WhiteSpace

Speak Up, BuddyMarketing Plan for an original Android App

Executive SummarySituation Analysis

Goal

StrategyTactics

Implementation

WHAT IS

WhiteSpace?

WhiteSpace is a platform for the teenage youth to express the social situations they face on a regular basis, talk about it and connect with others who are also going through the same phase in life. It provides peer-to-peer connecting service in which people of same age group help and advise each other to overcome the tough times in life.

This youth-centric app will provide users the opportunity to let out their deep emotions anonymously and find a peer group with similar interests.It will also include a youth-consultancy service in which trained individuals will answer the queries of users personally. The QnA Forum serves as database of replies which can give multiple outlooks on the same problems.

Executive SummarySituation Analysis

Goal

StrategyTactics

Implementation

NUMBERS SPEAK 5% of world population is in depression.

30% of all suicides worldwide occur in India and China

India has one of the world’s highest rate of suicides among people aged between 15 years and 29 years.

This accounts for 1/3rd of all suicides in the country.

Depressed teenager 12 times more likely to attempt suicide.

Major factors of youth slipping into depression: Shame attached to the

mental disorder

Inability to express their situation.

How can WhiteSpace help?

The core competencies for WhiteSpace are:

• User privacy:WhiteSpace fully protects the anonymity

of their users.

Gives users feeling of Security

Allows them to open up freely

• Product/Service Presentation:

Won’t be presented as an app for the depressed or for people with social problems. Its tagline

“Buddy, Speak Up”aims at inviting the youth to share their stories of daily life struggles.

Designed with a youth-centric approach

Forum for Expressing emotions

Minimized professional psychiatric involvement

• Consumer Segmentation

WhiteSpace has segmented the consumer market demographically.

Its target consumers lie in the age bracket of 18-34. most prone to be trapped in depression Constantly under performance pressure less likely to talk about it for the taboo

that is attached to mental disorders.

• Consulting Services: Aid its users recovery with minimized

professional help. No certified psychiatric help

Train and employ college youth to address the problems of their peers.

Online peer group to listen to their problems.

• Marketing: Not just online presence Create or team up with psychological

consulting groups in various colleges Train members to provide peer-level help. Workshops shall be conducted Potential consultants would be recruited to

facilitate further their training in the real-life situations.

TARGET COSTUMERS

Market ResearchWhiteSpace divided its consumer market demographically

Studied the lack of communication channels and level of depression various age groups.

Findings Maximum people facing social problems are

in the age group of 18-34 Prone to aggravate their problem, often

leading to suicides. Fear of being judged by fellow

colleagues/classmates Most influenced by peer-group

WhiteSpace will specifically cater to their needs for venting out their problems without being judged.

Executive Summary Situation

Analysis Goal

StrategyTactics

Implementation

Performance Benchmarks:

WhiteSpace shall measure its performance on the basis of following 4 parameters

1.Number of Registered UsersThe basic parameter will be how many downloads the app gets in the first few months it launches. The time it takes to have 100 thousand users will serve as a measure of how successful the business model has been.

2.Conversion RatioThe fraction of free users who turn to premium members is also a viable measure. We shall aim for a

conversion ratio of 2% initially.

3.Spectrum of Issues The tags with various write-ups posted by the users will give an idea of the issues that we are dealing with. WhiteSpace shall try to maintain diversity in the matters dealt with. This way we can attract users from various social and economic backgrounds.

4.Number of Peer-Consultants

The number of paid trainees recruited to give peer-help will also act as a parameter. This will show the performance of the outreach program.

Executive Summary Situation

Analysis Goal

StrategyTactics

Implementation

StrengthsEmotional Connect

AnonymityStrong social message

WeaknessNo physical product to

deliverDifficult to overcome

stereotypes

OpportunityWell-defined customer

basePeer-Group Approach

Forums (Blogs and QnA)

ThreatPricing Strategy

Easier to implement PoP

SWOT ANALYSIS

4 C’s of

Target Market

1.Consumers:People in age bracket of 18-34Most prone to depressionHighly influenced by peer-groupConstantly under performance pressureValue privacyEager to let their stories be heard

2.Collaborators: Peer-to-Peer Consulting Approach

Colleges and University Help Groups

Support groups in Offices

Inclusive growth by conducting training

and awareness workshops

3.Competitors:The following apps available on Android Platform are potential competitors:

7 Cups of TeaFREE anonymous and confidential conversations with trained active listeners.

Emotional support, counselling, and therapy to help address depression, anxiety, and stress.

Closest with respect to services provided by WhiteSpace

MoodTools-Depression AidMoodTools is designed to help combat depression and alleviate negative moods.

Uses various tools such as Thought Diary, Inspiring Videos collection, Activities list to distract from negativity etc.

What’s Up?Free app utilising some of the best CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and ACT (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) methods to help cope with Depression, Anxiety, Anger, Stress.

Its various features include a personal diary, forums to talk to people, mood alleviating themes etc.

4.Context• Economic:Targeted for the most productive section of society. They are constantly under the duress of deadlines, performance parameters.By alleviating their emotional and social state it is aimed at increasing the productivity of the workplace.

• Technological:Since the people in the age-group of 18-34 are also

the most tech savvy, the design features and

features will be technically competent for them.

