works two jobs

and long hours, while cutting budgetary corners to give Ava the ‘life she

deserves’. She will make room in her budget or work more hours to pay a

little more to obtain a quality education for Ava. Amber needs easily

accessible information, as she cannot designate lengthy amounts of time to

research. Word-of-mouth advice and information from her friends, family, and

clients are her greatest sources of influence. She generally accesses Internet

from the Wi-Fi at work while she’s on break because she worries about data

usage and doesn’t have Wi-Fi in her apartment. When she is online, she

primarily grazes social media and parenting articles and uses applications to

check her budget and bank statements. Amber is ambitious and independent

with a keen work ethic and hopes to advance herself. She strives to provide

the highest quality of life for Ava with everything from conscientious food

choices to paying out of pocket for a reasonably priced preschool that

provides her with a well-rounded and caring experience. She relishes

frequent communication with her child’s educator and wants to see Ava’s

active comprehension and retention of knowledge.

3. Nathan is a 32 year old Caucasian electrician who resides in Floyds Knobs,

Indiana with his wife with three kids. His yearly income of $82,000 was

comfortable enough to allow his wife to take time off work after their third

child was born two years prior. However, after a work-compromising non-life

threatening accident, Nathan found himself on extended leave from his job.

This unfortunate circumstance led to the family taking an income hit and his

wife going back to her office job where she earns $45,000 per year. Nathan’s

youngest and only daughter, Megan, just turned two and is quite the handful.

It has become increasingly hard for the injured dad and working mother to

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keep up with the tenacious tot. Nathan and his wife have enough savings to

allocate for child care services but recognize their budgetary constraints.

Nathan and his wife are a hardworking couple that have ambitious goals for

their children. Nathan didn’t attend a typical college and had to work harder

to get to where he is now. He is a traditionalist but with a modern take on life.

Nathan and his wife want their child to have a structured and hands-on

learning experience with supportive and caring instructors. Along with cost,

facility location, flexibility, and convenience are of primary concern for

Nathan. With his wife working a 9to5 in Louisville (which often makes her

commute 60 minutes or more in morning and evening traffic) and his physical

mobility limitations, he needs a preschool that is understanding when he

drops Megan off 10 minutes late or needs assistance getting her into the car

seat when he comes to pick her up. The couple has no extended family

support in the area and they lead a hectic lifestyle with three kids all under

the age of 10. Nathan and his wife have been racked with doctor bills lately

and have put aside their pride to reluctantly take advantage of government

aid programs to better support their family. This family does moderate

research before making purchase decisions and are more influenced by local

promotional efforts (road signage, radio, mailers, etc.) that appeal to their

need of convenience and cost-effectiveness.

b. Market Profiles: Brand Essence Chart - The “Fit” Between Target

& Product

*See Appendix B for Brand Essence Chart

V.  Objectives

a. Marketing Objectives

● Increase enrollment by 30 percent for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.

● Increase web traffic by 50 percent for the 2015-2016 school year.

● Increase ‘foot traffic’ exposure in terms of visitor tours at the facility by 10

percent for the 2015-2016 school year.

● Increase brand awareness within the target audiences by 25 percent by the

end of the 2nd quarter of 2016.

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● Develop a holistic marketing program that will engage target consumers

using different marketing communication tools by the end of the 2nd quarter

of 2016.  

b. Communication Objectives

The primary communication objectives of this campaign is to cultivate brand

awareness and enhance favorable brand image. The goal after the implementation

of the marketing communication plan is for consumers to perceive the preschool as

an invaluable asset to their child’s cognitive, social, and behavioral development.

The overall challenge for the proposed marketing communication plan is to break

through competitive clutter by changing consumers’ perception that all preschool

institutions perform the same. Consumers must also be persuaded to perceive

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool as value-for-money and of greater quality in

comparison to competitors.

VI. Message Strategy

*See creative brief in Appendix C

VII. Campaign Concept & Direction

         Agent C proposes the FUNDAMENTALS campaign to convey a clear, simple,

and unified lens through which to tell the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool story. This

IMC campaign will be characterized by contemporary, stylistic, and creatively

strategic elements that stimulate memorable impressions, and promote the desired

effects. The goal of this creative strategy is to attract new and existing clientele

through conspicuous and aesthetically pleasing brand identity executions. In turn,

Agent C is confident that an appealing and consistent brand identity, recognizable

at all consumer touchpoints, which will correlate revenue, as well as positive brand

imagery and heightened awareness.

Agent C’s creative concept for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is inspired by

the modern, energetic, artsy, foundationally sound personality that the brand

embodies.

A concept behind the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool name itself is centered

on both Biblical and literal definitions. The architectural term ‘Cornerstone’ means

(1) a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls; (2) an

important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based; (3) to

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speak of the exalted Jesus as the chief foundation stone of the church, the

cornerstone on which all the building depends (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:6). The

word ‘Cottage’ essentially means simple house, hence creative emphasis on

simplicity to convey a unified visual look (fonts, colors, photos) and compelling,

relevant messages (FUNDAMENTALS). These elements tie the campaign concept

together, leaving ideal target audiences with a consistent impression and positive

image.

The FUNDAMENTALS campaign and its concepts have “legs”, meaning that it

can be executed efficiently and effectively across different channels like email,

direct mail, web, print ads, and social media. Every aspect of the brand’s

touchpoints will be attractive to both parent and child. They will convey a youthful

ambience, while simultaneously appealing to the need for professionalism and

aesthetics desired by adult consumers. All marketing, communications, and creative

efforts will incorporate key elements from the Cornerstone Cottage Brand Essence

Chart to convey engaging, simplistic, and captivating campaign designs and

messaging.

        Agent C’s creative strategy is a direct reflection of Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool’s progressive approach. For this reason, it’s imperative that Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool remains unique in every creative execution so that it is

differentiated in the market.

