Strategic Marketing Management Paper free essay sample

After showcasing her talent as the lead in her high school’s production of Grease, Tasha Schuh began to dream of a career in theatre. No one presumed that the stage itself would steal her dream—and almost her life—during a rehearsal for her next big show. Just days before her opening night performance in The Wizard of Oz, Tasha took one step backward and fell 16 feet through a trap door. Landing on the concrete floor below the stage, she spent the next three days preparing for a surgery that would at best leave her a C-5 quadriplegic. Post-op complications turn Tasha’s struggle and ultimate triumph into an unbelievable journey. From loss and grief, to self-discovery and achievement, Tasha’s faith, resilience, and honesty have allowed her to leave the old Tasha behind while she confronts the new Tasha’s life from a state of the art wheelchair. This poignant memoir from the current Ms. Wheelchair USA inspires readers to welcome adversity—to â€Å"face your own trap door of opportunity. † Tasha constantly says, â€Å"†¦ every day is a gift†¦ and I will never take a step backward again. This book is just one example of how she lives these words everyday and inspires others to do the same, no matter what their â€Å"trap door† might be. Firm History The book was published in December 2012, and initial response to the book has been tremendous. Two additional printings have already been ordered with a third printing expected in late April 2013. The Dane Foundation and the Ms. Wheelchair USA organization are marketing promoting the book. The Dane Foundation was founded eight years ago, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio by five friends determined to make a unique difference in the lives of those with disabilities. The Dane Foundation is headquartered in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, but services and supports are promoted on a national, grassroots level. The 501C3 organization’s mission is to provide for the unique needs of individuals with disabilities, single mothers and their children with disabilities, and senior citizens. In addition, the organization has a mandate to provide programs that promote acceptance and understanding of individuals served, utilizing unique information and learning avenues. One of those unique avenues is the Ms. Wheelchair USA program. Ms. Wheelchair USA began as a state competition more than fourteen years ago. Women with disabilities from all over Ohio would trek to the Akron area for a four-day, televised live competition, which promoted their abilities, despite disabilities. After much persistence from women all over the country, the organization expanded and founded the national competition six years ago. Each year twelve national finalists are selected from countrywide applicants and then they compete in the weeklong national finals held each July in Northeast Ohio. Contestants participate in several interview competitions, a platform presentation, evening gown competition, and of course, several production numbers live on stage as well as community based activities throughout the week. The mission of the Ms. Wheelchair USA program is to promote glamour, self-confidence and community service†¦celebrating the achievements of women with disabilities. Ms. Wheelchair USA became a program under The Dane Foundation’s umbrella when producer Lowery D. Lockard co-founded The Dane Foundation eight years ago. The book by Tasha came on the heels of her crowning as the 2012-2013 Ms. Wheelchair USA. Representing Wisconsin, Tasha was selected as a national finalist and was ultimately crowned the titleholder. The book is her story of tragedy and success; the book is the example of uniqueness promoted by The Dane Foundation. The Dane Foundation is currently seeking a way to promote My Last Step Backward as an inspirational learning opportunity for those with and without disabilities. The book is a tool in the organization’s larger mission and, of course, is a estament to the abilities of women with disabilities like Tasha. (This section of the MMGP and compilation provided by Lowery D. Lockard. ) The Four P’s – Old New Product: My Last Step Backward is an inspirational book telling the story of author Tasha Schuh’s struggle facing life as a quadriplegic and her journey closer to God. Tasha was sixteen and loved life and acting. A tragic stage accident caused Tasha t o fall through a trapdoor in the stage causing her permanent paralysis. Her dreams of stage were over†¦or so she thought. As the new Ms. Wheelchair USA, Tasha has been on many stages, both large and small, inspiring others with her story of determination and encouraging them to take their Last Step Backward. Place: This book can be purchased online through Tasha’s website, www. Tashaschuh. com; The Ms. Wheelchair USA website at www. MsWheelchairUSA. org; and The Dane Foundation site at www. TheDaneFoundation. org. The book is also available on Amazon. com, Barnes and Nobles stores and through on-site book signing and meet and greet events all over the US. Amazon and Barnes and Nobles also offer electronic versions of the autobiography. Promotion: Since this is a new product, we have only just begun promoting the book over the past couple of months. Currently, A number of websites are selling My Last Step Backward like The Dane Foundation, Ms. Wheelchair USA organization, Intervarsity- a national Christian fellowship, and Tasha’s own website. The Ms. Wheelchair USA organization has a wonderful promotional flyer that is being distributed through Facebook and other organizational events and activities. In May, Tasha will be making several appearances in Ohio, the headquarters of Ms. Wheelchair USA promoting the book at an event with the City of Stow, as well as at several book signings in local book stores and library sites. We plan to prepare a book tour, combining book signings and press stops throughout the US in June and July. Price: There are several pricing structures available. Those listed here do not include additional charges that may apply related to shipping and handling of the book. Tasha’s website- $17. 