Group Report on the Situation Analysis of an organisation:
Pre-pack Administration and Lending Assessment
August 8, 2017Strategic Marketing
August 8, 2017Assessment 2: Group Report on the Situation Analysis of an organisation: (30%)
In groups of 4-5 individuals: 30% weighting. Word limit: 4000 words (+/- 10%)
Deadline: 5pm Feb 26th 2016.
For this assignment you will be allocated to a group. You will produce a group report (one report for the whole group).
You will work together as a group to develop your digital marketing ideas for an online business. This could be a digital marketing consultancy business, or it could be a revenue-generating online business or service (e-commerce). It could be a business that already exists, or it could be a business you would like to set up. It could be based in the UK or another country of your choice. The report will set out the situational analysis for your business, including an industry/market review and analysis; the scope, business model and other background information for your consultancy; and the business goals and objectives. These requirements are detailed below in the Assessment Guidelines.
You are required to submit your work to the Uni-help desk. In addition you must submit it electronically via Turnitin.
Assessment Objective:
The development of a situation analysis of an organisation will enhance the students’ skills required to successfully compete and work in the digital marketing industry. This assessment additionally prepares students to set-up and establish their own independent digital marketing consultancies or other online business, possibly in their country of origin.
Assessment guidelines:
Your coursework must include the following format/content:
Title: Develop a situation analysis for an online business or digital marketing consultancy in the country of your choice (can be the country of your origin)
1 Executive Summary
A short summary of the business & business opportunities, products/services, USP, marketing objectives, and means to achieve them. (¾ page maximum.)
2 Situation Analysis / Background
2.1 Industry/Market Review and Analysis
- Provide an overview of the current state of your industry/market following the guidelines laid out on SHEET ONE (SHEETS 1-7 are included as Supporting Material at the end of this handbook). Use at least seven sources for your research, three of which must be online. You must list all your reference sources. See SHEET ONE for some references). (2 pages maximum)
- Provide an outline of all your key competitors and provide a competitive analysis of three of your major competitors following the guidelines set out in SHEET ONE. Once you have assessed your competitors based on criteria chosen provide a brief summary of their online/offline marketing main strengths and weaknesses and then suggest gaps left by competitors for you to fill. Provide references. (2 pages maximum)
- Provide an analysis of your target market (s) following the guidelines set out in SHEET TWO
Describe your target market(s) fully, using as many criteria as possible (see SHEET TWO for such criteria).
Carefully describe your customers’ key needs and benefits sought when using your site.
If your target market is divided into distinct segments, state what they are and how you plan to adjust any element of your marketing strategy to reach these different segments.
(1.5 pages maximum)
2.2 Overview of your business
Domain Name(s), Brand Name(s) (if different), and URL. Demonstrate the availability of your chosen domain(s). Provide justification for your selections.
Evaluate hosting options (generic options such as co-location, own servers etc, not individual hosting companies).
Business Scope: Briefly describe the scope of your business (local, national, regional or global) and target market.
Description of Products and Services (clear list of the products and/or services that you will sell, plus other online services like communities, information, research etc)
Statement of your business’s Unique Advantage or Difference or Unique Value Proposition (USP/UVP) (1 sentence) and Competitive Advantages (Current and proposed) (See SHEET SIX – below)
Revenue Model(s) – brief description of ways in which your online marketing activities will generate revenue, including banner advertising, affiliate programs, selling content, etc.
(2 pages maximum)
3 Goals, Objectives and Measurement Strategy
Set your marketing objectives for the plan: (See SHEET THREE)
You should have at least five objectives, all of which should be SMART Follow the SMART guidelines – objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and set within a specific Timeframe. Two of your measures can be outputs rather than outcomes. (An example of an output is an advertising campaign; an example of an outcome is a measurable shift in brand awareness amongst the audience as a result of them seeing advertising campaign.) .
Your objectives must include increasing revenue and driving traffic to your site
Objectives to be presented as a bullet point list (1 page maximum)
Provide a measurement strategy to assess how well you are meeting your objectives during and after launch (See SHEET FOUR). A measurement strategy will include a detailed list of WHAT will be measured, HOW these criteria will be measured (using technology, questionnaires, etc) and HOW OFTEN elements will be measured or assessed. (1.5 pages maximum)
Identify all professional services you will use to build, maintain, and market your business online. (see SHEET FIVE). (List). Justify why you have chosen these companies. (Half page maximum)
Identify all marketing tasks that will be done in-house, by you. (List) (Half page maximum)
Assessment grading forms and Marking Criteria
Assessment 2: Group Report: Situation Analysis for a digital marketing consultancy
Criteria for Assessment: Tutors, please write comments in the space provided
30% weighting
Assignments which exceed the maximum word limit by more than 10% will be awarded a maximum mark of 40%