VIII. Multi Touchpoint Marketing Communication Strategy

a. Advertising Strategies

Agent C’s advertising strategies will be carried out using the following media

executions: supplemental, direct-mail print ads, radio partnership advertising

package (radio, television, digital and signage) Facebook advertising, little league

field sponsorship banners, SEM and Google AdWords. The media chosen will be

strategically created and placed, which will ensure success of the goals our client

and Agent C have developed for the campaign. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is

located in a small town, which means the advertising media strategies will be

reasonable, cost effective, and geared to the people living within the area of our

targeted demographics.

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The supplemental strategy will include flyers, business cards, road signs, and

brochures. They will be strategically placed in high-traffic areas and/or frequently

visited places such as the Jay C Food Store, Bean Street Coffee Shop, and

Tumbleweed in the Highlander Point area. Direct mail is another medium we will be

using for our advertising pursuits. To bring tangible advertising to potential

customers, the mail pieces will be sent to homes in the nearby zip codes of 47119,

47122, and 47124. We chose these zip codes in conjunction with the location of

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool and to better hone in on our ideal demographic.

Agent C chose to utilize WNAS, New Albany High School’s advertising

package, which encompasses radio, television, and digital advertising media.

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool radio advertisements will run daily on 88.1 WNAS FM

and www.wnas.org, screen time on both AT&T and Time-Warner Cable television,

mentions during each New Albany High School athletic event broadcast, and

business name and web address placement in the advertising section of the WNAS

website. These placements will allow Cornerstone Cottage Preschool to gain a

greater and more specific reach to increase the overall frequency within the

community for a relatively low-cost.  

Large sponsorship banners containing the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

logo, contact information, and general details will be placed on the outfield fences

of Highlander Youth Recreation and Floyd’s Knobs Community Club Little League

program facilities. These banner displays are an economically efficient option with

great frequency and reach potential, without roughly 1-2 hours of exposure with

each crowd during games, roughly 4 nights a week during peak season. The only

foreseeable downfall with this medium’s frequency is the likelihood of the same

families repeatedly viewing these banners for the three years they will be situated.

This potential weakness can also be considered a strength, in having repeated

families familiarizing themselves with the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool brand

over a series of weekly impressions. Alternatively, the banner placements are likely

to cultivate word-of-mouth awareness among these same families. We are confident

that these families are likely to have other young children in their households

and/or know of other families with young children who are in need of preschool

services, which will be remedied by Cornerstone Cottage Preschool.

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Agent C’s final promotional strategy for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool will

be to run a series of Facebook advertisements to generate hyper-targeted exposure

to our ideal audiences. Facebook advertisements will boost promotion of the

school’s specific posts and overall page, thus driving impressions that translate into

revenue for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool. More specifically, these Facebook

advertisements will be ran in two seasonal bursts allowing us to hit key targets

when they are most likely searching for preschool services. The first set will run

from May 25th to June 9th (35 days), which will cost $175. The first burst is targeted

to our demographic audience that will research local preschool options well before

the start of the school year, around the time of June 1st. The second set of

Facebook advertisements will run from July 27th to August 24th (28 days), which

will cost $140. This promotional burst is targeted to those demographic families

who are researching local preschool options last-minute, in close proximity to the

final enrollment date of September 4th. This strategy allows Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool to prominently stand out on Facebook during those crucial, last-minute

weeks before school sessions begin. These hyper-targeted advertisements and

boosted posts will generate likes for the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool Facebook

page by increasing news feed visibility and ‘pop-up’ recommendations.

Advertisements will be honed to families who work and/or live in Georgetown

(47122), Greenville (47124) or Floyds Knobs (47119), all of which are within a 15

mile radius of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool. Keywords that will be used in our

hyper-targeted Facebook strategy are as follows: Preschool, Education, Childhood,

Children, Motivation, Student, Parenting, Motherhood, Childcare, Christianity,

Daycare, Fatherhood, Play, Early Childhood Education, Head Start Program, and

Curriculum & Instruction. These keywords are deemed by Facebook as specific traits

and interests that our target audience shares. Facebook suggests that advertisers

and/or business owners should include at least ten ‘Interest’ keywords to attain

optimal promotional impact.

b. Public Relations Strategies

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool faces many challenges and opportunities for

their public relations tactics. As for their existing public relations initiatives,

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool prides itself on consistent, active, and private

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communication between the organization and internal stakeholders: the parents of

students. This is demonstrated through a constant stream of updates through

Facebook, as well as private texts and emails sent directly to parents’ mobile

phones from the preschool director. Additionally, Friday “Take Home” Folders are

distributed and sent home with students every Friday afternoon, allowing parents to

review their child’s work and correspond with their child’s teacher, if need be.

Furthermore, brand-stakeholder relationships are strengthened via photos and

status updates on Facebook that strictly avoids featuring faces and/or any personal

information of the children. This provision is a key factor in the overall identity and

image of the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool brand; Open, but appropriately private.

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s existing public relations communication strategies

reflect their mission statement, exhibit the utmost corporate responsibility,

maintain integrity, and emphasize the importance of high family involvement.

Community involvement activities/programs are also incorporated in

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s existing public relations strategy. Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool frequently welcomes firefighter, policemen, and emergency room

representatives to visit the Preschool for the purpose of conducting educational

presentations. These presentations cultivate engaging interactions and

understanding among students. These in-house field trips are an informative, yet

fun, way of instilling a greater sense of community and awareness within the

students.

