I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Client - Overseas Food Market: When Ms. Luu Ngo opened Overseas Food Market in 1986, she envisioned becoming a profitable retailer of seafood, Asian foods, and various other commodities. Based in the southern portion of Charlotte, North Carolina, Ms. Ngo and her employees strive to realize her vision. Due to recent economic downturn, being overshadowed by competitors, and negative publicity based on sanitation, both revenue and the amount of customers have declined. Because the business is at risk, Ms. Ngo has asked me to develop a plan to rebrand the store in order to increase the business’s chances of success.

My Objective: To establish an effective rebranding plan for Overseas Food Market to increase sales, revenue, and the store’s customer base.

Research methods used in the study: In the process of developing a rebranding plan, additional information had to be found. Interviews with Ms. Ngo were conducted to discover more about what she envisions her business as. Additionally, a survey was conducted, recording the opinions of twenty customers on their satisfaction with the business. Secondary data, primarily obtained through the usage of websites, have provided me with information on competitors, the current public perception of the store, and examples of how to initiate the rebranding process.

Findings and Conclusions:

1. 60% of customers are female, use Facebook, and are of Asian descent2. 25% of customers believe that the business should be repainted white on the interior3. Customers rank the store at a score of 6-7 out of 10, based on organization, logo, cleanliness,

product quality, and customer service.4. Overseas Food Market does not have a mission statement and no branding attempts are

currently being made.5. Customers are generally unfamiliar of the three nearest competitors, Fishy Fish Market,

Clean Catch Fish Market, and Southside Fish and Grocery

We can conclude from this information that Overseas Food Market requires a more aggressive integration of technology in their promotional marketing mix. General renovations must be made to better the brand perception of the business and the creation of a mission statement is crucial. Though customers are generally unaware of the competition, it can be concluded that Clean Catch Fish Market presents the greatest threat.

Recommendations:

Objectives Proposed Activities Cost Measuring ROIDefine the business’s purpose and beliefs

Mission Statement $0 Comparing future health inspector scores with previous scoresDevelop an aggressive

Internet marketing strategy and online brand presence

Digital logo format $0Claim pages $0 Making a second survey

and comparing scoresFacebook $0Official Website $0 Comparing revenue to

previous revenueImprove brand image and distinguish it from

competitors

Ventilation $454Basic cleaning $100 Measuring the number of

Facebook “Likes”Repainting $1,200Hygiene Standards $10 Measuring the number of

Yelp reviewsTotal Cost $1,764

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Handling SeafoodSupplying Products

and Delivery

Shelving items, taking inventory

Cash Register, Budget

Leadership &Management

II. INTRODUCTION

A. Description of the business or organizationResearch from the Mayo Clinic has shown

that eating fish and seafood is healthy for your heart, being rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Where

would you find fresh, quality fish? Overseas Food Market of course! Overseas Food is a

privately-owned retailer which offers a large assortment of seafood and Oriental foods,

ingredients, dinnerware, and other items. The products offered service a variety of Asian

ethnicities such as Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and Japanese cultures by including the

products from these backgrounds as part of the business’s variety of goods. The market is owned

and operated by Ms. Luu Ngo and is operated on the basis of the market orientation philosophy,

focusing on the customer’s needs and wants and trying to establish a long term relationship with

the customer, as well as being aware of competition and trying to make the business stand out

from others. The market employs fewer than ten people, and each of them performs a variety of

tasks, from supplying and restocking the inventory,

to management, to handling seafood.(Figure I) Ms.

Ngo is a part of Tran Properties L.L.C., a company

that is run in conjunction with her partner, Louie

Tran. The original market was founded in 1986, on

4903 South Boulevard in South Charlotte, until they relocated further down the street to 4603

South Boulevard years later. The business’s presence is signaled by the appearance of its sign,

proclaiming the “live lobsters, live crabs, and fresh fish” and displaying its logo, which consists

of two orange koi fish.

