Ass. 2 From Juan Electronic M

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Marketing Plan- GoGreen Renewable Energy

MKW 3881: Electronic MarketingAssignment Part II Marketing Plan

Michelle Dianne van Vriesland20406320

Word Count: 5325

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Table of Contents:

Summary of the Business Model: ......................................................................................................... 3Executive Summary: ............................................................................................................................. 4

Introduction- Purpose/Objectives of the Report: .................................................................................. 51. Implementation of the Programme: .................................................................................................. 5Customer experience and interface: ................................................................................................. 5

The Customer Experience Hierarchy ............................................................................................ 6(Sources: Geissler, 2001:489-492 & Mohammed, et al, 2003:134-143.) ..................................... 71.1.2 The Process of Creating a Desirable Customer Experience: ............................................... 7The Seven Design Elements of Customer Interface: .................................................................... 9The Seven Deadly Sins of Customer Experience/Interface: ....................................................... 11

1.2 Assumptions ............................................................................................................................. 12Electronic Customer Relationship Management Strategy: ............................................................. 12

1.2.1 The Stages of a Customer Relationship: ............................................................................ 13

1.2.2 e-CRM Strategy: Adoption and Diffusion: ........................................................................ 14Marketing Mix Strategy: ................................................................................................................ 16Objectives of the Marketing Mix Strategy: ................................................................................ 161.3.2 Marketing Mix: Product: ................................................................................................... 17Marketing Mix: Place: ................................................................................................................ 17Marketing Mix: Price: ................................................................................................................. 18Marketing Mix: Promotion: ........................................................................................................ 18

Individualisation and Interactivity: ................................................................................................. 191.1Media Plan and Budget: ............................................................................................................ 21Marketing Plan Evaluation: ............................................................................................................ 221.7 Limitations of the Marketing Plan: ........................................................................................... 24

2. Anticipated Risk in Integrating the Programme: ............................................................................ 25Conclusion: ......................................................................................................................................... 25

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Executive Summary:The marketing plan for GoGreen.co.za addressed the following aspects; Customer

experience and interface, customer relationship management, the marketing mix strategy,

individualisation and interactivity, budgeting, monitoring, evaluating, limitations,

assumptions, and anticipated risks. To Summarise, the plan unveiled the plans to follow.

With reference to the customer experience hierarchy, aspects of functionality included the

anticipation of users needs, and the organisation of content around customer needs.

Aspects of intimacy covered the creation of personal accounts, and various communication

channels such as a live chat option, e-mail, or a blog. In order to leverage evangelists,

GoGreen will instigate a loyalty card system.

An e-CRM strategy was adopted whereby, GoGreen will utilise both online and offline

communication tactics in order to create awareness, will encourage exploration byemphasising the attraction of the website, will market itself as an online community in order

to gain committed customers, and will avoid dissolution by monitoring competitive

offerings.

The marketing mix was adopted for strategy planning and consists of the 4 Ps; Product,

Place, price, Promotion. The communication channels and other website features act as

the product offering, with which GoGreen will be able to utilise feedback from to improve

their product and service quality. Furthermore, both online and offline places were

recognised; the internet will be used to gain the customers through a wider reach, then the

customers will be retained and tended to over physical space. In terms of price, GoGreen

will increase marketing messages concerning its offline services when competitors online

raise their prices. Lastly, Promotion will be incorporated into GoGreens service delivery.

By incorporating the 2Is into the plan, GoGreen will be able to move customers through

the relationship phases at an extremely quick rate which will help the firm gain and retain

more customers.

The Budget of the marketing plan for GoGreen is 539273.28 Rand.Potential risks that GoGreen may face when integrating the plan into the programme

include; Security risks, privacy issues, fraud, and liability, however, the report discussed

how GoGreen will counteract such threats to lessen their effects.

