HTM 452 Marketing Plan
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Transcript of HTM 452 Marketing Plan
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Table of Contents
Organization Assessment 4
a.) History 5
b.) Organization Philosophy 7
c.) Operational Structure 8
d.) Marketing Materials and Organization Image 11
e.) Description of Facilities, Programs, Products, and Services 14
f.) Financial Status of John Ball Zoo 15
g.) Objectives and Goals of John Ball Zoo 18
h.) Conclusion of Organization Assessment 19
Research Assessment 20
a.) Global Assessment 21
b.) Industry Assessment 24
c.) Market Assessment 27
d.) Mystery Shopping 30
e.) Social Media Assessment 34
f.) Competitive Assessment 36
g.) SWOT Analysis 38
h.) Primary Research Recommendations 39
i.) Conclusion of Research Assessment 40
Target Market Assessment 41
a.) Male and Female College Students 42
b.) Seniors ages 65 and up 46
c.) Single Stay at Home Moms 51
d.) Business Groups 56
MPC Mix 59
a.) MPC Mix for College Students 60
b.) MPC Mix for Single Moms 66
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c.) MPC Mix for Seniors 62 and Up 73
d.) MPC Mix for Business Groups 80
e.) Social Media Chart 86
Sample Collateral 88
a.) Collateral for College Students 89
b.) Collateral for Single Moms 90
c.) Collateral for Elderly people 91
d.) Collateral for Business Groups 92
e.) References 93
5
History of the Organization
John Ball
John Ball was born in 1794 in New Hampshire. He was a teacher, a lawyer, a realtor, an
explorer, an adventurer, a legislator, and the man who gave the original 40 acres to create John Ball Park. Upon his death in 1884, John Ball left the acres of land to the City of Grand Rapids to
be used as a park. At the time of the gift, the city fathers were skeptical of its value. However by the 1890's what was then known as the Ball 40 had become the "Central Park" of Grand
Rapids(John Ball Zoological Society,2001). Honoring John Ball
In 1925, the city of Grand Rapids honored John Ball by commissioning a statue of him to be placed in John Ball Park. The bronze statue was sculpted by Pompeo Coppini and based on a design submitted by a local schoolgirl. The statue represents John Ball and two of his children (John Ball Zoological Society,2001).
The Park
1891 city commission records provide the first mention of animals at the park. A debate occurred as to whether money should be allocated to purchase some animals to supplement
the orphaned and injured animals currently being housed by park workers at the Ball 40. Though the city fathers decided to not use city funds, several of them chipped in from their
own pockets and purchased a few animals for what would become the Zoo (John Ball Zoological Society,2001).
John Ball Park became the official name and the City purchased the land surrounding the original 40 acres to increase its size to 140 acres. In 1905 the budget for John Ball Park was $5000. The next highest budget for a city park was $80. A conservatory, a dance parlor, bandstand, carriage trails, swimming pool, formal gardens and, of course, the Zoo made it the most popular recreational spot in the city (John Ball Zoological Society,2001).
Overcoming the Depression
During the Depression, the Zoo fell on hard times. Most of the collection was given to
other zoos. Some animals, the buffalo and deer, were butchered to help feed the poor and only a few aging animals remained.
In 1949, Katherine Whinery, a resident of Grand Rapids and a zoo lover, became
determined to form a Zoo Society and resurrect the John Ball Zoo. She met with the mayor and asked for help and guidance. An invitation was sent to every service club in Grand Rapids asking
for one member to attend a meeting to discuss rebuilding the Zoo. The City offered to hire a zoo director, rebuild and maintain the Zoo if the private citizens would form an organization to
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assist with private contributions and support to offset the cost of building new exhibits and
purchasing animals. The result of this meeting was the formation of the John Ball Zoological Society.
In 1949 Fred Meyer, who had been working at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, was hired as the first zoo director. The first "new" exhibit also was built and opened--Monkey Island.
Through the 50's and 60's, a new Zoo was built in John Ball Park. The entire community worked hard to build a good zoo.
In 1979, the Zoo Society and the City created a Zoo Master Plan to renovate and expand the Zoo over the next 20 years. The Plan was divided into four phases. The first phase was devoted to renovation of the older core of the Zoo and was completed in 1985.
As a result of the renovations, in 1983 John Ball Zoo became the first zoo in Michigan
to receive accreditation by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (John Ball Zoological Society,2001).
History in the Making
A path to history-making change at the zoo was finished in 2013. Countless hours went into the process that took John Ball Zoo to single, nonprofit management. The actual transfer occurred January 1st, 2014. John Ball Zoo, still owned by Kent County, is now operated entirely by a non-profit, rightly named John Ball Zoo. Though you will no longer see the name John Ball Zoo Society, the important work done by the society in the past and the work yet to be done to fulfill the Zoo’s mission of conservation, education, and recreation is unwavering (John Ball Zoo, 2014)
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Organization Philosophy
The Mission of the John Ball Zoo is to help individuals gain information about, respect for and
an understanding of the Animal Kingdom by:
▪ Providing a quality zoological facility that is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium
Association and promotes good animal husbandry.
▪ Providing diverse educational opportunities.
▪ Enhancing the entertainment and recreational opportunities available to the Citizens of and
Visitors to Kent County and West Michigan.
▪ Actively participating in local, state, national and international conservation and research
programs.
▪ And achieving significant breeding and reproductive records.
John Ball Zoo Society has long-standing values and beliefs that root back to the
construction of the zoo. The largest value and belief of the John Ball Zoo is that it was created
for the education and advancement for the need of wildlife conservation and preservation. This
is meant to inform guests that the conservation and preservation of these animals needs to be
considered or they may become extinct in the future. The mission of the John Ball Zoo includes
providing a quality zoological facility that is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium
Association and promotes good animal husbandry. Providing diverse educational opportunities.
Enhancing the entertainment and recreational opportunities available to the Citizens of and
Visitors to Kent County and West Michigan. Actively participating in local, state, national and
international conservation and research programs. Also achieving significant breeding and
reproductive records.
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Operational Structure
Nominate the initial 19 member Board with staggered terms to allow for the successful transition of Board members over time. Members of the TNC could serve one year terms on the new Board, subject to re‐appointment by the full Board
The TNC would engage the “transition coordinator” who will manage the transition process on behalf of the new Board until the transition is completed, the Board has been appointed and the management structure is operational.
The CEO will be hired by the Non‐Profit Board once the transition date for the combined organization has been established.
Until the time that the CEO is hired, the Transition Coordinator utilizes the resources of the Zoo Director and the Society's Executive. Director to implement the tasks to be completed for the successful transition of the John Ball Zoo. The Transition Coordinator does not supervise any employees and reports only to the President of the new Board.
Typically, the Transition Coordinator is a short‐term engagement (3 ‐ 6 months; with one renewal option) that involves hiring someone from the Grand Rapids region who has
strong business/people management skills and no long term desire to work for the Zoo ‐ only a short‐term stake in the future of the Zoo.
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The New Zoo Governance and Organizational Structure: The Non‐Profit
t‐for‐profit responsible for all aspects of Zoo operations: administration, operations, facilities, collections, education, visitor services, marketing and fund‐raising
the County as a permanent Board representative
The Board will be responsible for hiring the CEO of the Zoo, who will be responsible for
managing the daily operations of the Zoo. The Board will provide governance and leadership to the CEO and Zoo.
d members will be recruited based on their passion for the Zoo’s mission and community, their skills, and their commitment to maintain and grow a highly
successful organization. Some of the existing John Ball Zoological Society Board members may continue to participate in the Board or its Committees to retain the
experience and relationships previously established by the Society ‐ particularly its relationships with donors and pending pledge agreements. Additional community
members will be recruited to participate in the Board, its committees and projects to complete and complement the leadership of the Non‐Profit.
Zoological Society, if necessary, and a long‐term management agreement with the County to operate and manage the John Ball Zoo, including the County’s annual financial
appropriation to the Zoo.
The New John Ball Zoo
operating and managing the Zoo
Commissioners
support and investment in the Zoo to maintain and expand the Zoo’s programs, activities, events, capital facilities, expansion,
and vision
hin a flexible, entrepreneurial, governance and management approach
that respond the challenges of the 21st century.
Directors and provide their counsel and support to sustain the long‐term success of the John Ball Zoo
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Marketing Materials and Organization Image
The image that John Ball has developed over the year’s ranges greatly. It has grown in attendance over the years and has really opened its doors to numerous animal interactions.
Today the zoo is seen in a more positive light then ever. It allows for hands on experience and is located in just down town Grand Rapids. Visitors today see the zoo as a place to take their
family to really interact with animals and the outdoors.
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Website
Logo
John Ball Zoo’s website has it all. The formatting of the
website needs work for it to become more welcoming and
user friendly but it does provide a great amount of
information. From Zoo information, to attractions,
events, food, education, and much more it’s hard not to
find what you’re looking for. Along with this, the website is updated frequently and that is
a huge plus for users.
The logo for John Ball Zoo seems to come off as confusing
to most people and certainly kids. Many times guests will ask
what animal the logo is an image of. In reality the logo is of
a tiger, eagle, and a bear. Although this seems to be a problem of not being able to
determine what the logo actually is, it would be really
hard to change a logo that has been around for such a long
time at the Zoo. However, this is a marketing decision that
should be considered.
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Map
Footsteps Brochure
The Zoo map looks brilliant to the eye. It draws in kid’s
attention and really gets them excited to see the zoo.
However the placement of the exhibits on the map compared
to real life seemed to be slightly skewed and could use
a little tweaking.
The Footsteps Brochure allows for kids to see different
types of animals and gets them excited. This is a brilliant
marketing tool for John Ball Zoo because it attracts both
children and parents, drawing them in to want to sponsor
their very own animal.
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Description of Facilities, Programs, Products and Services Available
The John Ball Zoo has multiple different Facilities with in their grounds, including the
Ballroom outside of the zoo entrance, the Bissell Tree house, Van Andel Aquarium, as well as a
gift shop and Tropics building. These do not even include all of the animal enclosures. John Ball
Zoo also offers many different programs, products, and services for its guests and members.