In regards to future public relations campaign efforts, Agent C advises that

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool advance their community involvement and overall

presence. In addition to the internal practice of inviting community leaders to

educate their students, Cornerstone Cottage Preschool should also reach outward to

give back to the community. While internal involvement is practical, Agent C

suggests that external public relations efforts need to be made to generate higher

brand awareness within the community itself. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool could

execute this goodwill strategy in a variety of ways. As a small-scale P.R. initiative,

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool could venture into an annual toy or canned food

drive during the holiday season. This is a common fundraising event practiced in

schools because it teaches young students the value of volunteering, sharing

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resources, and lending a helping hand to neighbors in need. Additionally, this sort of

effort generates a positive impression on both the parents and the local community

as a whole.

A moderately-sized potential avenue for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool to

explore for public relations could be something as simplistic as donating handmade

“Get Well” cards to children in local hospitals, like Kosair Children’s Hospital,

potentially around Christmastime when it is seasonally appropriate to be charitable

and active in welfare pursuits. This simple donation of time and talent from the

preschool and its students gives way to the opportunity of cultivating brand

recognition on a broader scale. Associating the Preschool with the reputable Kosair

name allows Cornerstone Cottage Preschool to build a positive and compassionate

brand image in the mind of stakeholders. This effort also provides a greater sense

of brand awareness, which could lead to more recommendations for potential

clientele.

c. Promotional Strategies

   The objective of all promotional executions for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

is to raise awareness and create a favorable public image among affluent suburbia

parents in Floyds Knobs, Greenville, and Georgetown, Indiana. Reaching middle to

upper class, two-income working families, can be a challenge because it is such a

specific target audience. With that in mind, this challenge can be remedied by using

highly specific and targeted media vehicles that our desired audience frequently

interacts with and/or is exposed to. The promotional media vehicles we recommend

for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool include: digital marketing, supplemental

materials, radio partnership and advertising package, direct mail marketing, and

sponsorship banners. It is a challenge reaching such a specific target audience in

such a small geographic location, but each of these vehicles can be used to

effectively and efficiently reach ideal consumers.

1. Digital Promotions

The first promotional recommendation for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is

an online strategy. The goal for online strategies is to make Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool highly visible to potential clients (parents, grandparents, legal guardians,

other relatives, etc.) when researching local preschool options for their 2 to 5 year

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old child. Google AdWords is an excellent online tool for all businesses - especially

those that operate in smaller margins. AdWords is a cost-per-click SEM application,

infused with SEO strategies that can elevate Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s

position on Google’s search results list, ideally to the number one spot, or at least

the first results page. Additionally through Google, Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

can optimize the preschool’s location on Google Maps. This will establish a strong

online presence in its category, ensure the business location and information is

correct, as well as make the preschool easy to find in a Google search. As a cost-

per-click application, there is no fee to sign up for Google AdWords; you will only

pay when someone clicks your ad. With Google AdWords you can set your own

budget to meet your advertising needs. Reaching those consumers who are looking

online for a preschool their child can attend is paramount. Establishing a strong

online presence through Google AdWords lays a great foundation for Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool to build upon.

In addition to the SEM and SEO strategy, Agent C recommends that

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool advertise via Facebook. According to Facebook

Advertising, 64 percent of Facebook users log on every day, making it vital that an

organization utilizes the platform’s advanced networking capabilities. Moreover,

Facebook is a relatively inexpensive advertising option with highly accurate,

accessible, and measurable results. The objective of this strategy is to maximize

reach and frequency within the geographic target area. Paid Facebook promotion

presents Cornerstone Cottage Preschool with the opportunity to not only become

highly visible, but also engage with their target audience on a more frequent and

meaningful basis. Facebook advertisements are also beneficial to potential

consumers who are actively seeking preschool services in that it allows them to

investigate and interact with Cornerstone Cottage Preschool on their own terms.

2. Supplemental Promotions

The second promotional recommendation for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

involves the utilization of identity package items such as business cards,

letterheads, folders, and envelopes; and supplemental items, such as road signs

and various merchandise. The goal for all supplemental branding related strategies

is to maximize reach and raise awareness of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool among

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ideal audiences in the targeted geographic area. Supplemental and identity

package items, acquired through Vistaprint, are inexpensive and effective ways to

boost awareness of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool.

According to the parent surveys conducted in Agent C’s primary research

phase, 50 percent of respondents discovered Cornerstone Cottage Preschool via

informational road signs. Extrapolating from this data, Agent C is confident that the

same information placed on the previously named supplemental branding pieces

will be effective in increasing brand awareness and interest.

3. Radio Partnership Advertising Package Promotion

The third promotional recommendation for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is

a radio partnership with the local New Albany High School radio program, WNAS.

The goal for this particular strategy is to increase the brand’s frequency and reach

among target audience members in the designated geographic regions. Partnering

with WNAS is an inexpensive, mutually beneficial sponsorship opportunity, in which

Cornerstone Cottage will receive radio, television, and web-based advertisements,

mention at all New Albany High School home games, and a prominent signage

placement in the school’s main gymnasium.

Agent C rationalizes that many target audience members in the New Albany

Floyd County school district already listen to WNAS Radio and/or attend sporting

events due to the close proximity of schools and heavy community overlap. Agent C

is confident that Cornerstone Cottage Preschool can greatly benefit from the

exposure provided by this promotional radio opportunity.

In addition to the auditory benefits of partnering with WNAS, the radio

station’s package offers an additional local TV spot on Public Access Television for

the duration of the purchased year. This is a simple, and highly appreciated benefit

of partnering with a local radio station, and offers a medium that Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool would, without this opportunity, be unable to afford. Although

this vehicle is only Public Access, the possibility of exposure through this highly

esteemed vehicle is invaluable.

4. Direct Mail Marketing Promotion

The fourth promotional recommendation for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is

the utilization of direct mail pieces as an introductory approach to better reach the

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designated audience living within the neighborhoods of Floyds Knobs, Greenville,

and Georgetown, Indiana. Agent C recommends direct mail because it allows

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool to reach potential clients at a more personal level,

increase brand awareness, and foster engagement. Outsourced direct mail

companies, such as United Mail or USPS, have the capability to select specific zip

codes that pertain to Cornerstone Cottage Preschool desired geographical area

reach.