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Introduction- Purpose/Objectives of the Report:

This section of the Electronic Marketing Report will formulate the marketing plan for

GoGreen renewable energy as an online organisation. GoGreen has established itself as

an offline organisation, however, will make the transition onto the internet in order to

differentiate itself from competitors. The purpose of this marketing plan is to illustrate howthe electronic marketing programme will be implemented, to discuss and anticipate

potential risks of the programme, and to incorporate wider research in order to validate the

intended proposition. The primary aim of GoGreen as an electronic organisation is to

distinguish itself as a service-oriented product provider; GoGreen will fill the present gaps

in the renewable energy market by offering additional services both electronically and

physically. Four objectives have been identified which illustrate the desired achievements

of this marketing plan;

i. To successfully propose a web-site that will fulfil each of the seven stages of

creating a desirable customer experience.

ii. To consider the value of customer relationships, and to manage these relationships

through the planning of the website and the marketing mix strategy.

iii. To incorporate aspects of individualisation and interactivity into the plans in order to

create a high level of customer loyalty and to offer customers a personalised

approach to their energy needs and preferences.

iv. To develop a solution to the risks involved with online marketing and to formulate aconsistent monitoring strategy in order to assess evolving trends in both the

customer base, and the technology involved.

1. Implementation of the Programme:

The following subheadings will comprise of the main aspects of the marketing plan for

GoGreen. Five features of the programme will be discussed; customer experience and

interface, customer relationship management, the marketing mix strategy, individualisation

and interactivity, and the proposed budget, monitoring technique, and evaluation.

Customer experience and interface:

Both traditional publications and networked-economy publications emphasise the

importance of offering customers a distinctive and rewarding experience, however the term

customer experience on its own, it not as clear cut. In its simplest form, customer

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experience refers to the perceptions and interpretations of the target customer in

correspondence to the stimuli encountered while interacting with a firm (Mohammed,

Fisher, Jaworski, and Paddison, 2003:130). Online, customer experience relates to an

array of variables, from its ease of use to the emotional reactions the website instils; the

entire range of the visitors perceptions of the website make up customer experience. Thus,customer experience definitely refers to how users react to a website and its associated

community; however, it also reflects deeper interpretations of the encounter shifting a large

portion of the experience from the realm of the sites operation to aspects of emotion

(Mohammed, et al , 2003:130).

Technology in todays society, such as the internet, has revolutionised the manner in which

customers interact with firms. The face-to-face encounters which once dominated the

commonplace in the retail environment have now been replaced by screen-to-face

interactions (Mohammed, et al , 2003:159). The mode of interaction is referred to as

interface; examining the interface design is crucial as the interface can directly affect

customer experience. Therefore, customer experience and customer interface are

integrated aspects of this report.

The Customer Experience Hierarchy

The customer experience hierarchy consists of three stages, from the users initial click on

the website to the point where the customer gains loyalty, or evangelism (Mohammed, et

al, 2003:159). The three stages imply that customer experience of a specific stage can not

be achieved without first achieving that of the previous stage; for example, a customer can

not experience intimacy with a website before that individual has experienced functionality

first. Figure A below illustrates the Hierarchy of customer experience.

(Source: Mohammed, et al, 2003:134-142)

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Table two illustrates the intended stages of customer experience for GoGreen; the first

column states the generic desired customer experience for each stage, followed by the

specific offerings that GoGreen will deliver through the online strategy.

Stage Generic Desired Customer Experience What GoGreen.co.za will Deliver Functionality -The site is user friendly

-Navigation through the site is easy.-Quick downloads/Page loads.-A reliable site with limited downtime and fewincorrect downloads.-Trustworthy and secure website.-Ability to download to various media platforms.

-The site will anticipate the users needs.-The content will be organised around thecustomers needs.-Various services and products will be easyto find and use.-Enough visual stimulation without slowingdown the speed of the site & no crashesand limited downtimes; maintenance/IT onstandby.-Guarantee of privacy, security, and trustwith payment options.

Intimacy -The site tailors its products and services toindividuals specific needs.-Quick and efficient two-way communicationbetween customers and customer-servicerepresentatives.-Experience(s) with the website are replicableover time.-A high level of trust with the website,salespeople, and the organisation.-To receive exceptional value, and to becomeattached to the brand, product, or theexperience.-To view a visit to the website as a pleasure as

opposed to a task.

-By creating an account, each customer willreceive their own Green Guide; anindividual who will help them through theprocess of meeting their specific needs.-Customers will have the option of communicating with experts and customer service representatives through an e-mailoption, a live chat option, or through a blogon the website where questions can beposted.-The formation of friendships andrelationships as opposed to simplebusiness transactions to create high levels

of trust, and a replicable experience.Evangelism -Wish to develop a passion for telling a brandsstory.-Want to receive a good deal relative tocompetitors products, and want to exertenergy into convincing others of this.-Want to participate with like-minded folk whoshare their passion; want to cement emotionalties to the company.-Want to feel as though their opinion makes adifference in business decisions.

