Digital Marketing Plan Using SOSTAC Framework

Faculty of Information Science and Technology Marketing

Plan

Course: Marketing & E-commerce

Course code: TME2361

Created by Maryam Aderonke Bello 1081120756

Hilda Nkeiruka Chukwu 107119008

CONTENTS

1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................3

2. Executive Summary........................................................................................................................................3

3. Organisation Vision, Mission & Values..........................................................................................................4

4. Marketing Vision & Mission...........................................................................................................................4

5. Situation Analysis............................................................................................................................................6

6. Organisation & Marketing Objectives..........................................................................................................12

7. Strategy..........................................................................................................................................................15

8. TACTICS......................................................................................................................................................16

9. ACTION AND CONTROL..........................................................................................................................17

11. Appendix...................................................................................................................................................18

12. Find Out More...........................................................................................................................................18

1. INTRODUCTION

The Faculty of Information Science and Technology (FIST) is one of the major academic units in the university. It plays a pivotal role in producing IT competent personnel to serve in the new and fast-growing knowledge-based industry in addition to the manufacturing, business and financial sectors.

The Faculty of Information Science and Technology (FIST) was set up with the establishment of Multimedia University in Melaka. In 1999, the Faculty migrated part of its faculty members and all the students to the newly opened Cyberjaya campus. In the year 2000, the Faculty Formally split into two; Faculty of Information Technology (FIT, currently known as Faculty of Computing and Informatics (FCI)) and Faculty of Information Science and Technology (FIST)

Currently the Faculty of Information Science and Technology consists of five Majors namely Data Communications and Networking, Security Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology Management, Bioinformatics. Two other Majors, Business Information systems and medical information technology was phased out 2009.

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This marketing plan spells out the vision, mission and objectives as well as the core values of the Faculty of Information science technology. The plan gives the background information as concerns the evolution of the faculty to its current status. It also has a analysis of the strategic goals as well as the strategies/strategic objectives to be pursued in the mission to realize the set goals. This chapter further defines the action plans and specific activities in line with the set objectives. The specific goals are set out below:

o Provide and maintain world class infrastructure that supports the functions of the faculty

o Attract, develop and retain competent staff o Improve students, academic and technical staff English communication skillso Ensure failure rate as high as 50% doesn't happeno Ensure its a faculty of first choice among other universities which places students

first o Ensure a more affordable and competitive tuition fees compared to other

universitieso Build international strategic partnerships for research, teaching and knowledge

transfero Increase the international student communityo Strengthen the prominence of faculty of Information Science Technology among

other universities o Ensure world class academic and technical staff compared to our competition

faculty from other universities

3. ORGANISATION VISION, MISSION & VALUES

MISSION

The Faculty of Information Science and Technology (FIST) aims to develop quality, innovative and inspired graduates that are capable of analyzing organizational situations, design, develop technological solutions and staff with inquiring minds. With the multi-disciplinary nature of the work of today’s IT Professional, the faculty promotes multi-disciplinary research and activities, infusing its faculty with teachers coming from various allied and related fields. The faculty supports its faculty members through faculty development programs for professional training and development, recognition of their consultancies and project involvements outside of the University.

In incorporating up-to-date skills development into its programs, the faculty is aggressively seeking for external linkages and partnerships with leading technological companies.

VISION

To be a premier centre for information and communication technology (ICT) education and research.

Producing qualified and well-rounded Information System professionals and Instructional Systems technologists that are technically competent to design and develop technological solutions for the information needs of industry, government and academe;

Establishing local leadership in the field of Information Systems and Instructional Systems education in the country;

CORE VALUES

Student FacultyIntegrity Transparency Fairness Teamwork Professionalism Academic freedom Courtesy Reliable

TrustworthyProgressiveService Excellence Innovation

4. MARKETING VISION & MISSION

MISSION

To Support the Faculty of Information Science Technology and ensure a strong presence through advertising, raising brand awareness, and enable it achieve the leading choice of study among potential students who want to study in the information systems sector.