5. Promotional Sponsorship Banners

The fifth promotional recommendation for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is a

sponsorship with both the Highlander Youth Recreation and Floyd’s Knobs

Community Club Little League programs. Sponsorship of these programs is an

inexpensive promotional strategy that offers beneficial, long-term community

recognition. The goal for the sponsorship strategy is to achieve high levels of reach,

frequency, and repeated exposure among stakeholders in the geographic target

area. This upfront investment guarantees three years of exposure to current and

potential clientele that attend t-ball practices and games at the Floyd Knobs

Community Club Little League and Highlander Youth Recreation facilities. Agent C

recommends this promotional strategy to Cornerstone Cottage Preschool due to its

longevity, cost effective impressions, and increased market saturation.

d. Direct Response Strategies

In order to elicit immediate and measurable marketing feedback for

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool, Agent C’s direct response strategies will be carried

out by the following media: email marketing, quarterly surveys, direct mail, and

merchandise. The main purpose of these direct response strategies is to evoke

immediate response by urging parents to take a specific action. Whether it is

picking up the phone and calling, sending an email, or visiting a web page, it helps

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool elicit consumer response. Once the initial response

is submitted, the person's quantifiable and/or qualitative feedback data is captured

and kept for future and/or immediate use in marketing endeavors.

Our first direct response tactic will include email marketing with a 15 percent

discount offer on enrollment within the limited time frame of July 1st through July

8th. We have selected these dates with the 4th of July holiday weekend in mind,

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predicting that parents will have more free time off during this week, and will be

checking their email/using their mobile devices in higher volumes and frequency.

These discount vouchers will be sent directly to the parents of the existing children

at the preschool and will provide a snowball effect for potential clientele. Existing

enrolled families will be instructed to forward the message to other potential

customers. If the potential and existing parents enroll or re-enroll their children,

they will receive the 15 percent off enrollment voucher. This gives parents an

incentive for their child(ren) to attend Cornerstone Cottage Preschool, while

encouraging word of mouth exposure. Budgeting household income is a primary

concern for the target audience families and if Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

exhibits understanding of that, the parents will be more inclined to send their

child(ren) there. Due to the time frame restrictions, a direct and immediate

response strategy would prove effective and efficient in drawing in clientele that

desire the discount enrollment price.

The second tactic utilized for direct response marketing are confidential

quarterly surveys for parents to express their feelings and attitudes about the

preschool. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool would then analyze the surveys and

make appropriate modifications based on stakeholder feedback.  The surveys will

be printed out and administered via each child’s individual Friday “Take Home”

Folder. When the parents and/or caretakers drop their child(ren) off the following

Monday, the paper surveys will be placed in a drop-box to ensure confidentiality.

The surveys will be administered in September, December, February, and May on

the first Friday of each month. These particular months are chosen to insure the

appropriate amount of time for parents to have an understanding of how

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is organized and familiarize themselves with the

staff. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool follows the New Albany-Floyd County

Consolidated School Corporation schedule, where the 2015-2016 school year begins

on July, 31, giving parents of newly enrolled students approximately one month to

become accustomed to the preschool. The quarterly surveys will act as a consistent

tool in effectively tracking and measuring stakeholder feedback and overall

satisfaction throughout their journey with the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

institution. The survey’s element of confidentiality serves as a platform for parents

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to confidently and freely state their uncensored/unbiased opinion about Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool. Agent C feels that if the parent surveyors’ information were

easily identifiable to the Preschool, they may be prompted to ‘sugarcoat’ or give

less than accurate responses. By using confidential quarterly surveys, Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool can gain immediate and precise responses that foster

improvement on both operational and organizational levels.

The third direct response strategy utilized will be direct mail, which will offer

discounts on tuition, merchandise, and activities offered by Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool. The targeted cities will be Georgetown (47122), Floyds Knobs (47119),

and Greenville (47124). It will be a multi-colored postcard with the logo of

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool, contact information, and details regarding discounts

and activities that are being offered and/or held in that relative time. The point of

using direct mail is to elicit consumers to react in several ways such as participating

in school-related activities, purchasing branded merchandise, and/or enrolling their

child(ren). Additionally, direct mail marketing cultivates awareness and engages a

conversation centered on the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool brand, in regards to

activities, merchandise, or discounts. Direct mail is unique and effective in that it is

a more tangible and personalized medium that will physically be in the hands of

current and/or potential clientele. This medium solicits the likelihood of immediate

awareness, reaction, and response from the consumer’s active engagement,

whether they are reading or, at least, skimming through the preschool’s mail piece.

Merchandising is the fourth direct response strategy, which is tailored to the

students, parents, relatives, and friends to either wear or use in order to create

immediate reaction, brand awareness, and recognition from potential consumers.

The merchandise will display the company logo, website address, e-mail, and phone

number of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool. We will use a variety of merchandising

techniques including: t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, water bottles, folders, and pens.

The method of distribution is subjective for each individual merchandise item. The t-

shirts will be available for purchase in-house at the Preschool and given as ‘Thank

You’ gifts for volunteer visitors that conduct educational presentations. Sweatshirts

and hats will only be available for purchase within the Preschool. Water bottles,

folders, and pens will be available for purchase and in-house use as well; however,

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these will be distributed as novelties in ‘goody-bags’ during open house events and

individual and/or group Preschool tours. These branded collateral items will be

effective in generating brand awareness, recall recognition, loyalty, and serve as a

minor incentive to recipients, purchasers, and potential clientele.