-Loyalty Ive Gone Green cards to our committed customers, offering them addedbenefits for earned points.-Loyalty card holders invited to fundraisersand mixers which the organisation will holdbiannually where important decisions arepresented and pitched; Allows customers tomake virtual appointments with the CEO inorder to voice their ideas and opinions.

1.1.2 The Process of Creating a Desirable Customer Experience:

There are seven steps for designing positive customer experience. In table three, each of

these steps are recognised, described and applied to GoGreens strategy.

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(Sources: Geissler, 2001:489-492 & Mohammed, et al, 2003:134-143.)


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Step Description Application1. Create Rich Description of

Target Customers.Gaining a deep and thoroughunderstanding of the targetcustomer by painting a clear picture of these people.

Well educated, middle-classindividuals who have access tointernet (3-4 times per week) andwho are aware of green energybut have not had the opportunityto access it and need for information about it.

2. Develop Use-CaseScenarios for Each TargetSegment.

Outline specific scenarios thatmight bring a target customer to aweb-site; the firm must put itself inthe customers shoes in order toanticipate needs for web-design.

GoGreen will put itself incustomers shoes in order tocreate an intuitive navigationsystem which ensures usabilityand tailors to customers specificneeds.

3. Integrate Online andOffline Experience.

Creating an integrated experiencefor the customer consisting of bothcustomer-facing and back-officeforms of integration.

GoGreen will keep its messageand its offerings consistent in bothoffline and online tactics in order to ensure that customers are givena clear and total Green

experience.4. Articulate Stages of

Desired Experience.Stages which outline the desiredexperiences of the customers andillustrate a road map in order totrack the effectiveness of thewebsite.

GoGreen will communicate thebenefits of its loyalty card systemin order to promote customers tobecome evangelists andexperience passion towards theorganisation through involvementin the decision making process.

5. Assess Levels of Hierarchy.

The classification of customersinto one of the three stages of theexperience hierarchy; functional,intimate, or evangelist, in order togain insight into a customers level

of commitment to the organisation.

By informing customers of their status of loyalty, GoGreen will beable to promote increasedcommitment and allow customersto feel of value to the organisation.

6. Leverage the Evangelists. Actions taken by the firm in order to influence the most importantgroup of customers, and to gaininsight into product uses anddevelopment.

Loyalty Ive Gone Green cards toGoGreens committed customers,which offers them added benefitsfor earned points, as well asinvitations to fundraisers andmixers where such customers cantake part in important decisionmaking.

7. Monitor and Adjust. The process of monitoringperformance and the barriers tomovement across experiencelevels due to the constant evolving

of external factors.

Customers and IT employees willwork together; The website has acomment option which allowscustomers to state problems with

the website, or what will make itbetter. IT can then use thesecomments to adapt the website.

(Source: Mohammed, et al, 2003: 144-150.)

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The Seven Design Elements of Customer Interface:

The interface is the virtual or visual portrayal of a firms chosen value proposition

(Mohammed, et al, 2003:161). A useful framework for considering and improving the items

that make up a web site design is the 7Cs model for customer interface design (Rayport

and Jaworski, 2003:151). Traditionally, five items constituted the dimension; two tappedinto content (good selection, depth of information), one into communication (does not

waste my time), one into commerce (quick and easy to complete transactions), and one

into customisation (right level of personalisation and tailoring) (Carvana and Ewing,

2006:366). Today, a further three elements make up the framework for web design which

consist of context (layout and design), connection (degree to which a site is linked to other

sites) and community (the presence of user-to-user and user-to-firm communication)

(Carvana and Ewing, 2006:366). Each of the 7Cs discussed are applied to the context of

GoGreen below;

Content: All digital subject matter on a website (Mohammed, et al, 2003:161). -

GoGreen.co.za will consist of text, graphics, audio, and video mediums. The digital

subject matter will deliver messages of product offerings (the renewable energy

products that GoGreen offers, including solar panels, wind turbines, etc), Service

offerings (delivery options, Green Guide offerings, maintenance and repair, etc),

and information offerings (the educational aspect of GoGreen, including informative

short courses, videos, pod casts, statistics, etc). Communication: The dialogue that unfolds between the user and the website

(Mohammed, et al, 2003:161). As previously discussed in the customer

experience section, customers will have several different options for communication

in order to fulfil their three communication needs; firm-to-user, user-to-firm, or user-

to-user. Customers will be able to register for e-mail communication which can take

place between both firm-to-user, and user-to-firm. Furthermore, user-to-user and

user-to-firm communication can take place through a live chat option called Green-Gossip. For more general queries, a blog on the website allows customers to

communicate with other customers about previous experiences, queries, etc, the

firm can then post responses to the blog mail.