B. Description of the community (economic, geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic factors)

Geographic:

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Figure I: Division of Labor at Overseas Food market

Overseas Food is located within Charlotte, North Carolina. Being the only location, the area

of operations will be focused on Charlotte. Charlotte is North Carolina’s largest city and

metropolitan area. It is ranked as the 17th largest city in the United States, according to 2012

statistics. The market is located near South Boulevard, and Woodlawn Road, both of which are

two very active roads in the Charlotte area. CATS, the Charlotte transit system has multiple bus

stops and Lynx Light Rail systems around South Boulevard, allowing easy access to the market,

even without a car.

Demographic:

The entire city of Charlotte has a total population of

an estimated 775,202 during the year of 2012. Inside a

one mile radius of Overseas Food, there is an estimated

4,079 male (50.85%) anda 3,943 female (49.15%)

population, totaling to about 8,022 people. The area surrounding the business is also diverse,

though it has a large majority of Caucasians, which account for over fifty percent of the

population. (Figure II)The median age of the area is 34, higher than North Carolina’s median of

41.9, meaning that there are many younger people around the area. From the data, it is evident

that the people in the area around Overseas Food Market are mainly young, Caucasian males,

which could potentially impact what the business’s ideal target market should be.

Economic:

The Per Capita income for the area, within a one mile radius is estimated at $27,746 as of

2012, lower than that of North Carolina by about $10,000 in the same year. The median income

of this area is $47,348, compared to a median income of $50,177 in Charlotte. Seeing as the

median income of this area is lower than the median income of Charlotte, this can be explained

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57.4%

17.9%2.2%

22.5%Figure II: Racial Division within a 1-mile radius

by the amount of younger people, many of which could be recent college graduates who do not

have as much money as others. The information on the income of people in the area could affect

the pricing of products offered at Overseas Food. If the per capita income of the surrounding area

is typically lower, then lower prices may need to be implemented.

C. Description of the business or organization’s mission, target market, and existing branding efforts

Overseas Food Market currently does not have a mission statement. This is an obvious weakness

to the business, and it is crucial to implement. A mission statement most importantly provides a

framework with which the management of the business is able to base decisions on. A mission

statement also defines the business and the brand, as well as helps employees to focus their

efforts to the business’s goals. The target market of the business is, without a doubt, the Asian

community of Charlotte, which is notable by the large supply of Asian products sold in the

business. No particular age group is targeted at this time; Overseas Food Market simply plans to

serve any who visit. There have not been any current branding efforts, other than the creation of

the market and the development of the logo.

III. RESEARCH METHODS USED IN THE STUDY

A. Description and rationale of research methodologies selected to conduct the research study

My task is to develop a plan to rebrand Overseas Food Market and add value to the business’s

brand. In order to perform this task, interviews with the owner, Ms. Luu Ngo, the employees and

surveys of a variety of customers are critical in order to collect information about how the public

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perceives Overseas Food Market, the business’s history, objectives, and missions, as well as

endeavors that are currently being taken, or willing to be taken to brand the business. As

Overseas Food does not currently have an official mission statement, it would also be crucial to

identify how the business perceives itself, thus requiring additional interviews with the staff. A

survey of the customers of the stores should also be conducted, asking which social-networking

sites, if they use them, do they use the most on a daily basis. This information will allow me to

pinpoint which social-networking site would be must suitable to promote Overseas Food. Age,

gender and nationality of the customers should also be noted, in order to determine the most

appropriate target market.The staff’s perception of the business itself and its goals will allow me

to create an official mission statement, and additional knowledge of the public perception of the

business allows me to spot critical problems and flaws, and then plan a solution, whether this

entails adjustments to the layout and “feel” of the store, and alterations to any logos or signage in

order to appeal more to the customers.