One of these products would be the zoo membership for a year, which allows the guest to
enter our zoo for free with their membership as well as free or reduced price entrance fees for
over 140 different zoos and aquariums. As well as a few other small discounts of items and food
around the John Ball Zoo. The John Ball Zoo also offers up event spaces for Weddings,
Birthdays in the zoo as well as in the Ballroom, a Band shell for music in the park. Inside the
Zoo there are many different opportunities for the education of guests including animal talks by
the zoo interpreters, Stingray touching, budgie feedings, Camel rides, a zip line and a high ropes
course. There is also a zoo school to teach kids about the animals during summer classes and
even get a chance to have a sleep over at the zoo! Included below is a map of the zoo used by
the John Ball Zoo for their brochures.
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While looking at this chart it can be seen that the total income made was less than the
total expenses by $453,013 dollars. This means that the John Ball Zoo had spent more in the
2013 year than what they had received. Leading to the question of what did the John Ball Zoo
do wrong to outspend the amount that was earned? A large part was due to upgrades to the
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zoo, including spending to create the new tiger exhibit in the forest realm, along with the
creation of the Treetop Outpost, the new children’s play area. It can also be seen that the
largest portion of both the income and expenses are from Visitor services, fortunately the
income for visitor services was higher than the expenses showing that the John Ball Zoo had
spent the money here correctly in 2013. (First Financial picture)
The next chart that can be seen below is from the John Ball Zoo’s Statements of Financial
Position with the differences between the 2013 and 2012 years respectively. Looking at the
numbers a bit closer than the first chart, it can be seen that the assets in 2012 were spent on
the improvements to the tiger exhibit and the Treetop Outpost can be moved over into the
equipment that can be depreciated. While the liabilities are lower in 2013 than in 2012
meaning that the John Ball Zoo owed less money to others than in 2012 allowing for a slight
decrease in assets as well. (Second Financial table)
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Objectives & Goals
One of the John Ball Zoo’s goals is to make a postivite impact on our community and
natural world. While on January 1st, 2014 the John Ball Zoo Society became solely owned and is
no loger called the John Ball Zoo Society and is offically known as the John Ball Zoo, the society
has done so much to help with this goal of preservation, conservation, and recreation. This goal
is considered to be reached by teaching the visitors all about the animals and what they can do
to make sure these animals are around for as long as possible. Also from the report of the 2013
year it can be seen that the zoo had a record beaking summer with an attendance of 470,000
visitors! For a non-profit business this money can be used for the expansion and upgrades to
current and future exibits for the animals.
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Conclusions of Organization Assessment
Overall the John Ball Zoo is a wonderful zoo that looks to be excelling already with its
current efforts. This is clearly seen in the fact that in the 2013 annual report the zoo had set a
new record for attendance, showing that even with the current ecnomy people are still
interested in visiting the zoo to see the animals and learn about all of them and what can be
done to protect and preserve these animals. The John Ball Zoo also offers many different
rentals, facilities and products to entice many different people to vist the park and use different
aspects of the park. Marketing wise it has a strong foot forward, yet just as many business still
do, has room to grow and complement the exisiting materials to continue growing their brand
and zoo overall.
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Global Assessment
1. Zoos With a Bad Reputation
According to the Captive Animals’ Protection Society zoos are known to being a
miserable place for animals where animals are known to being in small places for 18
hours a day. They don’t provide sufficient space for animals. For example tigers and
lions have 18,000 times less space in zoos. Zoos are known to causing animals to
suffer leaving lions to pace 48% of their time pacing and showing behavioral issues.
Zoos are shown to be causing animals to die prematurely causing 40% of lion cubs
to die before turning 1 month. Lastly, animals are trained to preform tricks
including sea lions, birds, elephants, and dolphins. Zoos have bad reputations that
are causing negative thoughts to be created about zoos (10 Facts about Zoos, 2012).
Relevance: With these negative thoughts in mind it is crucial for John Ball Zoo to
understand the negatives that zoos’ reputations have. Many people are against
animal cruelty or holding animals in unfit captivity. It is important for John Ball Zoo
to understand these negative thoughts and do their best to relay to its potential
guests that they do their best to keep animals safe, comfortable, and in the best
natural like exhibits that they live in. It is important for guests to understand that
John Ball Zoo is a zoo who meets standards of animal exhibits and gives them the
best homes possible while at the same time making the animals happy and treating
them right.
2. Minimum Wage Increase in Michigan
As stated by MLive starting after Labor Day weekend in Michigan, minimum wage
was raised from $7.40 per hour to $8.15 an hour. This increase is the first raise in six
years. It is said that by 2018 the estimated minimum wage will be $9.25, a twenty
percent increase from the original $7.40 wage.
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Relevance: John Ball Zoo is a big business in Grand Rapids which employees many
people. It is important for John Ball Zoo to be aware of these changes and how they
could affect their business. Because there are so many employees currently working
at John Ball Zoo, this means more money will be spent on wages. John Ball Zoo with
have to earn more money by either raising prices or getting more business. The best
way to do this would be to market more in order to breakeven with the more
spending on wages. With this in mind John Ball Zoo will be able to readjust its
spending or marketing.
3. Summer Travel Soars; Many Americans to Spend More
According to American Express in 2013, summer traveling plans were expected to
be up 17% from a previously collected from American Express Spending and Saving
Tracker. More than two-thirds of consumers were planning on getting away during
the three summer months. Of the summer travelers, two-thirds were said to have
taken at least a one week long trip, 26% planned a two week vacation or longer. Of
those asked travelers were said to open their wallets and spending more to dine out
and splurging on activities and experiences. While vacationing, 24% said they would
be partaking in learning and educational activities(Summer Travel, 2014).
Relevance: With so many more people traveling and spending money while on
vacation, it is important for John Ball Zoo to know that more people will be opening
their wallets when on vacation for fun activities. This information will help the zoo
understand that people are spending more money during the summer, especially on
things like going to the zoo. This could allow John Ball Zoo to market more
specifically to places or people outside of Grand Rapids in order to encourage people
to come for a visit. With more people willing to go on vacations, there is a new target
market for travelers the zoo could reach out too.
4. Healthier Food Options
According to WebMd, modeling good healthy eating habits in your kid’s life is
important. Like so many restaurants, there are now healthier options being made
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available. Eating healthier allows children to maintain a healthy weight and normal
growth. It is most important for kids to cut down on the fat intake while focusing on
eating low-fact or non-dairy products, poultry without skin, lean cuts of meats,
whole grain breads and cereals, and healthy snacks such as fruits and veggies. Many
restaurants are making a change encouraging better eating and adjusting the kids
menu adding better choices to choose from. It is also important to reduce amount of
sugar and salt, which could be most affected by sugar sweetened drinks. According
to Healthy Kids, 30% of the kids asked ate confectionary sugar at least 4 times a
week. About 55% of boys and 44% girls admitted to drinking 2 quantities of 500ml
of soda every day. One in five students indicated they ate potato chips or salty
snacks at least four times a week as well (Alli, 2014).
Relevance: With so many parents focusing on healthy eating, John Ball Zoo could
benefit from this information by adjusting their menus. Instead of serving hot dogs
or burgers, the zoo could focus on leaner chicken nuggets. Instead of fries or chips,
veggies or fruit slices could be made available and instead of soda juice or milk
could be an option. This new change could attract a new group of people and serve
as a good market idea. Healthy eating is becoming very big and widely accepted, and
with a healthy emphasis and push towards these healthy changes, the zoo could
really benefit.
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Industry Assessment
1.Zoos Go Green!
MIT Sloan Management. (2012, January 23). Greening Business. Retrieved from earthshare.org,
as of today, there are a total of 21 zoos who belong to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
who are using sustainable practices and going green. This includes focusing on bird-safe
buildings, climate change and biodiversity, energy and atmosphere, environmental education,
LEED certification, materials and products that can be recycled and compostable, removing the
amount of waste, and conserving water. These practices are becoming very popular and many
guests find green practices a positive action. As more and more zoos do this they are making a
collective effort, which makes a big difference. In an energy efficient study gathered by MIT
Sloan Management, of the 500 energy efficient business leaders asked 42% said their sales have
increased over the past one to two years of going green. The same study discovered that 35%
of consumers are willing to spend more on green products or at energy efficient businesses.
Relevance: With this new change in going green among many of the zoos and museums in the
industry. It is beneficial for John Ball Zoo to consider doing the same. This new popular move
towards being sustainable seems to attract more and more guests these days. With things like
recycling bins, compostable plates, utensils, and napkins, saving water, and variety of life in
habitats, John Ball Zoo can attract a new crowd of eco-friendly supporters while also making a
difference in their community. With 21 businesses already doing it, this trend seems to be
developing fast.
2.The Change to Interactive Exhibits
According to Oregon Coast Aquarium there has been a growing trend and change in the use of
interactive activities at exhibits. Instead of signs, zoos are now using more interactive elements
to enhance a guest’s experience. This is a way to engage people who cannot read the original
informational signage that is usually posted. It is noted that the main struggle is getting people
to first walk over and actually read a sign. These new interactive ideas would entice people over
easier. Things like 3-D objects, hands on objects, props, whole body experiences, or videos are
all things that would easier attract people into learning.
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Relevance: With this new trend of new interactive developing, it is important for John Ball Zoo
to be aware of these changes. John Ball Zoo does have signage with information written on
them about each animal or exhibit. Although this can be beneficial for those who take the time
and read it, these signs leave out a learning opportunity for younger kids who can’t read or who
are not attracted by words on a plaque. These new interactions could entertain guests of all
ages while teaching them about the animals and their habitats. This new benefit could be
beneficial to John Ball Zoo and with a change in interactions, new guests would want to come
and check them out.
3. Rotating Exhibits
Jon Coe speaks about the new use of rotation exhibits. A animal rotation strategy is a way to
move animals sequentially between 2 or more exhibits that are interconnected as well as off
display areas where animals can go. With this rotation of animals, there is always a surprise
factor of which animals will be shown in an exhibit at a time while identification graphics are
displayed to keep track of which animal is being presented. This rotation method creates a
randomization to the exhibits giving the guests excitement of not knowing what they will see
next. This rotation method is also said to increase appropriate and natural animal activities and
interaction with the environment, and other species.
