Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan
Transcript of Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 1
Proper CardsStrategic Communications Plan
February 1, 2015
John Lee
National University
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 2
INTRODUCTORY MEMO
This strategic communications plan outlines the objectives, methods, and timeline for the initial
launch of the Proper Cards website. Please review all information detailed herein and contact me
should you have any questions or concerns. We greatly appreciate any feedback you would like
to offer, please feel free to contact us at any time.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Proper Cards is a specialty invitation card company that was founded in 2014. The product line
focuses on offering customizable formal wedding and event invitations. These invitations are set
apart from the rest by the use of only premium cardstocks and a simple yet elegant design, all at
a very reasonable price.
The primary target audience are couples looking to purchase invitations within the next 12
months. A plausible secondary target audience would be wedding and event planners that may
utilize Proper Cards for bulk or wholesale services. The message that Proper Cards will be
attempting to transmit will be the company slogan, “A Proper Card at a Proper Price.” The
primary media in which we will attempt this through will be the most popular forms of social
media, specifically Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. As the website has yet to launch, the
measures to determine success will initially be quite conservative. A determination of success
will be heavily determined by an increase in web traffic flow and sales by at least 10% every
subsequent month for the initial twelve months.
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Company Background 4
Situation Analysis 4
Opportunity Statement 6
Goal Statement 6
Objectives 6
Key Publics 7
Messages 7
Strategies and Tactics 8
Evaluation Criteria 12
Conclusions and Recommendations 12
References 14
Appendix A 15
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 4
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Proper Cards was developed after the founder of the company became engaged to be married and
found that most online invitations companies offered poor quality, limited customization, or
overpriced options. This prompted the crafting of a new kind of invitation. Invitations that were
sufficiently formal with a touch of elegance, yet maintained a balance with affordability.
One of the greatest challenges with a new company and/or website is the manufacturing of
significant exposure in order to increase traffic flow and sales. As the website has yet to be
launched, it’s difficult to gauge an ideal amount of business transactions per month. However, a
good indicator of early financial success would be self-sustenance.
Mission Statement
While many other card companies offer low quality products at premium prices, Proper Cards
vows to provide a proper card at a proper price. In fact, the Proper Cards official slogan will be,
“A Proper card at a Proper price.”
SITUATION ANALYSIS
Proper Cards is looking to maximize the benefits of communications strategies while utilizing a
minimal budget. In order to maximize the potential of any marketing efforts, research was done
to find the most effective ways of reaching the target audience.
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 5
The primary forms of marketing efforts considered were social media, online advertisements,
and word of mouth. It was concluded that word of mouth had the strongest influence on our
target customers. However, that brought about a unique obstacle in that a new company cannot
utilize word of mouth advertising to gain a wave of initial buyers. That led to the utilization of
the second tier option of social media. This was due to the way the way that social media can
sometime behave in ways that are similar to word of mouth advertising.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
Fair pricingHigh quality intricate productUnique, customizable productSmall business requires less inventory
New CompanyLack of ExposureSmall order processing capability
Opportunities Threats
Customers are more open to spending for formal events, which would be the primary focus of Proper Cards.
Direct competitorsPrinting servicesHome craftersSmall business budget
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 6
OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
As Proper Cards is a small business with minimal startup funding, a well thought out strategic
communication plan is necessary to make the best use of all funds available.
GOAL STATEMENT
The vision statement would be to establish a loyal base of customers that turn to Proper Cards for
all their invitation needs again and again.
OBJECTIVES
Utilize social media and internet advertising in order to increase exposure and traffic to
website.
A three month long concentrated push of advertising should double website traffic flow
while campaigns are active on social media individual accounts, social media
advertisements, and search engine advertising.
After three month external advertising push, focus will shift to increasing repeat
customers by offering coupons for next purchase.
At the six month phase, introduce loyalty rewards program.
A month to month increase in sales by at least 10%. This should be easily achievable in
the first 12 months as Proper Cards will be starting at zero.
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 7
Operations and marketing budget to expand in line with increase in sales based off of
quarterly sales results (as to not under or over react to any fluctuations or outlying sales
data).
KEY PUBLICS
The key public of Proper Cards is individuals and/or couple looking to purchase wedding or
other invitations online.
Men or women may be tasked with purchasing invitation for large formal gatherings. All
age demographic above 18 are considered valid here.
Individuals/Couples who must purchase invitations for a wedding or other formal
occasion.
As Proper Cards is a new company, all customer would currently be first time customers.
Customers would need to be swayed away from pricier larger companies as well as
printing invitation at home.
These customers should enable Proper Cards to build a loyal base of repeat customers
that will also refer friends and family.
MESSAGES
Primary Messages
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 8
A proper card at a proper price. An invitation that offer quality and elegance within a
price package made for you.
Invitations you’ll want to keep forever at a price you’ll never forget.
Great option for couples who know what they want but don’t want to overspend to get a
customized product.
Secondary Messages
Formal Invitations for under $4.00 per piece
Volume Discounts
High quality cardstocks all above 100 lb. weight
Customizable text
Customizable color combinations
Customizable paper textures and weights
Multiple choices of wax stamps and colors
Designs that are elegant yet simple
Samples may be created and viewed in person before certain volume orders are placed
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
Primary Key Public Strategy
The Primary Key Public for the Proper Cards brand will in fact be couples looking to throw a
wedding within a 12 month timeframe. Utilizing previously completed in house research (See
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 9
Appendix A) it was discovered that many couples valued word of mouth recommendations more
than any other form of advertising. However, this poses a dilemma for Proper Cards as the
website has yet to even be activated. This has led to the use of a tiered strategy of offering deep
discounts through social media for approximately one month and then offering this initial wave
of purchasers a future discount for continued loyalty and/or recommendation to friends and
family.