A majority of this information will be obtained through the methodology of using surveys

and interviews to gather information, both primary sources. While secondary information on

Overseas Food Market exists, the information is scarce and may be difficult to find, due to a lack

of pre-existing branding and knowledge of the store. I will also need to find information on

nearby competitors. A majority of this information will have to come from customer reviews,

from websites such as Yelp, seeing as none of the only one of the three competitors, Clean Catch

Fish Market, has an official webpage. Information on Southside Fish & Grocery and Fishy Fish

Market will be more difficult to find as a result of this. Research will also have to be performed

on similar businesses, to see obtain an idea of how to begin the rebranding process.

B. Process used to conduct the selected research methods

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Interviews: To obtain information about Overseas Food Market and its goals and beliefs, I have

conducted interviews with the owner on the 12th of October. Prior to the interview, questions had

to be brainstormed which pertain to my objectives of determining the business’s goals and its

objectives.This data has yielded substantial information as to how to continue the rebranding

process and information that will guide the rebranding process, as well as information which

could potentially aid me in creating an official mission statement. The business’s actual

marketing objectives, vision, target market, and what their marketing philosophy has also been

determined.

Customer Surveys: In addition to the staff interviews, customer surveys were created in order to

gain demographic information, information about social media usage, and any flaws or strengths

of the business. Using this data, a SWOT analysis can be made, which compares strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the store. I will then be able to pinpoint what social

media site could be used to promote the business, what needs to be improved, and what the ideal

target market is. The questions generated followed certain guidelines; that the questions were

clear, unbiased, specific, easy to read, and appropriate for my objectives. Three types of

questions were also used, increasing the variety, which included multiple-choice, open-ended,

and scaled response questions. The surveys probed for information about store organization,

product quality and variety, how strongly a threat competitors pose, how Overseas Food would

most efficiently enter the social media network, and their opinions on how the business is

currently branded.Responses were gathered from the October 12, 2013 to October 16, 2013. The

surveys were administered to customers as they were waiting to checkout at the counter, with no

particular preference as to who was surveyed.There were difficulties in obtaining this

information from some customers, particularly the Asian community, as some had limited

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knowledge of English, prompting me to create a second survey in Vietnamese, which was the

primary language of a majority of this population.

Secondary Data: The secondary data obtained was primarily gathered on competitors and other

seafood markets who have rebranded. This information

was gathered through the usage of the popular search

engine Google, and review sites such as Yelp. The

website of a competitor, Clean Catch Fish Market

(Figure III), couldbe used as a possible basis for a future

Overseas Food Market webpage. Neither Fishy Fish Market nor Southside Fish and Grocery, the

remaining competitors in close proximity, have official webpages, thus limiting my information

about them to review sites such as Yelp, which have yielded information regarding general

problems or strengths that Overseas Food Market has.

IV. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE STUDY

A. Findings of the research studyThe survey which I have conducted with twenty different customers has yielded substantial

evidence. It has determined the following:

Demographic Findings: 1. 40% of customers were male, and 60% were female.(Figure IV) 2. A majority of customers, 40%, are ages 15-29, 25% are 30-44, 30% are 45-59, and small 5%

are 60-74 years of age.(Figure V)

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Figure III: Screenshot of Clean Catch Fish Market’s website.

3. The customers of Overseas Food are primarily of Asian ethnicity (60%), followed by Caucasians (25%), African-Americans (10%), and Hispanics (5%). (Figure VI)

Social Media Findings:1. A majority of the customers also utilize the social-networking site Facebook with a

percentage of 60%, followed by no usage of social media at all at 30%, and Twitter with a percentage of 20%. Only 15% of the customers used Google Plus+.(Figure VII)

Brand Findings:1. 25% of customers believe that a white color would suit the business best, rather than the

current yellow building, whereas 15% believe that the business should be painted red, and another 15% for orange. 10% of customers preferred yellow, 10% for blue, and another 10% for green. Only 15% did not reply.(Figure VIII)

2. Customers place the business at an above average ranking, with a majority of the rankings within the range of six to eight in all categories provided.(Figure VIV)

3. 35% of the customers enjoyed the seafood the most, followed by 30% of customers who did not reply, and 15% enjoying the vegetables. 10% of customers liked the variety of items provided, 5% enjoyed the employee service, and another 5% said that the market was in a convenient location.(Figure X)