Relevance: This new trend, which is very different from a common zoo where each animal has
its own exhibit which it lives in as long as it is being housed at a certain zoo, could attracted a
lot of curious people to John Ball Zoo if they take this method into consideration. This method
could enhance guest experience and giving them a surprise factor when guessing which animal
is in which cage. Although this new rotation would take money and time to implement, it could
save on space and give the animals a healthier and more active lifestyle, along with making the
guests happy and marketing a new attraction.
4. Creating a Mobile App
As cellular phones are becoming a necessity when leaving home, Betty Bij(2012) describes the
growing trend of mobile apps in the zoo industry. With an easy way to access locations of
entertainment, food, exhibits, restrooms, attractions, events, games for children such as
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scavenger hunts, or a daily schedule, mobile apps are growing for zoos and aquariums making a
guests experience better. These apps allow guests to access all the information on their
personal device.
Relevance: Upon researching it was discovered that John Ball Zoo does not have a mobile app
like so many other zoos today. With this new trend of easily accessible information, John Ball
Zoo could benefit from creating a personalized mobile map. This would help guests find
anything they would need. With a large spanned out zoo with many exhibits, having
information at their ready would allow guests to have a better visit with no confusion of layout.
Mobile activities, a schedule, or upcoming events would all be accessible allowing guests to get
the information instead of having to find an information guest or act an employee. This trend is
really expanding to enhance the guests visit and John Ball Zoo could really make a difference
with these apps.
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Market Assessment
1.Kids going to Zoos Annually
According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in the industry both zoos and aquariums
have over 50 million children visitors with families every year. These guests include any child
who visits with their family whether they are on vacation and looking for something to do or
just going for a daily visit to the park. These 50 million children only create some of the annual
population of the attendees, while also counting in the family members they bring with them
on a daily basis (Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 2014).
Relevance: It is important for John Ball Zoo to be aware of this statistic. It gives them an
estimate of how many children visit a zoo or aquarium type business a year. This could give
them a glimpse of what their potential business might consist of. It could also g ive John Ball Zoo
an idea on who to market too in the future. With so many annual visitors of the younger age, it
is important for them to realize this potential and focus on these demographic, meaning
children and their families.
2. Number of Kids going on Field Trips to Zoos or Aquariums Annually
According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums we have discovered that there are a total
of 12 million student learners who go on school planned field trips who visit these zoos and
aquariums each year. This includes all ages from pre-school, middle school, high school, or even
college. These guests have planned visits to these zoos or aquariums specifically for learning
experiences through their school. With these student field trips, the students are speci fically
learning about the zoo, animals, or the science involved. Zoos create a great educational
learning experience and they are very popular in many schools. These types of field trips allow a
new kind of learning experience as well (Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 2014).
Relevance: With such a high number of children visiting on education terms, it is important for
John Ball Zoo to understand the amount of field trips schools and kids are taking each year.
After discovering this information, it is crucial for John Ball Zoo to really emphasis their
educational opportunities that they have available. This will be marketed to schools and places
of education in order to attract as many students for field trips as possible. With so many
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educational activities available, John Ball Zoo is a great place for a learning experience, and it is
important for them to market themselves based on this demographic that has been discovered.
3. Number of Children in Grand Rapids
According to Grand Rapids Demographics and Statistics for 2013-2014 there are about 7,657
children under the age of five in Grand Rapids, 6,567 children between the age of five and nine
in Grand Rapids, and 5,936 children between the age of ten and fourteen in Grand Rapids.
Children make up a majority of the guests and reasoning behind going to a zoo. These kids that
range from newborn to the age of 14 make up about 11% of the total current population in the
city of Grand Rapids. (Grand Rapids Demographics, 2014).
Relevance: With 11% of Grand Rapids’ population being made up of children under the age of
14, it is important for John Ball Zoo to understand the current population of its most popular
visitors. A zoo is a very kid oriented place, basing many of its activities and opportunities for the
younger ages. Now that John Ball Zoo has an idea of the amount of children there are in the
area between newborn and 14, they are able to see how many kids in the area they are directly
marketing too. With this data, John Ball Zoo can predict the amount of children guests they may
have visit as well.
4.Family Homes in Grand Rapids
According to Grand Rapids Demographics and Statistics for 2013-2014 there are a total of
41,015 family homes out of the total 72,126 homes in the city of Grand Rapids. Within these
family homes, 1,902 of these family homes are occupied by a single dad with no wide present,
while 14,064 of these family homes are occupied by single moms with no husband present
(Suburban Statistics, 2014).
Relevance: These demographics help John Ball Zoo understand that in the surrounding area,
family homes make up over half of the households in Grand Rapids. Seeing that John Ball Zoo is
a very kid and family orientated place it is important for the zoo to understand the
demographics of family homes in its community. With this information in mind, John Ball Zoo is
able to know to market on more family based opportunities going on, seeing as they make up
half of the homes. The populations of single parented homes are also important to consider
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when marketing. Seeing as single parents occupy over 15,000 homes, this is another thing that
John Ball Zoo could use as a target market.
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Mystery Shopping
The following analysis provides observations, summaries, and recommendations for John Ball Zoo located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Examinations were completed in hopes of finding ways
to make smarter and more proficient decisions at John Ball Zoo. Observations were conducted by Alison Miller, Chelsea Dennis, Kate Phillips, and Pat Mac Donell.
The purpose of this analysis is to investigate the ways in which John Ball Zoo needs to become more concentrated, were they are excelling, and how they properly handle their customer
clientele. Research was conducted through a mystery shop process and then calculated to be shown in a chart format.
Agency Name: John Ball Zoo
Introduction/Expectation: Our group chose to mystery shop the John Ball Zoo. The zoo is a great spot for all ages in the Grand Rapids community. Yearly, the zoo draws in thousands of
people and the group was intrigued to understand why and how these customers might feel about this experience. Staff Involved: Admissions Staff
Social Media: The Facebook page was very up to date. It appeared to be updated frequently while involving other things that are going on within the Grand Rapids community. The
Facebook page had more pictures of the animals and their food, drawing in potential customers to read on about how they can become involved with feeding the animals. The Facebook page
also gives customers a chance to share their photos and experiences. Coupons on the Facebook page were also available since the busy summer season is probably beginning to
dwindle down and attendance is declining. Telephone: Contacting John Ball Zoo by telephone turned out to be a pleasant surprise. At first, it began with an automated phone call, but after navigating the way to admissions, a woman introduced John Ball Zoo and asked how she could help me. She continued to answer all questions about hours, cost, directions, and much more with clarity and friendliness. Her enthusiastic and animated response was conductive to encouraging attendance. She concluded our conversation with a friendly, “Have a great day!” Website: The John Ball Zoo Society website was very informative and interactive. It gives information about every aspect that one would need to know before visiting the zoo. It even included coloring pages and games for kids. It tells about upcoming events, the seasonal hours
for the entire year, pricing, event space, rentals, unique activities that make this zoo different
from any other zoo, as well as a section of how individuals can get involved. The webpage is very informational and encourages people to call if you have any questions arise.
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Online Reviews: Reviews on John Ball Zoo were overall very pleasing. People tend to love what
the zoo has to offer and believe that it is a great place to take famil ies for a fun day. Pricing tends to be reasonable for most people and the animals are a huge hit. Additionally, ample
amounts of interaction with animals and the zoo staff are important to the guests and keep them wanting to come back for more.
Team Conclusions: 1. John Ball Zoo’s communication through social media, websites, telephone was very
informative and helpful. It provides all the necessary information to answer potential questions and encourage visitors to the zoo. 2. All had high expectations and majority of the expectations were met. 3. Found it interesting that there was nothing on website, reviews, or social media that indicated any sort of recovery or place to go if you had a bad experience. It was noted that there were no flags to report bad experiences. Recommendations: 1. More pictures on website to engage clientele of all ages.
2. Group members had high expectations for quality communications from various sources at
John Ball Zoo. These expectations were met after receiving their social media pages, online reviews, website and phone communications. 3. Specials for non-members or raise admissions prices and eliminate the additional experience prices. 4. Add first aid to map and signage to help guide guests to where they are going and to reduce confusion. 5. More advertising throughout the Grand Rapids Area by leaving brochures at different places around the city or adding a billboard during the peak season. This would keep the zoo in the forefront of visitor’s minds.
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Analysis Table:
PERFORMANCE IMPORTANCE
4 4.25 Safety
3.75 3.5 Cleanliness
4.5 4 Appropriate Signage
3.5 4 Layout/ Accessiblility
3 3 Weather Protection
4.5 4.25 Overall Interior
4.25 4 Overall Exterior
4.75 4.5 Price/Value
5 4.25 Educational Activities
3.75 3.75 Brochure/Advertsing
3 3.75 Staff Identifiable
3 3.5 Staff Apperence
5 4.5 Adventure Tourism Activites
3.5 3.25 Food and Beverage
4 3.25 Product Display
4.5 3.25 Animal Feedings
4.75 3.5 Events/Event Space
3.25 4 First Aid
4.5 3.75 Souveniers
4 3.75 Greeting
4.25 4 Friednliness
3.25 4 Apperciation
3.75 4.5 Honesty
4.75 4.5 Knowledge
4.25 3.5 Animal Interaction
4.5 4 Staff Interaction
4.25 4 Appropriate policies and procedures
3.75 4.25 Availability
2.75 2.75 Positive Recovery
2.75 2.75 Empathy
2.75 3.5 Listening
2.75 3 Offers for Resolution
2.75 3 Satisfactory Resolution
2.5 3.5 Response Time
3.808823529 3.742647059
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John Ball Zoo social media sites appear to be frequently updated. They all include links
to their original website that will give answers to most questions. The Twitter page and
Facebook page all have a relatively large number of followers considering the Grand Rapids
area is not an extremely large metropolis area. They also include photos of animals at the zoo
and activities for visitors to become personally involved in anticipation of a visit. The website is
very informative and organized in a logical and easy way to navigate. It provides tabs that
include information about parties and rentals, education and conservation as well as visitor’s
guide and ways to contact the organization if other questions arise. There are also links to the
Zoo Blog, Facebook, and Twitter. The website also includes multiple activities and games for
children which helps to raise the level of anticipation for this age group.
All of the social media sites include opportunities to contact the zoo via email, live chat,
or phone call. This gives visitors many ways to get their questions answered or concerns
addressed. Zoo Goes Boo is an event that many zoos offer during this time of year when
attendance is declining. Currently, all social media sites are promoting this event. It appears
that John Ball Zoo is utilizing social media as extensively as possible to promote and encourage
visitors.
