Company Overview


            Occasions, The Event Planning Specialists is a company that offers event planning services, headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Occasions also offers products that go with the services it provides. Such products are the Party Pack which includes the basic needs of an event like decorations, lighting and sound and sound effects, cutlery, plates, cups, refreshments, snacks or recipe, tablecloths, theme music, invitations, thank-you cards and a step-by-step guide to planning and hosting an event; booklets for a calendar map to map out the event, resource information, popular refreshments with recipes, games and tips; event planning software; and resources manual which is the lists of various services such as caterers, decorators, disc jockeys, bands and other facilities.


            Occasions provides event planning for meetings, trainings, retreats, conferences, workshops, company picnics, banquets, award ceremonies, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, holidays, weddings, receptions, showers, and many other events. Thus the company’s market segment can are basically the private individuals, businesses, public organizations and age groups. These target markets are middle to upper-middle class families, individuals, private and public organizations.


            Currently, Occasions is located in a small office complex with branch offices in different key cities. Most meetings with clients are conducted in social settings such as restaurants, coffee houses, in the client’s home or over the phone.


Electronic Commerce Proposal


            Based on the current marketing and selling techniques of Occasions, it is proposed that the company implement electronic commerce to meet the needs of the company that is currently unmet by the traditional way of doing business. Basically there are two critical issues that must be considered when deciding for e-commerce. These are the market segment and the business model (IEC 13).



  • Market segments- E-commerce can be easily be implemented since the current client base of the company is familiar with e-commerce who are from the middle and upper-middle class. E-commerce will also capture new base of clients; many internet users are educated with high income which makes them a desired target market. The market segments of the company are individuals and small to medium private and public organizations; they do not require extensive custom services, features and functions unlike large enterprise clients, thus Occasions can opt to have simple but functional e-commerce system since Occasions is still a small business. Moreover, website is accessed primarily because of interest in the content thus market segmentation opportunity is large.

  • Business Model- Occasions belongs to the service industry which core competency lies in the manner they fulfill customer needs and on its competitive pricing. Through the website clients can have the overview of what the company offers, may inquire through e-mails, and can be served via the website, lessening the need to meet in social settings, reducing time and energy in the part of Occasions and the clients while enhancing customer service. Through e-commerce, there is still one-to-one direct marketing relationship with the customer.


E-commerce Model


      Occasions is recommended to develop website with an on-line catalog to present some important details about company, how the company works and its products and services; and are capable of handling transactions including inquiries and free of charge initial consultations. Through the website, related businesses such as caterers, photography, DJs, venues, restaurants and others who want to do business with Occasions can also make transactions.



Online Storefront Model


                                   


The applicable model for Occasions is the single storefront wherein the company owns a single store on a single merchant server at the host; the storefront has a unique URL, database, and checkout process (IEC 7). This is also called the Basic or the Online Storefront Model (IEC 5) shown in the figure above.


Marketing Plan for the E-Commerce



  • Products and Services


On the Occasions’ website, the products and services, mostly arranged in packages should be listed. In order for the clients to know what products they need which depend on the occasion, the site should give an overview of what the client needs. For example, if the client is planning for a wedding, Occasions should take the opportunity to present the basic steps on deciding for a wedding such as who will pay for the wedding, allocated budget what type of wedding, the date of the event, the reception and the needs such as the dresses, the wedding cakes and others. Price ranges should also be presented and explain briefly that prices will vary according to the clients preferences and budget. Once a client decided to contact Occasions for consultations, an enquiry form should be fill up then the Occasions will be the one to contact the client.



  • Web Advertising Method/Strategy


The website is a good location for advertisements primarily because it is uncommon to place event planning services ads on TV and impractical in newspaper, while online ads can reach large potential market with the growing numbers of internet users. Occasions can be best advertised through Universal Resource Locators (URL). Occasions will simply submit its URL to a popular search engine such a Yahoo and its name will be listed once the keyword and other related keywords are used, targeting clients who are particularly interested on events planning services. With this method, Occasions is using the Passive Pull Strategy of advertisement.


Occasions can also send company information to public and private organizations, and individuals and groups that the company knows something about like the past clients through e-mail. With this method, the company uses active pull strategy of advertisement.


Both strategies do not cost much to Occasions and with the type of service the company offers, the simple e-commerce model and concept presented in this proposal is an effective tool in creating high volume of clients with little use of human resources. E-commerce is also a tool in competing with hotels and conference center that already have websites.


            With the simplicity of the e-commerce concept and due to budget constraints, push technology and intelligent agents are not to be applied with the website of Occasions.


Reference:


The International Engineering Consortium, Electronic Commerce,


Web Proforum Tutorials, accessed online Date: May 30, 2006


<http://www.iec.org/online/tutorials/acrobat/e_commerce.pdf#search=’electronic%20commerce%20model’>


 



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