As an integral component of its marketing plan, CloudCab is preparing to build the promotional elements need to for a successful business launch and operation. This dynamic new business has identified four markets for its startup operations: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Reno. Promotional strategies are needed to support CloubCab’s initial goals which include: the sales of 5,500 flight itineraries, 90% customer approval rating, and a 50% customer repeat or return rate. To ensure that the company achieves these objectives, planned promotional elements are discussed in further detail below.
Advertising
CloudCab intends to make its initial ad buys in the form of non-targeted or semi-targeted print advertisements. Given the company’s belief that a large percentage of its customer will be business travelers, followed by those with little to no limit on discretionary spending, these print ads will focus on business and travel magazines with heavy readership in the target markets, including Reno, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Through the use of lush ¼ page advertisements for an initial 120 day period, CloudCab is aiming to attract a stable client base of at least 1,000 customers.
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The print campaign will be followed immediately by a multi-media direct marketing effort, intended to build on the earlier exposure and to make contact with targeted audience members through the use of social media, direct mail, and email blasts intended to reach 2500 specifically targeted customers, and aiming for a 50% response rate during this 90 day campaign.
Sales Promotion
Given Cloud Cab’s strong and well qualified marketing staff, the company has decided to use personal or direct selling as third facet in the promotional plan. Armed with the knowledge that B2B customers will be a likely leading user of the CloudCab services, the plan to make a 60 day run with this methodology following the print and direct messaging campaigns. This component will feature CloudCab representatives making warm sales calls to targeted businesses in the four subject markets. Recognizing that sales and consulting personnel often operate under the ‘time is money’ rubric, the company believes that the convenience, efficiency, and time savings associated with the use of an air shuttle such as Cloud Cab will, in these particular business lines, be worth every penny expended.
The personal sales call will allow for a specifically targeted pitch, by company, and offer the opportunity establish key relationships with the applicable decision makers in companies that have a decent likelihood of associating with CloudCab.
Public Relations Plan
Cloud Cab intends to employ a multi-faceted public relations plan leading up to the service launch. Actions steps will include gaining publicity and media buzz through the company’s extensive network of local media contacts in each of the initial target cities: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Reno, and San Francisco. In addition to print stories driven off of press releases, Cloud Cab’s marketing gurus aim for exposure on business television and talk radio shows. Additional efforts will include government and community affairs efforts aimed at smoothing any regulatory issues that may exist with utilization of smaller airport facilities. CloudCab recognizes that there is a very real opportunity to lobby for operating studies for the underutilized regional airports in each of these markets, and will be teaming with local service providers, including the aircraft servicing companies, local rental car and taxi companies, as well as business-related hotels and conference facilities.
The main public relations push will come in the form of sponsorship and informational booths at several key business to business expos in the target cities. There is also consideration being given to taking the media and selected key influencers from target clients on an inaugural ride on CloudCab. Perhaps meeting and going by plane to lunch and a presentation in a different city, all the time highlighting the benefits of such a transportation commodity.
Managing Promotional Activity
All of the foregoing activity will be managed in-house by CloudCab’s expert marketing staff. Collectively, they have years of multi-disciplinary promotional experience and are well connected in the advertising and media realms in each target city. There are specific line supervisory assignments for each promotional phase, including without limitation, the advertising phase, the direct appeal phase, the personal sales promotion phase, and public relations. It should be noted however, that certain activities, such as print advertising, direct mailing, and distribution of media coverage, will likely be outsourced as needed.
Each of these promotional phases has been assigned to member of the executive team, with line management also engaged at the functional and production levels. The marketing team has committed to employing 360º feedback throughout all phases of the promotional roll out and is prepared to modify and/or shift efforts as market demand may dictate going forward.
- Marshall, G., Johnston. M. (2014) Marketing Management 2d ed. Atlanta, Ga: McGraw Hill.
