grandma's helpers internet marketing plan

8/14/2019 Grandma's Helpers Internet Marketing Plan

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Terms and Liabilities.. 4

Executive Summary.. 6

About Us... 7

Elizabeth Del Valle... 8

Gregory Hanson. 9

Karyn Lewis.. 10

Zach Myrow. 11Preface.. 12

Assumptions. 15

Introduction.. 17Where are we now?.. 19

Industry.. 20

Current Goals.. 22

Target Market.. 23

Competition... 24

SWOT Analysis......... 26

Current E-Business Model. 28

Website Taxonomy 29

Sustainable Value Proposition 30

Focal Benefits......... 31

Key Resources (7S Framework).. 32

Current Marketing Strategies. 35

Where do we want to be?... 36

SMART Objectives Defined. 37

SMART Objectives Proposed.. 38

1. Brand Awareness/Recognition.. 382. Online Activity and Customer Feedback... 393. Credibility and Perceived Trustworthiness.. 41

How might we get there? 43

Strategies/Recommendations... 44Which way is best? 46

Tactics.. 47

Website Redesign. 47Website Forum with Registration.. 48

Google Adwords and Analytics... 52

Organizational Memberships 53

Choice Criteria.. 56

How do we ensure safe arrival? 57

Key Resources Revisited (7S Framework)... 58

Suggested Steps 60


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TERMS AND LIABILITIES

This report and the information or materials contained therein are

provided "as is" without any representations, warranties or covenants of

any kind, either express or implied. The content of this Internet marketing

plan for Grandmas Helpers, LLC is the intellectual property of Elizabeth

Del Valle, Gregory Hanson, Karyn Lewis, and Zach Myrow representing

Steady Pivot Consulting. All information is being given free of charge to

Bobbi Goodridge of Grandmas Helpers, LLC for unlimited personal use to

change or modify in any way. Any material may be copied, reproduced,

republished, uploaded, downloaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed

without our express written consent, but any citation of this document to

other entities must credit Steady Pivot Consulting. Elizabeth Del Valle,

Gregory Hanson, Karyn Lewis, and Zach Myrow representing Steady Pivot

Consulting take no responsibility for any follow up service or for providing

any information not already included in this report.

By implementing any element of this report, Grandmas Helpers, LLC

clears Elizabeth Del Valle, Gregory Hanson, Karyn Lewis, and Zach Myrow

of liability for any results or issues that may arise. We do not warrant that

the information in this report will be operable, uninterrupted or error free.

We also not provide any warranty regarding the accuracy, timeliness,

authenticity, completeness or reliability of any information or content

provided through this report.

The use of the information provided in this report is at your sole risk and

discretion. You agree to indemnify us and hold us and our director Neil

Hair absolutely harmless from any claim arising from or in any way

connected to your use of this information. In no event will we or our


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Elizabeth Del Valle

Elizabeth was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican

Republic. She moved to Rochester, New York in

September of 2005. She moved with her family with

the main purpose to pursue her studies in

international business. Since very young, Elizabeth

showed to be interested in management and

marketing. She studied at a Polytechnic Institution in

Santo Domingo where she obtained a technical

degree in Commercial Administration with a mention in Finance and

Marketing. Very young, she started working at Verizon InternationalTeleservices as a telemarketer and customer service representative in

Santo Domingo. Within that time she developed great leadership and

management skills that allowed her to become a Bilingual Trainer for

different operations of Verizon International Teleservices.

Currently Elizabeth is a senior at the Rochester Institute of Technology

pursuing a degree in International Business/Marketing and International

Relations. She is a student leader with a global vision; she has been able

to develop leadership skills in global programs such as the Global

Leadership Program in Prague. Furthermore, she is the solo founder and

former President of the Model United Nations Organization at RIT and has

developed research skills as a scholar for the McNair Scholars Program.

Elizabeth is also Board Member of the Institute of Finance Leaders of the

Americas; a non-profit organization tasked with introducing Latin

American youth to financial markets.

Elizabeth Del Valle

(585)690-1635

[email protected]


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Karyn Lewis

Karyn grew up in a small town in southern New York,

where she was well known in the community for her

ability to draw and design logos and advertisements

for various events in the area. Throughout high

school she pursued the arts in a variety of different

courses, including drawing, illustration, photography,

media arts, studio art, ceramics, and sculpture. She

was also heavily involved in advanced English and

writing programs. When it came to college, she chose to expand her

knowledge of information design and technology at Rochester Institute ofTechnology (RIT).

At RIT, Karyn has focused on a wide range of digital tools as shes

explored the variety of courses that New Media Design, New Media

Publishing, and Advertising and Public Relations has to offer. Her focus has

been in Communication and Professional Writing Studies, where she

continues to employ a better understanding of self and society as an

effective strategy in the creative and technical field of design. She has a

passion for making things look and sound better and for creating and

developing dynamic content from simple concepts. She plans to attend

graduate school in RITs Communication and Media Technologiesprogram starting fall 2009. You can view her online portfolio at

www.klewisportfolio.com.

Karyn Lewis

(607)759-0115

[email protected]


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PREFACE

A strategic Internet marketing plan is essentially a logical sequence or

series of activities leading to the setting of marketing objectives and the

formulation of plans for achieving them (Hair, 2008). This forces an

organized approach which makes efficient use of resources, improves

unity of effort, gains commitment, reduces overall friction, and highlights

potential opportunities for your business. The plan should be developed

with an iterative 3-5 year viewpoint based on sound information and

suitable analysis.

The ideas presented in this proposal are designed expose youthe

clientto many ways in which marketing concepts and issues can be

enhanced through effective use of the Internet and associated

technologies in an online Business to Consumer (B2C) environment. The

proposal is strategic in nature and will deal with the application of

concepts learned by usthe participating students in Professor Neil Hairs

0105-440-01 Internet Marketing course in the winter quarter 2008-2009.

In this report, we will run through a five-question approach to developing

an effective Internet marketing plan for Grandmas Helpers, LLC. Each

question is clearly identified in the context of your situation and answered

in detail for clarity and comprehension. The five questions addressed are

as follows:

1. Where are we now?2. Where do we want to be?3. How might we get there?4. Which way is best?5. How do we ensure safe arrival?