IX. Media Strategy

a. Media Objectives

Specific media vehicles have been selected with the objective to maximize

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s frequency and reach to desired target audiences

and drive sales. Additional objectives include attaining the utmost informational,

community-based awareness, results, and conversation centered on the

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool brand. These objectives will be achieved through

strategic SEM efforts, paid Facebook advertisements, supplemental materials, direct

mail marketing, and radio/television promotions.

b. Tactical Recommendations for the Media Mix

1. Search engine marketing (SEM) via Google AdWords

2. Facebook Advertising

3. Ball field sponsorship banners on the T-Ball outfield fences via Floyds Knobs

Community Club and Highlander Youth Recreational Facility

4. Direct mail marketing

5. Radio sponsorship advertising package via WNAS New Albany High School

that encompasses the mediums of radio, television, digital, and signage

6. Supplemental Strategies

c. Rationale

1. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Agent C’s first tactical recommendation for the media mix is to optimize

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s web presence through the Google AdWords search

engine marketing tool. This inexpensive, user-friendly platform only makes

businesses pay for results and offers a helpful step-by-step instructional guide to

success. Google AdWords helps businesses get noticed and reach relevant

customers on relevant websites across the web through a range of advanced

targeting options. This is a measurable, accountable, and flexible tool that takes the

guesswork out of marketing. Google AdWords will indicate how many people notice

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Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s online ads and the click-to-visit percentage.

Advanced tracking tools allow Agent C to trace traffic, and eventually, sales that the

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool website generated as a direct result of paid

advertisements. Google AdWords also offers insights around the clock by allowing

Agent C to see how Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s ads are doing at any given

time. This strategy saves time and provides accurate monthly summaries that list

key statistics and numbers. Furthermore, Google AdWords provides Agent C with

the ability to tweak Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s advertisements, test new

search engine terminology, and pause/restart campaigns at will.  The beauty of

Google AdWords is that Cornerstone Cottage Preschool will be discovered by

potential clientele on Google precisely when they are searching for early education

and other like-services. Lastly, Google AdWords allows Cornerstone Cottage to

reach current and potential customers regardless of which device they are on.

Whether it be tablet, desktop, mobile, or laptop, target audiences are able to gain a

greater breadth and depth of knowledge pertaining to Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool with the assistance of Google AdWords

2. Facebook Advertising

The second tactical recommendation for the media mix is paid Facebook

advertising. This tool allows Cornerstone Cottage Preschool to grow their existing

audience and connect with them on a more personalized level through the creation

of multiple campaigns and advertisements, the utilization of advanced targeting

options, and accurate analytical insights on which ads perform best. With over 1

billion people using Facebook, paid advertising on the social media platform helps

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool reach the right ones. Facebook advertisements are a

relatively inexpensive tool that helps drive sales, build brand loyalty, and increase

online/foot traffic and conversation. This strategy benefits current and potential

clientele in that they are able to interact with content on the preschool’s Facebook

Page. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s paid Facebook advertisements will cultivate

engaging interactions among target audience members that lead them to feel a

greater sense of community, connectivity, knowledge, and loyalty.

3. Ball Field Sponsorship Banners

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Printed collateral in the form of two, single-sided ball field sponsorship

banners (4’ high x 8’ wide) is the third tactical recommendation for the preschool’s

media mix. One banner will be placed on the T-Ball outfield fence at the Floyds

Knobs Community Club. The second banner will be placed on the T-Ball outfield

fence at the Highlander Youth Recreational Facility. The signs will be hung up during

the months of the season and will be kept up during any additional fall or spring

outdoor sporting events. Banner placements at community sports facilities, such as

these, are a cost-effective method for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool to reach

young mothers, active fathers, and community involved families, all of which

encompass the preschool’s ideal demographic. Field banners are a favorable

medium due to their relative low-cost that guarantees targeted year round

exposure, repeat impressions and community engagement. Additionally, banners

reach a quality audience with a moderate to significant disposable income.

Typically, the average ball field visitor is predicted to spend 1 to 2 hours at either

facility per visit and will return an average of 12 times over a 3 month period alone.

Banner advertising on outfield fences at local youth recreational facilities will

prominently expose the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool brand to a consistently

captivated target audience.

4. Direct Mail Marketing

The fourth tactical recommendation for the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

media mix is direct mail marketing. This invasive medium puts Agent C’s planning

and in-depth research to use by requiring critical analyses and comprehensive

interpretations in regard to current market trends, demographic profiles, and

communication habits.

These demographic profiles include:

● Zip codes 47122 (Georgetown), 47124 (Greenville), 47119 (Floyds Knobs)

● Age range 20-60

● Single-family dwelling

● Income range 40k-100k

● Homeowner and Renter

● Length at Residence 1-7 years

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We established these parameters for the mailing list to more directly connect

to our desired target audience. We chose a broad age range (20-60) due to the

potential influence of grandparents on child care decisions. Our chosen income

range (40k-100k) is also broad due to the demographics and potential income of our

target audience.

Direct mailers are unique in that they are highly-accurate and efficient. It

requires the utilization of key demographic data to ensure that targeted consumers

- both existing and potential - receive offers and information that meet their

purchasing habits and specific needs and desires. Direct mail is also highly-

customizable, allowing them to be tailored according to specific campaign efforts.

Mailers are also tangible and delivered directly to existing/potential customers’

doorstep, where they can physically touch them, making them more likely to view

its contents. According to a 2013 report by Direct Mail Information Service, over

three quarters of direct mail is opened by the recipients, while 63 percent read the

contents (CMO Council, 2015). Additionally, a direct mail media strategy is

beneficial in several other ways such as versatility in formatting options (brochures,

postcards, coupons); ease of tracking, recording and measuring results; supportive

of other campaign marketing efforts; as well as, a reputable track record of

effectiveness. Although this media option is considered more costly, the following

statistics according to the CMO Council (2015) indicate a positive correlation

between direct mail marketing and success/growth rates, return on investment, and

consumer preference:  

● Direct mail has the highest rate of success in new customer acquisition at 34

percent compared with other marketing channels (February 2012).