99 paperback; Amazon- $12. 47 paperback, $10. 00 kindle version; Barnes and Nobles- $12. 47 paperback, $8. 80 nook version; Ms. Wheelchair USA / The Dane Foundation $17. 99 paperback. The book has also been made available to various organizations with a group discount depending on the number of books purchased. People: The people currently involved in the marketing of the book, My Last Step Backward include a marketing committee specifically assigned from The Dane Foundation and Ms. Wheelchair USA staff and Tasha Schuh. Processes: The processes currently being utilized to market the book include social media, press and promotion, and several on site promotions including meet and greets and personal appearances. The processes include the development of an extended marketing plan, development of trending tools and data with constant review and evaluation of cost and profit of overall book sales and their respective effect on the main organization and Tasha Schuh professional speaker. Programs: There are many programs in their initial implementation stages including social media marketing, personal appearances, a book tour, and store promotions and book signings. The book is also included in the regular programs and activities of both The Dane Foundation and Ms. Wheelchair USA for promotion and sales. Performance: Performance will be monitored by various outcome measures to include profitability of the book itself as well as its effect on the overall successes of The Dane Foundation, Ms. Wheelchair USA, and Tasha Schuh as a professional speaker. In addition, the book will be evaluated in relation to its impact on society both those with and without disabilities. This section of the MMGP and compilation provided by Jenna Seemann, Brian Harrison, and Lowery D. Lockard. ) Demographic Trends: The religious and inspirational book market is growing. E-books are still accelerating in sales and gaining acceptance. These tools include digital textbooks and digital libraries. (In fact, when children register for school, they are told their textbooks will be available online. Online textbooks lessen the amount of material the children have to carry home and negate the excuse, I forgot my book. ) Borders is now publishing books to be sold exclusively in Borders stores and is currently holding a writing contest for store employees. Audio book sales are on the rise. Graphic novels are selling well, with two surprises: There is an increase in nonfiction sales, and more women are buying. The global publishing market is expected to reach a worth of more than $252 billion by 2014, with about -3. 0% decline in the succeeding years. (Book Publishing in the US: Market Research Report, 2013) For more on graphic novels, see http://news. bookweb. rg/news/5333. html. Statistical trends: A recent report from AAP revealed these statistics as influencing factors for book purchases: (Book Publishing in the US: Market Research Report, 2013) Adult Hardcover sales were up 11. 1% Adult Paperback sales were up 0. 3% Adult Mass Market sales were down 4. 6% Unemployment rate 2. 5% annually over the next five years Childrens/YA Hardcover sales were up 22 . 2% Childrens/YA Paperback sales were up 7. 1% Audio Book sales were up 25. 9% E-book sales were up 13. 5% Religious book sales were up 19. 4% Technological changes that have affected consumer acceptance: The EBM (espresso book machine), a print on demand system which allows a buyers to present a credit card and have a requested book print in approximately the amount of time necessary to make a latte, may be coming to a store or library near you in the not-so-distant future. As far as book marketing goes, third-party advertising in books is becoming more prominent. Margaret Atwoods invention, the LongPen, allowed authors to sign books for fans at BEA and The London International Book Fair (among other locations) without leaving home. See (http://www. longpen. com/lp-welcome. html) for more information on this new technology. Larger companies such as Amazon and Simon Schuster are promoting authors with video and podcasts; and Harper Collins will be offering book excerpts via iPhone. Consumer’s tastes and preferences: One thing to take into consideration is how to keep readers interested in a book while awaiting publication. Fortunately there are widgets to help keep people interested in Web pages. An example of this is at –(http://gayletrent. com/stressrelief. aspx). An example of where we might want to give others a heads up about our new book is Publishers Lunch, which is a short version of Publishers Marketplaces daily news. On Tuesdays, they send out Deal Lunch which is about 25% of the book deals reported the previous week. Its a good way to keep abreast of what books are selling. Social /cultural factors: The Internet has also allowed a number of new competitors to enter into the market. Newspapers and magazines not only have to compete with each other, but with websites such as tmz. com and perezhilton. om. Consumers now demand news/gossip that is delivered fast and the print media has had to change its focus. New