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Examining each question individually will allow Grandmas Helpers, LLC to

understand the process Steady Pivot Consulting followed in developing

this report.

The first question, Where are we now? combines information gathered

from conversations with you, personal observations, and secondary

research from a variety of sources. This information provides us with a

starting point for comparison and determining the objectives set forth in

question two.

Question two, Where do we want to be? is dedicated to a set of SMART

(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reasonable, and Timebased)

objectives. These objectives were developed based on reasonable

assumptions from conversations with you, personal observations, and

secondary research from a variety of sources and reasonable assumptions

from our primary research. These set the overall goals that we believeGrandmas Helpers, LLC should be aiming for.

Next is How might we get there? This question seeks to identify a wide

variety of strategies that could possibly be used to move forward and

meet the previously stated objectives. This section briefly touches on each

of the many strategies and supports their value mainly through secondary

research. At this point we do not recommend following every strategy laid

forth, but found it useful to provide groundwork for question four, and to

leave options open for Grandmas Helpers, LLC for a later time.

Question four, Which way is best? chooses several key strategies from

those identified in question three and runs them through a set of choice


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criteria to support their value. These strategies are broken down further

and given a set of tactics, or specific actions, that we recommend in

order to implement the strategies.

The final question, How do we ensure safe arrival? measures the success

of the tactics as Grandmas Helpers, LLC goes ahead with the plan.

Specific measures of success are suggested, and the actions necessary to

accurately measure this information are provided.

This entire Internet marketing plan has been designed with this five

questions approach in mind. Other models are included in the report, but

are individually explained as they are introduced.


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7. Identify the regulatory and ethical issues related to Internetmarketing and incorporated this understanding in our strategic

recommendations

8. Develop hands-on experience of the virtual world, evaluatingexperiences and demonstrating capabilities in the virtual

environment

Not all marketing plans follow exactly the same format, as clients,

consultancy firms, and professors all have their own preferences. For this

report, emphasis is placed on the content and purpose of the plan for

Grandmas Helpers, LLC.


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INTRODUCTION

The senior care industry is already booming and it's just getting started

(Senior Care Marketer, 2007). From home care services and medical

products to senior housing options like assisted living and moving, the

demand for products and services related to the care of older Americans

is growing exponentially. The move management industry, previously a

cottage industry, is now coming to the forefront. With about 500 move

management consultants around the country, senior move management

companies are ready to tap into the 78 million Baby Boomers headed for

retirement and the dwindling members of their parents generation.

Including Grandmas Helpers, LLC, there are an increasing number of

senior move management businesses offering services to retirees who are

moving and must sift through the detritus of a lifetime. Grandmas Helpers,

LLC and similar companies help seniors move from a beloved home to

somewhere more suited to their circumstances, sorting through leftover

possessions, supervising the sale of some items, shredding documents and

packing boxes for charities to haul away. You also recommend estate-

sales specialists, appraisers, and auction houses, and even offer advice.

Overall, you make something in a smaller version while maintaining the

features of the originalnow emptyhouse (Heath, 2009). Senior move

managers are essentially the wedding planners of the moving industry.

As comedian George Carlin once said, A house is just a pile of stuff with

a cover on it. When people downsize, selling a house is usually not as

difficult as dealing with its contents (DeSimone, 2006). The sheer amount

and sentimental meaning of stuff stashed in attics and basements often

confound older adults or children whose elderly parents die or fall seriously


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ill. Picking through possessions, dividing them fairly and discerning what

has monetary value and what does not can be a mammoth job,

especially if its done under distress or during a time of grieving. Senior

move managers are prepared to play a variety of roles as they help

clients through this transition. You give the kind of help a person would

want from a devoted and highly organized child or relative, stepping in

and dramatically reducing stress levels as you accomplish countless tasks

that might otherwise overwhelm your clients or their adult children. Your

approach is deeply ethical and very meaningful.

Many customers are caught in the vortex of emotion and confusion about

where to start and what to keep, as contemplating the breakup of a

household can cause conflict within the family and bring up thoughts of

mortality (DeSimone). Jewelry, art or antique furniture can be earmarked

or itemized in a will, but other knickknacks might have emotional value.

You work with aging baby boomers and their parents who now live in theirhouse happily surrounded by their own stuff, their parents stuff, and their

kids stuff. Its not an easy task.

People who use transitional assistance, move management, consulting

and design services can spend up to several thousand dollars depending

on the selection of services and nature of the move (DeSimone, 2006). The

challenge, then, is convincing your clients that it is generally worthwhile to

hire you, the professional, for the downsizing process so no hasty decisions

are made while feeling inundated and later regretted. Steady Pivot

Consulting is here to provide ideas on how to accomplish that task.


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WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Social changes have made it increasingly difficult for family members or

friends to provide all of the physical and emotional assistance needed for

a later-life move of a loved one. Many older adults have not moved in

many years and often have grown children living far away who have

children themselves on top of demanding careers. Whatever the situation,

they need assistance when it comes time to transition from one living

situation to another. With older people making up the fastest growing

segment of the U.S. population, senior move management companies

such as Grandma Helpers, LLC have emerged to fill the gaps and make

moving easier for everyone involved. Senior move managers at

Grandmas Helpers, LCC fill a much-needed niche in the ever-burgeoning

world of seniors in transition, helping with the coordination of a move from

beginning to end. You deal with everything and ensure that customers

feel less frustrated and stressed when moving to a new house or

disabusing an estate.

With the boom of the dot-com bubble, an increasing number of

businesses are relocating part of their offline operations to the World Wide

Web. The senior move management industry has also relocated a portion

of their business to the Internet since a rising number of seniors are

entering the online world. For instance, 50% of the 50+ population have

the Internet. Nowadays, Grandmas Helpers, LLC are also adopting the

World Wide Web as a medium where the potential clientele can access

information on the services offered by the seniors moving managers.


