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1
ATHENA STUDY ABROAD
MARKETING PLAN
Compiled and Presented By:
Mark Mullen
Jonathan Hammond
Megan Kaunert
Blaire Kelley
Charles Kimerline
Joey Pasternak
Taylor Potts
2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary 3
Situational Analysis 4
Company 4
Competitors 7
Context 11
SWOT Analysis 14
Target Market Analysis 15
Growth 16
Size 16
Strategic Fit 17
Positioning 18
Marketing Mix 18
Product 18
Promotion/Place 18
Key Recommendations 20
Appendix A 24
Appendix B 26
3
Executive Summary
4
Situational Analysis
Company
Background
Athena Abroad is a privately held study abroad provider located in Gahanna, Ohio founded by
John and Stacy Benander. Athena Study Abroad was founded by the couple to bring students
authentic study abroad experiences involving cultural immersion that was designed by
knowledgeable and caring advisors.
Located at 73 Mill St., Ste. B in Gahanna, OH 43230, Athena Abroad provides 12 unique study
abroad programs on three continents and two internships programs. Programs are available in
lengths of a semester and a year as well as during summer and winter terms. Unlike other study
abroad programs, Athena offers its students programs that focus on cultural immersion which
puts them in touch with the locals of their host country, elements of the culture, as well as other
international students to create a unique and well-rounded experience. As a display of their
dedication to the countries that host their customers, Athena donates a percentage of their income
back to the host countries through their S.O.S. (Students Offering Support) program.
Athena Abroad aims to make itself a “one-stop-shop” for students, parents, and advisors looking
for assistance in their study abroad experience. Athena programs offer U.S. and international
offices which provide services including student advising services, pre-departure handbooks and
orientation services, overseas advisers, student networking, supplemental insurance, and
scholarships.
Athena offers a number of scholarships and discounts to students interested in study abroad.
Students who decide early can apply for early bird savings. Students can also apply for general,
location specific, term specific, third party, and short term scholarships.
Athena Abroad also maintains several different points of contact for interested customers
includingFacebook(www.facebook.com/athenastudyabroad)andTwitter
(www.twitter.com/athenaabroad) , as well as different media to learn about Athena Abroad and
sample others abroad experience including their website (www.athenaabroad.com) , blogs, photo
contests, testimonials, and a YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/athenaabroad).
Industry Overview
Study abroad students only represent about 1% of all students enrolled in higher education in the
United States. In the 2009/10 academic year, 270,604 U.S. students studied abroad. This was a
3.9% increase from the 2008/09 year.1 Students in the U.S. typically study abroad for one or two
academic terms unlike foreign students who study abroad in the U.S. usually for most or all of
their degree. According to the most recent Institute of International Education Opens Doors
Report, in 2009 the five most popular chosen countries to study abroad in were the United
Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, and China. The study also found significant increases in the
number of students studying abroad in less traditional countries and places. In the top 25
destinations, nineteen were countries where the primary language was not English.
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Study abroad can be very costly for students depending on which program they decide to use and
where they decide to study. Costs include, but are not limited to tuition, fees, housing or room
and board, transportation costs, medical insurance passport and visa fees. Policies for financing
study abroad vary for universities in the U.S., however, students studying abroad can receive
financial aid by scholarships, grants from their U.S. university, private student loans, and
government student loans.
There are many different models of programs used for studying abroad. Four of the main models
include island, integrated, hybrid, and field-based.2 The island model refers to students studying
along with other American students in a study center. Island programs are usually sponsored by
American universities, which also develop the curriculum for the American students. Integrated
programs enroll directly in courses with the local students at host universities. Hybrid programs
refer to programs that include both island and integrated aspects. Students enrolled in hybrid
programs can often take some of their courses at a host university and some at a study center.
Finally, field-based programs are the most liberally structured programs and usually involve field
study training and an independent study project.3
The main tool that study abroad programs are using to increase awareness and sales is the
Internet. Programs use websites to market themselves and to set them apart from their
competitors, which makes it of utmost important to have the most navigable, attractive and user
friendly website possible. There are also websites that provide names of study abroad programs.
These sites can significantly increase exposure to a program and can also be a program’s
downfall if they choose not to take advantage of these sites.
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Athena Financial Analysis
As shown in Table 1 below, the total revenue for Athena Study Abroad in 2011 was
$1,202,823.00 plus $4.00 made in interest. Subtracting the $14,758.00 in refunds and allowances
provided over the course of the year, Athena’s total revenue was adjusted to $1,202,823.00.
Athena’s total expenses in 2011 totaled more than its revenue, resulting in a net loss of
$22,031.00.
Table 1
Interpreting the above data and analyzing it mathematically intimates that while Athena’s
revenues increased by 15% compared to the previous year, its costs increased 23%. It may be
worth considering the implementation of cost control measures to allow the revenue growth to
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outpace that of its costs, enhancing profitability. Other methods to increase this margin for the
firm will be discussed later in this plan.
COMPETITOR OVERVIEW
Primary Competitors
After researching Athena Study Abroad six primary competitors were identified. Those
competitors are Academic Programs International, CEA Global Education, AIFS Study Abroad,
International Studies Abroad, Academics Study Abroad, and Global Student Experience.
Athena Study Abroad and each of its primary competitors were analyzed based on the following
evaluation criteria: price, product mix, available options, customer service, overall website
quality, and customer base. These criteria were chosen based on the factors considered when
choosing a study abroad program.
