Sales Layout for ONTELA PICDECK - Essay Example

Sales Plan- ONTELA PICDECK d Sales Plan- ONTELA PICDECK Ontela, a technology solutions company is planning to enter the market with its first offering, Picdeck. Ontela’s PicDeck is a one of a kind picture transfer facility that eliminates the hectic process of connecting one’s phone to the PC through a wire in order to use them on social networking sites or store them in a systematic order (Kellogg.northwestern.edu, 2014). In the fast moving world of today people require speed and efficiency that provide them ease by reducing the amount of needless procedures that are required. PicDeck identified the unmet need for a wireless transfer facility that can provide utility to the target customer in the best possible manner. Known to bridge the gap between a mobile phone and a PC, the technology is aimed at being pre-programmed into smart phones in collaboration with the manufacturers (A, 2013). Thus, the first step of the sales plan would be to pitch these cellphone manufacturers the utility of picdeck and how it can help them boost sales. After the segment and target market has been identified, a Sales Plan has to be derived to give direction to the overall marketing plan. A sales plan identifies the mediums, through which sales can be generated, the volume of sales that has to be achieved in specified period of time and other sales related details that enable the organization, Ontella in our case, to communicate these to the sales staff. Effective communications of these sales objectives provide clarity to the people regarding the aims of their efforts, in turn increasing the chances of success. MARKET OPPORTUNITY: In the smart age of today, speed and efficiency has become the core need of every human being. With the advent of camera phones, the transfer of pictures and videos has become a routine rather than a trend. Whether it is a teenage girl showing off her freshly brought dress to her best friend or a real estate agent showing the client an interior of the house, pictures have become the new and clearer form of communication. Currently requiring the use of a data cable or an internet facility to transfer pictures, PicDeck offers superior customer value through making this transfer wireless, easy and instantaneous. This market gap between customer expectation and satisfaction was identified by Ontella in order to come up with PicDeck. For example, there is a middle aged mother of teenage children who uses a digital camera to capture and store memories from her children’s life may they be birthdays, award ceremony, first bike ride etc. this woman finds gadgets a hassle and seeks her husband’s or children’s help in transferring these pictures to the computer so that the camera’s memory is relived to capture more. If she is offered a portable camera that is a part of her phone and allows her to take pictures and store them on her computer wirelessly and instantly, she will be more than happy to adapt to picdeck in order to fulfill this dire need of hers. SALES OBJECTIVES: Sales objectives provide measurable goals, usually time based, to provide a goal to the organizational efforts towards making their product successful. The sales Objectives of PicDeck have been identified keeping the novelty of the product into consideration. Since the overall concept is new the first goal will be generating trial and positive word of mouth. Certain influential individuals and organizations will be identified for a free trial test and be encouraged to review it online through blogs or social media or through print media in review column. Since influencers are likely to be heard and believed if they endorse a product, the first step towards building the brand name and concept will run through a period of 2 months, Sales will be made to the identified 100 influencers at the end of the targeted period. The next 4 months will constitute of product demonstrations at corporate offices and schools, free trial period options and limited time buyer discounts. The hype generated in the first phase will bear fruit in this phase and expected sales in the regions identified are to be a total of 4000 Units. It is after this phase that the product will be made commercially available for individuals and introduce a customization option for the corporate clients. Thus, the time based initial sales objectives are: 1 month- Influencers, 100 Units, Hype 4 months- Sales push, buyer discounts, demonstrations and Sales target of 4000 units in the three key sales regions for initial launch. 6 months onwards- Commercially available, customization options for corporate clients. The quantitative sales for the period after the first 6 months will be adjusted in the light of the trend that is identified in the first phase of launch. PicDeck will be offered to both the B2B markets and the B2C markets in the following manner: Business to Business market: A conscious sales effort will be made towards building long term sustainable relationships with the corporate world. The key focus will be on industries that are a part of fast paced operations for example, media channels that are always on the outlook for braking news items. Reporters can benefit from these as Picdeck will enable them to connect to their head offices instantly with pictorial coverage of event sites etc. another business opportunity could be that of a selling portal that can allow instant bidding as soon as the item is posted. Business to consumer markets: Like the previous assignment identified, there is a scope of need in the masses as well for Picdeck. Whether it’s a non tech savvy middle aged mother, a socially active teenage or a professional who could benefit greatly through picdeck, the product is bound to provide utility to all these customer segments. The selling point would be the ability of picdeck to complement the needs of these individuals by providing them ease of connectivity and transfer (Case, 2014). Even though Ontella provides the technology to the wireless carriers or cellphone networks the direct target would be to collaborate with them in order to share the total benefits that they can derive from incorporating picdeck into their systems. TARGET SEGMENTS: Segments are identified according to the different clusters that can be formulated on the basis of identical responses to sample questions. These clusters are then studied in order to gauge which ones will be able to generate more sales in the long and short term (prezi.com, 2014). A study of the market can reveal the following clusters: 1-Adult males, aged 35 or above, who are tech savvy, easy to adapt to changes, interested in photography and can afford to pay extra. These individuals could be family men with children or bachelors and on a look out for a gadget/technology that allows them ease of transferring, storing and even sharing their pictures wirelessly. 