Commerce: The transactional capacity of a website (Mohammed, et al, 2003:162).

GoGreen.co.za will take the satisfaction of its customers and their experience with

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the website very seriously. Commerce plays a very large role in this, therefore, The

Seven Deadly Sins of Customer Experience (which will be discussed in greater

detail subsequent to this section) have been considered while designing this aspect

of the website. Firstly, A search option will be inserted which will allow customers to

narrow down the offerings to suit their needs. Once the desired product or service isfound, customers can add the product to their shopping cart and click a button

labelled Consult Green Guide; where they can request the opinion of an expert as

to whether that particular product is right for their lifestyle and whether it will fulfil

their needs. GoGreen guarantees that all products will be in stock at all times,

therefore customers do not have to worry about proceeding to check-out only to find

the product is out of stock. Furthermore, Green Gift allows a customer to purchase

gift certificates online for their products; including t-shirts and other merchandise as

well as the renewable energy products themselves. Shipping, delivery, and

cost/payment options will be offered early on in the check-out process to avoid

shopping carts being abandoned; both online and personal sales transactions will

be offered. Lastly, the confirmation of the order will be sent immediately after check-

out, and allows the customer to choose a printer friendly option, or a digital receipt

for the very Green Go-ers.

Customisation: A sites ability to modify itself- or be modified by- each user

(Mohammed, et al, 2003:161). GoGreen will offer aspects of both personalisation,and tailoring. Personalisation will allow customers to manage their own

customisation through the creation of an account where they can control their own

interactions with the site and where they can choose to sign up for a Green Guide.

Secondly, by putting the firm in the shoes of its customers, GoGreen will tailor to

specific needs through the creation of an organised navigation system.

Context: Captures the aesthetics of the site, as well as the functional look-and-feel

(Mohammed, et al, 2003:161). The primary contextual goal of the site is theeducational aspect of renewable energy, and the need for renewable energy.

Therefore, the focus of context at GoGreen.co.za will be on the colours; green and

silver, which will illustrate environmental care in the modern age, and the design

features which have been previously discussed. Being extremely service-oriented, a

great deal of emphasis will be on the aspects which provide customers with a

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positive experience; including the personalisation, relationship management, and

helpfulness of the GoGreen team.

Connection: The network of links between the site and other sites; clickable links

that connect the site with others and vice versa (Mohammed, et al, 2003:161-162).

GoGreen will be found through the Google search engine; According to the GoogleWebsite, Google is the closest thing the web has to an ultimate answer machine

http://www.google.co.za/intl/en/corporate/ (Updated 2008), therefore, customers will

be able to access the website through the search engine if they do not know the full

web address of GoGreen. Furthermore, GoGreen.co.za will offer a page of links to

websites with further information; for example, more in-depth information

concerning global warming, or the ecological impacts of non-renewable energy use.

GoGreen.co.za will offer various links within the site itself to pages which have been

previously discussed in this section.

Community: A set of interwoven relationships built upon shared interests

(Mohammed, et al, 2003:161). - One of the intentions of the web design for

GoGreen is to instigate relationships of friendship and partnership as opposed to

mere business transactions. The aim of this is to form a community which instils

trust and a rewarding experience. For the evangelists, GoGreen offers loyalty cards

to form a community of devotion to making our planet and livelihoods Green ones.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Customer Experience/Interface:

Figure B depicts a checklist of The Seven Deadly Sins of Customer Experience and

Interface; the purpose is to ensure that GoGreen.co.za has not violated any of these Sins.

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(Source of Information: Mohammed, et al , 2003:144)
http://www.google.co.za/intl/en/corporate/http://www.google.co.za/intl/en/corporate/


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1.2 AssumptionsAssumptions need to be stated in order to put limits on what would otherwise be too large

a task for GoGreen to consider. Stated below, are six assumptions of aspects relating to

the plan in order to reduce the number of considerations.