Table 2, below, will outline the following criterion, which will be elaborated further in the text
following the visual aid:
Price: The average customer will spend thousands of dollars on a study abroad program
so price is a key factor.
Product Mix: Refers to the services available such as academic programs and housing.
Available Options: Refers to the locations provided and the duration of the trip.
Customer Service: Refers to the support customers receive when entrusting their money
to study abroad companies. Follow up, post purchase follow up and customer contact is
also considered here.
Overall Website Quality: Ratings will be based on information provided, ease of
navigation, and website layout.
Customer Base: Refers to who is purchasing the study abroad program and from which
company.
Table 2
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Academic Programs International (API) (http://www.apistudyabroad.com/): API was
founded in 1997 by four women who wanted to offer students a high quality, affordable study
abroad experience. API has grown rapidly for 15 years and now sends 2500 students abroad
annually. The API mission statement says it “is an educational organization dedicated to
providing challenging and enriching study abroad programs for our students. The experience of
living, interacting and learning in an international environment presents invaluable opportunities
for each student’s academic and personal development”.
API has many different locations that students can visit including Spain, France, and Italy. They
offer 100 programs in 38 cities in 17 different countries. API also gives more than $400,000
dollars in scholarship money each year. Prices range from $5500 to $18000 depending on the
program and the type and level of service the customer wants.
API offer students with many housing options, like many of the other study abroad programs
they include apartments, dorms, or living with a host family. They have many services including
medical insurance, 24 hour emergency room service, peer mentors, and cultural liaisons. They
also, have 50 resident directors in 17 countries depending on the size of the program.
Potential customers can contact them through fax, phone, and email. Clients can connect with
them through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Green Passport Program, Vimeo, and Flickr. With
many ways to connect to them it is easy to contact them and interact with API Study Abroad
individuals and groups.
CEA Global Education (http://www.gowithcea.com/): CEA is a well-established and successful
study abroad firm whose mission statement says, “CEA's Global Education Network is to
provide a worldwide network of study sites offering a variety of high-quality, global learning
opportunities”.
CEA offers programs in 22 cities in 13 different countries. Their prices range from $3195 to
$16395. It depends on the timing and type of program the student may choose to see what the
price would be for each individual. Clients may also apply for internships for businesses within
the program that pertains to their education. They offer government aid, private aid, and various
other types of financial aid. They offer some scholarships, but prefer to give lenient payment
plans.
The housing options are typical homestay, apartments, and dorms. They offer many different
services that are separated into 3 categories that are before the client goes, while the client is
there, and when the client returns. They offer medical insurance, airport reception, discount rates
for businesses in the area. Prospective students may also look into sports activities in some
programs.
CEA offers many different services and gives a lot of airport support if needed. They can be
contacted through email, fax, or phone. Students can connect with them through Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, and subscribe. They offer a “chat now” option which allows potential
consumers to chat with a representative at any time.
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Academic Studies Abroad (ASA) (http://www.academicstudies.com/): ASA is led by a man
named Lee Frankel whose title is Director of ASA. He has much experience in study abroad
when he was just 6 years old he lived in Mexico for 6 months with his mother. He also, has
visited many places over time and makes sure he hires people who have travel experience. ASA
mission statement read the following “Any study abroad program can get you to a country and
find you a place to live. It takes a certain kind of study abroad program, however, to provide you
with all the tools necessary to ensure that your experience is both memorable and fulfilling”.
ASA offers many programs in 18 different cities in 9 countries. The prices range from $3495 to
$20970 depending on the program. They offer many different scholarships from general
scholarships, diversity, and non-ASA Scholarships.
ASA offers the typical housing of any typical study abroad program. The services they offer are
diverse in nature. They offer cell phones, airport pickups, medical insurance, a site director, and
internet access. They have different services within different locations just depending on the
customer’s preferences.
ASA can be contacted by fax, phone, and email. They have an offline message box where those
with inquiries can submit questions, which will answer by ASA in an orderly fashion. Those
interested can connect with them through Facebook and Twitter.
AIFS Study Abroad (www.aifsabroad.com): AIFS Study Abroad was founded in 1964 and is
one of the oldest, largest and most respected cultural exchange organizations in the world. 6,000
students each year choose AIFS to study with. AIFS has global offices located in fifteen different
countries. The mission of AIFS Study Abroad is to provide the highest quality educational and
cultural exchange programs to enrich the lives of young people throughout the world. AIFS
Study Abroad is the leader in summer, semester and academic year college study abroad
programs.
AIFS Study Abroad offers programs in 23 countries located all over the world. From summer
programs, to full year and semester programs, AIFS offers students many possibilities and
opportunities. Program prices range from $4495 to $16995. AIFS provides students with
financial aid and scholarships.
AIFS also accommodates its students well with their many housing options. Students have the
option of living in dormitories, apartments or a homestay. Along with this students get many
great services that accompany them to whatever country they are in. AIFS provides students with
on-site residential directors, academic consulting, 24 hour emergency service, and academic
advising.
AIFS also has many ways in which prospective students can contact them. From phone to fax or
e-mail, AIFS offers many ways in which students can get ahold of them. Online chats are also
available on the AIFS Study Abroad website which gives clients direct answers to their
questions. Prospective students can also follow AIFS on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
International Studies Abroad (www.studiesabroad.com): ISA or International Studies Abroad
was established in 1987 by Gustavo Artazo. With its headquarters located in Austin, Texas ISA
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provides the study abroad experience to over 5,000 students each year. International Studies
Abroad aims to provide quality international education opportunities to American and Canadian
students looking to expand their knowledge of global culture and language. ISA’s programs are
designed to maximize student learning abroad, while providing support and academic guidance
throughout all phases of the study abroad process.