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Competitive Assessment
John Ball Zoo: Craigs Cruisers: Children’s Museum: Fredrick Meijer
Garden:
Size 140 acres 5,000 sq. feet 1,290 sq. feet
Amphitheatre
139 acres including indoor and
outdoor handicap accessible land
Services - 36,000 species
- Over 1100 animals
- Zip line
- Ropes course - Trolley
- Camel Rides
- Petting zoo
- Sting Ray lagoon
- Budgy Aviary - Ballroom (meeting space)
- Treehouse
- Birthday parties
- Multiple arcade games
- Indoor and outdoor go karts
- Putt-put golf
- Laser tag - Bumper boats
- Birthday party packages
- Meeting space
- Permanent exhibits
- Featured exhibits
- Meeting Space
- Offers membership package - Educational classes
- Sculptures
- Horticulture
- Gardens
- Exhibits - Music
Prices $8.50 Adults (ages 14-61)
$7.50 Seniors (ages 62 and up)
$6.50 Children (ages 3-13)
Free Children (ages 2 and
under)
Offers group discounts
$12.99 1 buffet, 2 attractions
$12.99 3 attractions, $15 arcade
$12.99 1 buffet, 1 attraction,
$5 arcade
$12.99 2 attractions, $5 arcade
$12.99 1 buffet, $10 arcade $21.99 1 buffet, 5 attractions
$21.99 1 buffet, 3 attractions
$21.99 1 buffet, 4 attractions,
$5 arcade
$32.99 1 buffet, 8 attractions
Free for Children under 1
$8.00 Ages 1 and up $7.00 Ages 65 and up
$6.00 Military Families
Free for Pals Members
$1.50 Family night on
Thursday
$12.00 Adults (ages 14-64)
$9.00 Seniors and Students $6.00 Children (ages 5-13)
$4.00 Children (ages 3-4)
Free for Children (ages 2 or
younger)
Free for members
Products - Souvenir shop
- Tiger Paws Pizza
- The Lions Den
- The Whistle Stop
- Monkey Island Café
Offers multiple prizes that you
can win through playing
games and earning tickets
- Books
- Offers online activities
- Gardens Café
- Meijer Garden Gift shop
Target
Markets
Served
- Families - Young Children
- Couples
- Teenagers - Young children
- Families
- Children of all ages - Families with young children
- Families - Children
- Adults
Hours Peak Season:
Mon- Sun 9:00am- 6:00pm
Mon- Thurs 3:00pm-9:00pm
Friday 11:00am-11:00pm Saturday 10:00am-11:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm-9:00pm
Mon Closed
Tues-Wed 9:30am-5:00pm Thurs 9:30am-8:00pm
Fri- Sat 9:30am-5:00pm
Sunday 12:00am- 5:00pm
Monday 9:00am-5:00pm
Tuesday 9:00am- 9:00pm Wed- Sat 9:00am- 5:00pm
Sunday 11:00am- 5:00pm
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Address
Phone #
Website
John Ball Zoo
1300 W Fulton Street
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 336-3400
www.johnballzoosociety.org
Craigs Cruisers
5730 Clyde Park Ave.
Wyoming, MI 49509
(616) 530-2900
www.craigscruisers.com
Grand Rapids Children’s
Museum
11 Sheldon Ave, NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 235-4726
www.grcm.org
Fredrick Meijer Gardens
1000 East Beltline Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(616) 957-1580
www.meijergardens.org
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SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis Chart:
Strengths
Multiple Hands on experiences
Many options of places to eat Lots of Animals
Only Zoo in Grand Rapids area
Superior meeting and event space
Trolley to view the zoo Affordable for the average
family
Weaknesses
Limited hours due to climate
Not enough coverage for bad weather
Extra activities being an additional charge
Hilly land makes it difficult for elderly people to navigate
Opportunities More promotions/ coupons
during the off season
Hosting more meeting and events
Expand facilities Advertise- Billboards, pamphlets Network with other similar
facilities to connect and possibly offer a packaged deal.
Threats Lack of business in the off
season
Competitors in the area targeting the same market
Not open year round
Location is not by a heavily traveled road (near residential)
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Primary Recommendations John Ball Zoo has created a beautiful facility for observing wildlife in a natural setting for
visitors in the surrounding Grand Rapids community. One recommendation to take maximum
advantage of this facility would be to advertise more to local businesses, schools, and churches
in the area. Making organizations aware of the meeting room accommodations and events that
are possible would create more business. This could be accomplished through a variety of ways
such as advertising in church bulletins, telecommunications, radio and television
advertisement, and billboards.
Another recommendation would be to network with other similar facilities to not only
discover how they advertise and deliver services to visitors, but to also consider ways to join
forces to increase business. Perhaps similar facilities could offer discount rates to visitors who
offer both facilities. They could also consider coordinating events and share successful ideas for
education events, social media, or marketing ideas.
A last recommendation might be to offer services for those who might find the hilly
terrain difficult to walk. A variety of other ways to assist these visitors in viewing the park might
be utilizing motorized scooters, Pedi cabs, or even small tractors with wagons. All of these
recommendations have the potential for increasing business.
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Research Assessments Conclusion
The John Ball Zoo facility provides and exceptional environment for unique wildlife and
opportunities for visitor s to observe it in a natural environment. As a whole the zoo does a
great job with their marketing. They are priced competitively compared to their competition in
the Grand Rapids area. They also do a phenomenal job with executing their social media sites
and webpage. All of the social media sites provide links to the website that includes all
questions one could possibly have about attending the zoo. Their social media pages are very
interactive for all ages. While doing the mystery shop analysis we noticed how prompt John Ball
zoo was through telephone and how easily accessible the webpage was. Although there will
always be threats, new trends, and new opportunities to keep up with, John Ball Zoo continues
to progress and strive to be the best zoo they can be.
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Male and Female College Students within a 30 mile Radius of the Grand Rapids
Area Demographic/ Geographic:
There are over 20 colleges in the greater Grand Rapids Area
College students represents over 82,000 full and part time students (The Right Place) Although the Zoo does not necessarily target to college students, all colleges in the
Grand Rapids area are within a reasonable distance of the zoo
Between the ages of 18-22
Many college students live in the downtown Grand Rapids area or work nearby
The zoo is located in the heart of the city making it accessible to 82,000 of college students
Psychographic:
An affordable place to go on a date or to go with your friends
When families come to visit a good place for all ages to spend quality time together
Low price for the average college student who is on a tight budget
Easily accessible due to the fact that it is located in the center of Grand Rapids
Having activities, such as the zip line, can be a thrilling experience for a college s tudent Syncographic:
Average college student is on campus from September- April, however, many students stay through the summer for work, internships, etc.
May have a sporadic schedule and available to take up some of the zoos down time during the day or late afternoon
Behavioral:
75% maintain jobs while attending school (State University, 2013)
Earns an average of $647 per month leaving the John Ball Zoo a very affordable place to go (State University, 2013)
This generation is extremely tech savvy, the best way to reach out to any college
student would be through social media
Benefits: Spending quality time with their friends or family while getting an education about
animals A way to get away from the stress of school and relax for an affordable price
Physical exercise and emotional enjoyments
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Why is this Market Important?
This market is important because Grand Rapids has a huge population of college students. Although college students are typically in school from September- April, Many of the students
stay in the Grand Rapids area during the summer for work. This is a huge opportunity for John Ball Zoo to target the college student market during their peak season.
Target Market Size:
The target market size of the college student population in the Grand Rapids area is over 82,000 students. This is an untapped resource for the zoo to expand upon and generate greater profits. A breakdown of this market is listed below. College Enrollment
Institution 2013 Enrollment
Aquinas College 2,300
Baker College 3,557
Calvin College 4,034
Central Michigan University - GR 329
Thomas M. Cooley Law School 354
Cornerstone University 1,384
Davenport University - Western Region 3,990
Ferris State University - Kendall College of Art and Design 1,450
Ferris State University 14,707
Grace Bible College 303
Grand Rapids Community College 16,613
Grand Valley State University 24,447
Hope College 3,388
Kuyper College 317
Montcalm Community College 1,787
ITT Technical Institute 694
Kuyper College 320
Montcalm Community College 2,062
Michigan State University - West 200
Muskegon Community College 4,875
Northwood University 108
Spring Arbor University 86
Western Michigan University - Grand Rapids 1,480
Chart received from The Right Place Data Center.org
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Target Market SWOT Analysis:
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
John Ball Zoo’s peak time is when most college students are on summer vacation
John Ball Zoo does not try to target to this market
Statistics have changes and students are now maintaining jobs while attending school
Students are willing to spend some money if an affordable price
Grand Rapids offers multiple things to do for college students
Lots of places offer college discounts
John Ball Zoo is very on top of their social media
Center of most colleges in the Grand Rapids area
Friendly staff Enjoyable experience
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Positioning Assessment:
Marketing Objective: Increase the number of college students (18-22) who come to the zoo
within 30 miles of the Grand Rapids area by 250 students by December 31, 2015.
Target Market Summary:
The John Ball Zoo mainly chooses to target young children and families. College students are another market that will undoubtedly help to increase their profits during their down time.
This untapped market is a group of consumers who are tech savvy, often employed, with money to spend. This group often shows an interest in conservation, which would be another marketing tool to use to draw in this population. The John Ball Zoo offers a variety of hands on experiences that could attract this market. For example, thrill seekers may want to visit the zip
line, pet stingrays, or ride a camel. John Ball Zoo should consider a variety of ways in which to attract this potential market for the purpose of increasing its profits.
Accessible
Not Accessible
High Cost Low Cost
Children’s Museum
John Ball Zoo
Fredrick Meijer Gardens
Craigs Cruisers
College Students
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Seniors age 62 plus within 25 miles of the Grand Rapids Area Demographic/ Geographic:
In Grand Rapids there are 396,363 senior households with people of the age 65 or older and 973,392 households with one or more people over the age of 65 currently living there (US Census, 2012)
In Grand Rapids there are 173,716 living with a grandchild under the age of 18
There are a total of 71,116 grandparents who are currently responsible for their grandchild from newborn to age 5 (US Census, 2012)
Of the 1,333,325 seniors in Grand Rapids, 491,718 have a disability (US Census, 2012)
This includes those who live in Grand Rapids, Michigan
This can also include all senior citizens who live within the 49501-49515 zip codes
Senior citizens in Kent County and some of the surrounding areas. Psychographic:
Older visitors like a place that is very welcoming and comfortable.