technologies with regards to printing are another factor that has influenced the publishing industry. Digital printing, for example, has made printing mass produced literature faster and more efficient. It has also led to a new phenomenon in the industry known as print on demand. The pace and ease in which publications are print ed has allowed publishers to print on order, rather than printing in bulk and having that money wasted in storage. E-books are another relatively new technology that is changing the landscape of the publishing industry. Many major publishers in around the world produce e-books along with their printed formats. There are even those in the industry, which specialize purely in e-publishing. In addition, the disability service and supply industry as well as the socialization of those with disabilities into mainstream education, housing, and employment has also presented an opportunity to promote a book like My Last Step Backward. (This section of the MMGP provided by Michael Newby. Market Analysis The Market Analysis for My Last Step Backward is unique in that there are no other autobiographical books written by a woman who has experienced a tragedy like Tasha, and then gone on to become Ms. Wheelchair USA. This makes comparisons difficult, however, by placing the book in the inspirational and informational genres, it is easier to relate various consumer factors. Tasha’s story is inspirational and many of her experiences discussed are informational in nature therefore the book allows us to reach across many target markets. This market analysis will include market information related to the consumer’s behavior expected for this type of product. â€Å"Consumer behavior involves the psychological processes that consumers go through in recognizing needs, finding ways to solve these needs, making purchase decisions (e. g. , whether or not to purchase a product and, if so, which brand and where), interpret information, make plans, and implement these plans. † (Perner, 2008). We know that a consumer’s buying behavior is influenced by many factors including their cultural, social, and personal factors. Market Analysis – Cultural Factors Cultural factors often exert the most influence over a consumer’s behavior. Culture is described as a fundamental determinant of a person’s wants and their behaviors. (Kotler Kotler, 2012). This factor is vital to our product’s market analysis, because it relates to how one was raised, their views and opinions on different topics relating to an individual with disabilities, women, women with disabilities, women in pageants, successful and inspirational women. According to Lars Perner, from the Marshall School of Business, if a consumer’s culture is based on US and some northern European values, a consumer will have been exposed to an expectation of self-worth, pride, philanthropy, and success. So, we can expect their culture is similar to those of the US and they will be most likely consumers of this book, as they will be more accepting and interested in the product and its message. The US culture has changed significantly over the past sixty years in relation to individuals with disabilities and their acceptance into mass society. Therefore, if a consumer has grown up being taught to fear or dislike individuals with disabilities, then they wouldn’t have any interest in purchasing this book. If they were raised in the culture of â€Å"hiding or secluding† individuals with disabilities, they may also be less likely to purchase this book. This may translate to potential consumers who were educated after the 1960’s when individuals with disabilities were being repopulated into society from institutions, and integrated into the public school systems and communities. It is also assumed that if a consumer has been raised in any type of healthcare environment, they will also be more likely to purchase this book. In turn, this will correlate to the different social classes in the United States’ market we are addressing. Someone who grows up in a US household where family members work in the healthcare industry can usually be segmented in a middle class to upper middle class home environment. This social class is more likely to purchase and read books. (Perner, 2008). Market Analysis – Social Factors Social Factors like groups, family, social roles, and status will influence a consumer’s behavior in purchasing items. Therefore, if a consumer grew up wanting to understand disabilities; accepting that individuals with disabilities are a valuable part of the US society; having an understanding and expectation of helping those less fortunate than themselves; if they have a relative or friend with a disability; a relative or friend that works in the healthcare industry; have experienced a tragedy; been exposed to a disability, tragedy accident or untimely death, these are all a positive influence on potential consumer for the book. One of the keys to target for our product will be in identifying the â€Å"Opinion Leader†. They are typically the person or friend one goes to when they are looking to make a purchase and offer influence through advice and opinions. (Kotler Kotler, 2012). (This section of the MMGP provided by Brian Harrison with additions and compilation by Lowery D. Lockard. ) The personal factors that have influence on a consumer’s purchasing of this book include such demographic variables as age and lifecycle stage, occupation, economic situation, and lifestyle choices. Lifestyle choices will envelope a person’s daily activities, hobbies, interests, and opinions. Personality and self-concept will play a