2010/11 Marketing Plan Presented to Harry Gee

2010/11 Marketing Plan Presented to Harry Gee

2010/2011 Business Goals Country Suburban needs to build a brand and marketing message that is unique and stands out among the competition. They also need to differentiate themselves from a similarly named competitor called City Suburban. Country Suburban would like to identify potential customers and grow their business in the surrounding areas of Utica, NY. Country Suburban would like to build a better online reputation and build their database of online testimonials. Country Suburban is spending a significant portion of their marketing budget on top of mind advertising and would like to explore more targeted advertising options, along with better tracking. Focus more on sniper shot advertising and less on buckshot advertising.

Marketing Objective #1 Country Suburban needs to develop its own identity and brand separate from its competitor, City Suburban. In developing this brand, in what ways might we get consumers in Utica and the surrounding communities to associate Harry Gee with Country Suburban, and not City Suburban? Marketing Objective #2 Growth in the towns of Utica, Cooperstown and Old Forge is needed. In what ways can we introduce our target consumers (see detailed demos on page 5) in these areas to Country Suburban? Marketing Objective #3 Country Suburban has a 5,000 household database that are not utilizing. In what ways can we market to these consumers and get them to call Country Suburban for service and repair? Marketing Objective #4 Building an online presence is crucial to Country Suburban marketing and business goals. In what way might we enhance Country Suburban s online reputation and SEO? Marketing Objective #5 In what ways can we refocus Country Suburban s, buck shot, top of mind advertising into more direct forms of advertising? How can we alter it so we might be able to track the success of some of our more expensive advertising activities?

Solution: Marketing Objective #1 Country Suburban needs to develop its own identity and brand separate from its competitor, City Suburban. In developing this brand, in what ways might we get consumers in Utica and the surrounding communities to associate Harry Gee with Country Suburban, and not City Suburban? Country Suburban: Home of Harry Gee The Furnace Doctor! Country Suburban has already toyed with the idea of The HVAC Doctor. As we discussed in our meeting, the term HVAC is hard for the average consumer to decipher. So it makes sense to create a character of The Furnace Doctor or The Cooling Doctor to further associate Country Suburban and Harry Gee as an authority on heating and cooling in Utica and its surrounding areas. We will create the character of the furnace doctor through caricatures that will stick out on an advertisement. While this idea is out there on the website and marketing, we can take it one step further by weaving medical terms into every facet of Country Suburban s marketing. Images of Harry with a stethoscope up to a Bryant Furnace or AC unit. We now diagnose the state of your HVAC system. The furnace doctor fights cartoon microbes that threaten the state of your family s indoor air quality. Images of an ambulance when talking about emergency service. May we suggest ambulance lights on your trucks? Seriously, you need ambulance lights! With a little bit of tweaking we can create a brand and mascot that rises above the competition. It s important to note that Harry needs to have fun with this in order to make it work and seem genuine to consumers. The Furnace Doctor

Solutions: Marketing Objective #2 Growth in the towns of Utica, Cooperstown and Old Forge is needed. In what ways can we introduce our target consumers (see detailed demos on page 5) in these areas to Country Suburban? Marketing Objective #5 In what ways can we refocus Country Suburban s, buck shot, top of mind advertising into more direct forms of advertising? How can we alter it so we might be able to track the success of some of our more expensive advertising activities? Target Markets Home Value 200k+ Household Income 60k+ Home Age 10 years+ Old Forge 13420 30 New Hartford 13413 1005 Sauquoit 13456 115 Whitesboro 13492 314 Clinton 13323 608 Cooperstown 13326 710 Home Value $125k+ Household Income 40k+ Home Age 10 Years+ Utica 13501 907 Utica 13502 726 Total Results 4415 Database Mapping A useful tool that helps you plot your customers geographically. EB&L has used a database map to help target effective top of mind advertising. EB&L will provide you with the following: Database of 4415 households Digital file of households plotted on map (1) 50 by 60, laminated wall map Note: This map is a great way to pinpoint advertising location opportunities that will target your best potential customers. It will move Country Suburban one step closer to marketing objective #5.

Solutions: Marketing Objective #1 Country Suburban needs to develop its own identity and brand separate from its competitor, City Suburban. In developing this brand, in what ways might we get consumers in Utica and the surrounding communities to associate Harry Gee with Country Suburban, and not City Suburban? The backbone of your marketing campaign is your company website. Here we will create your ad kit. Meaning: the elements that make up your site will also be utilized in your other media, so that we maintain a consistent look and feel throughout your marketing. We will create a website that weaves in your new medical theme but is primarily focused on Country Suburban s offerings in HVAC and fireplace installation. Your site will also include the following: Heating and Cooling Calculator Information on Hybrid Heat Current Specials Information on fireplace products and installation Contact Information

Sample Website Layout Country Suburban: Home of Harry Gee The Furnace Doctor! The Furnace Doctor