While not cutting straight to the intended form of communication, the tiered strategy appears to
be the most accelerated approach to gaining some initial website traffic and then utilizing The
Theory of the Diffusion of Innovation (Wilson & Ogden, 2010) to create a sense of the
community that will lead to the desired word of mouth advertising.
Primary Key Public Channels
The decision to use these three forms of social media was based primarily based upon the fact
that accounts could be easily created for all three at relatively no up front cost. The three media
platforms are also currently have largest number of user worldwide (Duggan et al. 2015).
Facebook does allow the option to purchase advertising on the website, however that is currently
not something that is being considered due to the large upfront costs. All three forms of social
media allow for the spread of images and recommendations to millions of people with a simple
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 10
hashtag and description. There is hope someday, #ProperCards will be trending on all three
social media platforms.
Primary Key Public Secondary Channels
Linked In
These secondary channels may be used should the need for additional exposure feel necessary.
While Pinterest and Linked In both have plenty of users (Duggan et al. 2015), the purpose of
these websites are not as agreeable as the primary channels previously mentioned.
Primary Key Public Tactics
Accounts will be created on each social media platform
Company information and relevant picture will be posted to all accounts
Periodic sales offers will be posted on each site and differing times with differing
discount codes that lead generation can be tracked for future use.
Once purchases are made, loyalty incentives will be introduced in order to promote word
of mouth advertising.
Secondary Key Public Strategy
The Secondary Key Public for the Proper Cards brand is for Event Planners. In addition to
wedding invitations, Proper Cards also plans to offer invitation services for formal gatherings of
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 11
all kinds. This will be the motivation to make a push towards individuals that solely plan events
full time as well as those that might do so occasionally as a secondary role in a company.
This secondary key public strategy will implement a discounted rate for charitable organizations
(services for smaller events thrown by charitable organizations may be offered in sponsorship) or
large events.
Secondary Key Public Channels
Open to all charitable organizations
When a charitable organization throw fundraising or public awareness event, Proper Cards
would like to deliver the invitations. The desired outcome of offering services to this Key Public
to establish a hands on experience with the Proper Card product that will spread quickly due to
the size of events and the charitable support that Proper Cards is offering.
Secondary Key Public Secondary Channels
Large Event Planners
This secondary channel would be also utilized be offered deep discounts in exchange for the
exposure that such large events might create for Proper Cards. Large events would need to be
quantified in terms of number of attendees and frequency of services required.
Secondary Key Public Tactics
Contacting local charitable organizations
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 12
Offering sponsorship of organization in the forms of inviting guests to formal occasions
or events
All cards would be produced with clear and distinguishable logos directing interested
parties to go to http://www.propercards.com
Desired outcome is an association of charitable work being established with the Proper
Cards brand.
This will lead to increased purchases of Proper Cards products.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Was social media and internet advertising optimally utilized in order to increase exposure
and traffic to website?
Did any concentrated push of social media activity and advertising increase website
traffic flow or sales?
How effective was the shift in focus to increasing repeat customers?
How did the loyalty rewards program affect repeat customers?
Were month to month sales increased by at least 10% every month?
Was the quarterly operations and marketing budget able to stay in line with all increases
(or decreases) in sales?
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 13
This strategic communications plan is only the first step of many in fulfilling the potential of the
Proper Cards brand. If all plan objectives were satisfied, this plan should be considered a success
and new plan should include considerations for expansion and streamlined processes. If any
objectives were not completed, the objective should be re-evaluated to see if it was unreasonable
or what changes must be made in the future so that the objective can be satisfied in the future.
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 14
References
Wilson, L.J., & Ogden, J.D. (2008). Strategic Communications Planning: For Effective Public
Relations and Marketing. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Duggan, M., Ellison, N., Lampe, C., Lenhart, A., & Madden, M. (2015, January 9). Social Media
Update 2014. Pew Research Internet Project. Retrieved from:
http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/social-media-update-2014/
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 15
Appendix A: Internal Survey Results
1. How do you feel towards learning about a new product through online advertisements
that appear on the sides of search engines and websites?
Strong Dislike (3)
Dislike (4)
Neutral (3)
Prefer (0)
Strongly Prefer (0)
2. How do you feel towards learning about a new product through social media?
Strong Dislike (3)
Dislike (1)
Neutral (5)
Prefer (1)
Strongly Prefer (0)
3. How do you feel towards learning about a new product through the verbal
recommendation of others that have used the product?
Strong Dislike (0)
Dislike (0)
Neutral (1)
Prefer (5)
Strongly Prefer (4)
4. When making a large purchase, do you lean towards simplicity or increased selection?
Greater Simplicity (3)
Proper Cards Strategic Communications Plan 16
Some Simplicity (1)
Neutral (2)
Some Selection (3)
Greater Selection (1)
5. What is the greatest amount of money you have ever spent on a card or invitation?
$0.00 - $1.99 (1)
$2.00 - $3.99 (5)
$4.00 - $5.99 (2)
$6.00 – 7.99 (2)
$8.00 + (0)
6. After your first order with a company which of the following would most entice you to
reorder?
Receiving points for every dollar spent on previous purchases that may be
redeemed for merchandise (0)
Receiving a discount coupon for a future purchase (8)
Receiving free small promotional items (i.e. a pen or keychain) (2)