significant role here, due to the book’s inspirational and Christian nature. (Shah, 2010) The consumer market for this product will be largely female, ages thirteen to sixty, because of it’s inspirational nature as well as the success and celebrity factor of its female author. A consumer working in the healthcare, entertainment, or inspirational and motivational fields like pageant participants, performers, teachers, ministers, and counselors will show greater interest in this book, since the product is motivational in nature, provides a basis in the entertainment and pageant industry, and is based on an accident that caused a permanent health issue for the author. While a literary product is typically purchased by middle to upper class consumers, the cost of this product is economical for those with less disposable income. Those with a personal or professional interest in individuals with disabilities, successful women, pageant contestants, entertainers, and Christian or inspirational stories in general, will be a likely consumer, based on personal factors. Many of the recently obtained points of sale link the product with other motivational books. Amazon. com actually sells a pair of books, My Last Step Backwards with Best When Broken- another motivational book about life in a wheelchair. Many consumers that purchase this book may also utilize a wheelchair and be looking to this product for some personal guidance in their new or ongoing physical situation. Market Analysis – Psychological Factors Many psychological factors play a part in a consumer’s purchasing behavior. These can include motivation, perception of their current life situation, their inspiration to learn or need to deal with an emotional issue, their personal attitudes and beliefs. (Shah, 2010). When researching books recently viewed and purchased on Amazon. com, many of these are in the inspirational and Christian genre. Some are about life in a wheelchair, loss of a limb, or are inspirational tools offered to deal with life changing occurrences. This indicates that many consumers who will purchase My Last Step Backward may be looking for inspirational supports of a personal or Christian nature. These supports may or may not be following a tragedy. Consumers are looking for tools to fill the need to address issues within their own lives with a loved one or other family member who may be disabled or have become wheelchair bound. They are most likely seeking guidance to help with life adjustments that have resulted from a change in their life. These consumers fall under the need for a story to share and help them also adjusting to their new roles. Similarly, autobiographical books by those with some level of celebrity are also being purchased. My Last Step Backward is written by a celebrity author and will appeal to young women looking for a parent-approved role model. (This section prepared by Jenna Seemann with additions and compilation by Lowery D. Lockard) Market Analysis – Consumer Behaviors Every aspect of consumer behavior will be reviewed and considered as we prepare the marketing plan for My Last Step Backward. An emphasis will be placed on the personal and psychological factors because of the personal, faith based and inspirational nature of the book, as well as its autobiographical format. A main key in our marketing plans will be to â€Å"find the sweet-spot where faith and culture intersect,† as Larry Ross, a successful Dallas Christian based marketing professional explained in a New York Times article. (Saroyan, 2006). Books and programs that rely heavily on faith based inspiration and successes, do well to consider the basic personal needs of a consumer but they must be combined with their culture and faith, Ross said. The biggest national stories since 9/11 have touched on faith and Tasha’s story and resulting success told in My Last Step Backward is certainly founded in faith. While chapters of the book speak to the accident, resulting injuries, surgeries, medical and physical scenarios, the book also speaks to basic human needs, faith, and determination. The consumer market for this product will be largely female, ages thirteen to sixty, because of it’s inspirational nature as well as the success and celebrity factor of its female author. Market Segments – Variables The variables we will consider when segmenting our target markets include geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral. While our geographic segment, at this time, is the United States we will rely on some grassroots marketing to increase marketability and success. Through one-on-one meetings like book signings and presentations, the interest and success of the book will increase after an up-close experience with its author, Tasha Schuh. Demographic segmenting will look to various aspects of the female gender, not dismissing a male audience, but realizing this tool is more female friendly. Various market segments will be approached within the target demographics including a focus on Gen X and Gen Y or Millennials realizing that these approximate 128 million potential consumers will have a more open mind and popular interest in the story of a successful individual with disabilities. Psychographic groups like Experiencers and Achievers will be considered along with Strivers and Believers to apply in our marketing plan combining those that are goal-oriented and successful with young people, those with concrete beliefs and those who are trendy and accepting of inspirational and faith based materials. Book Publishing in the US: Market Research Report, 2013) (This section of the MMGP provided by Lowery