ISA offers programs in 20 countries that aim to give students a great international learning
experience. They offer full year, semester, summer and internship study abroad opportunities.
Prices for International Studies Abroad range from $1500 to $46000. The price range shows the
wide variety of programs to choose from. ISA also gives the students to receive financial aid or a
scholarship.
ISA accommodates students to help make them feel that they have never left home. Students are
given the choice of staying in dormitories, apartments, and homestays. Residences and pensions
are also available to students in particular areas. ISA provides great services as well. From
comprehensive advising and support to 24 hour emergency assistance, the students are left with
safety and guidance during their stay with ISA.
ISA has many ways in which to contact them. They include a very informative and easy to use
website. They also provide potential clients with e-mail, fax, and telephone as ways to stay in
contact with ISA. Also provided are Facebook and Twitter so students can always be up to date
on everything involved with ISA.
Global Student Experience (www.gseabroad.com): The Global Student Experience or GSE
helps provide a student with the best possible study abroad experience offered. Located in Irvine,
California, GSE is a dedicated team of study abroad enthusiasts, devoted to spreading the
benefits of international education to U.S. College and University students. GSE has set out to
provide first-rate study abroad programs that incorporate superior student advising and support.
GSE provides 31 programs to its customers while only offering five countries to study in. They
have a depth of programs to help battle with the other companies that have more. Prices for study
abroad at GSE range from $4,095 to $30,290. This shows that GSE provides customers with a
vast differentiation when it comes to programs to pick. GSE’s prices are very consistent with
many other study abroad companies.
Global Student Experience provides its students with different options when it comes to housing.
They offer the option of staying in a dorm room or staying in an apartment. They also provide
great services for the student including 24 hour emergency service and student advising.
There are many ways in which to get ahold of GSE. Those include direct messages through their
website and also by telephone. In addition to those mediums, prospective clients can follow GSE
on Facebook and Twitter.
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CONTEXT
PEST Analysis
(P) Political Factors
As an international business enterprise, Athena Study Abroad faces a myriad of decidedly
complex and structurally inherent liabilities regarding the political environment of the United
States and in countries where it has established relationships and conducts business overseas.
The particular areas of emphasis include:
2012 American Presidential Election
Foreign sentiment of Americans
Volatility in the European Union
Security risks
2012 American Presidential Election
The polarizing viewpoints of both parties of the American bipartisan system present enormous
volatility for Athena Study Abroad on a variety of levels. Potential changes in taxation, foreign
policy, business law code, and other regulations, as reported by authorities such as the
nonpartisan Annenberg Public Policy Center, may present obstacles or add costs.8
Foreign sentiment of Americans
The popularity of American policy (both foreign and domestic), its leaders, and other principles
typically associated with typical American principles and attitudes is in a decline in the eyes of
foreign populations as reported by groups such as the Pew Charitable Trusts. This is a somewhat
daunting fact for those that operate abroad, and for the potential consumers that may decide to
study in such a fashion during their undergraduate careers.7
Volatility in the European Union
As Athena Study Abroad conducts the majority of its activities for students in the European
Union, the volatile nature of its economy and the questionable cohesive spirit of the entity as a
whole may present significant challenges for the company. Reuters reports that situational
stressors from debt-laden countries such as Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain are
causing political discord among other members of the European Union, primarily economic and
sociocultural powerhouses such as Germany, Great Britain, and France, which may result in the
consideration of the dissolution of certain parts of the agreement, significantly affecting
multinational operations.9
Security risks
Government agencies such as the Department of State and individual experts such as Richard
Marcinko (consultant, author, and founder of the Navy’s SEAL Team Six) cite transnational
terrorism as a significant risk for American nationals at any location abroad. Acts of malicious
and lethal intent because of political ideologies should be recognized as a concern when in a
foreign locale.5
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(E) Economic Factors
The economic environment surrounding Athena Study Abroad will directly influence its
profitability, the potential for its expansion, and the overall success of the firm. Both macro- and
micro-economically, there are key factors that will present challenges and opportunities to the
business.
The particular areas of emphasis include:
Economic stability and potential growth
Consumer sentiment
Spending activities and consumer power
Economic stability and potential growth
The economic environment in both the United States and in foreign nations remains incredibly
volatile. Sovereign debt and deficits continue to increase even in spite of efforts to curb spending
and balance budgets, government bonds are going into default, and U.S. and foreign economic
policy to encourage consumer spending and investment are only moderately effective. According
to the Federal Reserve, the United States faces record levels of debt and un-borrowed reserves,
another indicator that despite the stock market’s positive performance, the recovery of domestic
and international markets is far from complete. There is a high potential for inflation should the
un-borrowed reserves be introduced into the system due to significant quantitative easing, and
this may have an adverse effect on the value of the U.S. dollar.6
Consumer sentiment
The confidence of the consumer has been negatively altered since the events of the 2008
recession. According to recent Gallup and other media polls, consumers (and lenders) remain
hesitant to fund or commit to major purchases. As study abroad typically is considered a major
purchase (much like a traditional undergraduate program), this may reduce consumer demand for
a study abroad experience unless Athena properly mitigates concerns. Relatively optimistic
economic forecasts by Bloomberg and others suggest that the market will resolve this concern in
the near future.4
Spending activities and consumer power
The typical consumer as evinced by Athena literature is the undergraduate college student,
whose spending power and activity is limited by their nonexistent or limited income flow (the
majority hold at most a part-time position or internship). It may be assumed that the majority of
their study abroad experience will be funded via a third party (parents), loans, scholarships, or a
combination thereof. Consumer power is somewhat limited with the customers of Athena. The
significant costs and the underlying variables causing those costs to change offer little room in
the way of negotiation or price changes on a wide scale. Limited income also reduces consumer
power.4,6,9
(S) Socio-Cultural
Socio-cultural aspects have a large influence on the business world. Certain trends and beliefs
directly affect why consumers purchase certain items. In the case of studying abroad, traveling
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opportunities affect the amount of students studying abroad. It is shown that more people in the
United States are interested in traveling. Also as more education is becoming a must, many
students are looking for a new way to experience learning. In the past, stereotypes and lack of
racial tolerance have influenced many people in the United States and also influenced their
traveling tendencies. The current generation is known for their diversity and their racial
tolerance.