GoGreen.co.za will assume that the research conducted on competitors pricing is

legitimate, and that these figures can be used to gain a competitive advantage.

The marketing plan is designed assuming that customers feel obliged to, or want to

help save the environment, or that doing so will give them personal satisfaction.

The Web-site design is surrounded by the assumption that GoGreen has the

finances to implement all stages of the design.

By portraying itself as a service-oriented product-provider GoGreen assumes that it

will hold a competitive advantage.

The marketing team of GoGreen will assume that it is ethical to promote green

energy by expressing the need for it and the effects on the environment in its

absence.

Lastly, it is assumed that GoGreen has already obtained the necessary licences(s)

for its web construction, and the appropriate level of expertise for the instalment and

maintenance offerings.

Electronic Customer Relationship Management Strategy:

Electronic Customer Relationship Management (e-CRM) is a fairly new technique that

firms are adopting in order to increase and enhance the skills and capabilities of their

marketing (Scullin, Fjermestad and Romano, 2004:410). Scullin, et al, demonstrated in a

2004 study that established organisations have found a great deal more success by

implementing e-CRM. Similarly, a 2003 study conducted by Lee-Kelley, Gilbert &

Mannicom, illustrated that the adoption of e-CRM can tremendously enhance the loyalty of

internet customers. Marketing managers have a wealth of eCRM tools available to them in

order to help them in achieving their marketing goals and objectives. Marketing managers,

along with e-CRM combined, can successfully implement new products, launch new

marketing campaigns, and satisfy the needs and wants of customers (Scullin, et al, 2004:

414).

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1.2.1 The Stages of a Customer Relationship:

There are essentially four stages that a customer experiences when forming a relationship

with an organisation; Awareness, Exploration/Expansion, Commitment, and Dissolution

(Mohammed, et al, 2003:213). It is important to recognise, however, that a customer may

not go through each one of the four stages in a sequential order, or through each of themat all. Figure C depicts the four stages of a customer relationship, and the pathways a

customer may take through any of these four stages.

The consideration of each of the four stages of a customer relationship will help an

organisation to attract loyal, long-term customers. Table Four illustrates the objectives of

each stage, and explains how GoGreen can strategically apply marketing techniques in

order to encourage commitment of customers.

Stage Objectives ApplicationAwareness To get the customer to recognise

the firm as a possible exchangepartner, when they have notinitiated any communication withthe firm, or purchased any of itsproducts.

GoGreen will have to useawareness-generating tactics bothonline and offline. Online,advertisements can be placed onvarious websites and the site maybe accessed through Google.Offline, the web address;GoGreen.co.za will be publicisedusing traditional marketingtechniques (discussed in later sections of the report), as the webaddress will be easy for potentialcustomers to remember.

Exploration/Expansion To get the customer to consider the possibility of an exchange, andperhaps initiate trial purchases.

GoGreen will have to do thefollowing in order to encourageexploration; initiatecommunication, focus on theattraction of the website, Developtrust and norms, establish power relations, and instil satisfaction inthe minds of the customer.

Commitment

Commitment (Continued)

To instigate a feeling of obligationor responsibility to the firm withinthe customer.To instigate a feeling of obligationor responsibility to the firm withinthe customer.

GoGreen will need to encouragean emotional contribution from thecustomer; in other words,GoGreen needs to be promotedas a lifestyle as opposed to atransaction. This will be achievedthrough the online communityestablished by the website, as wellas the ongoing relationship interms of maintenance, and repair of the purchased product(s).

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Dissolution To avoid the customer from exitingor terminating the relationship withthe firm.

In order to avoid dissolution, it isimportant that GoGreen continuesto monitor competitors offerings,and new customer needs.Furthermore, GoGreen will have tocontinuously confirm the personaldetails of the customers in order toavoid neglect or apathy. Lastly, asGoGreen is marketing itself asbeing extremely service oriented;ongoing staff evaluations need tobe completed in order to monitor the upkeep of high service quality,as well as product quality.

(Source of Information: Mohammed, et al, 2003:212-222)

1.2.2 e-CRM Strategy: Adoption and Diffusion:

Traditionally, marketers have put most of their focus, in terms of expenditures and actions,

on acquiring customers; however, neglect the aspect of customer retention (Mohammed,

et al, 2003:678).By transferring this emphasis to retaining customers, marketing efficiency

and profitability can be greatly improved. As previously discussed, CRM is a philosophy as

well as a process that puts emphasis on retaining customers (Mohammed, et al,

2003:678). Via the internet, advanced technology can be applied in order to transfer focus

towards maintaining a one-to-one dialogue and contact with each individual customer. The

CRM strategy discussion below indicates how GoGreen will adopt such a strategy, as well

as how the firm will diffuse the information relating to it.