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Industry

The senior care industry is booming and its just getting started as the Baby

Boom generation cares for their aging parents and require care

themselves (Senior Care Marketer, 2007). People 65 years and older

represent the fastest growing age group in the United States, with

projected increases of 80% by 2030 (Buysse, 2008). By 2030, approximately

one out of every five Americans will be over the age of 65.

While many companies focus on the marketing of products and services

to the aging Boomer generation, a larger market is developing with

regard to the care-giving of older Americans. As America ages, the

demand for products and services that relate to the care of these

individuals will grow significantly, from home care services and medical

products to housing options and financial or finance-related products

(Senior Care Marketer, 2007). Some of these products and services

include:

Home Safety Pharmaceuticals Medical Equipment Personal Healthcare Finance and Insurance Legal Services Physical Therapy Mobility Home Care Housing

As businesses throughout the country find ways to serve and profit from

aging America, it will become increasingly important to establish and

promote your brand. Many senior vendors are already spending their

marketing dollars to reach Baby Boomers directly. It will become equally


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important for companies selling products and services relating to aging

America to reach purchase influencers of senior care products and

services (Senior Care Marketer). Some of these include:

Family Caregivers Medical Doctors, Nurses and Pharmacists Physical Therapists and Rehabilitation Centers Home Health Care Housing and Residential Facilities

Retirement Communities Social Service Agencies Hospitals Geriatric Care Managers Investment and Retirement Advisors

The senior move management industry is untapped nationally, let alone

internationally (Heath, 2009). Most companies in this line of work grow their

business locally, though some partake in a network of nationwide senior

transitional assistance businesses. To franchise a business at a national

level is perceived as very difficult, threatening the perceived quality of

service.

About 500 move management businesses are operating nationwide,

according to the National Association of Move Managers (Heckman,

2007). An increasing number of entrepreneurs, including many with elderly

care backgrounds, are marketing their services to seniors on the move as

the demand for these types of services grow. The growth in retirement

communities and the scattering of adult children have created this niche

service (Buysse, 2008).

Businesses like Grandmas Helpers, LLC might be new, but the challenges

of moving an elder are not.


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Target Market

Grandmas Helpers, LLC strives to provide services designed to meet the

needs of older adults, their adult children, baby boomers and their families

throughout the Western New York region. Senior move managers deal

with the sandwich generation where the kids are still raising their own kids,

but their parents are getting older (Luttger, 2008). They dont quite have

the time and will gladly pay someone to be the go-between for their

parents. Some statistics of this audience from the U.S. Census Bureau

(2009) include:

A substantial increase in the number of older people is expected tooccur during the 2010 to 2030 period, after the first Baby Boomers turn

65 in 2011.

The older population in 2030 is projected to be twice as large as in2000, growing from 35 million to 72 million and representing nearly 20%

of the total U.S. population. The overall growth of the older population has outpaced that of the

total population and the population under age 65.

The median age rose from 22.9 in 1900 to 35.3 in 2000, and is projectedto increase to 39 by 2030.

The primary target segments of Grandmas Helpers, LLC are seniors, baby

boomers and their families within the Western New York area.


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Competition

Achieving company goals depends on the accurate determination of the

needs and wants of your target market based on price, place, product,

and promotion, and delivering their desired satisfaction more effectively

and efficiently than your competitors (Hair, 2008).

As defined by the American Marketing Association (AMA), competition

refers to the result of vying for customers by the pursuit of differential

advantagei.e., changing to better meet consumer wants and needs.

The senior moving management industry is not, as yet, a widely known

sector. However, the number of business within this industry is continually

rising. Many organizations offering moving management services are small

mom-and-pop operations, but some of them have, in fact, as many as 25

employees.

The major competitor of Grandmas Helpers, LLC is other local businessnamed Everything has a Place, LLC. As Grandmas Helpers, LLC, this

company also offers moving management services to customers within

the Rochester and Finger Lakes areas of Upstate New York. Furthermore,

they also target the senior community and their children. The principal

services offered by the competition include:

Organizing and downsizing Possession Allocation Packing and Unpacking Staging to Sell and to Live Restaging and Setup Appraisal Assignments Ebay Sales Real Estate Management/Referrals Long Distance Move Management


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Household Sales Management of Estate Sales and Auctions Free Community Placement Referral

The e-business model used by your primary competition is a brochure

model similar to that of Grandmas Helpers, LLC. The web site of

Everything has a Place, LLC is very informative. It presents organizational

information as well as information on the services provided and also has a

photo gallery where it is shown how they helped customers with moving

and organizing. Everything has a Place, LLC is member of the National

Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM) as well.


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SWOT Analysis

Within the initial stages of strategic and marketing planning, businesses

typically implement a SWOT analysis which includes an examination of

internal factors such as strengths and weaknesses as well as external

factors, such as opportunities and threats. In order to perform the SWOT

analysis, organizations study past and present data to identify trends,

forces, as well as conditions with the potential to influence the

performance of the organization and the selection of appropriate

strategies. We have completed a SWOT analysis for Grandmas Helpers,

LLC.

Strengths

Legitimate, ethical, and insured business Association with NASMM Significant expertise in the field Experience working with the target market Customizable offerings Excellent service reviews High level of personal/professional commitment Aging population is growing rapidly Delivery of content is almost instantaneous with zero cost online

Weaknesses

Fairly new/unfamiliar service Lack of brand awareness Poor website design Low perceived trustworthiness Few employees Low feedback Lack of research and statistical data collection Low personal and corporate ranking in search engines The industry requires you to be highly accommodating Lack of financial resources No formal headquarters (in-home office)


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Opportunities

Capitalize on being the industry standard for the Rochester area Growing industryonly little fish in the pond at this point National and international markets not yet tapped into Extended membership with other credible senior business

organizations

Further licensing opportunities Local and regional partnerships and networking Expansion of touch points

Your services extend to everyone

Threats

Local/regional competitors Expanding too much increases risk of service quality loss Few employees lead to disorganization and service quality loss Ineffective use of technology for marketing purposes


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Current E-Business Model

Currently, Grandmas Helpers, LLC uses the Internetspecifically your web

sitesimply to promote an offline business. This strictly-information-only

practice is also known as a brochure e-business model. Nowadays the

brochure model is one of the most prevalent out there. Undoubtedly, the

brochure model is the simplest, but it can also be very effective, especially

for small businesses.