Universities are becoming more Internationalized
According to a study on privileged migration, “as societies become more open in nature it is
suggested that universities too should become more open and hence more international.10
Therefore, international education has become a significant aspect of many university curricula
at institutions around the world11
and the internationalization process of universities itself is an
important factor with respect to the future of higher education.12
Generally speaking, the whole
area of higher education has meanwhile become much more internationalized than it was still the
case for example 30 years ago.”13
Therefore, university students are becoming more diverse and
the want of an international education is increasing.
Traveling is becoming more popular
According to the leisure market research handbook, people want to experience their travels the
way that the locals do. They do not want the normal tourist version of a country, they want the
real experience. The handbook claims that, “Thirty-nine percent (39%) of travelers, for example,
agree that trips that include cultural, arts, historic, or heritage activities or events are more
enjoyable to them.” Also according to TripAdvisor.com 31% of Americans are planning to spend
more on leisure travel in 2012, and 24% are planning five or more getaways this year. Travel is
increasing along with the want of a cultural experience. .
Increase in the openness of the younger generation
The current generation in society is more open than ones in the past. HR magazine claims that
they are able to connect with each other and are not stopped by geographical boundaries.
(T) Technology
Technology could strongly influence the study abroad market. If utilized correctly, technology
could be a key asset to the success of a study abroad business. The majority of younger college
students base their searches on the internet. If students need to search for information on
anything, the first source that they go to is the internet. Not only is the internet being used, but
social networking is also a very powerful resource. If a company were able to correctly use
social media as a marketing strategy, they could reach many more consumers.
Large increase in the use of technology and Social Media
Many consumers today already know about the product before they approach a store or a sales
person, so technology has become a vital factor to marketing and selling. Social media is another
increasing outlet. According to the Journal of Marketing, “By 2011, approximately 83% of
Fortune 500 companies were using some form of social media to connect with consumers.
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Furthermore, surveys suggest that consumers are increasingly relying on social media to learn
about unfamiliar brands.”
SWOT Analysis
Table 3: SWOT Summary
Strengths Weaknesses
Focus on cultural experience Size
Philanthropic elements Country Selection
Cater to customer needs Profitability
Website
Opportunities Threats
Study abroad rates Competition
Internet usage Economic Volatility
Social Media Political Uncertainty
Returning economic confidence
Strengths
Focus on Cultural Experience: Athena’s study abroad prides itself on building programs that
immerse the students in the culture and people of the place of study. With more and more
students wanting to experience a diverse education, Athena holds competitive strength over other
programs. Many travelers want to experience the location the way the locals do instead of seeing
the standard tourist attractions.
Philanthropic elements: Athena shows their appreciation for their host countries by donating to
them. Through their Students Offering Support program, they donate a portion of their income
back to the country. They are the only program in comparison to their key competitors who do
this.
Cater to customer needs: Athena bases their learning process off a “One-stop-shop” theory.
Being a small company Athena can give their time to students. If the students can find
information easily and talk to someone personally, they may be more likely to go with that
company.
Weaknesses
Size: Athena is a small and still growing program, but its competitors have been around long and
are present in locations around the world. As a small company, Athena may have trouble
building larger programs with such large competitors.
Country Selection: Currently Athena offers only 12 countries as a selection, some of its
competitors offer anywhere from 24 to 32 countries to select from.
Profitability: Although Athena is increasing their business and scholarships, the company still
experienced a net loss of $22,031 in 2011. This indicates that costs must be reduced or revenue
must be increased proportionately higher than costs associated with this expansion.
15
Website and Social Media: Students looking to study abroad are shown to search the internet
and social media for initial information. Social media accounts for 15% or total internet usage.
Athena’s website lacks professional organization, and easily accessible information. Also Athena
has Twitter and Facebook, but they could possibly be better utilized.
Opportunities
Increase in study abroad rates: Education rates are raising as is and along with it, different
educational opportunities. Education is much more internationalized than it was.
Internet Usage: Consumers are doing more and more research on the internet as technology is
advancing. Research shows that before the company even comes into contact with the customer,
the customer knows everything about their future purchase and has narrowed their choice down
accordingly.
Social Media: Social Media now accounts for 15% of internet usage. Many companies have
social media but they are not effectively utilizing it.
Returning Economic Confidence: There is indication that the economy in the United States
will continue to improve. Even a localized improvement in the United States would be
economically advantageous for Athena with regards to demand and profitability.
