Section 1: Introduction - Tourism Queensland

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INTRODUCTION | Writing your marketing plan The following are example goals for SceneXtreme Tours: Product/Service Goal Enhanced product delivery and service quality through IT development and staff training Packaging Goal Expanded tour options on scenic routes based on a best fit product and marketing mix, to deliver profitability Price Goal Sales up by 20%, and profit margins up by 15% based on efficiency dividends Place Goal Improved and expanded sales opportunities through high internet exposure Promotion Goal Increased awareness and improved product profile through PR activity Competitive Advantage is another useful factor in defining your business. It describes your point of difference - what makes you unique or gives you the market edge over your competitors. In order to know your competitive advantage, you must first look at how your competitors operate and identify points of distinction. After all, that is what your potential customers do. Customers look at competitive advantage when they compare products to buy. Therefore, it’s vital to emphasise these qualities of difference in every aspect of your marketing strategy. Examples of competitive advantage include but are not limited to offering: • superior or unique product, facilities and/or services • price or package advantages • convenience or accessibility • superior safety or manufacturing standards. Your competitive advantage is usually listed under Strengths in your SWOT Analysis or alternatively, what you see as good ideas for development under Opportunities. We deal with the SWOT analysis next. Situation analysis This section provides the context for your marketing decision making and covers the benefits of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis. As a business, you connect to the world in a number of ways. You are both a buyer and seller. You help to create the social and economic fabric within your community, and are often at the forefront of change. Understanding the internal and external environment and doing a SWOT Analysis of the business can strongly assist your marketing strategy. The most common way to undertake a situation analysis is to brainstorm ideas with a group of people directly involved with the business. External conditions are those factors you have no control over but they impact on your operations. The economy, pandemic outbreaks, legal and political issues, market trends and changes, competition, manufacturing or transport limitations, and so on. Internal conditions summarise your business environment and resources. They are factors that can be controlled through effective management. Depending on your business you may have specific areas to consider. However, in broad terms you might look at the financial status of the business and its resources, staff resources, training and development, premises, equipment, maintenance, suppliers and legal and other binding agreements. These quick and highline environmental scans can give you an idea of how well positioned you are to meet commercial and environmental challenges and take up new opportunities that offer growth. The SWOT gives you a snapshot of the business. It’s like a performance report card on what’s good, what needs improvement, how the business can expand and what issues it is likely to confront. Each factor is captured under at least one of the four categories. Sometimes a factor may be applicable to more than one category and that is fine, as long as you account for it in your planning. The trick is to focus on the major influences that have the most potential to affect the business, not to get caught up in the small stuff. Once again, jot down ideas as they come to you. The SWOT can easily be edited once you get in to the planning. The following example is indicative of how a business like SceneXtreme would develop its SWOT analysis and use the matrix for future development. THE BIG MARKETING GUIDE 8
INTRODUCTION | Writing your marketing plan SWOT analysis Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Small tight-knit and hard Limited opportunity Internship and exchange Staff dissatisfaction working team of professional for staff training and program with local tertiary Staff turnover staff who treat the business development provider Knowledge gaps like it’s their own Only business of its type in Packages with new Possibility of Great Escape the region product on tour routes Tours establishing branch and increased brochure office in region exposure Price war Staff poaching Research Reliable research is an invaluable decision making tool. Used properly, market research can strongly guide you in making better choices for how to develop or refine your product, packaging, price, place and/or promotion. And your time, money and efforts are less likely to be wasted. Below are the key research areas you will need to cover-off in your marketing plan. By having this information you will be in a much stronger position to make sound decisions in how to effectively reach your target markets and gain the most from each marketing activity. 1. Competitors 2. Market • products of a similar type to yours, both within and outside your region • other product and services that complement your business • gaps and niche market opportunities • consumer and travel trends • quarterly and annual results on visitors numbers, nights of stay and expenditure • market fluctuations and growth • emerging markets • technological developments 3. Internal 4. Consumers • what benefits your business offers customers • what skills you need and what skills you look for in staff • whether you business is in the right location • if your business can be serviced locally • who the best suppliers are to offer value for money • who your customers are • why they visit your region • what experiences they look for • what expectations they have • how much they will pay for products and services THE BIG MARKETING GUIDE 9
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Section 1: Introduction - Tourism Queensland

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