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Website Taxonomy

As an increasing portion of the target segment are using the World Wide

Web to search and access information, Grandmas Helpers, LLC employs

an online strategy that focuses on providing information about the

available services as well as information on the benefits of using their

moving management services. Furthermore, current and potential

customers can access information about upcoming sales and

organizational information that allow clients to know more about the

people they are doing business with. In addition, the website offers

information on the different methods of payments and public relations

information. The e-business model used by Grandmas Helpers, LLC

reassures potential customers that you are aware of the frustrations and

fears seniors and their families face when moving to a new house or state;

and more importantly how senior moving managers can help them solve

those problems, reduces stress, and calm those fears.

The brochure model is all about clarity and credibility (Capala, 2008). In

your website, Grandmas Helpers, LLC presents your teams biographies.

This shows that your organization has work experience, training, and

education, and this certainly can convince a potential customer to

acquire the offered services. This also is a significant tactic that increases

business credibility.


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Sustainable Value Proposition

Value is the consumers overall assessment of the utility of a service

based on perceptions on what is received and what is given (Zeithaml,

1988; Heinonen, 2004). When making a purchase, customers evaluate

both monetary costs of a purchase and non-monetary costs like the time

and effort invested in the selection of the service (Yen, Rhoades & Hsu,

2007), as well as other additional benefits offered by the service relative to

competition. In other words, value is the sum of all the benefits that a

vendor promises to customers in return for the associated payment.

Grandmas Helpers, LLC is one of over 450 companies that belong to the

National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), a group that

requires members to follow a code of ethics and businesses to carry

insurance and provide references (Buysse, 2008).

Grandmas Helpers, LLC understands that relocating to a new home orstate can cause frustration and can be stressful and overwhelming as

well. Nevertheless, moving tends to be particularly challenging for older

adults and their families (Buysse, 2008). The value proposition of

Grandmas Helpers, LLC has as pivotal componentthe notion of being

emphatic with all customers. Grandmas Helpers, LLC strives to provide

customers with the same caring attention that their own grandmothers

have enjoyed. Your company not only offers moving management

services, but also helps to reduce stress and gives comfort to seniors and

their families that are sorting through a lifetimes worth of memories and

possessions.


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SystemsNowadays, Grandmas Helpers, LLC offers a website where

customers can access information on the services provided.

SkillsGrandmas Helpers, LLC has the ability to be sensitive and

empathic with each customer while providing the physical

assistance of moving to a new house. Senior move managers

are entirely dedicated to eliminating the stress of emotional and

organizational aspects of transition of seniors and their children.

You assist customers with the packing and unpacking of items,

personal property appraisal, household liquidation services, as

well as a variety of moving services that eliminate frustration

and confusion.

StaffGrandmas Helpers, LLC comprises a team of three senior move

managersone of them the sole proprietor. The team is fully

trained with necessary skills to assist seniors and their families

with the moving services. Furthermore, the three members of

the staff are active members of the Greater Rochester Area

Partnership for the Elderly, and all are trained with great

organizational, interpersonal and supervisory skills.

StyleThe companys leadership and overall operating approach are

mainly based on the concept of providing meaningful help to

seniors and their children. They are engaged in providing


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valuable services that relieve the stress, frustration and

confusion seniors typically experience when leaving the homes

they have lived in for decades.

Shared ValuesThe values and beliefs of the company are based on the ideal

of caring, dedication and sensitivity. Grandmas Helpers, LLC do

business to help seniors within the community. The company

strives to make each customer a member of their family and

give them the same caring attention that they have given to

their grandmothers.


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Current Marketing Strategies

Grandmas Helpers, LLC currently provides a variety of services to help

seniors when relocating to a new home or disbursing an estate. Due to a

lack of a formidable online presence, however, most of the clientele of

Grandmas Helpers, LLC learn of the business through word-of-mouth and

personal referrals and not through promotional activities. However, the

company also uses brochures and their informational website to inform

potential customers about the services provided and other significant

organizational information.


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WHERE DO WE WANT TO BE?

E-business transforms the exchange of goods, services, information, and

knowledge through the use of network-enabled technology to facilitate

the performanceelectronicallyof processes central to the functioning

of an organization, including commercial and non-commercial

transactions (Hair, 2008). No longer is Internet access to information

restricted and expensive, and no longer does it take several years and

deep pockets to build a business with an effective online presence.

Technology factors of the web, including its ease of use, two-way

communication methods, rapid technology development, standards, and

leveraging digital convergence are all spurring interest in online business

strategies.

Customer interaction is changingone-to-one marketing is becoming the

norm, people are dealing with systems directly, highly personalized

systems are being formed, the traditional basis of competitive advantage

as well as business is changing, and the Internet has an increasingly

pervasive influence on all marketsconsumer and industrial (Hair, 2008).

This change in technology provides Grandmas Helpers, LLC tremendous

opportunities for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of many

marketing activities.


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SMART Objectives Proposed

Based on your current business goals and company vision and mission, we

propose the following SMART objectives to enhance Grandmas Helpers,

LLCs overall brand awareness/recognition, online activity and customer

feedback, and credibility and perceived trustworthiness:

1. Establish regular appearance in the first 20 listed results byGoogle search to enhance brand awareness/recognition by

25% within 6 months after implementation of suggested online

marketing strategies.

We know that your services aren't easily sold directly from your

website. Your current business model relies on more personal

contact with prospects and word-of-mouth references to

generate sales leads. Regardless of whether your online

marketing goals include persuading a visitor on your site torequest service information, view a testimonial, browse online

listed resources, contact the reference nearest him, or ask to

speak with you directly, search engine marketing generates

powerful results.