Threats
Competition: There are many large competitors in the Study Abroad industry. The competitors
are able to offer more programs and a larger range of prices.
Economic Volatility: While forecasts indicate positive growth, the uncertain atmosphere of the
international economic (which is highly interdependent) may cause some hesitancy for
investment in Athena’s goal to gain more customers and may reduce consumer demand and
profitability in the short-term.
Political Uncertainty: The election cycle presents Athena with challenges regarding new taxes,
regulations, policies, and other items should the incumbent president be defeated. This facet of
the contextual environment lends to the uncertainty that plagues the economy and causes the
aforementioned volatility. It will be significantly easier to clearly guide operational policy after
the elections should the incumbent win, or well into the term should the opponent achieve
victory.
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Target
The Target that we have chosen as a group is Art students. This group includes Fine Arts, Art
Education, Art History, and other subjects relating to art such as digital design and Fashion
Design. We feel that this target is easy for Athena to implement and many Art students would fit
well with Athena.
Growth
It may come as no surprise that due to the economy any the demands of finding a job, 2012 will
see the largest growth of people seeing a degree in higher education. On average, 90% of
individuals between 25 and 29 have obtained a minimum of a high school diploma, and 63%
have obtained a college education1.
Of those students graduating with a college education, the highest growing field is business. It is
estimated that 22% of graduates will leave school with a degree in business. The second fastest
growing field is that of liberal arts and humanities with 11% of graduates leaving school with a
diploma in humanities2. Of the students graduating with bachelors of art in art history or art
therapy, about 12.6% will experience unemployment in their field after graduation.
Although this may dismay a company focused on liberal arts and humanities students, of the
11% of student graduating with a college education nearly half of those students will not
continue with a bachelor’s of arts education. Instead, they will choose to pursue a career related
to business3.
Businesses today look to hire a variety of candidates, instead of just the typical business majors.
Although a humanities student may not have the business knowhow, they will bring a creative
way of thinking to business environments.
Size
Students of the Fine Arts have not experience a surge in growth due to the economy and
popularity of “realistic” majors, but Art Majors remain a popular type to study abroad. Many of
these students are creative and enjoy experiencing other cultures.
According to the George Washington Univeristy then had a total of 1,802 students study abroad
in 2011. Here are the statistics for the number of students who studied abroad in each school.
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (CCAS): 41% (This amounts to 739 students
studying abroad in this school assuming that half of the 739 are Art students)
Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA): 67%
GW School of Business (GWSB): 38%
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS): 5%
School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS): 5%
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Many schools with top Arts programs have a high number of Undergraduate Art student Majors.
Top Art schools according to the Huffington Post:
1. Yale University- Has 140 Art major students out of their 5,322 total students.
2. Rhode Island School of Design- 2,300 Art students enrolled
3. School of Art Institute of Chicago- 3,221 Art students enrolled
4. UCLA- Over 800 undergraduates in the School of Arts and Architecture
5. California Institute of the Arts- 520 Art Majors
6. Carnegie Mellon University- 200 Undergraduate Art Majors
Though it is not a fast growing major, Majors of the Arts study abroad often and if focusing on
Art schools, their population is obviously much higher.
Strategic Fit
We realize that our strengths are the most important thing to focus on when considering where
we fit in the market. Being the best at a few things will separate us from the other competitors
than being average on all things. One of Athena’s strengths is that they focus heavily on cultural
experience and also a personal experience.
Gaining knowledge from the focus group, we realized that students value more free time and
getting engaged in the culture. Athena fits so well with Art students because they offer the
freedom of class choices and personal service that many art students would appreciate. Since that
is one of Athena strengths they can capture a bigger part of the Art majors than they already do.
The wants of Art students already fit extremely well with the overall feeling and goals of
Athena’s company.
Art majors should be Athena’s main concern. They can capture many art students in the bigger
cities such as, New York and Chicago. These cities have higher, population and we will capture
a large customer base. When looking at Athena’s competitors there is not one major study abroad
program that concentrates on one defined group. Therefore concentrating on Art students will
allow Athena to separate themselves from any other programs. It will allow Athena to stay small
but, also, fit in the big cities to capture more of the population. Instead of potentially trying to
target all students in the market, Athena could gain higher participation in their program by
switching their focus to these creative art students.
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Positioning
Positioning Statement
Athena creates personable, cultural, and diverse educational experiences abroad for innovative
and artistic students.
Positioning Summary
Our positioning statement is intended to place Athena Study Abroad as a high quality,
personable experience for art students looking to study overseas. One of the goals that Athena
Study Abroad wants to achieve is to continue providing personal contact with all of their
students throughout the process of studying abroad, beginning to end. The company was founded
on the basis of the owner’s experience abroad, so Athena has the ability to offer a relatable
environment in which to work. Being a smaller company, Athena Study Abroad faces less issues
with personalized contact, than that of its larger competitors. Not only by enrolling students in
smaller schools abroad, to give them a more personal and intimate experience, it offers students
the chance to explore the overseas destination of their choice and gain once-in-a-lifetime cultural
exposure. Athena also offers a wide array of academic choices, so students have the opportunity
to pursue interesting course work that they would otherwise miss. Athena now offers a new
program that hits the highlights of European Art, The Fine Arts Triangle. This 10-day excursion
gives art students the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the art and culture of Europe.
By expanding on this idea, Athena will continue to attract students of the Arts.