VISION:

Use all skills learnt in class to deliver a strong brand and message.

5. SITUATION ANALYSIS

One of the most critical activities in marketing planning is to analyze the internal and external environment within which the institution operates. One approach used in this analysis—the SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. SWOT was used to analyze both the external and internal environment..

THE STUDENTS

As of 31st of December 2012, the University has a student enrolment of 18668. The following tables give demographic of students.

UDERGRADUATE STUDENT NO. OF STUDENT

Alpha Program 2238Diploma Program 2588Bachelor Program 12143Distance Education Program 125Internet - Based Programi. Diploma 0ii. Bachelor Degree 3Intensive English Program 131Total 17228

POSTGRADUATE STUDENT NO. OF STUDENT

By Research 459

By Coursework 915DBA 66Total 1440

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

NO. OF STUDENT

Melaka 675

Cyberjaya 1863

Total 2538

TARGET AUDIENCES

Prospective students Parents Alumni Community

CURRENT AUDIENCES

Academics Marketing Professionals

CUSTOMER TOUCH POINTS

Touch Point Department Does it meet their expectation/need?

Competitive Edge

Website FIST - Could be clearer on what we do- Easy to find information- Good call to action

- Video Centric

FIST OFFICE FIST -Easy to get information-No prompt reply-Language barrier

-Interactive

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ENVIROMENTAL ANALYSIS(SWOT)

One of the Most Important part of any marketing plan is the assessment of the institution’s current strengths, challenges and the opportunities that emanate from both the internal and external environment. The assessment commonly referred to as a SWOT analysis enables the faculty to develop strategies to manage both its internal and external environment:

The Faculty Strengths -S

Ample land for strategic development National recognition Rich history and legacy in ICT Existing infrastructure Ability to attract International linkages

and collaboration Vast potential to utilize the existing

facilities for income generation Well equipped IT Laboratories Programming Efforts

Weakness Perceived high tuition cost No uniqueness. Lack Proper English communication skills

Opportunities-O

Increased demand for higher education

University- Industry collaborations

Growing demand for consultancies

Existing ICT capacity

Rapid technological advances

SO strategiesMatch strength and opportunities and then increase d amount of promotion on quality programs

WO strategies

Threats-T

Competition from other

ST strategiesAvoid threat posed by increased competition

WT strategiesWork to minimize perceived weakness in the inability to compete with price.

universities Escalating cost of education High cost of ICT infrastructure

and technical equipment Fast technological changes in

ICT Global economic recession

FACULTY COMPETITION

Who are they? Brand Marketing Mix Potential competitive advantage on usNow Name: Universiti Kebangsaan

Founded in:1994

Faculty of Information Science and Technology consists of five programmes namely Computer Science Programme, Science and System Management Programme, Information Science Programme, Industrial Computering Programme, Multimedia Studies Programme, Intelligent System Programme

Product Computer Science Programme Science and System

Management Programme Information Science

Programme Industrial Computering

Programme Multimedia Studies

Programme Intelligent System Programme

Price: Fees are relatively low here. UKM FIST faculty international students pay rm5000 per semester while local students pay 2035

Place: University as a whole is located within nodes of transport

Promotion: UKM has so far used personal selling and publicity

What do they offer which is better than you? Lower tuition fees

6. ORGANISATION & MARKETING OBJECTIVES

The SMART framework was used to set the objectives. The SMART stands for:

Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time bound

SHORT TERM (1 – 3 YEARS)

Objective StrategyApproximately 3 years 1. Improve students, academic

and technical staff English communication skills

1. To invest in the Language development of our academic and technical staff;

Approximately 3 years 1. Ensure failure rate as high as 50% doesn't happen

1. Develop student Generic skills2. increase number of student peers

(leaders, mentors, supplemental instructors, teaching assistants, etc.) by 15%

MEDIUM TERM (3 – 5 YEARS)