Solution: Marketing Objective #3 Country Suburban has a 5,000 household database that are not utilizing. In what ways can we market to these consumers and get them to call Country Suburban for service and repair? Marketing Objective #4 Building an online presence is crucial to Country Suburban marketing and business goals. In what way might we enhance Country Suburban s online reputation and SEO? Postcards to Existing Customers In our planning session we discussed the merits of online reviews. The most obvious place to begin to build a database of reviews on sites like Citysearch, Google and Yelp is with your existing customers. We suggest postcards offering a free clean and check to your existing customers in exchange for them emailing you a link to their online review. (If the review is positive, you can feel good about rewarding this customer. If it s a negative review, it will give you an opportunity to address a problem you may never have heard about otherwise!) This will do wonders for your reputation and also help to build your online presence on the major search engines because they pull from the above mentioned sites for content. This program has the added benefit of keeping your techs busy during the slow season, along with providing an opportunity to get into the customer s home, where repair or replacement can be suggested, if appropriate. Not to mention that this is a great way to send your customers check-up reminders, just like a doctor would do! 15,000 total cards, two designs January, March/April, Aug/Sep 5,000 per drop, 3 drops January card: Online Reviews March/August Card: Online Reviews, Service and Replacement

Solution: Marketing Objective #2 Growth in the towns of Utica, Cooperstown and Old Forge is needed. In what ways can we introduce our target consumers (see detailed demos on page 5) in these areas to Country Suburban? Custom Postcards to New Customers 8,830 total postcards, 2 designs 2 drops at 4,415 qty each March/April, June Postcards designed to match your marketing message Custom Design, Printing, Postage, Mailing Service included Utica Household Income $40,000+ Home Value $125,000+ Home Age 10 years + 2,782 Results Surrounding Utica Household Income $60,000+ Home Value $200,000+ Home Age 10 years + 1,633 Results Total Database 4,415 Results Note: All Postcards to existing and new customers will be designed to match your new ad kit created with your website.

Solutions: Marketing Objective #2 Growth in the towns of Utica, Cooperstown and Old Forge is needed. In what ways can we introduce our target consumers (see detailed demos on page 5) in these areas to Country Suburban? Marketing Objective #5 In what ways can we refocus Country Suburban s, buck shot, top of mind advertising into more direct forms of advertising? How can we alter it so we might be able to track the success of some of our more expensive advertising activities? Billboard Since the furnace doctor caricature is such a striking image it makes sense to use him on top of mind advertising that is appropriate for such a strong visual. Using database mapping we will pick locations that are guaranteed to be seen by the same people that are receiving your direct mail pieces. This will create frequency in Country Suburban s campaign. Locations are to be determined once a plan has been agreed upon. But the basic details can be reviewed below. Three boards: Utica, Cooperstown, Old Forge 8 months: March-October Billboard Locations

Solutions: Marketing Objective #2 Growth in the towns of Utica, Cooperstown and Old Forge is needed. In what ways can we introduce our target consumers (see detailed demos on page 5) in these areas to Country Suburban? Marketing Objective #5 In what ways can we refocus Country Suburban s, buck shot, top of mind advertising into more direct forms of advertising? How can we alter it so we might be able to track the success of some of our more expensive advertising activities? Newspaper Country Suburban feels that newspaper is a valuable part of their marketing mix. Currently they run once a week and are included in the Penny Saver Mailing. In 2010/2011 we are simply going to tweak the current campaign to make sure we are incorporating the new Furnace Doctor brand as well as inserting some tracking information to better determine its value. We will also move some of the Penny Saver advertising to the Observer-Dispatch online where we can rate the effectiveness of the online advertising better by monitoring the amount of connections from UticaOD.com to Countrysuburban.com. Your new program will include: (4) 4.25 wide by 5 tall ads per month running on Wed in the weather section. 125,000 impressions a month on UticaOD.com. (UticaOD.com has over 23,000 unique visitors per day) 3 days a month of exclusive web ads. Everyone who logs in to UticaOD.com, on your assigned day, will see your Furnace Doctor ad!

Solutions: Marketing Objective #1 Country Suburban needs to develop its own identity and brand separate from its competitor, City Suburban. In developing this brand, how might we show the Utica and the surrounding communities that Country Suburban is the home of Harry Gee. We need to find ways to get consumers to associate Harry with Country Suburban not City Suburban. Furnace Doctor Bobble-heads What better attention grabbing promotional item then a Harry Gee, Furnace Doctor bobble-head? These would be a perfect thank you gift for existing customers after service, repair or installation. The kind of item that your customers will talk about and help remind them of you when thinking of referring you to a friend or family member. We can make sure we work in the Bryant and Country Suburban branding by adding the logos on the jacket or by having a piece of equipment added to the stand. 1,008 Bobble Heads The Furnace Doctor *Shipping included

Solution: Marketing Objective #5 In what ways can we refocus Country Suburban s, buck shot, top of mind advertising into more direct forms of advertising? How can we alter it so we might be able to track the success of some of our more expensive advertising activities? Track Your Advertising! Advertising is always a bit of a gamble but we will increase your odds by analyzing your return on investment. We will track your campaign by inserting a local phone number that will electronically record the amount of calls you get from your various media outlets. Say farewell to the question, How did you hear about us? We will track it for you and provide convenient monthly reporting.

The Bottom Line Website Development $4,330.00 Postcards New Customers $4,659.00 Postcards Existing Customers $6,500.00 Database $398.00 Database Mapping $875.00 Billboard New Hartford* $3,200.00 Billboard Utica* $3,200.00 Billboard Cooperstown* $3,200.00 Billboard Design (2 designs) $1,000.00 Newspaper $15,030.00 Newspaper Ad Design $1,250.00 Furnace Doctor Bobbleheads $5,740.00 Call Tracking Newspaper inc Call Tracking Postcards inc Call Tracking Website inc Total $49,382.00 NOTE: Billboard pricing is an estimate based on average local pricing. We will finalize locations once the database, database mapping and plan has been approved.