Table Four briefly explained the adoption of GoGreens CRM strategy; however, this

aspect must be discussed in more depth. In order to create awareness, GoGreen will need

to adopt awareness generating tactics. The combination of online and traditional forms of

marketing will increase awareness amongst potential customers. Online, GoGreen will

advertise on other websites such as Facebook, Yahoo, Google, and eBay; these being

websites with highest hit rates amongst the target audience, and may even instigate Word

of Mouth marketing. Offline tactics will be more effective, and are important for getting the

web address embedded in the minds of potential customers. Google is highly recogniseddue to the simplicity of its web address and the tactics used to promote it. For example,

Google endorsed Pamela Anderson to wear a t-shirt with Google written on it, where the

Os were written across her breasts. Although the strategy caused some controversy, it

was highly effective, and customers remember the web address very easily. The aim is to

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achieve such a level of recognition for GoGreen. The tactics which will be used in order to

achieve this are;

A Publicity Stunt: The firm will take a busy section of a shopping mall and create a

walk through reality, where potential customers can journey through an area that

depicts the world in 50 years without the adoption of green energy. At the end of thewalk-through, each individual will be given an informative pamphlet, as well as a key

ring with a small torch on it that can be wound up to generate light (no batteries

needed). GoGreen.co.za will be written on both the pamphlet and the torch.

Sponsorships: GoGreen will sponsor events such as concerts, where they will

power a certain extent of the technology involved with Green Energy. Furthermore,

merchandise will be given out at the concerts and events with the web address

clearly labelled. Figure D below illustrates a potential design for a T-Shirt.

Strategies which will be used for exploration and commitment have already been

discussed in sections 1.1 and 1.2, however, to summarise, they are; the trust factor that

GoGreen will offer to its customers (the various guarantees for both in-stock products andtrust, security, and privacy with payment procedures). The attraction factor of the services

offered by the firm, making it easy to go green (stating that renewable energy does not

have to be a complex transition). The I am included factor; creating commitment of

customers by forming a community that customers feel a part of where they are assured

their opinions make a difference.

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important that the organisation considers this widespread audience when formulating

communication messages. Although the audience will be widespread, physical services

such as delivery, maintenance, and repair will not withhold the same benefits. Thus,

GoGreens place will be both online and offline, meaning that the internet will be used to

gain the customers through a wider reach, and then the customers will be retained andtended to over physical space.

Marketing Mix: Price:

Price is the only element of the marketing mix which will generate revenues online. As

Kotler (cited in: Allen and Fjermestad, 2001:17) suggests, all the other elements of a

business operation represent costs. On the internet, pricing decisions are equally

important as they are in traditional forms, if not more important. The internet leads to

increased price competition due to the increase in speed of competitive pricedissemination, thus resulting in higher pricing pressures. GoGreen aims to be evaluated as

delivering more value for a smaller price. Due to the fact that it is easy for customers to

monitor the prices of competitors, GoGreen needs to continuously monitor the pricing

strategies of its competitors, while striving to offer more value through its services.

Currently, competitors such as Builders Warehouse and Kestrel are marketing their solar

panel products at prices ranging between 6,000 and 10,000 rand, without any additional

services. Therefore, GoGreen will offer such a product at 6,000 rand with the various

services included such as delivery, maintenance, and repair. According to Yan (2008:53),

when a company is utilising both online and offline channels, the best pricing strategy is to

offer customers added value offline when the online prices are higher, and offer them

added value online when the offline prices are higher. Therefore, GoGreen will increase

marketing messages concerning its offline services when competitors online raise their

prices.