D. Lockard previously assigned to Raymond Washington. ) There are many ways we can evaluate the attractiveness of each identified segment. The book publishing process can be divided into three main parts: Commissioning, Editing, Productions. They are explained as follows: 1. C OMMISSIONING. Publishing begins with the generation of a project idea. The project idea is triggered by: New Markets New syllabus Revised syllabus Changing market needs. Proposal from author. Market information is arrived at by conducting market survey. This would entail looking at the market needs to determine whether there is a market gap (market opportunity). The following equations would help to assess the market gap. Market needs – Available = 0 (No Market gap) Market needs – Available = 1 (Market gap) Market needs – Available = -1 (Saturated Market gap) 2. Publishing proposal After the project idea has been generated and market survey conducted, the next step is to assess the economic viability of the project idea. This entails preparation of publication proposal, which captures: All origination costs. Number of copies to print. Printing cost. Unit production cost. Selling price. Number of copies projected to be sold per year. Profit margin. The proposal is assessed against company’s financial objectives. The desired gross margins for all the projects. The period needed to achieve the desired rate of return on investment. (R. O. I. ) The project proposal is either approved or not approved based on above parameters. If the project is approved, then the author(s) is/are identified and commissioned. Manuscript Acquisition Procedures Identify the right author who: Knows his/her subject well. Effectively communicates with target readers. Meets deadlines. Commission author formally in writing. Commissioning letter should give clear briefs and specifications on: Extent of Manuscript. Artwork/illustrations required: Minimum and maximum per chapter. Target audience/readership level so as to determine: Appropriate methodology. Style. Language. Deadline Presentation. Handwritten manuscripts are accepted in very exceptional cases. Typed manuscripts are preferred. They must be typed with good interline spacing and outer margins to allow space for editing. . Manuscript Evaluation Assessment Publishers use in-house editorial staff or a pool of external evaluators to assess submitted manuscripts. Criteria for in-house evaluation Editorial policy which for instance determines the categories in which the company publishes in or the priority publishing segments of the moment. House style. Textbook evaluation criteria. If an in-house evaluation report is pos itive it is always advisable to seek a second external opinion to validate this standpoint. This is because: Editor’s opinion may not be representative enough. Second opinion means fewer risks in terms of book being a flop. Finding external readers/advisors Publishers would always zero in on experts in subject area. They would mainly be practicing/retired teachers/lecturers. They should be given evaluation guidelines by the publisher. Tasha’s book will be a motivational agent for various people from all walks of life considering a variety of factors which influence consumer purchasing. I recommend that we pursue full market coverage or what is known as undifferentiated. The book should not be specialized to one audience. In undifferentiated marketing, the firm ignores segment difference and goes after the whole market with one offer. It designs a product and a marketing program that will appeal to the broader number of buyers. It relies on mass distribution and advertising. It aims to endow the product with a superior image. Undifferentiated marketing is the marketing counterpart to standardization and mass production in manufacturing? The narrow product line keeps down costs of research and development production, inventory, transportation, marketing research, advertising, and product management. The undifferentiated advertising program keeps down advertising costs. Presumably, the company can turn its lower costs into lower prices to win the price sensitive segment of the market. (This section of the MMGP provided by Michael Newby. ) Market Segments Target Markets Our target markets for My Last Step Backward include several segments of women, professional and corporate motivators, and the contemporary Christian market. 1. Teens and Young Women (Gen Y): These women will be targeted, as they are most likely to be a group searching for a positive and successful female role model. Without the hindrances of â€Å"Hollywood† but with all the glamour of a pageant winner, Tasha will appeal to these young women based on her success and celebrity. Tasha’s beauty and self-confidence will inspire young women through her photos and words to overcome any physical thing they see as a defect, and help them turn their doubts into confidence. In addition, her poignant faithfulness will serve as an opportunity for young women to profess their Christian faith and beliefs are not only â€Å"ok† in today’s society, but through their reading of the book this will be instrumental in their growth and success. . Women desiring success: These women will vary in demographics and can include Gen X and Gen Y members. The marketing for this target market will be to focus on their need for acceptance, despite any adversity they may face in their own lives. Tasha’s examples in the book of overcoming serious and numerous obstacles will serve as an inspira tion to other women looking for success and feeling like because of their age, physical issues, income, education, or other personal circumstances that anything is possible if you focus on stepping forward and believing that you have taken your last step backward. We also know that women in this category look for understanding and acceptance and even dream of success and celebrity. (The unbelievable popularity of female-based reality television shows like Dance Moms and The Housewives of XYZ is an example of this! ) We know these women have a belief they can succeed and will use the book as an inspirational tool for success. 