For many Internet users, brand recognition starts with their use of

search engines (Enclick, 2005). In fact, over a third of surveyed

Internet users believe the companies topping search results lists

to be leading brands in the business category searched. If your

site repeatedly appeared in search results for Senior Move

Management, you'd create multiple brand impressions,

certainly enhancing your brand equity. Furthermore, research


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shows that brand recallthe process of seeing a brand and

recalling related perceptionsis best performed in a search

engine environment in up to a 3-to-1 margin over other online

advertising methods such as banner ads or buttons.

Brand is particularly about relevance to the customer, and

appearing in the top search results for a particular topic or

problem is a powerful way to convey relevance to your

customers. After all, your site is listed in search engines in

response to a keyword phrase that was queried to answer a

question, solve a problem or find a product or service. If your

site is returned, it gives your brand added credibility that it is

relevant to the searcher's needs. As more and more people use

search engines to find products, services or information, they

assume the companies appearing in the search results are the

category leaders. By engaging in a comprehensive searchengine marketing campaign, you can move your brand toward

a top-of-the-mind presence.

2. Increase traffic to the website to enhance online activity andcustomer feedback by 25% within 6 months after the

implementation of suggested online marketing strategies.

We know you have a valuable service to offer, yet your website

is probably not getting the web traffic you desire because your

online presence is very limited. This traffic is highly important for

the survival and prosperity of your business, even though you


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dont currently operate an e-commerce website. Qualified

visitors are the lifeblood of any relevant business todayon or

offline. We want them to know about Grandmas Helpers, LLC

and spend time exploring the rich information and resources

provided through your website, ask questions and list

comments.

Businesses spend millions every year in promoting themselves in

the form of advertising dollars when there is an inexpensive tool

at their disposal that is being underutilizedcustomer

feedback. Regardless of the type of business you are in, getting

input from your customers is critical to your success. There can

be a lot of different ideas and suggestions that come in over

time, and it's one of the surest ways of knowing, beyond a

doubt, that your company is meeting customer needs and

doing what you strive to do every day. You can think you're

doing a good job and not realize that you're off target until

profits have dropped and you've lost market share to a

competitor who's more in tune with what your customers want.

The opinions of your current and past customers are going to

carry a lot of weight with a potential customer who is

undecided on whether or not to do business with you. By

hearing about a positive experience, an undecided customer

may very well become a paying customer.


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you and your company connections with networks of other

qualified, reputable businesses, referrals to seniors themselves,

third party authentication and background checks, codes of

ethics and professional standards, further licensing

opportunities, discounts on print and broadcast media,

enhanced web listings with special features, and online search

directory listings. Most importantly, extended involvement with

local partnerships and national organizations will provide

peace-of-mind assurance to your customers.


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HOW MIGHT WE GET THERE?

Grandmas Helpers, LLC seeks to provide its clients an objective viewpoint

and an effective transitional plan. You want to let them know that you

fully understand that life transitions, whether relocating to a new home or

disbursing an estate, can be frustrating, confusing and even

overwhelming. We know you have a strong commitment to connecting

with mid-life and older adults and a strong desire to perform meaningful

work above all else. Website publicity is critical for any growing business,

and the time and effort involved will lead to more potential clients to your

services. If you want to increase awareness/recognition, online activity

and customer feedback, and credibility and perceived trustworthiness on

your site, you will need a set of strategies for each objective to get you

there.


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Strategies/Recommendations

In broad terms, potential strategies outline all the ways you could achieve

your corporate objectives (Hair, 2008). For any set of objectives, responses

to the question how? will generate a set of strategies aimed at

achieving them. Here is a complete list of potential strategies weve come

up with for your Internet marketing needs:

Search engine optimization for the website via keywords or meta tabssuch as Google Adwords

Implementation of website monitoring software such as GoogleAnalytics or SiteMeter

Website improvements to page layout/design and listedinformation/links and resources such as moving tips and customer

testimonials, personal profiles, and/or evaluations, Ebay, a make my

homepage or bookmark option, The Guide to Retirement Living,

AARP, the Senior Transition Society, and/or the Grass RootsOrganization for the Wellbeing of Seniors (GRWOS)

Implementation of a website forum with user registration for Q&A andcustomer comments

Publicity/online advertising activities such as press releases and aYouTube video of a customers personal experience

List of public relations/community activities to enhance image ofgoodwill

Rewards/special offers or incentives Additional promotional contact points Temporary 3-6 month employment of an RIT co-op student for

marketing and/or design work


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WHICH WAY IS BEST?

Each move is a mission. You must invade a clients home, shoot digital

photos of the entire place, create a map of the floor plan and recreate it

on a small scale. Every detail must be considered, from towels to window

treatments, custom paintings to china hutches. Every plan is customized

some just need unpacking, while some may need decorating help and

full service in-between. Along with it all, there is a lot of handholding,

empathy and gentle persuasion that goes with the job. Beyond

organizational skills, you may have to morph into a hybrid of counselor,

mediation specialist and good friend as you assist older adults in their

transition (Buysse, 2008).

In the previous section How might we get there? we discussed the vast

list of potential strategies that Grandmas Helpers, LLC could use to

accomplish the objectives laid out in section 2, Where do we want to

be? In this section, we will discuss select strategies and explain our

choice criteria for the selected strategies laid out in question 3, How

might we get there? We provide insight and reason for the chosen

criteria, and examine specific tactics for the strategies recommended.

The strategies we will discuss in this section include:

Website Redesign Website Forum with Registration Google Adwords and Analytics Organizational Memberships


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Tactics

While each of the following tactics have their own strengths and some

can be used alone, it is advised that each of them be implemented

together. Our proposed tactics work in sync and can further the success

of each one when used as a campaign rather than as individual ideas.

Website Redesign

As we discussed in section 1, Where are now? Grandmas

Helpers, LLC has a target market that can be divided into two main

target markets, and a smaller and secondary market. They include

the individual elderly themselves, family and friends of the elderly,

and finally, other businesses. Currently the website has one

message for all three target markets. That can be problematic

because the messages for the three target markets should be very

different. By utilizing a welcome screen with three descriptions,

Grandmas Helpers, LLC can offer a customized message to eachmarket. Selling the service to the elderly and the family members of

the elderly is somewhat similar. However, the message for potential

partnerships needs to include information about sales numbers,

turnover, and numbers of clients something the average

consumer does not need to know. The following is an example

welcome screen.