Marketing Mix: Promotion:Promotion for the online sector covers all the different methods a firm uses in order to

communicate its products and service to the customer in order to persuade them to

become aware of, and explore their website (Allen and Fjermestad, 2001:18). Incumbent

retailers have certain advantages in terms of promotion for products and services on the

internet; the internet provides a low cost method for building direct links to customers with

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which they can combine their traditional sources of information such as focus groups or

questionnaires (Rowley,1998:384). The adoption of data mining allows these firms to build

customer profiles with which they can provide their customers with tailored promotional

messages (Rowley,1998:384). Two-way communication within promotion is highly

encouraged, according to Allen and Fjermestad (2001:18), especially in the contexts of service and relationship marketing. As GoGreen is highly service-oriented in terms of its

marketing, promotion can be incorporated into its service delivery. For example; when

making a delivery, the truck and the uniform of the staff will all be promotional variables.

Furthermore, the fulfilment of a maintenance service may encourage customers to write

positive feedback on the website, or spread the news by word of mouth; such instances

would also promote GoGreen.co.za to other individuals.

.

Individualisation and Interactivity:

Although aspects of the 2Is (Individualisation and Interactivity) have been discussed in

previous sections, this section will illustrate the importance of incorporating these aspects,

and how they affect customer relationships.

The combination of the 2Is on the internet has allowed organisations to select leverswhich have the ability to move customers through the relationship phases (discussed in

section 1.2.1) at a greater rate, and to a greater extent, then ever before (Mohammed, et

al, 2003:541). Furthermore, the 2Is allow organisations several new possibilities to

maintain commitment with their customers. Listed below are tactics of the 2Is which have

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Marketing Mix Strategy The marketing mix provides a useful framework for decision-making; therefore the 4Ps were applied to the GoGreen onlineStrategy. Product: The communication channels and other websitefeatures act as the product offering, with which GoGreen will beable to utilise feedback from to improve their product and servicequality. Place: Both online and offline; the internet will be used to gainthe customers through a wider reach, then the customers will beretained and tended to over physical space. Price: GoGreen will increase marketing messages concerning its

offline services when competitors online raise their prices. Promotion: Promotion will be incorporated into its servicedelivery.


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been incorporated into GoGreens strategy. Each of these items have been discussed in

detail in previous sections of the report.

The creation of a personal account on the website which will allow customers to

received tailored information and navigation pathways.

Price incentives for products which appeal to specific customers. The loyalty card system which will offer discounts to the card holder.

The online communication options such as the live chat, e-mail option, or blog.

The relationships formed and sustained may be heightened through the Green

Guide option, or through the personal delivery system.

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1.1Media Plan and Budget:

Figure E represents the Media plan and the Budget for GoGreen Renewable energy for eight different mediums over thecourse of one year (2008).

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Marketing Plan Evaluation:

Once the marketing plan for GoGreen.co.za has been implemented, the strategies within

the plan will need to be evaluated for effectiveness. This will tell the marketing team

whether or not the plan was successful, or whether changes need to be made accordingly.

In order to evaluate the plan, GoGreen will use the following framework in relation to the

objectives of the plan stated in section 1.3.1.

1. Look at GoGreens sales (or fee income), are they going up?

2. Ask the customers; where did they hear about GoGreen?

3. Does GoGreens advertising and/or promotional activity produce direct responses?

(It should).

4. Do GoGreens networking activities create new opportunities for the firm and the

Customers?

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116,691.28 17,835.65 19,684.98 6,968.34 8,506.03 47,594.69 32,542.64 7005.00 7,457.36 38,756.23 78,254.65 155,976.47 538

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5. Do GoGreens marketing tactics make it easier to sell the services?

6. Does GoGreens plan have a positive return on investment (ROI); does it bring in

enough new/repeat business to justify the expenses stated in section 1.5?

If the marketing team finds that they can generate positive answers to the above

questions, then the marketing plan is successful and does not need to be modified untilexternal factors force it to. However, in most cases, marketers will find that at least one

aspect of the plan will need to be changed in order to make the plan more successful.

GoGreen will be able to perform its first marketing plan evaluation after six months of

website operation.

Sections 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6The combination of the 2Is on the internet has allowed organisations

to select levers which have the ability to move customers through therelationship phases at a greater rate, and to a greater extent, thenever before.The budget for the GoGreen Marketing Plan is 539273.28 Rand.Subsequent to evaluation, marketers will find that at least one aspectof the plan will need to be changed in order to make the plan moresuccessful. GoGreen will be able to perform its first marketing planevaluation after six months of website operation.

At this point in the report, Objectives i, ii, and iii havebeen met.