Product
Athena Study Abroad currently offers twelve study abroad programs along with two internship
abroad programs. This number is a lot smaller than most competitors but we feel that Athena
provides a more personal experience than the others. Prices currently range from $3499 to
$15,999 for their internship and study abroad programs and offer programs for art majors in all
cities. Primary competitors such as AIFS and ISA currently offer much more programs but prices
for their programs range from $1500 to $46000. Both competitors also offer internships abroad
as well as study abroad programs as well as offering programs for art majors. Athena offers
programs in Europe, Australia and Japan. All internships that Athena offers are located in Italy.
Competitors also offer a wider variety of locations such as countries in South America.
We feel that Athena will separate them from the competition by offering a couple of
improvements to their current products.
Promotion/Place
Art Majors including Art History, Art education, and Art Therapy
Athena’s current brand and mission matches the needs and wants of students seeking a liberal
arts degree in art, art history, or art therapy. If you refer to the growth portion of this document
19
you will find that the number of students graduating in art related fields is shrinking while the
number students graduating in fields related to business is growing. Despite the overall number
of art students shrinking, a growing number of enrolled art students are studying abroad. We
have analyzed promotion towards art students as it fits Athena’s current brand.
Due to the smaller size of Athena and the need to make it a niche brand, we recommend Athena
seeks to promote its products in conventional and unconventional ways.
Promotion Ideas/ Where Athena will be promoted
1) Search Engine Optimization
It is also important that Athena be easily found on Google search. Currently, Athena does not
appear on the front page of Google search for many studies abroad related searches. We
recommend investing in advances search engine optimization techniques to be more visible to
students searching for study abroad programs.
Breakeven: Same as advertising costs
3) Printed Promotion
In schools, students are flooded with brochures and fliers from various companies including
study abroad programs. Athena could drive students to their website and social media through a
creative grassroots campaign. They should think about promotion beyond the typical fliers and
posters on campuses and promote themselves in a way that would break through the clutter. Set
foam planes on tables with Athena’s information branded on it, find symbols used in cultures
abroad and use them as a main image to student’s eyes. It will allow students to remember the
Athena name when searching for a study abroad program.
Breakeven: Variable Costs of how much they want to print.
4) Study Abroad fairs
It seems that Athena spends a sizable portion of their budget on traveling to organization fairs.
Fairs are a good way to court students, but like a grassroots campaign it only works if it stands
out. Have something at organization fairs that differentiate it from the rest of the companies
there. Have something that invites students to the table, such as a prize wheel or a Plinko board.
If they choose to do study abroad fairs it should be with major universities to capture the higher
volume, they are looking for. With the focus group it was found that almost all students could
care less about studying abroad at a small school. They chose to come to Capital for different
reasons than, they would to study abroad. So, changing the customer type they are looking for
will help volume. Also, many study abroad programs don’t get much attention at fairs, so it is
essential to try and get as many, students to visit them at these fairs. The only way to do this
would be to give free incentives, which is pricy or go to bigger universities
Breakeven: 20,000/ 2,000= 10 students to breakeven
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Overall Recommendations
Utilize Social Media like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to attract Art students:
Details: Athena already has a Facebook and a Twitter account, but they could easily
adapt it to Art students and also improve the social connection. Athena could give away
scholarships to Study Abroad students who would be willing to post tweets, Instagram
photos, or Facebook photos of their trip/Artwork on the Social Media Accounts. This
way potential customers could see the experiences that other Art students are having.
Also on each Social media site Athena could promote an “Artist of the week”. By posting
their art work or art history, if that is their specialty, their artwork could become the
profile picture of Athena’s account for the week. They have a photo contest on their
website but by using social media, the participants are being more active and also using
their own art to win the competition.
- Rationale: The SWOT analysis shows that Social Media is a fast growing advertising
tool. Athena is not fully utilizing Social Media. Also the SWOT shows that technology is
quickly growing, and that many young students do their information search on the
internet and use social media much of the time.
- Breakeven Costs: 3,000/2,000 = 1.5
- The cost for utilizing social media is not that great because Athena could add about
$3,000 to an existing employee’s salary to compensate them for keeping their social
media campaigns updated. This cost could be covered by recruiting two students to study
abroad with Athena.
Create Internship opportunities (unpaid) for Art students:
Details: This would be very similar to an internship for Art students. Students could pick
and choose who they could study under or what type of apprenticeship they would enjoy.
Athena could work with local artists and ask them to let students work with them to learn
their specific craft; this could be anything from weaving to pottery depending on the
country. For the larger areas students could potentially apprentice or intern with some of
the museums that are located all over the world. This would suit the students who want a
feel of a larger environment and more of the classic art style.
- Rationale: According to our focus group, many students would study abroad if they were
offered an internship. It allows for students to gain two experiences via one study abroad
experience. Art students would be able to get hands on experience while learning in the
classroom. It also gives them real world experience for resumes.
- Breakeven Costs: N/A
Open up programs in larger schools and cities:
Details: Opening up programs in larger cities around the world would allow Art students
many more options. These larger cities such as Paris, Milan, and Berlin house the larger
and more famous museums that Art students could attend. By opening up one or two
programs in the larger schools and cities, Athena would be able to gauge the response of
the participants and see if other bigger city programs would be worth pursuing.
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- Rationale: Based on the focus group some students like the small environment, but more
of them insisted on the larger schools. The larger schools offer a more variety of classes
and choices for Art students. Also based on the focus group, students study abroad so that
they can experience classes that they would not be able to take at their home university.