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Contributors will be broken down into five sections. The first three

will be the same as the three-tier design seen in section 4.3. The

other two contributor categories will be Grandmas Helpers, LLC

and businesses or professionals that can answer questions in their

particular field. Users will be able to:

Receive professional advice on moving Find information about the moving process Post questions or comments


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Upload photos and graphics Receive special offers via email Receive monthly newsletters

Questions about moving will be answered by Grandmas Helpers,

LLC staff and, when necessary, referred to real-estate agents or

other professionals. The users themselves could provide content

and businesses providing information on relevant products or

services. Because this forum will provide a sense of community and

exclusivity, registered users will be able to upload pictures of

themselves and one-page biographies. Additionally, registered

users will be able to receive special offers from Grandmas Helpers,

LLC (such as a free consultation) and receive monthly e-newsletters

describing current events and other successful relocations.

One idea to increase and/or maintain web traffic to the forum is a

fictional character. This character (written by staff) could talk aboutdaily issues and solutions that arise for seniors. This character is also

a good way to announce the forum via a press release. An

example press release can be seen below:


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Google Adwords and Analytics

Selecting and finding keywords and phrases most likely to drive

targeted web traffic is an important exercise that you can

undertake when planning your web site deployment. You want to

increase search engine ranking for a variety of specific terms and

phrases such as Rochester Senior Move Management,

Rochester Moving Help, Western NY Transition Assistance, etc.

Getting more hits or an increase in website traffic and having

massive amounts of visitors to your website is not the only objective

of good search engine marketing, however. You need to optimize

your website according to your target market, you need to know

what people are searching for, and you need to be able to

measure the visitors to your web site. Once this has been achieved

you will enjoy the benefits of a profitable high search engine

ranked website.

With Google Analytics, you can learn more about where your

visitors come from and how they interact with your site. It will help

you find out what keywords attract your target markets and what

web pages and content get the most hits, as well as advanced

segmentation information, motion charts, custom reports, keyword

and campaign comparison, internal site search, benchmarking,

trend and date sliders, a variety of visualizations, GeoTargeting,

etc. Furthermore, Google Analytics provides tightly integrated

AdWords support, so you can view AdWords ROI metrics without

having to import cost data or add keyword tracking codes. You'll

get the information you need to strengthen your marketing

initiatives and create higher-converting websites without


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professional analytics experience. Best of all, Google Analytics is

completely free to use and 100% safe, so you can spend money on

marketing, not on web analytics. All you need to do is register the

Grandmas Helpers, LLC website with Google Analytics.

Organizational Memberships

Moving coordinators are NASMMs trusted colleagues in the rapidly

growing area of senior relocation, transition and downsizing. These

companies are valued collaborators in helping NASMM shape the

bright future and integrity of senior move management as a whole

(Buysse, 2008). According to the NASMM website, the majority of

client moves by NASMM members are to the following types of

residences:

1. Assisted Living Communities (84.86%)2. Independent Living Communities (84.32%)3. Active Adult Communities (84.32%)4. Continuing Care Retirement Communities (65.41%)5. Townhouse or Condo (53.51%)6. Skilled Nursing Facility (26.49%)7. Family Members Home (24.86%)8. Adult Family Group Home (11.35%)

Grandmas Helpers, LLC needs to build strong relationships with

senior communities in the Rochester region for reputation

enhancement and overall brand awareness. These senior

communities, for example, could offer new residents a set number

of hours of access to move management assistance at no charge

to the resident.


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We also recommend you become a member of one or more of

the following organizations to build your credibility and perceived

trustworthiness:

MoveSeniors and CRTS (http://www.moveseniors.com)

The only third-party credential in the industry and is much more

than a paid membership or certificate. It is a Professional

Designation that is earned. Through accreditation, all CRTS

graduates comprise the body of professionals known as the

CRTS Registry. This group represents standards of excellence in

the field of senior home transition and is maintained by the

Senior Transition Society Council.

IONA Senior Services (http://iona.org)

A nonprofit community organization dedicated to enabling

older people to live with dignity and independence. IONAprovides services and access to programs designed to meet the

needs of seniors and their families.

NAPO National Association of ProfessionalOrganizers

(http://napo.net)

The premier national association dedicated to the field of

organizing, serving customers through education, networking,

industry resources, and promoting the profession to the public.

NAPOs mission is to develop, lead, and promote professional

organizers and the organizing industry. The association is also

affiliated with the National Association of Senior Move

Managers (NASMM).


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SeniorChecked (http://public.seniorchecked.com)

A legitimate business charter filed with state governments to

mark distinction in the senior industry by completing rigorous

review and verification processes. The service provides potential

customers peace of mind that your business is thoroughly

background checked, consumer endorsed, legitimate,

licensed, insured, and committed to seniors.

myTimeHero (http://www.mytimehero.com)

A social networking site similar to Facebook but targeted

toward an older audience, designed to connect with others of

similar interests through chat, photos, workshops, games, and

more.

LinkedIn

A professional networking site designed to reconnect with pastand present colleagues, classmates, and industry experts and

discover insider connections for new business opportunities.


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HOW DO WE ENSURE SAFE ARRIVAL?

Striving for more website visitors without the knowledge of winning web

traffic analysis is a blind fight. You need to know where your visitors are

coming from, what terms they use to find you on the search engines, and

which pages they visit most often. The section of How do we ensure safe

arrival? will put in place the timeframes and implementations that will be

required for your success. By following the 7S model, Grandmas Helpers,

LLC will be able to stay organized and implement the strategies that will

benefit you in the future.


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Key Resources Revisited (7S Framework)

Strategy

The new and improved strategy will look to attract new

potential clients through the website and forum while still

informing past and potential customers about the services

provided, instead of relying mainly on referrals from past clients

and friends. However, Grandmas Helpers, LLC will maintain an

empathic and sensitive team that helps to increase customer

value, still using personal and customizable treatment as the

main component of increasing clientele through word of

mouth.