4. Regarding whether or not customers are familiar with competitors, 45% of customers heard of Clean Catch Fish Market, 55% did not. 40% are aware of Fishy Fish Market and 60% are not. 20% of customers have heard of Southside Fish and Grocery and a large 80% have not. (Figure XI)

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Interviews:

Rebranding ultimately begins with why a company should rebrand.From interviews

conducted with Ms. Ngo, owner of Overseas Food Market, the reason for rebranding, if they

were to rebrand, would be to distinguish themselves from the competition and to increase

revenue by attracting additional customers. Though Overseas Food Market offers a variety of

items besides seafood, Ms. Ngo has clearly focused her business towards the seafood market,

with almost all of the employees working to handle seafood.

Competitor Information:

Information on the competitors of Overseas Food Market has been gathered through review

sites such as Yelp as well as through the usage of the Internet to better understand how to

differentiate the business and make it better known. The competitors of Overseas Food Market

all have particular strengths and weaknesses and have been identified.

1. Southside Fish and Grocery

No online reviews have been submitted for this business except for one, which states that the

premises of the business are very unsanitary. Only 20% of the customers surveyed are aware of

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Southside Fish and Grocery and the fact that it is a competitor. Southside Fish and Grocery lacks

an official webpage or social media page, making the business very obscure and not well-known.

Figure XII: Southside Fish and Grocery Customer Review

2. Fishy Fish Market

Fishy Fish Market is much more known, with a total of eight reviewsand a four star rating on

Yelp.com. It has the advantage of being a recently established business with a relatively clean

area. Fishy Fish Market has been complimented on itslarge variety of seafood. It is more well-

known than Southside Fish and Grocery, with 40% of the customers being aware of it. Despite

the fact that more people have heard of it, Fishy Fish Market lacks a webpage and social media

page

.Figure XIII: Fishy Fish Market Customer Review

3. Clean Catch Fish Market

Yelp.com users have rated this business with four and a half stars, and there have been nearly

five times the reviews of Fishy Fish Market, an astounding thirty-eight. It has a large amount of

publicity, as it has been reviewed by Charlotte Magazine, and is the only seafood market in the

area around Overseas Food Market with an official webpage, Facebook, and Twitter. The

customers compliment its “self-sustainable” suppliers of fish, which are freshly delivered daily,

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though their flaws include a high price. Their webpage lacks any information about its founding

and background information, as it only lists store hours, the address, and a phone number.

Figure XIV: Clean Catch Fish Market’s Charlotte Magazine article

Rebranding Example from a Similar Business:

In order to rebrand Overseas Food Market, the example of Zion

Market in San Diego could be followed. They are also an Asian market

who went through a rebranding process to attract more customers. Following the results from

multiple surveys, they have expanded their parking lots and aisles in order to accommodate a

larger customer base, implemented additional check-out stations to expedite the shopping

process, separated the seafood section from the rest of the store to reduce the odor, and re-

colored their shopping carts to an orange and green color to match the business’s logo(Figure

XV).

B. Conclusions based on the findings

It can be concluded that the majority of customers attracted by Overseas Food Market are

Asian females aged 15 to 29. The customers use Facebook the most, believe that a white color

best suits the business, rank it at a six to eight, enjoy the seafood offered the most, and are

largely unfamiliar with competitors. I can conclude that Clean Catch Fish Market presents the

greatest threat, due to its publicity and belief in “sustainable seafood”, which appeals to many

people. It is followed by Fishy Fish Market, and then Southside Fish and Grocery with the least

threat, due to its low public awareness and poor ratings. Regarding Overseas Food Market itself,

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Figure XV: Zion Market’s logo

more attention could possibly be targeted to the produce and other items offered. From direct

observation, all the employees managed the seafood, while Ms. Ngo herself checked customers

out. Sanitation will be very important to the success of the store, because a large number of

online customer reviews included odor and store cleanliness as a factor. Some areas of the

business are not monitored, leading to some customers being able to shoplift and damage

merchandise. Empty drink cans were spotted hidden behind some merchandise, some items have

been opened. Surveillance systems are targeted only towards the entrance of the store and the

front counter. Though there is a one-way mirror located within the store, there is no one

watching from behind the mirror, thus offering less security. The premises could be renovated

through repainting the business, general repairs and cleaning, and updates to the store logo. The

customers were generally in favor of the logo and had decent ratings; therefore, rebranding

efforts could be targeted towards external improvements, rather than internal ones.