The larger cities and schools would provide many of the optional classes, especially
electives.
- Breakeven costs: 10,000/2,000= 5 students
- The estimated cost of opening up a new program in a large city is around $10,000.
Athena can cover this cost by recruiting 5 new students, which is a very realistic
accomplishment.
Create a Flexible Schedule for the free willed art student:
Details: A flexible schedule would include a possible four day weekend along with a
train ticket included in their package. Many students, especially in Europe, want to travel
while studying abroad. Athena Abroad could find specific programs that offer a shorter
schedule of classes so that the students would be able to choose a program with a longer
weekend for time to travel. In Europe, Athena should offer a train ticket package included
within their package. Travel is very accessible by train in Europe, and therefore the
European programs could offer these tickets as an incentive to go with Athena. Art
students especially would enjoy being able to travel and seeing new and different things,
whether it’s in Art, Architecture, or theatre.
- Rationale: Focus group participants expressed a want of travel while studying abroad.
On student who had studied abroad and had a four-day weekend and claimed that this
was a vital part of her trip. Also travel in itself is increasing and the population is
becoming more culturally aware and want to experience somewhere other than the United
States.
- Breakeven Costs: N/A but there is a variable cost for train tickets which are about 479
dollars for up to 3 months of traveling time.
Offer Art excursions:
Details: Instead of wasting money on regular tourist excursions, Athena should offer
exclusive Art excursions that would be available. Passes are usually necessary for
Museum visits and therefore these passes could be offered to those who want them. Art
students would be able to take a group tour with their peers so whatever well-known or
small art museum in their area of study.
- Rationale: Many of the focus group participants said that they would probably not attend
the excursions and those participants who had previously studied abroad claimed that
they never attended the excursions. By narrowing down the selection to Art excursions
the students would be more encouraged to attend, and Athena would not waste money on
excursions that no one went on.
- Breakeven Costs: No specific breakeven, the variable costs would be about 60 American
dollars per museum pass.
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Create varied prices, including higher end programs:
Details: After analyzing the focus group and the current competitors of Athena, a
realistic consideration would be to offer cheaper programs for those price sensitive
customers, then more expensive programs for those students who are looking for the
appearance of a quality program. Charging in the middle prices could also improve
participant rates, because students may not view it as too expensive or too cheap,
especially in comparison to the other companies. The more popular areas in Europe could
be the more expensive programs, while the less popular could be slightly cheaper due to
the low demand. A specific example of this could be increasing the price of Greece.
Greece is now $12,650 for a semester. Bump the price up to $13,999 because this would
be in high demand for Art students because Greece was the birth for many different types
of Art. Instead of just having the Fine Arts Triangle we would recommend creating
programs in France because many Art students would want to study there for an extended
period of time instead of a 10 day trip. France could be priced around $14,999 because it
is a very large city with many Art areas to explore. Then at the lower end of the budget
Athena could take their Spain program and drop the price from $10,999 to $8,999. This
could encourage students who are highly aware of price and would also encourage the
growth of the Spain program.
- Rationale: API’s prices range from $5,500 to $18,000, CEA’s prices range from $3,195
to $16,395, and AIFS’s prices range from $4,495 to $16,995. Athena’s main competitors
all have a large range of prices for students to choose from. Since Athena is a small
company in comparison to its competitors, Athena could take the middle route and also
charge a range of prices. Also according to the focus group, many people would be
willing to pay for a good program, although for others cost is the largest problem when it
comes to studying abroad. Another reason for charging the varied prices is many Art
majors are “starving artists”, but many of the top art programs are extremely expensive to
attend. These customers would have more money to spend on a Study Abroad Program.
- Breakeven Costs: 4,000/2,000= 2 students
- Changing Athena’s range of prices would only involve the cost of advertising their new
prices and differentiated programs. This cost can be covered by recruiting two students,
which we believe is very doable.
Appeal to art students overall, focusing on art education and fashion.
Details: In order to appeal to a different side of the Arts, Athena could test out creating a
program that would be tailored towards students of Fashion. Athena could create a
program in Milan, Italy, which is the fashion capital of the world.
Rationale: According to the Situational Analysis, women account for about 60% of
study abroad students. By including a focus on fashion, Athena could attract other
women who may not even be art majors. Education majors within the focus group
claimed that they could not study abroad because of their schedule. By creating an
23
internship program for Art Education majors it would bring Athena a step closer to
accommodating education majors.
Breakeven Costs: 3,000/ 2,000= 1.5 students
- Appealing to these students would only require the cost of advertising, which can easily
be covered by recruiting at least 2 students.
Promote via “Art Gallery Hops”:
Details: An example of an Art Gallery Hop occurs in Columbus. Students and the public
are free to attend all of the Art Galleries and stories promoting their latest work. Within
these Art Galleries, Athena would be able to promote for their Art Study Abroad
Programs. Athena could approach some of these galleries on High Street in Columbus
and make a deal with the Galleries to set out flyers or brochures at their showings. This
gallery hop attracts many of the surrounding Art students, especially Ohio State
University students.
- Rationale: Many people in the focus group had not heard of Athena Abroad before, and
therefore word of mouth could be the best way to promote the company. An art gallery
showing would attract many students who are majors of the Arts. And with Athena being
at an Art Gallery, it would be seen as credible.