3. Women with disabilities and/or Mothers of children with disabilities: This segment will be targeted with the story of Tasha’s accident, medical diagnosis, struggles through the health care process or a tragic injury and subsequent successes and independence. These women and Moms can use the book as a resource of information and processes when dealing with a disability. In addition, the book will serve as an inspirational tool for those that are struggling, new to the disability world, or Moms who doubt that their child with disabilities will ever have an opportunity at success, celebrity, or independence. 4. Contemporary Christian market: The marketing plans will address this contemporary Christian market with a focus on faith overcoming adversity. Tasha clearly speaks to her doubts, her forced reliance on God, and how He has helped her to have the life that others thought she couldn’t have because of her disability. We will address this market’s need for inspirations through a current and trendy example, faith through tragedy, success and triumph despite unbelievable obstacles. It is important to note that we will focus on those within the Contemporary Christian market as tools like celebrity, music, entertainment, and motivational inspiration ideals in the book may not appeal to those looking for a traditional, more old-school, or formal religious answer or inspiration. This section of the MMGP provided by Lowery D. Lockard. ) Positioning of My Last Step Backward There are thousands of autobiographies dating back to c. 175 when Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote The Mediations. Today our book, My Last Step Backward, is still a unique literary offering in the autobiographical/memoir world. It’s a true, li fe story that begins with a Once Upon A Time, and really does end with a â€Å"real life† Happily Ever After! The New York Times suggests thirty-one celebrity â€Å"life† books, several of them are autobiographical in nature. From an autobiography by Clive Davis, founder of Motown Records to stories about Any Worhol and Lady Gaga, these books feature the celebrity â€Å"dirt† and some positives. Books about Princess Grace Kelly, Princess Diana, and Christopher Reeves hold more positives and inspiration and less glitz and glamour. Christopher Reeves wrote the book, Still Me, three years after his spinal cord injury, while another autobiography by Errol Flynn was self-written in 1959. We know that in the next year, Tasha’s memoir will be part of the top 30 on their published reading list! My Last Step Backward is sure to be the first installment by Tasha in a series of survival from tragedy, struggle and triumph books that will grace the shelves and consumer’s nightstands for years to come. The autobiographical book, written by the amazing Tasha Schuh, will inspire the reader while offering information and reality reading. Our Brand Positioning Bull’s-eye below gives a visual target for our team as we position and market My Last Step Backward and ultimately, Tasha Schuh. Our positioning statement encompasses the book’s message†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Take Your Last Step Backward†¦I did! Positioning In The Marketplace Our book, My Last Step Backward has a new and growing position in the marketplace. The book is already making a showing on several social media streams along with early identification on Bing, Google and other popular search engines as an inspirational autobiography†¦a good first step forward! As we research the current standings of t he new book, it hasn’t made the New York Best Sellers List yet, but we are on our way! The book was printed in December 2012 and has already sold more than 1,000 copies with only personal and basic promotion. New placement in markets online and in some bookstores are being secured currently. As we move forward in our marketing and promotion efforts, the book will take a position next to other celebrity, inspirational, memoirs like those of Christopher Reeves and Jodi Tada. According to research on a variety of literary sites from Amazon. com to Alibris Marketplace, etc. there are eight books commonly noted when searching for stories about women with disabilities, inspirational women’s autobiographies, and similar disability tools. These include only one autobiography by a woman, My Body Politic, by Simi Linton. This book was written by an accident victim in the 1970’s and focuses more on advocacy issues relating to the lack of ADA laws in the 80’s and less on inspiration and motivation. (This section of the MMGP and compilation provided by Lowery D. Lockard. ) Competition – The Market Leader A current author that is a Market Leader in our industry is Joni Eareckson-Tada. She has written several books over the years and has one of the more successful autobiographical books about surviving a disability, to date. One of her strengths is capturing the audience with real scenarios and circumstances. She was doing a routine event, and suddenly her life changed forever. However, just like any other person, she understood that just because her prognosis was permanent