The price must also be generally medium seeing as the older population is usually very careful on spending and on a budget.
Grandparents value time with their Grandchildren and often have more time for special activities that parents do (Building Blocks, 2013)
Syncographic:
It is more likely that this target market will visit John Ball Zoo with more moderate
weather. This would be on a calm day, with no weather infractions. They are more available during the day on weekdays and have a lot of free time
The older population usually will go out during the months with nice weather such as fall, summer, and spring. As well as May, June, September and October. This is when the weather is not to extreme.
Behavioral: It is estimated that in a senior household, $2,060 are used on average for
entertainment in a year. (Retired Brains, 2013)
Within a year, it is also said that seniors spend approximately $7,781 on transportation alone (This would be helpful in discovering how far our target is willing to spend on
getting somewhere for entertainment). (Retired Brains, 2013) Americans over the age of 55 spend 50% of all vacation and dollars in America.
(Villarreal, 2014)
Adults aged 55 plus represent 1/3 of the United States’ internet users and the number
of seniors 65 plus have grown from 2004-2009 by 55%. (Inspire Influence, 2013)
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Adults aged 55 plus get most of their news from online, newspapers, or the news on television (Inspire Influence, 2013)
Benefits:
To spend more time with their family members for more specifically their younger grandchildren from the ages of 3-7.
John Ball Zoo can offer individual opportunities as well for seniors who wish to visit the zoo in their free time or enjoy animals.
Why is this Market Important?
With an 11% of the population represented by senior citizens in Grand Rapids there is a very large opportunity for this market. I have selected this target market because with 8% of the
population being under the age of 5, going to the zoo would be a great for grandparents and their grandchildren. It is important to market as many different markets as possible. John Ball
Zoo already has a senior and kid discount, however if they marketed to seniors specifically
there is a large possibility of growth for this target market.
Target Market Size: According to the US Census Data, approximately 11% of the percent of the population is
above the age of 65. There were a total of 1,333,325 people over the age of 65 in the year 2011 in Grand
Rapids.
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Target Market SWOT Analysis:
Strengths Many things to do with grandchildren
Open during the day
Open during the spring, summer, and
fall months Fun and Friendly atmosphere
Close parking
Memberships available Helpful Staff
Weaknesses Very hilly and not very accessible
Over crowded on nice days Price could be a little high for this
target market
Opportunities Provide easier access for the elderly
Target more for family fun places Discount more grandparents and kids Add coupons or promotions for this
target market Create a grandparents Day Event
Threats Competitors- there are many
family friendly places for grandparents to bring children
Price- other local places offer better prices for seniors or kids
Accessibility- could cause problems for this target market.
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Accessible
Not Accessible
High Cost Low Cost
Children’s Museum
John Ball Zoo
Fredrick Meijer Gardens
Craigs Cruisers
Senior Citizens
Positioning Assessment:
Marketing Objective: To increase senior sales (age 62 and up) within 25 miles of Grand Rapids
by $1,000 by October 2015.
Target Market Summary: This target market is made up of all seniors over the age of 62 who would be willing to visit
John Ball Zoo. This target market consists of all of those who live within 25 miles of the Zoo. The purpose for their visit will be mainly marketed as spending time with their families or more
specifically their Grandchildren. What Has Been Learned About John Ball Zoo:
So far it has been discovered that John Ball Zoo is not as elderly friendly as other opportunities in the Grand Rapids area. The zoo’s website, commercial, or newspaper ad would be the best
way for John Ball Zoo to reach this target market. It was also dis covered that they are very family friendly and a good place to visit for kids. It was found that John Ball Zoo is more
50
expensive than its competitors and less accessible as well. John Ball Zoo also is open during the
warmer seasons and could attract this target market easily, especially for day visits.
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Stay at home moms between the ages of 25 and 40 with children between the
ages of 2 and 8 that live within 25 miles of John Ball Zoo.
Demographic/Geographic:
Woman living and spending time within 25 miles of the Grand Rapids area with kids.
Married or unmarried between the ages of 25 and 40 with kids between the ages of 2 and 8.
Stay at home mother with one or more kids. Psychographic:
Moms looking to spend quality time with their children in a unique and fun setting.
Moms interested in ways to educate their children in a hands experience to further their education.
Woman looking to get themselves and their children out of the house, where they can
spend time in the same environment while both having fun.
Syncographic: Woman with children, that are available during the day.
Available for summer when children need something to keep them busy. Moms that have kids during the day while father is gone at work.
Kids that are available for summer camp.
Summer months for mothers to take their children outdoors.
Behavioral: Money spent on educating children.
Money is spent on summer activities that increase the educational time children spend outdoors.
Money is spent on extra curricular activities outside of school.
Time is put into finding interest of children and provides for family time.
Benefits: Family time with children in a learning environment.
Outdoor activity that gets kids moving and learning while spending quality time with mom.
Helps in education of animals that live in our environment and how kids can safely interact with them if they come into contact.
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How to reach them:
Different media sources such as stay at home mom online websites like meetup.com and Moms club of Grand Rapids are a perfect ways to advertise the Zoo. Additionally, radio station
commercials and TV ads will catch both the mothers and child’s interest. Another way to reach stay at home moms in the Grand Rapids area is by targeting the daycare
centers, preschools, pediatric centers and elementary schools in which their children attend. Since there are numerous places moms could be and hobbies they could be engaged in, its best
to go where they have to take their children. Why is this Market Important? Targeting this market is crucial. Moms want a place they can take their kids to spend time with them, get outdoors, and watch them learn. Children want a place they can run around and have fun. The Zoo is the perfect place for both. Since stay at home moms need something to do with their kids during the day and they have money to spend, (they can afford to stay at home) the zoo gives them just that. By targeting this market we can bring in more moms all around the
Grand Rapids area and keep the moms that are already coming to the zoo to come back for
more visits. Target Market Size:
21,627 Females age 25-40 in Grand Rapids according to the United States Census Bureau(United States Census Bureau).
Grand Rapids population 192,294 (United States Census Bureau).
Based on the above statistics we estimate the number of Stay at home Moms to be an estimated 7,000 in the Grand Rapids area.
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Target Market SWOT Analysis:
Positioning Assessment:
Strengths Hands on learning experiences
throughout the zoo Healthy snack choices
Exciting ways to get children excited
about coming to the zoo Unique experiences such as animal
touching
Friendly, caring staff
Offers summer camps
Only zoo in Grand Rapids Area
Weaknesses Large terrain for children to cover
Extra costs for additional
experiences Hard to see animals in some
exhibits Bad weather is l imiting
No room to grow/ permanent
location
Cleanliness throughout the zoo
seasonal
Opportunities Improve education for children
Awareness of animals
Advanced technology providing more
animal research More advanced animal interactions
Membership discounts Various events
Threats Criticism for animal abuse
Limited staff available for lower
level positions High costs for animal care and
protection Cheaper
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The positioning chart suggests that John Ball Zoo is in a great position in their market when looking at what is important to stay at home moms. They provide a great amount of family time
at the zoo with an exceeding amount of education to accompany it. However, competition is doing well also, and the children’s museum is doing a better job of educating through the
experiences they provide. Many other activities in this category allow for family time but John Ball Zoo still provides more education during that time.
Marketing Objective: Increase the number of stay at home moms that live within 25miles of the zoo, with children between the ages of 2 and 8, that wish to spend more educational family time together, by 200 visits by the end of the 2015 summer season.
Family Time
No Family Time
No Learning Lots of Learning
Children’s Museum
Target Market
Fredrick Meijer Gardens
Craigs Cruisers
John Ball Zoo
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Conclusion: After concluding the above research of targeting stay at home moms in the Grand
Rapids area between the ages of 25 and 40 with children between the ages of 2 and 8, it is found that this market is a promising one to go after. Following researching the market, it is
discovered that mothers want, and will provide their children with educational, fun experiences, that they can be apart of as well. Targeting this market correctly has the potential
of bringing in a large increase in sales to John Ball Zoo, along with educating hundreds of children throughout the Grand Rapids area about the environment and wild animals that live all
around the world.
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Business groups with in 30 miles of the greater Grand Rapids area Demographic/ Geographic:
Business groups with in 30 miles of the greater Grand Rapids area. Business groups looking for team building exercises.
Groups looking for alternate off-site locations.
Local Businesses with in 30 miles of Grand Rapids.
People who work and live within 20 miles.
People who commute to the greater Grand Rapids work market. Psychographic:
Businesses that are looking to teach their “teams” team building off-site.
Groups wanting to use different experiences for learning purposes in a fun and active
way. Syncographic:
Business groups that are available before or after work on weekdays.
Available during the spring or fall during the zoo’s slower times of the year.
Behavioral: Money spent on training and team building.
Money spent to increase teamwork and productivity. Benefits:
Draw business in from large groups of 10-20 at one time.
Spread word of mouth to other local businesses.
Use John Ball Zoo facilities during down periods.
Why is this Market Important? This market is important because it fills a void in the John Ball Zoo by bringing in groups to use
the facilities during times where the zoo has a difficult selling admissions as well as “experience” tickets such as Zip lining and High Ropes course.
Target Market Size:
The target market size has been decided on because there was a significant job growth in Grand Rapids and Kent County over the years. Reports from the US Census have shown there was a hike of nearly 4% from November 2012 to November 2013. Harger (2014) reported 15,500 nonfarm establishments since 2012, and 52,000 business firms since 2007.
57
Target Market SWOT Analysis:
Positioning Assessment:
Strengths Wonderful atmosphere
Downtown location
Offers various team building exercises
Out of the office training Amazing view
Weaknesses Weather dependability
Hours of operations
More children friendly than
business professional
Emerging business group events
Opportunities Large market to reach
Business group expansion
Team building exercises would improve own employee teams
Threats Many other meeting and event
spaces in Grand Rapids area
Hours of operation
Most view the zoo as only for kids not for business
58
Marketing Objective: Increase the number of business groups (25-55) with in 30 miles of the Grand Rapids area by 15-30 groups by December 2015.