- Breakeven Costs: 2,000/ 2,000= 1 students
- The cost associated with promote at the Gallery Hop is due to advertising Athena or
sponsoring the event itself.
Target specific art schools and institutes:
Details: Many schools have specific Art schools and programs, but then there are also
free standing Art school and top notch programs. According to the size portion of the
target analysis these school could have up to over a thousand students participating in
their undergraduate degree in Art. Instead of approaching random schools, Athena could
spend their money to attend these schools to promote Athena Study Abroad.
- Rationale: This would provide a larger population of Art students because at some
schools the art major may not be as popular. There would be a larger pool of students that
would match with Athena’s goals and aims.
- Breakeven Costs: 8,000/2,000= 4 students
- Traveling would be the main expense for targeting specific art schools and institutions.
The estimated cost of traveling and recruiting is about $8,000, which can be met by
recruiting 5 new students.
Make the website more visually appealing:
Details: Instead of having such a whimsical feeling to the website, Athena could create a
feeling of culture and History. Athena could do this by having their main page as a
collage of photos and art done by some of the students that have studied abroad with
them. Athena could also use a more neutral tone for the font and links that the students
click on. Emphasize the information and the feeling that the student will get if the student
decides to study abroad with Athena.
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- Rationale: In the focus group many of the participants did not respond positively to the
website at first glance. It is very important to have an appealing website because
according to our situational analysis the first place that students look is on the internet.
Without a good website, students may automatically dismiss Athena.
- Breakeven Costs: 10,000/ 2,000 = 5 OR 2,500/2,000 = 1.25
- Buyerzone.com is a website design company that we researched, which could redesign
Athena’s current website. Their higher end designs are around $10,000 and their middle
price is about $2,500. We definitely think Athena can recruit 1-5 students, depending on
which price they choose, to cover the cost of redoing their website. Also, the website is
their biggest asset for their customers to utilize for research so having a more appealing
and user-friendly website would pay for itself in the long run by attracting more
customers.
Appendix A
WORKS CITED FOR SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
1. "Open Doors 2011 Fast Facts." Open Doors | Institute of International Education. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.iie.org/en/Research-and-Publications/Open-
Doors>.
2. "Program Models." - Study Abroad Office. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.uic.edu/depts/spec_prog/studyabroad/faculty/models.shtml>.
3. "Study Abroad." Choosing a Program. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.brandeis.edu/acserv/abroad/begin/chooseprog.html>.
4. Kearns, Jeff. "Business Economists Reduce U.S. GDP Growth Forecasts." Bloomberg. 15
Oct. 2012.
5. Marcinko, Richard, and John Weisman. Rogue Warrior. New York: Pocket, 1992. Print.
6. Press Release, The Federal Reserve. 24 Oct. 2012.
7. Wike, Richard. Wait, You Still Don't Like Us? Anti-Americanism Persists, Pew
Charitable Trust.
8. Winneg, Ken. National Annenberg Election Survey. Annenberg Public Policy Center.
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9. Wroughton, Lesley. Analysis: Uneasy Role for IMF in Euro Zone Crisis, Reuters.
10. Breen, Marcus. "Privileged Migration: American Undergraduates, Study Abroad,
Academic Tourism,." Critical Arts- A South-north Journal of Cultural & Media
Studies (2012): 82- 137. EBSCO. Web.
11. Miller, Richard K. "Leisure Travel." Leisure Market Research Handbook (2012): 187-90.
EBSCO. Web.
12. Naylor, Rebecca W., Cait P. Lamberton, and Patricia M. West. "Beyond the "like"
Button: The Impact of Mere Virtual Presence on Brand Evaluations and Purchase
Intentions in Social Media Settings." Journal of Marketing (2012): 105-18. EBSCO.
Web.
13. Tyler, Kathryn. "The Tethered Generation." HR Magazine (2007): 23-28.
Appendix B Works Cited for Marketing Plan
1. Gillette, Hope. "Pew: Record Numbers of High School and College Graduates in 2012." Pew:
Record Numbers of High School and College Graduates in 2012. Voxxi, 10 Nov. 2012.
Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.voxxi.com/pew-high-school-college-graduates/>.
2. Newman, Rick. "Where the Jobs Are, and the College Grads Aren't." US News. U.S.News &
World Report, 14 May 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2012/05/14/where-the-jobs-are-and-
the-college-grads-arent>.
3. "Humanities Resources Online - Section III.B." Humanities Resources Online - Section III.B.
Humanities Resource Center Online, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.humanitiesindicators.org/content/hrcoiiib.aspx>.
4. Kingkade, Tyler. "Colleges With The Best Fine Arts Programs: US News & World Report
List." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 01 June 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/01/colleges-best-fine-arts-
programs_n_1562401.html>.
5. Office for Study Abroad." Office for Study Abroad. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.
<http://studyabroad.gwu.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink>.
6. "Welcome to Yale University." Yale University. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.yale.edu/>.
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7. "Rhode Island School of Design | RISD." Rhode Island School of Design | RISD. N.p., n.d.
Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.risd.edu/>.
8. "UCLA." UCLA. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ucla.edu/>.
9. "SAIC - School of the Art Institute of Chicago." SAIC - School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.saic.edu/index.html>.
10. "CalArts | California Institute of the Arts." CalArts | California Institute of the Arts. N.p., n.d.
Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://calarts.edu/>.
11. "Carnegie Mellon University | CMU." Carnegie Mellon University | CMU. N.p., n.d. Web.
27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cmu.edu/index.shtml>.
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