quadriplegia, that didn’t mean she should quit on life. One of the weaknesses of the book for a general market can be that her books are so strongly tied to her religious message. For some, this may be a deterrent from purchasing the book, because it is marketed as a religious reading and many consumers might not want to tie religion into their leisure readings. We will be tailoring our message for My Last Step Backward to address the aspect of faith, however it will be a secondary factor to inspiration, motivation, and information. We know, after looking at the long-term success of Joni Eareckson-Tada in the religious genre, that we will be able to mimic and exceed those successes to a wider audience acceptance. According to Lee Posen’s article in the Strategic Management Journal, sometimes tailored imitation from firms can help follower firms surpass market leaders. (Posen, 2013) We agree! Another firm leader is Christopher Reeves and his literary works. Despite his death, his books remain on several must read lists of autobiographies and memoirs. His change from the Superman celebrity heartthrob to quadriplegic was a huge and very closely watched life change. His struggles and successes were documented daily for several years as he re-invented his celebrity and learned to triumph in Hollywood following his accident. The book Still Me, written by Reeves three years after his accident, is still on the New York Times best-read list. Sadly the weakness of this competition is that Reeves will add no new entries to his literary shelf since he passed away in 2004. While his foundation, movies, and legacy actively continue, we believe Tasha’s book will have the opportunity to build on Reeves’ messages to those trying to overcome tragedy and life-changing accidents. Competition Brand Elements Brand elements are essential in any successful business. Brand elements cause high levels of brand awareness with target consumers and builds brand equity (Farhana, 2012). We will incorporate elements that are meaningful, memorable, and likeable among the masses. One brand element is our cover, a picture of beautiful Tasha, smiling and wearing a crown while sitting in a wheelchair. This photo, and contemporary cover can stand as a symbol of several things; winning a tournament, winning a pageant, or competing and winning in life. We wanted to capture everyone’s desire to win by illustrating that this book can be read by anyone. In addition, our book offers a unique tragedy†¦a â€Å"last step backward. † While theatre accidents may be commonplace, a life changing theater accident while rehearsing at a high school musical isn’t a common happening. The tragedy is certainly a brand element, but the success and inspiration is another avenue we will follow. This story hasn’t been told yet, and lends itself to many metaphoric indicators when promoting the book and Tasha. Finally, we know that Tasha herself will become a brand element. Her beauty, spirit, determination, and talent will expand from the literary world to the road as a professional speaker, performer, host and more. Her title of Ms. Wheelchair USA can be compared to other celebrities branded, like Olympian Shaun White. Her talents before the accident are still available to her, in a different way, and we will work with her to build on these including the production of a musical cd, more books, etc. In the future, we know that Tasha’s celebrity will lend itself to a brand that can promote a clothing line (perhaps specific to contemporary women with disabilities), motivational tools and entertainment related products. (This section of the MMGP and compilation provided by Brian Harrison, with some additions by Lowery D. Lockard. ) Competition – Brand Mantra The brand mantra for My Last Step Backward is: Informational, Inspirational, Motivational†¦Reality Reading (This section of the MMGP and compilation provided by Lowery D. Lockard. ) Competition – Similar Promises While many books provide an inspirational message, there are no books, which offer a brand promise or mantra quite like ours. Because we are dealing with an individual with a unique story and continuing life, we have the opportunity to grow the â€Å"Happily Ever After† story into reality reading. Many books offer a piece of each section of our mantra, but none that we could find, provided the unique combination of all the pieces of the mantra. The closest stories relate to the Joni Tada and Christopher Reeves stories, similar in the level of tragic to success but different in their individualism and outcomes. This section of the MMGP and compilation provided by Michael Newby with some additions by Lowery D. Lockard. ) Competition – Attributes and Benefits One of the benefits of My Last Step Backward is having a tangible, motivational couch on hand, whenever someone needs one. It is an inspirational, and motivational â€Å"pick-me-up,† that will be there for dail y reference. It is a paperback copy that takes a lot of wear, it is small and portable, and, if you purchased the electronic version, it can be with the reader at all times. Even though it may not be waterproof, fireproof or completely weather proof, obtaining another copy is not difficult. It is available to the reader and will also serve as a positive and motivational gift for all ages. This product benefit relates specifically to three of our target markets. Those in the teen, busy women desiring success and mothers markets will appreciate this Happily Ever After, true, motivational story. Accessibility and ease of use are very important to them. Having a constant and accessible means of support is