Target Market Summary: We would like to market to the Business groups parties who are interested in team building
exercises outside of the office with their employees ages ranging from 25-55 located with in 30 miles of the greater Grand Rapids area that are available before, after work or on weekends.
Accessible
Not Accessible
High Cost Low Cost
Children’s Museum
John Ball Zoo
Fredrick Meijer Gardens
Craig's Cruisers
Business Groups
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MPC Mix For College Students within a 30 Mile Radius
Anticipation
-Lots of advertising via social media
-Email Blasts
-Campus newspaper articles
Travel To
- Have a game for them to play while
driving
Destination
-A large sign while they are pulling in
that says " Welcome to the Jungle!"
Travel From
-Hand out collateral such as water bottles,
hats, or lanyards
Reflection
- Email a survey for students to take
- Email students asking for feedback
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SMARTT Marketing Objective: Increase the number of college students (18-22) within 30 miles
of the Grand Rapids area by 250 students by December 31, 2015
Marketing Mix: Offerings:
Discounts- Offer specific discounts for local college students when they show their I.D.
College/family day- Help to sponsor an event at the zoo during the college family weekends that colleges offer. Could offer a family or group discount to the zoo that
weekend. Open the zoo at night- “ Welcome to the Jungle Event” Light up the zoo at night, as well
as the animals, have a costume contest for students with most unique animal costume, hire a popular DJ, pass out glow sticks with JBZ labeled on the side. This could be a fun
new annual event for college students to participate the activities that John Ball Zoo has to offer.
Advertise for the “Thrill Seekers”- Advertise that John Ball Zoo offers a ropes course, zip line, and camel rides
Distribution Place:
On local college campuses
Local bars downtown Grand Rapids such as MoJo’s, Gardella’s, Founders, Brewery Vivant, Grand Rapids Brewing, HopCat, etc…
Coffee shops such as Starbucks, The Bitter End, Madcap, and Biggby
Restaurants such as Main Street Pub, Peppinos, San Chez, Big O’ Cafe Pricing:
Discounted for one day a month.
Specials one day a week for things like discounted food or group pricing or first 20
people to enter the zoo get a free t-shirt and free entry fee.
Coupons for free activity such as free ropes course or camel ride.
Between $4-$6 for all college students. Promotional Mix: Brand Message:
These are some logos that could grasp the attention of potential clients that are in the middle age range. It was important to focus on the family fun aspect, as well as the fun John Ball Zoo
gives for people of all ages to enjoy. These slogans focus on ideas that seniors would value the most.
A great place to spend a day with the family
A way to build connections between family members A fun experience for all ages
Positive place for families
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Also a fun place for college students Collateral:
Lanyards- college students are always looking for lanyards to put their keys and I.D.’s but wont pay money for a lanyard due to limited funds.
Pin- College students are always looking for pins to put on their backpack or lanyard as a way to create diversity to their backpacks as every college student has their own.
Hat- Hats are a great affordable way for John Ball Zoo to create awareness to other college students
Plastic Water bottle- All Students bring water bottles to class. Having a John Ball Zoo water bottle would give awareness to other college students of a fun activity to do in
their free time. Promotional Events:
College night Light up the zoo at night for college event and call it “ Welcome to the Jungle” hiring a
DJ, light up the animals, zoo, activities the zoo has to offer at night when most college
students have their free time. Host events for discounted rate once a week for college students
Attend Campus Life Night events for all colleges in the Grand Rapids area.
Communication Mix: Public Relations:
Distribute collateral to bars, colleges, and local restaurants/shops
The zoo isn’t just a place for kids, fin place for college students as well
Press Release to Campus paper Community Relations
Attend charity events in the Grand Rapids area
Host blood drive Host more events for college students
Advertising:
Lease billboard near colleges
College newspapers
Email video to students Ads on the side of local busses such as the 50
Sponsorship: Sponsor sporting events for local colleges
Sponsor campus events
Offer to host fraternity/sorority events at the zoo
Offer college clubs money or collateral
Internet: Email blasts
More interactive social media (games/ prizes)
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Update Facebook, twitter, and Instagram once a week Viral Marketing:
More interactive social media
Posting more photos and ways for people to comment on Twitter and Facebook page
Becoming more involved with the Grand Rapids community
Revenue VS. Costs
According to the chart on the next page, it would be costing the John Ball Zoo $3,850 to
potentially target the college student market in the Grand Rapids area. Most of all they will be
donating a lot of time to target this market. By doing things like sponsoring events for college
students or going to things like Campus life night and advertising to the student market I
believe that over time this will help to increase their revenue. If they were to host one major
event for college students such as “ Welcome to the Jungle” I believe it would not only draw in
students to the zoo on other nights/ weekends but as well as students families when colleges
host family weekends. By taking on the college student market, John Ball Zoo would likely
increase their revenue.
Target Market Objective: Increase the number of college students (18-22) within 30 miles of the Grand Rapids area by 250 students by December 31, 2015
Actions
Timeline/Budget/Responsibility Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY
“Welcome to the Jungle” Event
Time and $2,000 Event Staff
Family weekend Celebrations
$1,000 and Time Event Staff
Column in local college
newspapers
$250 Marketing and
Advertising
One Page Flyer in local Newspaper $250
Marketing and Advertising
Volunteer with college students Time
Volunteer Coordinator
Host a Blood Drive Time Event Staff
Place ad on bulletin board
$50 and Time
Marketing and Advertising
Sponsor on campus club event
$200 and time
Sponsoring Department
Handout Free coupons
Time Adverstising and
Regular Staff
Banner ad place on websites $100
Marketing and Advertising
Make the website more user friendly
Time Website Designer
Posting on Social Media
Time Promotions
Intern
Final Observations:
My final observations for John Ball Zoo would be that the college student market is a
completely untouched market by the zoo. Considering there are no other zoos in the West
Michigan and no other activities like it, it would most likely only increase their revenue. College
students are always looking for fun, new memories to make with their families and friends. By
attempting to spend time to target this market there is not much to lose.
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Anticiptation:
Send out a monthly newsletter of events that have happened
at the zoo
Travel To:
A promotional DVD of what to expect when coming to the zoo for
children to watch
.
Destination:
Provide information about the animals
and include a scavenger hunt
Travel From:
Any merchandise purchased at the gift shop or pictures that
were taken will remind them of thier
visit.
MPC Mix for Stay at home Moms
A hand written Thank You note
including a magnetic picture
frame
Reflection:
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SMARTT Marketing Objective: Increase the number of stay at home moms that live within
25miles of the zoo, with children between the ages of 2 and 8, that wish to spend more educational family time together, by 200 visits, by the end of the 2015 summer season.
Marketing Mix
Offerings:
▪ Moms to mom’s club- This offer would be conducted in a way in which stay at home moms around the Grand Rapids area could meet together on a specified time or times during the week with their children. This is so moms can meet one another and for their kids to make new friends through a fun and learning experience. They will receive a discounted
rate in the time block allocated for the moms to moms club. Ex. Monday-Thursday 10am-1pm moms to moms club gets half off zoo admission.
▪ Zoo Kids hunt- Set up just like a scavenger hunt but for the Zoo! Kids will enjoy a fun day with their moms finding all of the items/animals listed on the hunt. Once they complete the hunt they will receive an award (magnetic frame) for their accomplishments and mom will be happy her children were occupied and attentive during their zoo trip.
▪ Bring one kid get one free- This allows for moms to bring one of their children without having
to pay for another or if a child wants to bring a friend to the zoo. This allows the mom to not have to worry about the extra cost of more than one child causing for a pricey trip.
▪ Mom’s Getaway- Bring kids in from 1:00pm to 3:00pm on Monday and Tuesday’s for a zoo
learning experience with a teacher at the zoo. Moms get this time to shop, run errands, or just relax!
Distribution Place:
Doctor offices/Pediatrician offices- Both mothers and children will be found in healthcare centers, this will be the perfect place to catch the eyes of both knowing they are certain to be there at some point.
• Day cares/Schools- If you catch the child’s eye first they are going to show it to their parents.
Targeting schools will allow for the kids to become interested and in turn bring it home to their mother.
• Kids Meals at Fast Food- The perfect place to show advertisement for the zoo kids hunt.
Present at Fast foods in the Grand Rapids area.
Pricing:
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• Bring one kid get one free- Bring in one child to get one free Monday through Thursday.
Perfect if mothers have more than one child or if kids want to bring a friend to the Zoo!
• Mom’s to moms discounted rate- Moms to moms club gets a package rate after s igning up for the club.
• Specials offer on different times/days of the week for children.
Promotional Mix:
Brand Message: Design a more appealing logo, one that will catch the eye of potential visitors
especially children and mothers.
Collateral:
Magnet picture frame to remind children and mother of their visit at the zoo everyday.
Promotional DVD of what to expect to see at the zoo to get children excited.
Post cards to past visitors to send updates on animals and remind mothers and children of events coming up.
Stuffed animal tigers to promote the Tigers 1st year anniversary at the zoo. Newsletter to children at the Zoo highlighting exciting events that happened that month
and what’s coming up next.
A zoo hunt brochure given to children when they enter the zoo.
Promotional Events:
Green Movement Promotional Event- Being green is popular in today’s society and the
zoo is a perfect place to promote the movement even more. Having a day exclusively devoted to presenting a way for moms to bring their kids to the zoo to learn about protecting animals and being environmentally friendly is a perfect promotional event. The kids will have a fun and exciting way to learn about the environment and mothers are happy their children are acquiring knowledge about the environment. Talks from zookeepers will be provided and even a “Zoo Clean Up” period at different times throughout the day.
Zoo Keeper appreciation day- Dedicate an entire day to the hard work zookeepers do at the zoo each and everyday. Discussions will be going on at different times throughout the day about the zookeepers describing what a typical day at the zoo looks like for
them. There will also be the chance to dine with a zookeeper for lunch through a raffle draw on the day of the event. All proceeds will be given back to the animals.
Tigers of the realm 1st year anniversary/How are they doing? - Celebrate the first
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anniversary of John Ball Zoo’s Tiger’s of the Realm. Give updates on the tigers and
provide facts about the animals. Also have a zoo Keeper talk throughout the day to guests and provide times of feeding to the tigers for guests to come watch. Kids will
receive a tiger stuffed animal on their way through the zoo.