It would contain sync and social media connect

facilities so that the users can stay in tune whenever

and wherever they are.

• SocioCultural:Goal of WhiteSpace is to bring people out of the vortex of

depression for the lack of communication with a peer-

group.

Most people shy out of sharing their problems for the fear

of being judged. The anonymity clause takes care of this.

Whitespace shall aim at removing the shame and taboo

associated with depression.

• Physical:WhiteSpace will also make its

presence felt in the real world

by conducting peer-

consulting workshops in

colleges and offices to train

active listeners and

advisors and to create

awareness towards the

depression pandemic.

Value Proposition

Customer ValuePrivacy:The identity of all users shall strictly be anonymous for their security and freedom of expression.Forum for Expressions:Users will be given a platform to write blogs and express their feelings, share their experiences for others to benefit.Peer Consulting Service:The peer-consulting service is an integral part as it aims at eliminating the need for a professional psychiatrist.Question-Answer Forum:The open QnA forum will serve as 360 degree perspective to various issues where people in distress will get myriad angles to the same problem.

Collaborator ValueExtending help beyond apps:The greater goal of WhiteSpace is to eliminate the lack of communication channel for youth trapped in depression. It will provide them with a peer group who would listen and give help if asked.Training for helping fellow colleagues:Generally people are at a loss of how to help fellow mates who are in social problems. WhiteSpace will conduct training and awareness workshops in offices and colleges. Paid Consulting service:The trained recruits will also be paid for their services, so it can act as some part-time job with satisfaction for both parties invoved.

Executive Summary Situation

Analysis Goal

StrategyTactics

Implementation

ServiceA platform for youth to let out their emotions freely in an attempt to seek emotional support from fellow peer group anonymously to manage their anxiety and stress level in personal and professional life.

With WhiteSpace you find people facing similar situations in life and the the user knows they are not on their own, that they have people that can talk freely to without any judgements and restrictions.

Point of Difference(PoD) No professional psychiatric involvement

WhiteSpace will be one of its kinds of an app since it will not provide any

professional psychiatric help unlike other mental health apps. Peer-to-Peer Approach

Instead it will train college students, office employees to provide peer-

level help to their mates and colleagues.

Name WhiteSpace depicts the blank space that the app will provide its users to let out their emotions without any restrictions or judgements. TaglineIts tagline is symbolic of the app’s striving efforts towards making the virtual environment free of any pre-conceived notions of the stereotypes related to mental disorders, stress, anxiety and depression.

Outreach beyond virtual world

WhiteSpace shall also pay an important in workspace sand colleges where such emotional problems are highly prevalent. Its outreach program will train and make the society aware of the wrong notions prevalent.

Point of Parity(PoP) Blog hosting Forums

Customers will be able to pen down their thoughts, experiences and real-life struggles for others in the community to read and benefit. It will create a comprehensive community connected on an emotional level.

QnA forum

The QnA forum will be public and allow people to post questions and answer them, the way they perceive the situation. This will in turn give various takes to the same question and serve its purpose.

PricingThis would be a free app with only in-app purchases of specific services.

Free features:• Hosting Blogs• Public QnA Forum participation

Paid Services:• Peer-Consulting• Conducting training workshops

CommunicationSince WhiteSpace caters to the tech-savvy youth section it would not depend much on the traditional forms of advertising. Advertising can be done extensively through the following channels:

• Social Media• Website Ads• Colleges and Office Spaces• Traditional forms of advertising

DistributionThe services shall be delivered to the target customers via 2 main channels:

• App

• Training and Awareness

Workshops

Executive Summary Situation

Analysis Goal

Strategy Tactics

Implementation

Organizational Structure:

Administration and Financing TeamThis is the core team that administers the entire operations and accounts.It heads all other teams and is responsible for the all the growth and progress of the company. It has to set benchmarks, targets and assign work to all other teams.

Design and Technical TeamThis team will design the app and fulfil the motive of WhiteSpace market positioning. The company logo, advertisements and further design requirements by marketing team will be handled by this.

Marketing TeamThis team will be integral to the strategy design of the company. All important decisions regarding the expansion, product line, marketing mix, distribution channels etc shall be taken by this team. The brand positioning of the company is dependent on the efficiency of this team.

Content and Consulting TeamThis team shall handle the blog content posted by the users and also train the participants in the workshops. It shall ensure no illicit and objectionable content is released. It will also impart required information and awareness in the outreach programs of WhiteSpace.

Processes

The 3 main programs that WhiteSpace will run are:

• Peer Connect Program

This is the virtual effort to bring people with same social situations

together and create a cohesive community.

• Training Program

This program shall strive for training college students and office goers

at providing peer-level help to their fellow mates.

• Outreach Program

This is the collaboration program with college and office support

groups to provide services on a long-term basis.

Future Plans

• Alert SystemProviding an distress alarm system for premium users to avail in order to alert a foxed set of contacts when under stress attack.• Providing full-time counselling services Partnering up with companies and colleges to provide full-time help-desks to people in requirement of counselling services.• Opening a telephonic serviceReleasing a toll-free distress telephone number for people in any corner of India, in order to avail the services in absence of internet as well.

DISCLAIMERThis presentation is created by Swati Samikshya Sahoo as a part of summer internship project under Prof. Sameer Mathur , IIM Lucknow.