comforting, especially after experiencing a traumatic accident. This benefit speaks directly to those in our targets of mother’s with children with disabilities and women with disabilities. Specifically those dealing with a new disability. ) It is even better that this â€Å"support couch† is a new and contemporary story, addressing today’s living issues. Being able to have that mobile support to count on and share promotes self-motivation and inspiration. My Last Step Backwards is an inspirational pocketbook that can provide that little bit of motivat ion to the reader whenever they may need it. As our teen market is constantly bombarded with the pressure to be successful and be popular, this book will serve as a tool for them with the road seems to difficult to walk. When our youth market needs a positive inspiration, a life comparison, and a real Happily Ever After reality story (instead of the Housewives of Beverly Hills) they can turn to Tasha and her message. Since Tasha’s faith and Christianity are a part of this book and her ultimate success, the Contemporary Christian target market will benefit from these specific faith-related aspects as well as the overall inspiration and motivation in general. (This section of the MMGP and compilation provided by Jenna Seemann with additions by Lowery D. Lockard. ) Competition – Packaging Labeling We can use packaging and labeling to support our brand image by using our author, Tasha Schuh. Her image speaks for itself†¦a beautiful young woman, wearing a crown, in a wheelchair. Tasha’s inspiration is visible and transferred to the reader through her smile on the book’s cover. The cover is colorful and contemporary, appealing women of all ages. Photos throughout the book show Tasha’s active life in sports and entertainment prior to the accident. Continuing through the book, readers can see her photos in hospital, rehabilitation, and winning at the Ms. Wheelchair USA pageant. In addition, photos of Tasha and her youthful and supportive friends as well as her attractive boyfriend Doug will appeal to our target markets. Any potential consumer that picks up the book and flips through the pages, as most of us do at the bookstore, will see these photos and, if they are in our target markets, will be immediately intrigued by their presentation. As we develop point of sale displays and other promotional materials, Tasha’s brand will be the element that will grasp first look attention. Her crown and beauty combined with the large wheelchair will draw the potential consumer to pick up the book and read the inspiring story. Tasha’s presence at many book signings and public events is an additional resource we will use to package and promote our brand image. Our statements including the book’s actual title, will intrigue the potential buyer to purchase the book. This section of the MMGP and compilation provided by Michael Newby with some additions by Lowery D. Lockard. ) References: 1) Admin; (2007). Full Market Coverage. Retrieved from: http://www. citeman. com/1435-full-market-coverage. html#ixzz2PntojP00. 2) Author Unknown; (2013). List of autobiographies, retrieved from: www. Wikipedia. org/list_of_autobiographies. 3) Author Unknown: (2013). Autobiographies on Line, retrieved from: www. alibris. com. 4) Farhana, M. (2012). Brand Elements Lead To Brand Equity: Differentiate or Die. Information Management Business Review, 4(4), 223-233. 5) Harris,J. (2012). The Battle of Celebrity Memoirs. Guardian News Media, UK, December 12, 2012. 6) Harris, J. (2006). Top Thirty-One Autobiographies and Memories to Read. The New York Times, April 26, 2012. 7) Linton,S. (2008). My Body Politic: A Memoir by Simi Linton, Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. 8) Posen, H. E. , Lee, J. , Yi, S. (2013). The power of imperfect imitation. Strategic Management Journal, 34(2), 149-164. doi:10. 1002/smj. 2007. 9) Schuh, T. (n. d. ). BARNES NOBLE | My Last Step Backward by Tasha Schuh | NOOK Book (eBook), Paperback. Barnes Noble Books, Textbooks, eBooks, Toys, Games More. Retrieved March 31, 2013, from http://www. barnesandnoble. com/w/my-last-step-backward-tasha-schuh/1113834490 10) Environmental Factors in Publishing. (2009, June 07). In WriteWork. com. Retrieved 16:41, April 02, 2013, from http://www. writework. com/essay/environmental-factors-publishing Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/818003. 11) My Last Step Backwards News intervarsity. rg . (n. d. ). InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA Home intervarsity. org . Retrieved March 31, 2013, from http://www. intervarsity. org/news/my-last-step-backwards. 12) Tasha Schuh, Ms. Wheelchair USA (2013). Retrieved from: www. MsWheelchairUSA. org. 13) Tasha Schuh, Ms. Wheelchair USA; (2013). Retrieved from www. TheDaneFoundation. org. 14) Schuh, T. (n. d. ). H ome. Home. Retrieved March 31, 2013, from http://tashaschuh. com. 15) Schuh, T. (n. d. ). My Last Step Backward: Tasha Schuh: 9781462404186: Amazon. com: Books. Amazon. com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs more. Retrieved March 31, 2013, from http://www. amazon. com/Last-Step-Backward-Tasha-Schuh/dp/1462404189. 16) Schuh, T. (n. d. ). BARNES NOBLE | My Last Step Backward by Tasha Schuh | NOOK Book (eBook), Paperback. Barnes Noble Books, Textbooks, eBooks, Toys, Games More. Retrieved March 31, 2013, from http://www. barnesandnoble. com/w/my-last-step-backward-tasha-schuh/1113834490. 17) Book Publishing in the US: Market Research Report. (2013, Feb). Retrieved from Book Publishing Market Research Report | NAICS 51113 | : http://www. ibisworld. com/industry/default. aspx? indid=1233