● Direct marketing spend in the U.S. is will grow 3.4 percent in 2012 to $168.5

billion (September 2012).

● In general, for 2012, an investment of $1 in direct marketing ad expenditures

is predicted to return, on average, $12.18 in incremental revenue across all

industries (June 2012).

● Fifty percent of U.S. consumers prefer direct mail to email, according to a

study released by marketing services firm Epsilon in 2011.

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● 40 percent of consumers say that they have tried a new business after

receiving direct mail, and 70 percent have renewed relationships with

businesses that they had previously ceased usage (2012).

5. Radio Sponsorship Advertising Package

The fifth tactical recommendation for the Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

media mix is to purchase a radio sponsorship advertising package from WNAS New

Albany High School. For the comparatively low price of $200 dollars per year,

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool advertisements will run for a full year and includes

the following:

● Daily radio advertisements on WNAS FM/www.wnas.org

● Screen time on Time Warner Cable Channel, either 25 or 8.6

● Screen time on AT&T Cable TV, a Government Access Channel

● Business name mention during each New Albany High School and Floyd

Central High School athletic events broadcast

● Business name and web address placement in the advertising section of the

WNAS website, and banner placed in main gymnasium of both high schools

As the oldest high school FM radio station in the United States, WNAS New

Albany is a sustainable media vehicle with an immense local following and fan base.

Additionally, 66.6 million US millennials, which encompasses the preschool’s target

market, listen to the radio each week, compared to 57.9 million for both Gen-Xers

and Baby Boomers (Nielsen, 2015). Furthermore, Nielsen reported that 6.3 million of

these millennials listen to public radio each week, for an average of 3 hours 15

minutes (Nielsen, 2014). Based on this statistical data and cost-effective pricing,

Agent C is confident that Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s key demographic will be

effectively reached through purchasing the WNAS New Albany Advertising Package,

which encompasses radio, television, and digital medium placements.

6. Supplemental Strategies

Agent C’s supplemental strategy will consist of brochures, flyers, business

cards, and road signs. The brochures will have a tri-fold, gloss finish that will have

the mission statement, current curriculum, teacher information, and contact

information. The brochures will be placed in restaurants, coffee shops, and other

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small businesses in the Floyd Knobs and surrounding areas. These brochures will be

integral in gaining exposure to a large number of people that is not limited to our

target audience.  

Flyers will be posted on large advertising cork boards in local community

centers and businesses. These flyers will contain basic informational content such

as contact information and open house dates, inviting target audiences to see the

preschool firsthand. We recommend posting these in churches, elementary schools,

business offices, doctor’s offices, and industrial workplace message boards.

The business cards will display the preschool’s name, logo, tagline and

contact information. We want to leave these cards at local business establishments

in the Highlander Point area. Business cards will accomplish the similar

informational objectives as the flyers, but will be a quick decision, “grab-and-go”

type strategy.

The surveys conducted during the primary research stage indicated that 50

percent of parents gained awareness of Cornerstone Cottage Preschool via the

school’s storefront road signage. Agent C wants to stem from the success of this

strategy by placing additional road signage at high traffic areas. For example, an

ideal high traffic location would be State Road 150 and Old Vincennes Road at

Highlander Point, right off I-64, which is in the middle of a major shopping center

that our demographic audience frequents. The road signs will simply contain the

name of the preschool along with the contact information. Agent C intends to keep

road signage straightforward due to current/potential consumers’ having a small

viewing window of 10 to 30 when stopped at the intersection or driving by.

d. Timing

Facebook advertisements will run in two seasonal bursts allowing us to hit

key targets when they are most likely searching for preschool services. The first set

will run for 35 days, from May 25th to June 9th. The first burst is targeted to our

demographic audience that will research local preschool options before the start of

the school year. The second set of Facebook advertisements will run from July 27th

to August 24th (28 days). This promotional burst is targeted to those demographic

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families who are researching local preschool options last-minute, in close proximity

to the start final enrollment date of September 4th.

Flyers, road and direct mail will be executed during late May through late

August when consumers are preparing to enroll their child in a preschool facility.

This strategy will also reach potential clientele that may be opting to switch

preschools. When utilizing the direct mail, specifically, Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool can strategically divide the direct mail into four monthly send-outs. Agent

C has decided to distribute 201 direct mail postcards, per month, to a total of 804

homes from May through August. This strategy facilitates growth and awareness of

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool relative to their enrollment period, while

simultaneously allowing the client to stop distribution if the response rate

overwhelms the realistic parameters of the preschool itself.

The banners at the baseball fields will be displayed year-round for three

years and gain the most exposure from mid-April to mid-June during their Spring

League, and late August to mid-October during their Fall League.

Business cards will be bought in bulk and distributed at-will and on an as-

need basis, year round. The Radio Sponsorship Advertising Package is a bundled

premium that will also be executed year round. The Google AdWords strategy will

be executed continuously up until the $500 budget cap is reached. Additional

budgeting will be allocated to AdWords if effective per request of the client.

*See Appendix D for Media Flowchart

e. Cost

● Search Engine Marketing (Google AdWords) - $0.50 per click, $500 cap

● Facebook Advertising - $315 for a total of 63 days

● Ball Field Sponsorship Banners (Highlander Youth Recreation and Floyds

Knobs Community Club Little League) - $800 for 3 years at each field

● Direct Mail Marketing (Vistaprint) - $498.48 for 804 households

● Radio Sponsorship Advertising Package (WNAS New Albany) - $400 for 2

years

● Supplemental Materials - $290 total

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■ Business Cards- $36.00 for 500

■ Road Signs - Small Size $70.00 for 5

■ Brochures - $150.00 for 200

■ Flyers - $34.00 for 100 half page (8.52x5.47)

Grand Total: $2,803.48

*See Appendix E for Budget Overview

X. Evaluation Plan/Assessment Measures

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool plans on sending out quarterly surveys to

parents, much like the survey that was conducted as primary research. These will

include questions that require feedback towards how they heard about Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool, their thoughts/feelings about their child’s experience, curriculum

that is taught, the type of environment they would like to see their child in,

suggested parent involvement, and any other relevant suggestions/thoughts that

parents might have.