Objective Strategy (Over 2 years) 1. Ensure its a faculty of first

choice among other universities which places students first

1. To enhance the quality of the graduate

(Over 2 years) 1. Ensure a more affordable and competitive tuition fees compared to other universities

1. Create reasonable plans to reduce tuition fees

(Over 2 years) 1. Build international strategic partnerships for research, teaching and knowledge transfer

2. Increase the international student community

3. Integrate an intercultural dimension into teaching, research and service functions

LONG TERM (5 YEARS PLUS)

Time Frame Objective StrategyOver five years 1. Strengthen the prominence

of faculty of Information Science Technology among other universities

1. Attract highly qualified and skilled staff

2. Boost the image of the University College

3. Identify and nurture existing programs and areas of excellence that have achieved or have potential to achieve national or international prominence.

Over five years 1. Ensure world class academic and technical staff compared to our competition faculty from other universities

1. Improve pay grades2. Provide a reward mechanism and

develop and retain competent staffs

3. work toward full postgraduates academic staffs

7. STRATEGY

SEGMENTATION

- Demographics Age: Teens, youths, middle age, adults Gender: male and female Education: high school, college and university Income: Low, medium, high Marital status: All marital status Ethnic or religious background: all ethnic group Family life cycle

- Geographic not specific, the world

- psychographic

Lifestyle: conservative, exciting, trendy, economical

Social class: lower, middle, upper

Opinion: easily led or opinionated

Activities and interests: sports, physical fitness, shopping, books

Attitudes and beliefs: environmentalist, security conscious.

TARGET

Since the faculty is looking to cut cost down, mass marketing or concentrated marketing would be best for the faculty. So the faculty as a whole would focus on the common needs of consumers rather than on what is different. or start up niches &broaden markets served.

POSITIONING

Position by products benefits. show how product/service would produce benefit to potential customers

MARKETING MIX

Objective Propsition/mixProduct 1. Degree awarded, reintroduce phased out degrees

Place 1. virtual learning media

Price 1. competitive tuition fees 2. flexible course approaches3. Competitive smart pricing strategies

Promotion 1. Brochures2. Internet marketing3. International education exhibition4. advertising5. public relation

People 1. Full post graduate staffs2. Personal contacts 3. Face to face communication4. Good contact points on faculty website(live chat)

Physical Evidence 1. Conducive facilities2. Brochures 3. Awards

Processes 1. Excellent administrative process

ONLINE MARKETING STRATEGY AND PRESENCE

The Faculty of Information Technology has an almost perfect online presence. They do have a website with easy navigation, Good and attractive content, Clean User Interface. However to have a successful internet marketing strategy, the faculty need to improve on the content management system, have an effective web based consumer support system and a Live chat application. The website needs to fit properly into FIST overall marketing objectives and marketing plan. A consistent message across all marketing tools uses is essential as internet can be more cost effective than other marketing tools

Figure 1 - No customer support system and live chat

8. TACTICS

Reintroducing phased out degrees could be done by raising awareness about this course, recruitment of new academic staffs to support previously insufficient academic staffs. A competitive tuition fees can be attained following a competitive pricing strategy. This strategy sets price against competitors. Competitors are analysed. Promotion is the key element. Creating education exhibition is common , then a non media public relations such as newsletters, websites press room. Ensuring a strict recruitment rules would boost the quality of academic staffs recruited. Also renovating and improving current facilities would improve the overall facilities in the faculty.

9. ACTION AND CONTROL

RESOURCES

Title ResponsibilitiesMarketing Manager -Planning/Strategy/TacticalProject Manager Oversees/ImplementationHuman Resource Manager Recruitment of new staffs

BUDGET

Annual costs Annum(each) Annum(Total) Month(each) Month(Total)5 New academic staffs (at least masters) RM60,000  RM300,000 RM5,000 RM25,000

5000PCS Brochure RM0.1 RM500

Exhibition operating costs RM100,000 RM100,000

Advertising RM100,000 RM100,000

FIST Website improvement RM15,000

Online Marketing RM40,000 RM40,000

Sub Total RM555,500