NatureCare Products is based in Brisbane, Queensland Australia. It commenced business, manufacturing and retailing eco-friendly, high quality beauty skin care products.
The business was established to cater for a growing demand for skin products that contain eco-friendly and natural ingredients. There is also an emphasis on eco-friendly packaging.
NatureCare Products’ current Strategic Plan identifies that its vision is to be a market leader for providing high quality, sustainable skin care products.
Organisational Objectives
To be a high performing profitable business
To be a leader and innovator in natural, eco-friendly cosmetics
To attract, engage and develop the best staff
It has identified its major competitors as being Jurilique and Botani and is currently working on positioning itself against this strong competition. The prices of its products are slightly higher than major competitors.
The organisation currently consists of the CEO, Operations Manager, Sales Manager, Marketing Assistant, Customer Sales Officers (5) and Administration staff (3). All the positions are based in the office in Brisbane.
The Company’s Current Range of Products Include
Cleansing creamsto soothe skin during make-up removal. Primary ingredients are Shea butter to nourish the skin and plant the skin, and plant extracts rich in essential oils with regenerating and anti-inflammatory properties. This product is for delicate and mature skins and can also be used as a baby cream.
Multi Protection Day Moisturizing Creamsfor dry to normal skin types that help protect the skin during the day. It contains shea butter and extracts from fragile green algae that provides hydrating and protective properties.
Regenerating facial scrub to clean off dead skin cells to promote regeneration of healthy new cells. This product can be used on most skin types.
The company has become well established in the Australian market and sells its products in health stores across the country. However, the company wants to widen its range of retails outlets with other outlets that reflects its desired positioning.
It also sells its products online through its own web site, although there is no SEO, and no social media presence currently.
The company targets customers that want high quality, eco-friendly products. Market research has identified that around of customers are professional women aged.
The current strategy of the company as identified in its latest Marketing Plan is niche marketing to the target group based on positioning the products as high quality and eco-friendly.
With regard to the marketing of NatureCare Products, the company is reasonably happy with sales through the web site but would like to do more in the future, for example, through reviewing search engine optimisation and to use social media to generate sales. The company is in a strong financial position and has a budget of around $150,000 for marketing for the upcoming financial year.
The company would like to add more products over time and is focussed on a range of products to meet particular skin needs rather than a one-size fits all. The company is also interested in expanding overseas. Research has identified that Japan may represent a good opportunity for the company, as it has been identified there are good opportunities for products made from natural ingredients. The company has also decided to target essentially the same group of consumers as for the Australian market, as it has identified that a key group of consumers in Japan for cosmetic products are middle-aged and older women who seek functionality and higher-value-added items.
Regarding the company’s current promotional activities, successful promotional activities have been advertisements on the Australian body + soul web site and in the Natural Health magazine. There have also been in-store promotions with the focus on high quality products for women.
The Management Team of Nature Care Products has Advised Primary Marketing Objectives are:
Increase the number of people who make a purchase while visiting the online store.
Increase the number of retail outlets selling NatureCare Products
To increase product awareness amongst the target market
To increase market share
To expand into at least one international market.
To identify new products and new markets.
To attain annual growth of at least over the next three years.
Regarding market trends, the following have all contributed to the growth in popularity of natural-based personal care products:
health warnings
environmental concerns
ethical concerns
therapy awareness
organic attitudes
It is predicated that natural/organic skincare, hair care and cosmetics sales will continue to grow strongly in the retail sector. Cosmetics in general are also still growing strongly.
Question 1: Develop a Marketing Plan
Use the information from your marketing plan briefing report from Assessment Task 2 and also ensure that you your marketing plan addresses any feedback given to you by your assessor at the end of Assessment Task.
Draft Marketing Plan
Introduction
Develop an introduction to the plan explaining why the plan has been prepared.
Background
Provide summary information, for example:
product (when introduced, life cycle stage, sales, number of variations)
company (when started, specialisations, growth, sales, customers, employees)
industry (when started, size, growth, value, segments)
specific market (type of market, growth, size, value, segments, when started).
Describe customers
Describe competitors
Swot and Pest Analyses
Outline all the internal and external factors that can affect the implementation of the marketing plan. The section will deal with any doubts the reader might have over whether or not the plan can be implemented successfully by ensuring that such issues are incorporated in the plan.
Marketing Objectives
Discuss marketing objectives and in relation to overall business objectives.
Marketing Mix Strategies
Discuss marketing strategies including:
Product Strategy
Pricing Strategy
Distribution (place) Strategy
Communication (promotional) Strategy
Explain the rationale for the proposed strategies.