These surveys will act as guides to ensure that the supplemental and direct

message marketing efforts are meeting current needs of our target audience;

especially as new clients arise. The surveys also ensure the staff at Cornerstone

Cottage Preschool that marketing efforts are effective and measurable. This also

heightens the involvement of the parents, making them feel comfortable

participating in expression of opinion, likely resulting in higher word-of-mouth

frequencies.

In addition to the surveys, Agent C plans to request GRPs from WNAS New

Albany in order to track frequency and reach during Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool’s promotions.

In order to measure our Facebook activity, Facebook has manageable tools

called “Insights” in their activity section. This allows Agent C to track how many

people have viewed their page, how many likes they have received, and how many

people each of their post reached on a weekly basis.

To track our Google AdWords, Agent C will utilize Google Analytics, a free

program manager that Google offers. It allows us to track impressions, click-through

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rates, website traffic, and eventually our sales that result in from the paid

advertisements.

XI. Future Recommendations

a. Recommendation Content

General recommendations for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool include

focusing on continuing the existing social media techniques while extending into

other social networking applications. For example, the Facebook page of

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is currently the only social media outlet for the

brand. It is also the main hub for parents, staff, and general updates, while serving

as the primary informative source for inquiring clientele.

A recommendation for extending the social media strategy is to seek other

social networks that are more “brief-update” based, such as Instagram and Twitter.

These social media outlets are not prime hubs for information, but rather for casual,

regular updating. Facebook is dominated by back and forth communication and

equally balanced visual and textual material. Twitter and Instagram, however,

heavily utilize one or the other, textual and visual, respectively. Extending

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool’s social mediums to either or both of these

networking platforms would allow the existing Facebook page to remain informative

and clear, where major updates and information is shared. Twitter and Instagram

could serve as the regular involvement hubs, sharing small, but active, updates

among the parents that choose to “follow” the preschool on these mediums. This

adheres to the parent request for a private blog. Extending the social media usage

to other networks becomes increasingly important as the age demographic of the

parents becomes younger, and more tech-savvy. The parents of incoming students

will be more youthful, affluent with technology, and in-touch with social media

trends. In order for Cornerstone Cottage Preschool to appeal to these young, savvy

consumers, it is pertinent that they stay modern and ever-growing in their social

media stations.

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Appendix A

Research Instruments

References

A Millennial Majority for Audio, Today. (2015, March 5). Retrieved from

http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2015/a-millennial-majority-for-

audio-today.html

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.cornerstone

cottagepre.com/

Day, A., (2015, February) Personal Interview during Client Discovery Meeting.

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Dodge, D., Colker, L., & Heroman, C. (2002, June 26). The Creative Curriculum for

Preschool, 4th edition. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/The-Creative-

Curriculum-Preschool-4th/dp/1879537435

EMP Advisers. (2012). Country Report on U.S.A. Retrieved from

http://www.empadvis

ers.com/county_reports/usa.pdf

Experian Information Solutions, Inc. (2015). Affluent Suburbia: Marketing to the

Parents with Mosaic. Retrieved from http://www.experian.com/small-

business/marketing- affluent-suburbia-parents.jsp

Facts & Statistics: Direct Marketing. (2015). Retrieved from

https://www.cmocouncil.org/

facts-stats-categories.php?view=all&category=direct-marketing

Floyd County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. (2015, March 21). Retrieved

from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/18043.html

Halgunseth, L., Peterson, A., Stark, D., & Moodie, S. (2009). Family Engagement,

Diverse Families, and Early Childhood Education Programs: An Integrated Review of

the Literature. Retrieved from

http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/ecprofessional/EDF_Literature Review.pdf

Kids of the Kingdom Preschool. (2015). Retrieved from firstsouthernonline.com/kids-

of- the-kingdom.html

Lafayette Academy Preschool. (2015). Retrieved from

http://www.lafayetteacademypresch

ool.com/

Laughlin, L. (2013, April 1). Who’s Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements:

Spring 2011. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-

135.pdf

McClure, R. (2015). Top Trends in Child Care - Child Care is Changing. Retrieved

from http://childcare.about.com/od/evaluations/tp/trends.htm

Seeds of Knowledge Preschool and Daycare. (2011). Retrieved from

seedsofknowledgellc.com

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. (2015). Retrieved from

sothluth.org.

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Young, M. (2007). Early Child Development From Measurement to Action: A Priority

for Growth and Equity. Retrieved from http://portal.oas.org/LinkClick.aspx?

fileticket=KevGn

fLUtQs=&tabid=1282&mid=3694

Zachry, A. (2013). 8 Questions to Ask When Looking at Preschools. Retrieved

http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/starting-

preschool/choosing/picking-the-right-preschool/

Parent Survey

Dear Parents,

In an effort to maintain and improve the quality of Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool, we would appreciate your comments and suggestions. Your responses

can remain anonymous and you are welcome to mail it to the school if you so

choose to: 7007 Highway 150, Floyds Knobs, Indiana 47119. The survey will be used

only as a guide in planning future programs and policies. Please take a few minutes

to fill out this form, and return it to the office or in your child’s school bag by

Monday, February 9th. Many thanks for your cooperation and input into our

program. Sincerely, Anne Day, Teacher and Director, Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool.

The Likert 1-to-5 response scale contained the following statements:

● The overall quality of care your child has received.

● The overall quality of the curriculum offered to your child.

● The effectiveness of communication between you and your child’s teacher.

● The effectiveness of communication between you and the director.