Structure

Bobbie Goodridge will remain the sole proprietor and senior

move manager of Grandmas Helpers, LLC. The team will also

still include two other senior move managers: Margot Long andKathy Scott, with the potential for additional staff in the future.

Systems

Besides just being a website where customers can access

information on the services provided, your website will be a

means of collecting customer information and implementing a

database. The process of keeping your data will be a new

system that will be put in place. This can be easily implemented

with an Excel document to store potential and current clients

information attained via the registration process for the forum.

The database can be used to keep in contact with previous

clients and may lead to more referrals.


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Skills

You will have an increased ability to be sensitive and empathic

with each customer while providing the physical assistance of

moving to a new house by enhancing your understanding of

your customers needs through increased customer feedback

with the implementation of different tools offered from Google

such as Adwords and Analytics as well as other free website

statistical tools. You will need to become familiar with these

offerings and become comfortable with using them.

Staff

With the new strategies in place, the company Grandmas

Helpers, LLC should see a growth in revenue allowing the hiring

of additional staff to increase the efficiency of the company.

StyleBy revamping the website and starting an online forum,

Grandmas Helpers, LLC will look more professional and appear

as a more trustworthy company.

Shared Values

The shared values of the company should remain the same with

the caring theme. In order to move forward, the company must

maintain cohesiveness with all future employees.


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Suggested Steps

Step 1

Create an account with Google to create a campaign on

Adwords as well as begin using Google Analytics. Start by

03/02/2009.

Step 2

Begin collecting client data such as name, address, location, new

address (if moving) and keep stored in a database such as an

Excel file. Use the database of client information to send greeting

cards, and use potential client information from the website forum

to e-mail offerings and other contact information.

Step 3

Find a student intern who will revamp your company website and

start a forum for topics on elderly moving.

Step 4

Begin actively posting on forums at least once per day to answer

questions as well as adding new content for the first month.

Step 5

Create a video of company offerings to be placed on

Youtube.com and embed the video into your website as well as

links to the video from the forums.


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Step 6

Continue to be active on the forums by increasing the amounts of

posts per day to 2-3, and keep the information on the website as

up to date.

Step 7

Continue to be more active on forums and create a campaign on

Youtube.com of more videos that can be used towards a viral

marketing campaign.


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Metrics & Standards for Success

Customer Feedback

This section will be related to the overarching section of the website

redesign in terms of its increased trustworthiness and

professionalism. To evaluate a new website, the only accurate way

to seek feedback from former and potential customers. We also

suggest measuring brand recognition increases through forum

presence. The simplest way to do this would be to conduct asurvey. Interviews and focus groups may award you more specific

details about the issues that may exist. There are claims that it is

possible to measure website attractiveness without talking to

customers, but in the end, all that matters is what the customers

think of the website. You can also subjectively browse popular

senior living forums for information about Grandmas Helpers, LLC

posted by others, as well as the general acceptance and

acknowledgement of Grandmas Helpers, LLC professional postings

on the boards. Viewing an increased number of references to your

website and improved responses to these postings will be the best

way to measure increased brand awareness.

While it is unlikely that you will be able to invest the money

necessary to create a perfect website, there is easily room for

improvement. We recommend that a minimum of 70% of

respondents rank the website as moderate or above average. If

money is an issue, we would suggest slightly lower standards of at

least 60% ranking it moderate or above average.

In order to ensure continued success and compensate if standards


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are not reached, we have a few particular suggestions. The first

recommendation is to increase the number of posts, while it is not

possible to set a specific number of posts since it is going to require

judgment calls to avoid spam. If it seems that Grandmas Helpers,

LLC has been posting a lot and not meeting the standards, we

suggest you look at the responses to their threads for feedback. We

also recommend continually evaluating the quality of posts and

responses referencing quality of information. Whenever there

seems to be a lapse, we recommend working to increase posting

quality to maximize perceived trustworthiness. In general,

Grandmas Helpers, LLC will have to spend a lot of effort evaluating

their posting quality and quantity to find the right level to maximize

return. This will take trial and error in building a successful forum

presence.

Google Analytics SoftwareWhen Grandmas Helpers, LLC does alter their search engine

optimization, it is very important to measure the effectiveness of

individual search terms, as well as determine how much of an

overall increase in traffic you see from Internet searches. To

measure the effectiveness of improved search engine optimization

we recommend watching the increase in the number of hits to your

website that are directed from search engines. We suggest

Grandmas Helpers, LLC to monitor the specific search terms that

were used to bring in customers the most often, as well as monitor

the overall increase in traffic to the website from search engines.

We believe it is entirely reasonable to see a 25% increase in traffic


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through search engines within 6 months of adding new search

terms. We also believe that with continued work on finding new

search terms, and altering search terms to match new services, it is

possible to see as high as a 50% increase in traffic through search

engines within one year of implementation and easily maintain a

position in the top 20 listed results from Google search.

Our primary suggestion for maintaining success and adapting to

any lack of success in meeting the proposed standards is in

continually updating search terms based on services offered. We

also recommend continually monitoring your competitors search

terms for new ideas. As adding to metatags does not cost money,

we recommenmnjjjjjd that Grandmas Helpers, LLC update these

whenever they have new ideas. If it is still difficult to increase traffic

through search engine optimization, we recommend that

Grandmas Helpers, LLC be ready to invest in search engineoptimization by putting key search terms at the top of the results list

on Google. The terms that are worth paying for can be determined

by choosing the keywords that bring in the highest number of

visitors as tracked by Google Analytics.


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Budget

Since our client is working out of pocket, our thinking for suggestions to

improve the business of Grandmas Helpers, LLC was based on a zero-

dollar budget. For the aspects of revamping the companys website as

well as creating a forum, we feel the use of a student internship or student

project would allow our client to get these created at a minimal to no

cost. As for our suggestions with Google Adwords and Google Analytics,

our client can choose depending on monthly income how much she is

willing to pay at a day-by-day budget. The only other cost that would be

associated with this marketing plan would be the clients actual time put

into implementing these ideas, which would be associated with creating

a video that could be placed on Youtube.com for free advertising about

the companys offerings.