Communication Mix
Public Relations: Supply schools with collateral. This will include a coloring book with dates of
events at the zoo including the Moms to moms club, the kids Zoo hunt, and the discounted rates during the week. Kids will be able to see all the different animals the John Ball Zoo has and be able to take it home to show to their mothers.
Community Relations: Attend an event at an animal shelter to show support to the community. Relate this in a newsletter sent out that month to draw attention to the event to get more of the community involved. This will be done in hopes that the the zoos visitors will see the zoo’s care for the community and how much it means.
Direct Sales: Personal written thank you cards to the mothers and children that attend our special offerings at the zoo. This will communicate our appreciation to them and allow for us to
keep in contact after the visit. Kids will be excited to receive a letter in the mail from the zoo (and remind them of their visit) and mothers will value the gesture. This will also allow the zoo
to keep track of the amount of times certain moms visit the zoo which can also be expressed in appreciation through the letters.
Sponsorship: Sponsor the Tigers of the realm day first anniversary at the zoo for kids! Kids get in free when the “growl” like a tiger at one of the zoo staff. Drinks and snacks will be provided
throughout the zoo day along with fun facts about the tigers and how their first year at the zoo went.
Quality service and Stewardship: Develop a script directly for employees to say to the moms
that bring their kids to the zoo or when they make a phone call to the zoo. This script will not be word for word but more as guideline to talk to mothers about the mom to mom club, about the
kids zoo hunt, and our bring one kid get one free deal. This will show the mothers that their kids and their business are important to the zoo.
Internet: Post photos of animals with the children on social media (Facebook and Instagram) and a story about their visit. This is a good way for the zoo to communicate with the public and
learn about the visitors and why they are coming to the zoo. It also gets the guests excited about being presented on the zoo Facebook page and will encourage other mothers to bring
their kids o the zoo to do the same.
Viral Marketing: Videos of children interacting with the animals updated weekly on both the website and Facebook page. Use this to excite potential moms and children to come to the zoo
so they can have an exciting experience just like the one posted on social media. This will also
Target Market Objective: Increase the number of stay at home moms that live within 25miles of the zoo, with children between the ages of 2 and 8, that wish to spend more educational family time together, by 200 visits, by the end of the 2015 summer season.
Actions
Timeline/Budget/Responsibility Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY
Magnetic Frames $800 Marketing and
Advertising
Post Cards $100 Marketing and
Advertising
Stuffed Tigers $500 Marketing and
Advertising
Newsletter $600 Marketing and
Advertising
Brochure $500 Volunteer
Coordinator
Radio Adds $600 Event Staff
Scavenger Hunt $200 &
Time Marketing and
Advertising
Facebook Updates Time Sponsoring Department
Tigers First anniversary Event
Time
Advertising and Regular Staff
Employee Script Time Marketing and
Advertising
Thank You cards
Time Website Designer
Revenue VS. Costs
Although it is hard to accurately determine the amount of stay at home moms that come to the zoo and exactly how much they spend we can estimate by increasing the number by 200 visits (including the children they bring) this would bring in an estimated $3,600 to the zoo annually. However, with this increase would come additional costs that would equal out to be around the same, and even slightly less coming in at an estimated $3,300. So it is concluded that the money used to spend on additional ways to bring in the mothers and children, and the actual
revenue they would bring in, it would be worth it to follow through with these actions.
Final Observations: John Ball Zoo has the potential to benefit greatly by targeting stay at home moms more
directly. It is shown through this research that the revenue brought in outweighs the cost and by targeting them correctly it could have a great outcome for the zoo. Taking the steps such as
creating a moms to moms club, a scavenger hunt, and by providing thank you cards, are three very important steps I think the zoo should go after. These steps are not very costly and could
bring a lot in return to the zoo. Additionally, this provides a way for mothers to get their kids outdoors and learning, which would also benefit our community greatly.
Anticiptation: Commercials will be
places on news channels in the
morning and in the evening promoting the zoo as a family
place to visit.
Travel To:
There will be signs along highways
within 10 miles of the Zoo, showing which exit to take or how
many miles until the destination.
Destination:
A worker will greet every guest with a
smile upon enterance and wish the a good day upon departure.
Travel From:
Any merchandise purchased at the gift shop or pictures that
were taken will remind them of thier
visit.
Reflection:
Thank you letters will be sent out
personally thanking our senior guests for
thier visit,.
MPC Mix for Seniors 62+
SMARTT Marketing Objective: Increase senior sales (age 62+) within 20 miles of John Ball Zoo by $1,000 dollars by September 2015.
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Marketing Mix:
Offerings:
Special Carts- There will be special carts that can transport the Zoo’s elderly or handicapped guests. This will allow them to enjoy the zoo with their family when the
walking conditions may be a struggle for them.
Activities for Grandparents and Kids: There will be certain occasions where grandparents will be able to participant in a special activity with their grandchild while at the zoo. These activities could include a craft to make with the help of each other, a special animal viewing or petting, or a special game to play.
Cheaper AARP/Veterans Rate- Have a rate of 3$ off for veterans and AARP members.
Distribution Place:
Local Pharmacies- Local pharmacies in the Grand Rapids area will have available special
coupons or promotion pieces such as a brochure, flyer, or trinket on their counter or in a common area.
Local Diners- Local diners in the Grand Rapids area will have a flyer on their placemat, menu, or presented on their checkout counter, in site for all potential guests to see.
Eyeglasses store- Coupons, brochures, or trinkets handed out at businesses that sell
eyeglasses to get the attention of customers.
Pricing:
Bring a Kid for Free Day- There will be an option for senior citizens to bring a kid for free. This will allow free admission for one child per senior on any day of John Ball Zoo’s
season. Kids bring a Grandparent for free day- there will be an option for children’s to bring a
grandparent for free. This will allow free admission for one senior per child on any
Sunday of John Ball Zoo’s season.
Promotional Mix:
Brand Message: These are some logos that could grasp the attention of potential clients that are older in age. It was important to focus on the family fun aspect, as well as the fun John Ball Zoo gives for people of all ages to enjoy. These slogans focus on ideas that seniors would value the most.
A great place to spend a day with the family
A way to build connections between family members A fun experience for all ages
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Collateral:
These are some collateral pieces that John Ball Zoo could use to directly market to the senior
target market. These items are not only trinkets that would make certain tasks easier, but they are also paper marketing materials that could also get the attention of this market. These items
will be placed at all the distribution places listed above.
Microfiber cloth for cleaning glasses with logo, phone number, and new slogan.
Brochure that will introduce a new family oriented slogan and invite guests to experience the fun
Post card addressed directly to customer that will be sent to wish them a happy holidays or happy birthday to encourage them to spend a day at “a great place to spend the day with the family”
A rubber jar opener grip with logo, slogan, and phone number. These grips make opening up stubborn jars or cans easier for people. These are common items in kitchens today.
Promotional Events:
These are all promotional events that are focused on what the elderly target market might enjoy. These events are all planned for the idea of attracting more seniors to John Ball Zoo.
Host an open house inviting seniors to try out new specialized carts for their convenience. This event will allow the guests to see the new addition of carts that will transport guests around the park. These carts can be used for the handicapped, injured, or elderly that would have trouble walking at John Ball Zoo’s not accessible friendly.
Host a Veterans day celebration and recognition ceremony for those who have served. This celebration will attract many older guests to celebrate those who have served.
Many activities and gifts will be included to help show the appreciation that John Ball Zoo has for the veterans.
Host a Senior day made especially for Seniors to celebrate and recognize all that they do with their families. On National Grandparents Day the zoo will host a celebration for its
elderly guests. This will give the seniors appreciation and allow them to spend quality time with their families. This event will hopefully push this target market to return once
they see all that there is to offer.
Communication Mix: Public Relations:
Monthly column in newspaper talking about the zoo and different ways it is being utilized (family events, event space, etc.) This column will cover any events or big
promotions that the zoo is putting on. With these all posted in the local newspapers, hopefully many people will see them.
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Publish a story about the staff volunteering at a VFW, American Leigon, or nursing home in newsletter at these places. This story will show that John Ball Zoo staff is appreciative and willing to help and volunteer with the older crowd. This will give the senior target market the idea to check out the zoo on another occasion.
One page flyer in Grand Rapids Press about Senior Day celebration. With this flyer being printed all over that Grand Rapids area, the senior target market will be able to see
what the celebration entails and what will be happening. This will hopefully catch the eye of potential customers.
Community Relations
Host a bingo event for families or the community to enjoy and play a fun game. Bingo is a common game played by many elderly people. By hosting a bingo event there is hope that this will attract many people of the senior target market to the zoo.
Attend a veteran’s charity event to show John Ball Zoo’s support. If the zoo staff attends a veteran charity event this is show that the staff is committed to helping people who fall within this target market. This will hopefully boost curiousness and entice the target
market to visit. Host volunteer opportunity with local veterans
Host a can drive, donating collections to senior homes, VFW, or American Legion. Hosting a can drive will allow people to help out local places that help the senior target
market while also promoting the zoo.
Advertising:
John Ball Zoo has many different communication ways to advertise their company. These are all advertising opportunities that the zoo could use to directly market the seniors target market. These ideas are all based off of what seniors like to do and read in their free time. These
advertisements are hoped to be seen by many potential guests on the zoo and reach out to the target market.
Place ads on bulletin boards in high senior populated areas
Place ads in local newspapers Place ads in magazines such as Time, Today’s Seniors, AARP, or Readers Digest
Informational ads placed in Yellow Pages
Billboards placed around Grand Rapids
Sponsorship:
There are many opportunities in Grand Rapids where the zoo could sponsor events to get more
senior guests. These are certain things that John Ball Zoo could to specifically attract attention of the senior target market. These are all events or activities that are common for the older crowd and with the zoo hosting them, it could attract a lot of potential guests in the future.
77
Sponsor a bingo tournament at the VFW
Sponsor a car show in the area
Sponsor a knitting club and book club
Internet:
With a high Internet use among adults 55 or older, communicating through the internet would
be an easy way to get attention of the senior target market.
Banner ad at the top of online newspaper sites or television news sites that express the new opportunities or slogans that the zoo is promoting.
Place information on user-friendly websites with easy access to information. With websites that are easier to maneuver and information easier to find, the older people will be able to access any information they may need when thinking about visiting the zoo.