● The physical appearance of your child’s preschool.

● The overall cleanliness and appearance of the preschool facility.

● The overall level of comfort with the tuition rate.

● The overall satisfaction with the days and times currently offered.

● How well do you feel that your child is being prepared for success in

Kindergarten?

The following two-point, open-ended questions included:

● Please elaborate on any of the above [Likert scale] ratings if need be.

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● Overall, has your child enjoyed preschool this year? Please briefly elaborate.

● How did you initially discover Cornerstone Cottage Preschool? Please briefly

elaborate.

● What made you choose Cornerstone Cottage Preschool over other preschools

in the area? Please briefly elaborate.

● Do you feel comfortable and welcome when you come to visit? Please briefly

elaborate.

● Did you find updates via Facebook/personal text messaging on classroom

activities/your child’s day helpful? Please briefly elaborate.

● Do you feel that the programs and/or instructors brought into the school,

such as Rainbow Puppets, Silly Safaris, fire fighters, police officers,

veterinarians, librarians, dentists, were constructive? Please briefly elaborate.

● Would you recommend our program to a friend? Please briefly elaborate.

● Any additional comments and/or suggestions?

Appendix B

Brand Essence Chart

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Appendix C

Creative Brief

Company Contact Information/Project

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool

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Anne Cooper Day (Director)

(812) 951-3941

anneday386@gmail.com

FUNDAMENTALS Campaign (Summer 2015-Summer 2016)

Product/Personality

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is an early education institution for children ages 2-

5. Their curriculum is based on the “play” initiative and prepares children for

Kindergarten based on academic learning as well as basic behavioral skills and

etiquette such as raising hands, covering mouths, and please and thank you’s.

Children are encouraged to learn at their own pace regarding their individual skill

level. Teachers support each child’s self-initiated play and introduces purposeful

instructional activities that engage children in learning. Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool involves engaging children in interactive play, asking questions, sharing

ideas, listening, personal attention, support, and encouragement.

Key Fact/Background Overview

Children between the ages of two and five need preparatory education before going

into Kindergarten. Cornerstone Cottage Preschool is relatively new, so they need

assistance in raising brand awareness, and emphasizing the importance of early

childhood education. Competing local preschools have demonstrated longevity over

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool, so it is imperative that they establish credibility

early on. If their child(ren) has not been in preschool before, the parents weigh the

factors between Christian-based, non-Christian based, and the way the children are

taught. The economy is in a state of recovery, so parents must weigh tuition cost.

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool has been seen by some consumers as overly play

oriented, and this campaign will attempt to create a more professional brand image.

Problem/Prospect Need

The marketplace situation is affecting consumers because they may not want to

branch out from known preschools to a new one. Consumers face issues such as the

economy, lack of awareness, and unknowns. Advertising can help solve the need for

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awareness and information about the preschool.

Communication Objective/Desired Attitude or Behavioral Change

The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness of Cornerstone Cottage

Preschool in the target market by 20% by December 2015, and increase enrollment

by 30% for the 2015-2016 school year.  A secondary objective is to increase traffic

to Cornerstone Cottage Preschool and its website or Facebook page by the second

quarter (May) of 2016. Ideally consumers will feel excitement when researching the

preschool, we want them to know this is the best preschool in the area for their

child.

Target Market/Audience Segment

The target market is young and affluent working couples with preschool aged

children in Floyds Knobs, Greenville, and Georgetown, Indiana; many of which live in

new or renovated subdivisions. Targeted consumers typically have a college-

education and work in blue or white-collar professions. These families have both

parents that work to generate two incomes to classify them as middle to upper-

class families. These families are ambitious with their children’s education and are

willing to pay to get the best education. They drive SUVs and Minivans to zoos,

aquariums, and campgrounds. They shop for practical goods, electronics, and

clothing at retailers like Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Kroger. The parents

typically drive 20-60 minutes to get to work. These households are debt-heavy, so

the need to save money is crucial. Many watch network sitcoms, reality shows,

sport channels, and entertainment channels. The most viewed channels are ESPN,

MTV, and Comedy Central. Since they are always on-the-go, they frequently listen

to radio stations that cover a broad range of categories such as: news, sports, and

music. These working parents go online to trade stocks, search for jobs, visit social

media applications, and look at real-estate listings.

Consumer Insight/Sweet Spot

The consumers’ mindset is to find a preschool that will fit their child(ren) the best.

Parents want to be involved and receive feedback from the preschool. Consumers

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perceive preschools as a tool to better prepare their child for kindergarten, and they

want to get the best knowledge for their child that they possibly can. The clientele

are more likely to be persuaded if they can see relatable information. The

aspirations and dreams for their child and the fears they have for their children are

all be factors to be considered.

Promise/Takeaway/Major Proposition

Cornerstone Cottage Preschool prides themselves in a play-based curriculum, a safe

and welcoming facility, reasonable tuition, low teacher/student ratio, and quality

care for their child(ren) that meets the parents’ needs and expectations.

Support/Substantiation/Source of Authority & Credibility

● The role of play is prominent

● Involvement with families

● Organized, yet balanced schedule

● Responsive, supportive, and encouraging staff

● Safe facility

● Predictable classroom environment

● Individual, large group, or small group instruction

Creative Guidelines/Executional Elements/Mandatories

● Company name and Logo

● Website address

● Facebook address

● Vibrant colors

● “FUNDAMENTALS” Tagline

Mood/Tonality/Voice

● Fun

● Progressive

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● Artsy

● Healthy & Safe

● Engaging

● Unique

● Professional

Appendix D

Media/IMC Flowchart

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Appendix E

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Budget Breakdown

Appendix F

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Sample Design/Merchandise

Letterhead

Direct Mail Piece

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T-Shirt/Sweatshirt Design

Water Bottle Design

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Folder Design

Hat Design

Logo

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Banner

Pen Design

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