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Risks

In every company decision there is risks that could lead to negative

consequences. A few of the risk we could see from this marketing plan

are listed below.

1. The forums do not become as popular as expected2. The student intern does not do a professional job with the site.3. The keywords chosen do not reach top 20 status with Google

search.


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LIMITATIONS

As with any research and consulting work, there are some limitations that

are simply unavoidable. This section details some of the most notable

limitations we ran into as students during the research and writing of this

report.

Due to time constraints and scheduling issues between us and Bobbi

Goodridge of Grandmas Helpers, LLC, we were unable to schedule any

personal interviews or surveys over the phone, online, or in person with

current or potential customers. As such our research is primarily based on

and limited to data gathered on industry trends, market competition, and

personal insight. This secondary research could lead to several general

problems, including a mismatch between data and needs, quality issues,

the lack of control over collection procedures, and out-of-date

information (Hair, 2008). For these reasons, we strongly encourage you to

conduct your own primary research of observation, experimentation, or

surveys both to improve the quality of your business decision-making by

means of accurate, relevant information about the marketplace and to

monitor and control the business and performance of your marketing

activities.

It is also necessary to note a lack of information by nature of the inability

to arrange full, consistent meeting times between us and Grandmas

Helpers, LLC and potential information gathered from Google Analytics

on the sites current trends. We were unable to gather information on

profits or time lapse between transactions, along with personal customer

experiences. Please keep in mind, it can be difficult to determine whether

failure to reach objectives are caused by poor information, poor


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planning, or poor execution (Hair, 2008). There can also be timing delays

in the control process. With this understanding, we recommend future E-

marketing projects for Grandmas Helpers, LLC take these limitations into

consideration when performing research or developing means of primary

research. This would ensure more accurate results and stronger feedback

for future E-marketing plans.


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CONCLUSION

Senior move managers are members of a fledgling industry thats gaining

a foothold across the nation by offering elders practical help and

emotional support when they enter nursing homes or downsize into

retirement communities (Heckman, 2007).

Grandmas Helpers, LLC is company that strives to provide peace of mind

for adult children and their parents. The company is ran by legitimate

business owners with incredible passion and experience in customer

service, who treat their clients with respect and professionalism. The local

business is not only a smart and innovative concept based on market and

industry trends, but one that greatly helps those most in need of

assistanceseniors.

The Internet today provides many web-specific marketing control

challenges, including a higher visibility of errors, a more dynamic

competitive environment, more fluid organizational boundaries, a more

dynamic market environment, and more complex linkages (Hair, 2008).

Change is happening at a rapid rate in the virtual world, requires SMART

objectives with a strong tactical battle plan and consistent follow-up. We

sincerely hope that this Internet marketing plan provides Grandmas

Helpers, LLC with a clearer understanding of strategic and tactically

enabled business opportunities for an online competitive advantage in

order to extend market reach, explore new markets, channels and

methods, and innovate old marketing strategies.


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Thank you to Neil Hair of Rochester Institute of Technology

Elizabeth Del Valle, Gregory Hanson, Karyn Lewis, and Zach Myrow of the

0105-440-01 Internet Marketing course at Rochester Institute of Technology

in the winter quarter 2008-2009, would like to take this opportunity to thank

Professor Neil Hair, PhD, Chartered Marketer, and Professor, for all your

assistance in integrating this Internet marketing plan and your role in

facilitating our knowledge acquisition and the means to independently

identify and locate necessary resources.

Your passion and expertise for Internet marketing has provided us

wonderful experience and inspiration. We thank you for the thorough and

comprehensive information we have obtained by taking this course, and

we wish you the best in all future endeavors.

Signed,

February 24, 2009

Elizabeth Del Valle ___________________________

Gregory Hanson ___________________________

Karyn Lewis ___________________________

Zach Myrow ___________________________


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REFERENCES

American Marketing Association (AMA). (1995). Dictionary. Available at:

http://www.marketingpower.com/_layouts/Dictionary [Accessed

15 February 2009].

Buysse, M.K., 2008. Moving an Aging America. Direction, 65 (12), pp. 44-48.

Capala, M., 2008. Basics of E-Business - Building a Successful Brochure

Website.CP Communications Blog, [Online] 29 May. Available at:

http://www.cpcom.com/blog. [Accessed 9 February 2009].

DeSimone, B., 2006. This is a Job for Senior Move Managers. The New York

Times, [Online] 24 Oct. Available at: www.nytimes.com [Accessed

13 February 2009].

Enlick, 2005. Marketing Objectives, [Online] Available at:

www.enclick.com [Accessed 19 February 2009].

Hair, N., 2008. Marketing and the Internet. [Presentation] Internet

Marketing course, Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, Winter

2009.

Heath, T., 2009. Value Added: The Move Management Industry. The

Washington Post Washbiz Blog, [Online] 2 Feb. Available at:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/washbizblog [Accessed 13

February 2009].

Heckman, M., 2007. Senior move management companies offer practical


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INDEX

Examples of Good Web Design

The screenshots of the following websites are some examples of eye-

catching, well-designed websites for Senior Move Management:

Beautiful Spaces

www.beautifulspaces.net

While Beautiful Spaces does not use any interactive flash or have a

particularly attractive design, it is simple to use, and it has

certifications listed.


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Examples of Poor Web Designs

The screenshots of the following websites are some examples of poorly-

designed websites for Senior Move Management:

More Than Moving, Inc.

www.morethanmovinginc.com

More than Moving means well. However, their amateurish designincorporates many design fo-paws including the font Comic Sans

and a great deal of clipart. They also use the menu bar that is often

used by goodle to display advertisements. Additionally, their

descriptive sections are not poignant enough and do not provide

particular confidence.


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Simplified Spaces

www.simplifiedspaces.net

Simplified Spaces is unclear, amateurish and does not lookcredible.


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The Simplifierswww.thesimplifiers.com

The Simplifiers has far too many design aspects on one page.

Information about their company is provided via banners that look

like advertisements. The website looks like a placeholder and doesnot provide any confidence that this is aprofessional organization.

grandma's helpers internet marketing plan

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