Figure XVI: SWOT Analysis

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Strengths

Large variety of merchandiseSolid focus on seafoodAbove average customer ratingsLarge store spaceMulticultural productsVariation of customer ethnicity, age, andgender.

Weaknesses

Little security/surveillanceGeneral renovations must be made.Slight odorFocuses too strongly on seafood, other areas suffer.Few employeesLittle promotionLow budgetLacks a mission statement/objectives

Opportunities

Utilize social media to increase customer awarenessActively gather customer feedback and use that to improve.Renovations to better the public perception, mainly to improve the store's cleanliness.Creation of a mission statement

Threats

Also a large percentage of people who do not use social media, which will hinder promotion.Clean Catch Fish Market, which has much more publicity.Renovations could be expensive, and the market has a low budget.Variation of customers could negatively affect the market if it focuses on one ethnic group. Other groups could be underrepresentated.

V. PROPOSED REBRANDING PLAN

A. Objectives and rationale of the proposed rebranding planFrom reviewing the data from research conducted, it can be concluded that Overseas Food

Market must begin to adopt a more aggressive branding strategy in their promotional marketing

mix and branding strategy in order to better compete with the main competitors, Fishy Fish

Market and Clean Catch Food Market. Overseas Food Market will aim to appeal to the 15-29 age

groups which represent a majority of the customers. Based on this overall objective of promoting

the business and increasing profitability, I have developed goals to utilize as a framework and

guide for decisions to be made.

Goals in the Promotional Process1. To be able to define Overseas Food Market’s philosophy towards customers, and its

goals and beliefs through the creation of a mission statement.2. To distinguish Overseas Food Market from competitors through modifications to

components of the business and to improve the customer perception of the brand image.3. To develop an online presence through the usage of social-media, an official website,

and other methods to increase general public awareness of the business.

Goal 1: To be able to define Overseas Food Market’s philosophy towards customers, and its goals and beliefs through the creation of a mission statement.

Benefits:

1. The creation of a mission statement will give the management of Overseas Food Market a framework to evaluate critical decisions upon, as well as a method to evaluate how well they are performing in terms of the marketing philosophy and their beliefs.

Based on personal observations and interviews with Ms. Ngo, Overseas Food Market does not

current have an official mission statement. From textbooks and Internet sources on branding, it is

evident that a mission statement is a critical component to every business.

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Goal 2: To distinguish Overseas Food Market from competitors through modifications to components of the business and to improve the customer perception of the brand image.

Benefits:

1. General renovations and modifications will allow for more hygienic facilities and potentially retain or attract customers

2. Hygienic facilities will reduce the risk of a customer becoming sick from uncleanly foods or products, thus protecting them.

Based on online business reviews, personal observation, rankings from the survey conducted (a 7

out of 10), and negative scores from the Mecklenburg County Health Inspector in the past, it is

evident that basic renovations and hygienic improvements must be made to ensure that the brand

image of the business remains positive. A majority of customers have suggested that the business

should be colored white, and it would be beneficial to take advantage of this.

Goal 3: Develop an online presence through the usage of social-media, an official website, and other methods to increase general public knowledge of the business.

Benefits:

1. An increased brand presence on the Internet, which will increase public knowledge of the business, particularly in the 15-29 age groups, due to their wide-usage of social-media sites.

2. There will be increased business-customer communication, allowing the customers to voice their opinions and give feedback on what needs to be improved or what they enjoy about the business.

