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? Product or service concept- Describe in overview and detail what you are offering to the market. What does it ?do?? What are the benefits to your customers? How do the customers now accomplish the same task? How is this better than the competition?
The first product is the low student to teacher ratios. It is important for the class to stay manageable. If the class size is too large the teacher is not able to give each child the right amount of attention that they require. Comprehensive teacher training is another product that the day care offers. Each staff member is required to hold a license and attend ongoing training. All staff members are required to obtain a CPR and First Aid certification. The day care also conducts background and fingerprint checks on all of the staff.
The day care also offers extensive extracurricular activities. The activities will range from the following: tumbling, physical education, computer skills art, music, instruments, dance and dramatic play. Children are exposed to several different activities that promote exercise and stimulate the child?s mental development. Extended hours of operations are another service that the day care provides. It is open 7 days a week. Monday through Friday from 5 AM to midnight. Saturday the day care is open 9 AM to 1 AM and Sunday from 9 AM to 9 PM. The day care offers competitive rates that meet with the market. They offer multi child and military discounts.
The cafeteria?s meal selection follows the Dietary Standards published by the School Nutrition Association. The day care also follows the Child Care Standards and Regulations. Drinking water is available for children at all times and a meal or snack is available every three hours.
The transportation service would allow the day care to gain a competitive edge over the competition while providing innovative services to its customers. The service provides bus routes similar to a school bus service. It will transport children multiple times throughout the day to and from their private residence or a business of their choice within a 15 mile radius. It will also stop at all schools within a 15 mile radius. Parents will have the opportunity to have their children dropped off at their place of work. This added service will save parents time and money. The transportation service to and from personal residences is a new service that the day care will offer. The transportation will allow parents the choice of either picking them up from the day care or have the child take the bus service to the personal residence. The bus service allows pick up and drop off from the nearby schools. The transportation is comparable to the traditional school bus service. Customers will have to pay an extra fee to have access to the service.
Teachers will be required to complete ongoing training. All teachers will be required to complete a 25-hour Introductory Child Care Training Course (Education Portal, 2011). They also must hold one of the following degrees or certificates: B.A. in early childhood education, Child Development Associate Credential, Early Childhood Education Certificate, Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Pre-School, or Associate?s in Early Childhood Education (Education Portal, 2011).
Target market analysis-
? Describe your market.
Primary Target- parents and guardians of infants as well as children up to 14 years of age
Our primary target for the transportation service will be the parents and children within a 15 mile radius of the school, which effectively covers the City of Killeen. The bus service will not be provided outside this radius. This service will allow parents to have more time to do other things while the day care provides the transportation to and from the different locations, as well as allowing the Stanley Day Care to appeal to a broader customer base.
The second target for the transportation service will be parents of central Texas outside the 15 mile radius. They will have to provide their own transportation, but they can take advantage of all the other exceptional services the Stanley Day care has to offer. There are 22,300 children under the age of 14 in the Killeen area out of the 86,911 population (Killeen City 2000). This means there are 25.7% of the population under the age of 14 (Killeen City 2000). The Fort Hood, Texas population consists of 45,414 (Fort Hood, Texas, 2011)
? Where is it? The day care is located in Killeen Texas and is conveniently located next the biggest Army installation in the world Fort Hood, Texas (Fort Hood, Texas, 2011).
? How big is it? Fort Hood has a population of 45,414 (Fort Hood, Texas, 2011). Killeen, Texas has a population of 86,911 (Killeen City 2000).
? What is the growth rate?
? What are the unique features or dynamics of this market? Killeen and Fort Hood, Texas is home to several combat brigades that deploy often to combat areas (Fort Hood, Texas, 2011). The families of the deployed soldiers are in need of child care.
? What causes people to buy? Fort Hood is home to several combat brigades that deploy often to combat areas. The families of the deployed soldiers are in need of child care. Due to the lack of a dual parent environment, spouses look to day care to offer a variety of services.
Inflation continues to rise each year, which creates a need for families to require dual or supplemental incomes. With more parents working to support their families, the need for child care continues to grow. They need more flexibility and options in a child care environment.
Evidence of market need-
? Specific evidence that people will buy your product or service. Parents and legal guardians are in need of a bus service that will pick up and drop off their children at their home or business of their choice. In the Killeen area, ten percent of the population is under the age of 5 years of age (Killeen City, 2000). There are 8.29% ages five to nine years of age in Killeen, TX (Killeen City, 2000). Out of the total households in Killeen with children under the age of 18 years of age, 13.4 % of them have only a female householder present with no husband (Killeen City, 2000). This creates more demand for day care services as only parent is supporting the family. Most single parents are forced to work and seek out day care services.
Primary market research is the key to this evidence. The market research shows a demand for more innovative services in the child care industry. A group of acquaintances, friends, and relatives were assembled to gather research. Killeen offers a large assortment of groups to test the effectiveness of the new transportation service. Several focus groups were used in the initial stages of this plan. They were used to gather feedback and insight into the new transportation service. The research gathered was able to assess the safety hazards, customer preference, accessibility of the transportation route, and analyze expenses.
