Question

Instructions

Choose a product/service (not the same one you are using for the final project (marketing plan). Answer the following questions:

1. Considering direct, online, social media and mobile marketing options, which 2 options do you feel would be the best to use in relation to the product/service you have chosen? Why?
2. Describe the options you justified above and outline specific methods you would adopt in using those 2 options. Discuss specific uses, platforms, and messages you would ensure are marketed through these options.
3. What one strategy could be adopted to create a competitive advantage for that product/service? Provide an analysis of this decision.

(For all dropbox assignments, remember to reference at least 2 sources; one must be the textbook plus one from a website, video, or other source. Use quotes for direct material taken and cite even if paraphrasing. )

Answer 1

Product – Customized Printed T-shirts.

Options considered for selling the product will be Online selling trough ecommerce sites and through social media platforms.

The online fashion market is projected to grow to $800 billion by 2023, it is a growing and the most effective platform for selling the selected platform. I will initially list my printed T-shirts on renowned ecommerce sites while making my business account on Instagram for receiving custom demand for the print and sell directly from there as well. I will also create a Facebook business page and increase my customer base. With the proper design and right SEO (search engine optimization) I will start receiving orders in no time.

It must also be noticed that once I start receiving more than 50 orders a week, I can easily set my own online site and work on driving traffic to my website. This will eliminate the commission that I have to pay to the ecommerce sites for listing and selling my product. Now once the online store is set I will have to work inventory management and shipping, this will raise a question as to whether I am printing the t-shirts on my own by getting the raw materials from the market or I am sourcing the same from some manufacturer. Though starting this business of printing t-shirt will not require a huge investment and can immediately get me starting with a t-shirt printing machine and a printer to print the sought design. This setup can be easily installed at my home, but I can source the design requested by my followers to other manufacturers in the beginning and get it shipped directly to the customer, thereby eliminating the whole inventory management process and setting the machine at my place.

This process of drop shipping will also give me an idea about the quality of the cloth material, customer feedback on the same, print quality and overall delivery process and partnering.

After the product make is finalized, I will now start digital marketing through social media platforms by posting trendy t-shirt print options available in all sizes, I will also provide an option where my followers will be able to send me their own design preferences for printing on their t-shirt.

Email marketing might be old but plays a significant role in establishing long term relations with consumers and clients. I can try to tap corporate clients through email marketing to get orders from them for special occasions like sport events or concerts, where they will require custom printed t-shirts with their company logo of particular quantity and size to be delivered at a specific date.

Every now and then I will post offers related to referrals where I will provide discounts or cashback offers if one refers his/he friend or family to order t-shirts from me.

I will also have unique selling propositions as I will provide guarantee on the print of the t-shirt depending upon the fabric selected by the customer and I will also provide extensive options in sizes apart from the regular ones in case of larger size or smaller size demand appears.