A majority of Overseas Food Market’s customers (60%) have been shown to use the social-

networking website Facebook, based on survey results. To capitalize on the data collected,

integration of social-networking into the promotional marketing mix of Overseas Food Market is

crucial and will result in a more powerful brand presence on the Internet.

B. Proposed Activities and Timelines

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In order to accomplish each of the overarching goals that I have devised, specific sub-objectives

will need to be fulfilled.

Defining a Mission Statement and the Business Philosophy:

For any business to exist, it is a significant benefit to have an existing mission statement,

which is why I have decided to start the rebranding process with defining a mission statement,

their beliefs, and brand promise. From the interviews conducted, it is clear that the mission

statement should convey the idea of a market-orientation philosophy and a general idea of what

products and services are offered. Currently, Overseas Food Market is deliberating over what

should be the finalized mission statement, and they estimate that they will be complete within a

month’s time.

Store Modifications:

The first step in the series of store modifications that will be performed is to repaint the

business a white color. The survey results gathered have shown that customers would prefer a

white color to the business. The color white connotes a sense of cleanliness, purity, and safety to

a wide array of people. These three feelings that are evoked are particularly beneficial for a food

market’s brand image, because a consumer’s health is at risk if the business is unhygienic and

unsafe.

In order to tackle the obstacle of cleaning the store up, Ms. Ngo has suggested the idea of

cleanliness guidelines and standards which will be posted around in the store areas, surrounding

employees. Employees that do not attempt to keep their station and work area as hygienic as

possible would face repercussions under these standards. The seafood area in particular will

become more ventilated to allow for the odor of fish to be less pungent, the floors will be

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mopped more frequently, produce and seafood will be inspected for freshness on a daily basis,

and the shelves will be checked daily for spills, leakage, etc.

Management at Overseas Food has stated that they do not wish to make any major

modifications to the store logo. Instead of changing how

the logo will look, it has been made into a digital format to

facilitate placing it on online sources. The colors have been retouched to be more vivid. Overseas

Food estimates that all store modifications will be completed by the end of the 2013 year.

Social Networking:

The social networking aspect of our goals has been decided

to be the final adjustment to the store, after renovations and a

mission statement have been made. The initial step to establish

Overseas Food’s online presence is to “claim” its business

pages. Various websites on the Internet such as Yelp and

Google have areas where an employee or the business owner is

able to claim a business and effectively manage the information

that is posted on the website. The creation of a Foursquare page was not necessary, as one

already existed and simply needed to be claimed. The basis behind claiming these websites is

that additional information about the business is available, and it is much simpler for customers

to locate it online. Due to the expedient nature of the Internet, this process will take much less

time relative to the other steps taken and will be completed within only a few weeks.

The secondary phase is to establish an online website, which could potentially follow the

example of Clean Catch Fish Market; the only competitor with an official website. It could be

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Figure XVII: Overseas Food Market’s Digital Logo

Figure XVIII: Overseas Food Market’s Yelp

created through the usage of free website hosts such as Webs.com or Wix.com. It will compose

of, at the bare minimum, a homepage, an about us page, and a contact us page; it should be able

to do the following:

1. Provide basic store information (business hours, location, contact numbers, and display a picture of the logo or business)

2. Provide information about the store’s policies, beliefs, and the newly created mission statement.

3. Promote the store’s Facebook and Foursquare pages.4. Allow for an easy way for customers to contact the business for inquiries, complaints,

compliments, or suggestions.

Figure XIII: Timeline of Proposed Activities

VI. PROPOSED BUDGET

A. Costs associated with proposed rebranding strategies

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Develop mission statement Estimated Time: 1 Week

Implement new sanitation standardsEstimated Time: 2 Weeks

Repaint the businessEstimated Time: 1-2 Weeks

Claim online business pagesEstimated Time: <1 Week

Establish a Facebook PageEstimated Time:

<1 Week, ongoing

Create an official website and maintain it

Estimated Time: 1 month, ongoing

Ms. Luu Ngo has allotted a total budget of $4,000 to the rebranding procedure. This amount was

decided upon by phone call with Ms. Ngo, and her desire to keep rebranding costs as low as

possible. The investment needed to rebrand is as follows:

1. Creating a mission statement:

Creating a mission statement will result in no additional cost to Overseas Food Market. No monetary amount will be needed, as myself, along with Ms. Ngo and her employees, will undertake this process.