Utilize Facebook, updating it at least once a week. With social media growing in popularity among the seniors, it is important to post regularly promoting new ideas and
events that would attract the seniors.
Guerilla:
Free coupons handed out by zoo staff at VFW, American Legion, Grocery Stores, and pharmacies. With the staff directly handing these things out, there may be more of a
chance of getting potential guests. Staff could answer questions directly and encourage people to visit.
Loyalty program for non-members communicated by brochure placed in distribution areas. With this loyalty program being promoted in distribution areas with special offers, this target market will hopefully be interested in learning more about
Target Market Objective: Increase senior sales (age 62+) within 20 miles of John Ball Zoo by $1,000 dollars by September 2015.
Actions
Timeline/Budget/Responsibility
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY
Open house for specialized carts
Time and $500 Event Staff
Veteren’s Day Celebrations
$1,000 and Time Event Staff
Host a Senior Day Celebration
$1,000 and Time Event Staff
Column in local newspaper
$250 Marketing and
Advertising
One Page Flyer in local Newspaper $250
Marketing and Advertising
Game of Bingo Event
$500 and Time
Event Staff and Marketing
Volunteer with local veterans Time
Volunteer Coordinator
Host a Can Drive to Raise Money Time Event Staff
Place ad on bulletin board
$50 and Time
Marketing and Advertising
Ad in Magazine $250
Marketing and
Advertising
Sponsor a
knitting club event
$200 and
time
Sponsoring
Department
Handout Free
coupons
Time
Adverstising and
Regular Staff
Banner ad place
on websites $100
Marketing and
Advertising
Make the website
more user friendly
Time Website Designer
Posting on Social Media
Time Promotions
Intern
Final Observations:
With so many opportunities that John Ball Zoo has for marketing to the senior target market, I
recommend that they find a way to really get the attention of this age group. The seniors could
bring in a lot of business whether it is a day with their grandkids or a whole family outing. A zoo
a good place to bond and these values are important to most seniors. Due to the lack of
accessibility I would also recommend that John Ball Zoo highly think about changing their paths.
Most are currently rocky and hilly. Even just paving these passageways would be easier for the
elderly, handicapped, and injured.
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MPC Mix For Business Groups
Anticipation
-Prearrivial package, Information on Team
Building sessions
Travel To
- Maps included in prearrival package
from business to the John Ball Zoo for easy
traveling
Destination
-Tour guide to meet group upon arrivial,
Complete team building activities,
receive tee shirt
Travel From
-Pictures of John Ball Zoo and the session as
souvenirs
Reflection
-Thank you emails, discount offers for a
return visit
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SMARTT Marketing Objective: Increase the number of business group visitors from within 30
miles of the greater Grand Rapids area by at least 15 to 30 groups by December 31, 2015
Marketing Mix:
Offerings:
▪ Allow Business groups to take part in a larger more extensive team building exercises ▪ Each level increases the difficulty, therefore increasing the bond between co-workers Distribution Place: • Restaurants • Local businesses, at the front desk • Local conventions, have a table or booth set up for information
Pricing: • Fixed rate of $200 dollars for groups up to ten people • Additional $15 dollars per person after ten people • Each person will receive a John Ball Zoo exclusive tee-shirt Promotional Mix: Brand Message:
Currently no changes
Collateral:
Use of a press release to reach the local community businesses
Business cards to reach the business group event planner Promotional Events:
Invite managers from local businesses for a free trial of the team building exercises to see i f they what they would be bringing their team members (employee’s) to do
Communication Mix: Public Relations:
Press release to local news stations and radio stations, such as WOOD T.V. 8 or WOOD radio or WJRW radio to inform about John Ball Zoo’s newest offers on local business team
building events Community Relations
Become a sponsor local business events around Grand Rapids to show support of the
82
companies
Advertising: Advertise through the press release specific to business groups sent to WOOD T.V. 8, WOOD
radio WJRW radio Direct Sales:
Directly selling to local businesses, and offer referral coupons to the companies who refer
us to other companies for a team-building event Reach out to past groups through either email or postcard thanking them for their past visit
Sponsorship: Sponsor local events and have a booth/table available for companies to see that we offer
team-building events
Internal Marketing: Train all current employees on what the team-building event includes by allowing them to
complete the event Quality service and Stewardship:
Offer a survey at time of event completion, to see what the business groups thought about the event, what could be changed or improved upon, and if they were refer our event to other business groups
Internet:
Place a link that is easy to find on the John Ball Zoo website, as well as create banners and ads that will reach the business workers of the greater Grand Rapids area
Email blast to local businesses explaining the offerings Search engine optimization Viral Marketing:
Consistently release new press releases updating the message to reach a wider audience, post consistently on our social media sites that can also reach business groups
Revenue VS. Costs Consider buying tee shirts with a John Ball Zoo Team Building logo in bulk of 300 would cost
$1,782.00 or $5.94 a piece
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Cost of having four employees running each hour long event at the price of $9.00 or $36.00
per event
Selling one hour-long event for 10 people would cost $94.50 with the tee shirts and employee wages.
Increasing team building sessions by 15 business groups for the year would cost $1,417.5
while 30 sessions would cost $2,835.00
Sales from each event would be $3,000.00 for 15 groups and $6,000.00 for 30 groups Revenues would be $1,582.50 for 15 sessions and $3,165 for 30 sessions
Target Market Objective: Increase local business groups by 15 to 30 groups by December 31st, 2015
Actions
Timeline/Budget/Responsibility
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY
Column in local newspaper $250
Marketing and Advertising
One Page Flyer in local Newspaper $250
Marketing and Advertising
Host a Can Drive to Raise Money Time Event Staff
Handout Free coupons Time
Advertising and Regular Staff
Banner ad place on websites,
Search Engine Optimizations $100
Marketing and Advertising
Make the website more user friendly Time Website Designer
Posting on Social Media Time
Promotions Intern
Final Observations:
The target market of local business groups with in 30 miles of the greater Grand Rapids area
should be considered by the John Ball Zoo as a market to actually act upon
Social Media Chart
Social Media Channels
Current # Goal # Goal Share
July Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
31,102 35,000 60 Shares
Fourth of July Post
Promo YouTube Channel
Zoo story to share
Business group post
2,153 2,200 25 Retweets
Fourth of July Tweet
Zoo Jokes End of month
discount tweet
Aquarium post
150
250 X Animal Birthday
Zip line/ Ropes Course Video
Animal Collage
Follow Requests
From followers
16 Subscribers 10 Videos
30 Subscribers
1 per month
30 Shares promo video
Animal visiting video
X X
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Collateral for College Students
Collateral for College Students
By offering these water bottles to college students as a free giveaway it would be a great
advertisement for John Ball Zoo. Almost all college students carry around water bottles with
them to class. It is Also, a more eco- friendly option due to the fact that you can wash, refill,
and reuse these water bottles rather than buying water bottles from the store and throwing
them away when you are done. Other college students would see the John Ball Zoo logo and
get the idea to visit the zoo in their free time.
John Ball Zoo
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Collateral for Seniors 62 and Up
This is a piece of collateral, a microfiber cloth, which is commonly used to clean of screens or
more than likely glasses. These sheets can be used to remove smudges and dirt off of
eyeglasses. Because eyeglasses are so common among the elderly population whether it is for
reading or everyday vision, it would be appropriate to hand these out to potential guests. These
products will have the John Ball Zoo logo placed right on the front, as well as the name of the
company and a phone number to reach staff with any questions. This product could spark the
interest of anyone with glasses and could potentially help John Ball Zoo reach out to more
senior guests.
Collateral for Single Moms
More color needs to be added to
the logo to draw more attention besides displaying it in Black and
white or green and white.
Animals need to be more distinguishable.
More appealing, modern, and catching to the eye, similar to
Bronx Zoo’s logo.
Easier to look at.
Include “John Ball Zoo” in the logo.
Separation of animals.
Be more consistent and strict about how the logo is displayed in different places.
John Ball Zoo would benefit greatly by modernizing their logo. As seen, the old logo is hard to look at and it is unclear as to what animals are being presented in the logo. By making this logo more
up-to-date, more attractive, and by including “John Ball Zoo” in the logo, it will attract the eyes of numerous potential guests. The new
logo will spark the attention of old and new guests and make them wonder what else is new at the zoo,
Collateral Press Release for Business Groups
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9th, December, Tuesday 2014
For Information Contact:
Patrick, Lawrence, (616)-336-2107
John Ball Zoo offering brand new team building sessions for local businesses
John Ball Zoo is now officially offering a brand new team building exercise for local
businesses that are meant to increase workplace productivity. The team building exercises for
local businesses will cost $200 dollars for an hour session for 10 people, and an additional $15
dollars per person after the initial 10. Those who complete the session will receive their own
John Ball Zoo Team Building tee shirt that they will be able to wear with pride after the event.
The sessions has been called “ a wonderful training experience,” by Chelsea Dennis, and
“a gateway to amazing camaraderie between employees,” by Patrick Mac Donell. The sessions
last one hour and are comprised of Zip lining, a high ropes course challenge as well as other
activities that force the local business employees to trust one and another.
For further information contact Patrick Lawrence at (616)-336-2107.
-End-
Works Cited
Building Blocks. (2013, April 5). A Special Family Bond - Grandparents. Retrieved from
http://www.bblocks.samhsa.gov/family/Time/grandparents.aspx
College Enrollment (2013). In The Right Place. Retrieved November 11, 2014, from
http://www.rightplace.org/Data-Center/Education.aspx
Inspire Influence. (2013). Facts and Fiction - Resources - 50-Plus, Baby Boomer Marketing:
Immersion Active. Retrieved from http://www.immersionactive.com/resources/50-
plus-facts-and-fiction/
Retired Brains. (2013). Where Seniors Spend Money. Retrieved from
http://www.retiredbrains.com/products-services/where-seniors-spend
State University.com (2013, November). In A Look at the spending Habits of College Students.
Retrieved November 11, 2014, from
http://www.stateuniversity.com/blog/permalink/The-Spending-Habits-of-College-
Students.html
United States Census Bureau. (2012). American FactFinder - Results. Retrieved from
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bk
mk
Villarreal, P. (2014, January 22). How Are Seniors Spending Their Money? Retrieved from
http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ib135