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2. Anticipated Risk in Integrating the Programme:

(Sources: Mohammed, et al, 2003 & Ba and Pavlou, 2002)

Conclusion:

At two different stages in the marketing plan, objectives were set with reference to

GoGreen. After the completion of the plan, it is feasible to state that the objectives have

been met. The purpose of this marketing plan was to formulate a strategy through which

GoGreen could become a service-oriented product provider online. This purpose was

transformed into the creation of GoGreen.co.za.

The formation of a marketing plan illustrates several marketing lessons; the importance of

customer retention as opposed to gaining new customers, the extent to which a website

Risk Factor Description CounteractionSecurity and Privacy Visitors must be sure that

transactions are secure, and thattheir personal details will notdispersed or stolen.

GoGreen will employ the servicesof VeriSign; a company thatspecialises in online security toensure that customer details arekept private and secure. With this,GoGreen will receive digitalcertificates and repudiation logs.

Fraud A crime in which the perpetrator develops a scheme using one or more elements of the internet todeprive a person of property or any interest, estate, or right by afalse representation of a matter of fact, whether by providingmisleading information or byconcealment of information.

GoGreen will refer to websitessuch Bizrate.com in order toinvestigate reputations beforetransactions occur. Onlinefeedback mechanisms allowcustomers to publicise their transaction experiences withsellers by posting comments andrating the quality of the serviceprovided. By doing this, GoGreenwill be deemed as trustworthy.

Liability Liability is a situation in which afirm is liable, or responsible, for some form of wrong-doing.

GoGreen will purchase onlineliability insurance so that it will notbe held responsible for anyliabilities in terms of financial, or any other compensation.

Anticipated Risk GoGreen will employ the services of VeriSign in order to ensure

security and privacy. GoGreen will investigate transactional relationships before theyoccur. GoGreen will purchase online liability insurance. At this point in the report, Objectives i, ii, iii and iv have beenmet.

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can cater to the individual as opposed to the entire target group in general, and the role

monitoring plays in the success of the plan. There are several lessons to be learnt,

however, the application and implementation of these lessons will reveal the real effect of

them. If a marketer were to perform market research after a set period of time, results

would possible illustrate the success of the marketing plan. The plan for GoGreen.co.zawill be monitored in order to observe the impacts of the various marketing lessons.

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Reference List:

Allen, E & Fjermestad, J. (2001). E-commerce marketing strategies: An integrated framework andcase analysis, Logistics Information Management, Vol.14, No.1/2, pp.14-23.

Ba, S & Pavlou, P. (2002). Evidence of the effect of trust building technology in electronic markets:Price premeiums and buyer behaviour, MIS Quarterly, Vol.26, No.3, pp.243-268.

Carvana, A & Ewing, MT. (2006). The Psychometric Properties of e-tail quality; An InternationalInvestigation across Product Categories, International Marketing Review, Vol.23, No.4, pp.353-370.

Company Overview, (2008), Corporate Information; Google, Available:http://www.google.co.za/intl/en/corporate/, (Accessed: September 5 th, 2008).

Geissler, G.L. (2001), Building Customer Relationships Online, Journal of Consumer Marketing,

Vol.18, No.6, pp.488-502.Lee-Kelley, L, Gilbert, D & Mannicom, R. (2003). How e-CRM can enhance customer loyalty,Marketing Intelligence and Planning, Vol.21, No.4, pp.239-248.

Mohammed, R, Fisher, R, Jaworski, B & Paddison, G. (2003). Internet Marketing: Building advantage in a networked economy, 2nd ed, McGraw-Hill Education, Singapore.

Rayport, JF & Sviokla, JJ. (1994). Managing in the marketspace, Harvard Business Review,November, pp. 141-150.

Rayport, JF & Jaworski, BJ. (2003). Introduction to E-Commerce, 2nd ed, McGraw-Hill, Singapore.

Rowley, J. (1998). Promotion and Marketing communications in the information marketplace,Library Review, Vol.47, No.8, pp.383-387.

Scullin, S, Fjermestad, J & Romano, N. (2004). E-relationship marketing: Changes in traditionalmarketing as an outcome of electronic customer relationship management, the Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Vol.17, No.6, pp.410-415.

Yan, R. (2008). Pricing Strategy for companies with mixed online and traditional retailingdistribution markets, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol.17, No.1, pp.48-56.
http://www.google.co.za/intl/en/corporate/http://www.google.co.za/intl/en/corporate/

Documents

Ass. 2 From Juan Electronic M