2. Store modifications:

a. Basic cleaning and maintenance:

The estimated total cost of simple cleaning and checking products for quality will cost about $100, which accounts for time used in the process, and losses from products of insufficient quality.

b. Repainting the business:

To capitalize on the customer survey results, the business will be repainted white on the interior. Quotes received from JMC Finishing Services, though Thumbtack.com and phone calls; estimate a price of $2,200 at the minimum to cover the basic repainting of the business.

c. Establishing hygiene standards for employees:

The creation of these standards will result in no significant cost to Overseas Foods. This process requires only devising standards, and printing them on posters. Ten copies will be made and posted around the store for employees; the estimated cost is about $10.

d. Ventilating the Seafood Area:

A quote from Homewyse.com for Overseas Food Market’s zip code area estimates the average cost of basic window installation at $540 per window, at the minimum.

e. Creating a digital format of the store logo:

The retouching of the store logo has been done at no additional cost to Overseas Food Market by me through the usage of Photoshop.

3. Social Media Promotions

a. Claiming business pages:

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The process of claiming business pages on websites such as Yelp, Google, and Foursquare is a free process, requiring that only an account is made and that ownership is verified.

b. Facebook promotion:

The promotion requires no additional cost, because Facebook is free to all users. This process will be completed by Ms. Ngo and her employees.

c. Official Website:

This promotion also requires no additional money to be paid. The website will be created through free website creators such as Webs.com, and the procedure will be undertaken by Ms. Ngo and her employees.

Proposed Activities and CostBudget: $2,000

Promotional Activity CostMission Statement $0

Basic cleaning $100Repainting $2,200

Hygiene Standards $10Ventilation $540

Digital Logo $0Claim pages $0

Facebook $0Official Website $0

Total Cost:Remaining Budget:

$2,750$1,250

B. Proposed metrics to measure return on investment (ROI)1. Increased Mecklenburg County Health Inspector Scores:

As of October 10, 2013, the Mecklenburg County Health Inspector has given Overseas Food Market a score of 94. The success of Overseas Food Market’s new hygiene standards will be measure by the score given by the health inspector. Overseas Food Market aims to receive at least a score of 97 by the end of a six month period.

2. Second Survey:

A second survey will be conducted to measure primarily the customers’

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Health Inspector Scores>2 Point Decrease = Very Unsuccessful2 Point Decrease = Unsuccessful1 Point Decrease = Somewhat Unsuccessful1 Point Increase = Somewhat Successful2 Point Increase = Successful>2 Point Increase = Very Successful

General Cleanliness and Store Odor *Note: Overseas

Food Market had an original score

for cleanliness of 7.

≤5 = Very Poor6 = Poor7 = Fair8 = Good≥9 = Very Good

opinions of the store’s cleanliness and whether or not increased ventilation has reduced odor. Overseas Food Market aspires for at least 60% of customers to rank the business at an eight or higher by the end of six months.

3. Increase in revenue:

To measure the success of the basic store modifications, Overseas Food Market will see if the public’s perception of the business has changed through comparing 2013’s revenue to that of 2014, the following year. Overseas Food Market hopes that they will see a 10% increase in revenue by the end of the 2014 year.

Sales for Overseas Food Market≥1% Decrease in Revenue

Poor1%-9% Increase in Revenue

Fair≥10% Increase in Revenue

Successful

4. A more powerful online presence:

To measure the success of the online promotional strategy, the number of Facebook “likes” will be monitored, along with the number of business reviews.