? How can you prove that if you make this investment, customers will buy what you are selling?
Pricing strategy-
? Describe your pricing strategy and specific prices. How did you arrive at these prices? What are competitive prices? Why are yours different? How do your prices relate to costs and your development investment?
? Marketing communication plan- Describe the role, the strategy and the execution of your total communications plan. This may include advertising, literature, promotion, the Internet, etc. What is your message, your specific communications vehicles and your timing? Show your budget by year and type of expense.
The Traveling Tots Day Care marketing strategy will be based on advertising efforts as well as a strategic alliance with other organizations that are associated with the care of children (Keller & Kotler, 2009).
The Traveling Tots Day Care will run advertisements in the Killeen Daily Herald, the Yellow pages, the Fort Hood Newspaper, and the Fort Hood FRG Newsletter. Advertisements will also air on the local networks. A newsletter will be mailed out to existing customers and posted on bulletin boards at the nearby schools. The advertisement will be used to raise visibility regarding the new transportation service and appealing to prospective customers who would otherwise be unaware of it.
The goal of the strategic alliance is to create partnerships between the day care and several local organizations that are a resource for information regarding the care of children (Keller & Kotler, 2009). These organizations will also help to spread the word about the day care and the new transportation service. Parents usually choose a day care based on word of mouth from people they know personally. It is important for the day care to get the word out about the company to individuals who might refer the day care. The day care will offer an incentive to parents for referrals.
The school systems are a huge part of the alliance. Elementary school includes Pre-K through grade 5 (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011). There are 32 elementary schools and 14 middle schools within the Killeen Independent School District (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011). The two main organizations are Willow Springs Elementary School and Clear Creek Elementary School (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011). The Traveling Tots Day Care will work to tap into these two organizations customer base. In order to achieve an alliance, Traveling Tots Day Care will co-sponsor educational events that the school performs. The co-sponsor status will offer the schools an incentive to support the day care (Keller & Kotler, 2009). This will allow the Traveling Tots Day Care to share information and insights to the care of children (Keller & Kotler, 2009).
There are 32 elementary schools within the Killeen Independent School District (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011). These schools include Bellaire, Brookhaven, Cavazos, Cedar Valley, Clarke, Clear Creek, Clifton Park, Duncan, East Ward, Fowler, Harker Heights, Hay Branch, Haynes, Iduma, Ira Cross, Maxdale, Meadows, Montague Village, Mountain View, Nolanville, Oveta Culp Hobby, Peebles, Pershing Park, Reeces Creek, Saegert, Skipcha, Sugar Loaf, Timber Ridge, Trimmier, Venable Village, West Ward, and Willow Springs Elementary School (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011). These include grades Pre-K through Grade 5 (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011).
There are 14 middle schools within the Killeen Independent School District (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011). These schools include Audie Murphy, Eastern Hills, Gateway Middle, Liberty Hill, Live Oak Ridge, Manor, Nolan, Palo Alto, Patterson, Rancier, Smith, and Union Grove Middle School (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011). These include Grade 6 through Grade 8 (Killeen Independent School District Home 2011).
MARKETING MIX
The Stanley Day Care marketing mix is assembled through pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, and customer service.
? Pricing: The pricing structure is based on an hourly rate. The day care offers competitive rates that meet with the market. They offer multi child and military discounts.
? Distribution: All services will be offered at the Traveling Tots Day Care facility.
? Advertising and Promotions: Advertisements in the Killeen Daily Herald, the Yellow pages, the Fort Hood Newspaper, and the Fort Hood FRG Newsletter. Advertisements will also air on the local networks. A newsletter will be mailed out and posted on bulletin boards at the nearby schools. A website will be created.
? Customer Service: Attentive service will be provided for all customers. The business will operate by pleasing customers. If a customer is pleased with the service, then they will stay and create long-term profits for the day care.
A commercial will begin airing. Signs will also go out to all the surrounding schools to post on their communication bulletin boards. A spot on the newspaper will be updated with the new advertisement for the new Traveling Tots Day Care. Ads will run in the Killeen Daily Herald, the Yellow pages, the Fort Hood Newspaper, and the Fort Hood FRG Newsletter.
? Marketing budget- Handled by the Marketing team but implemented through finance, this will set out your marketing expenses, including staff and advertising costs.
? Sales & Marketing channel plan- How are you going to ?sell? your product or service? Describe your overall sales plan. What is the structure of your sales force (if you have one)? What marketing channels will you use? Why? What is your access to them? How do you pay them? Break down the cost and budget for this operation.
The marketing strategy will work to create customer awareness regarding the new transportation service and the other services the day care offers. It will also work to expand customer base and build brand loyalty through referrals.
The goal is to build customer loyalty through excellent service and stimulating educational programs. It is also to build the Traveling Tots Day Care brand to where is becomes a household brand that is known to hold superior child care and development in the Killeen area. Another objective is to achieve continued growth in customer participation, and finally to work to decrease the amount of expense associated with operations while maximizing profits.
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