VII. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Consultant (1):

Mr. Matthew Speas, Marketing Teacher, DECA Advisor Mr. Brannon Cashion, President of Addison Whitney, a prestigious branding company

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Number of Facebook “Likes” Number of Yelp.com Business Reviews

< 25 = Poor25-49 = Fair50-74 = Good75-100 = Very Good>100 = Excellent

< 10 = Poor10-19 = Fair *Note: Overseas Food20-29 = Good currently has 9 reviews30-39 = Very Good>40 = Excellent

Interviews (2):

Ms. Ngo Luu, owner of Overseas Food Market Mr. Hanh Ly, employee at Overseas Food Market & business contact

Surveys (1):

Customer Survey Distributed October 12, 2013 to October 16, 2013

Internet Sources (12):

Bber.unm.edu Business.time.com Charmeck.org City-data.com Cleancatchfish.com Factmonster.com Loopnet.com Mayoclinic.com Public.cdpehs.com Yelp.com Addisonwhitney.com Wikihow.com/rebrand Thumbtack.com Homewyse.com Webs.com

Observations (5):

Business Observation October 12, 2013 1:30 PM Business Observation October 13, 2013 2:45 PM Business Observation October 14, 2013 5:35 PM Business Observation October 15, 2013 4:30 PM Business Observation October 16, 2013 5:00 PM

Printed Sources (1):

Marketing 9e Textbook

VIII. APPENDIX

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Overseas Food Market’s current selection of merchandise, including produce, various sauces and toppings, bags of rice, and seafood.

A picture of the physical logo of Overseas Food Market compared to the digital recreation.

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The current interior appearance of Overseas Food Market

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requests your assistance. Please complete the following ten question Customer Questionnaire based on your experience at the store and other information. All information will remain confidential.Thank you for your time, we appreciate the feedback!

1. Are you ethnicity do you consider yourself as?a. Caucasian b. African American c. Asian d. Hispanic e. Other

2. What is your gender?a. Male b. Female

3. What age category do you fit into?4. What type of social-networking do you use the most, if you use them at all?

a. Facebook b. Twitter c. Google Plus+ d. MySpace e. Other f. None5. How do you rank the Overseas Food Market in the following areas, with 1 being the

worst and 10 being the best:-Employee Service ___-Cleanliness ___-Product Quality ___-Store Organization/Layout ___-Logo Appearance ___

6. What colors do you associate with Overseas Food Market? State all that apply.7. Are you familiar with any of the following brands?

-Clean Catch Food Market: Yes ___ No ___-Fishy Fish Market: Yes ___ No ___-Southside Fish and Grocery: Yes ___ No___

8. What positive experiences, if any, have you encountered at Overseas Food Market?

The survey used for English speaking customers.

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Chao bạn! Chúng tôi cần sự giúp đỡ của bạn. Xin vui lòng hoàn thành khảo sát này cho tiệm Overseas Food Market. Cảm ơn bạn!Bạn bao nhiêu tuôi? ______Bạn là nam hoăc nư? Nam Nư Bạn có dùng nhưng website này không?

Facebook Twitter Google Plus+ Không dùng website nayNhưng website nào khác:  ______

Bạn nghỉ ở trong tiệm này sơn đuơc mầu nào cho thich hơp nhất!Mầu xanh dương Mầu xanh lá cây Mầu vàngHoặc nhưng mầu khác ______

Bạn thử chấm điểm từ 1 đến 10 (số 1 là tốt nhất) cho nhưng phần sau đây.Người làm có phục vụ tốt không? ______Trong tiệm có sạch sẽ không? ______Chất lượng của hàng hoá có tốt không? ______Đồ bầy bán có dể kiếm không? ______Bảng hiệu của tiệm ở ngoài có thích hợp với bạn không? ______

Trong tiệm này bạn thich nhưng món gì nhất? ______Ở trong tiệm này bạn nghỉ có nhưng điểm gì cần sưa đôi? ______

The alternative survey, for customers who spoke Vietnamese. Note that the question about ethnicity was not included because they have identified themselves as being Vietnamese

and a non-English speaker.

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