2- Middle aged female who are hesitant to adopt new technology and find gadgets complicated. Could be a housewife or mothers who use cellphones but are not very enthusiastic about new technology. This segment has the potential to be influenced if they benefit they can derive from picdeck can be clearly communicated to them. 3- young adults/teenage girls or boys who are more than happy to take up the newest and fastest gadget, the teens being usually dependent on their parents income but headstrong in their desire to have the latest gadget that offers faster operations and greater connectivity. They can be influenced easily and are hungry to try upcoming technologies. This segment is also very profitable in the terms that they are very vocal about their feelings and are quick to let everyone else know about their newest experience through social networking/blogging. Young adults can comprise of professionals who like to keep in touch with their social life even when they are at work. They are likely to have a data plan in order to stay connected to the happenings through the internet. Primary priority: Segments 1 and 3 are to be the initial targets of the sales plan. This is because they are more likely to adapt to the new technology, appreciate it and become loyal customers. These segments are also the most likely to generate trial of picdeck. Thus, the strategic priority for the launch period should be these segments. Once the technology become more embedded in the gadgets, it can be targeted towards the other segments like segment 2 and older people etc. this is because the segments latter mentioned are slow to adapt to a certain technology and require a significant amount of effort, marketing and endorsement for convincing. PRICING MARGINS: Picdeck will be offered free of cost to the initial 100 influencers for the first month. It will then be prices at £5 per month to the subscribers. The main earning margins will be gained to large scale corporate sale of the technology to cell phone companies and cellular networks. Bundle packages and yearly contracts will enable Ontela to ascertain the scope of discounts that can be offered to these profitable areas of business. Since the targeting of PicDeck is differentiated in nature, it will be acceptable to charge premium for the initial years of operations till the competitors follow suit. SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT: The initial sales force assigned to the marketing and sale of picdeck comprises of 300 personnel that are deployed on a 4:1 basis, i.e. 4 sales representatives per target institution. 75 institutions in the target regions will be targeted for a period of 5 months. The sales objectives of these personnel will be as per the ones mentioned above. After the completion of these 5 months, these sales representatives will be assigned new destinations on the same ratio. Sales force designated to target cellphone manufacturers like Nokia, Samsung etc. will be given special training so that they are able to convince better. They have to be sound about the features and statistical benefits that the manufacturers can derive from incorporating picdeck into their phones. Each team will be allowed a 3-visit policy to pitch the technology to these manufacturers. Another important sales force target would be the wireless carriers or cellphone networks that can also offer picdeck service as an additional subscription feature in a package. A parentage of the monthly subscription will be given to Ontela for the use of picdeck. CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION: The mediums through which the product will be promoted are through print reviews, online blogs, personal pitches delivered to professionals and sales representatives. Sales teams will be formed to target the wireless carriers in order to attract them to incorporate the picdeck features into their smartphones. The main aim here will be to pitch the dual benefits that the carrier and Ontela can derive from the sales of the smartphones that have picdeck on them. The end consumers will be targeted by both the smartphone companies and ontela in order to communicate the benefits that it offers. Print: the technology will not be advertised as such. However, the influencers will be provided with an incentive to get free one year subscription if they commit to cover a review of picdeck in the print media/ tech magazines. Social media: bloggers and people active on Facebook will also be encouraged to write about their picdeck experiences online. Social competitions will enable these people to participate in the best picdeck moment contest to win free subscriptions, gadgets and other related products. Sales reps: these representatives will be required to stand by kiosks that offer cellphones with picdeck and provide technology brief to prospective buyers who are not aware of the technology and the utility it offers. Alliances: the cellphone manufacturers will be approached through a formal meeting appointment and then a trained team will give them a brief regarding the technology and the various benefits it can offer to both the parties along with the end consumers. CONCLUSION: In a nutshell, Picdeck will be offered to businesses that are willing to offer more for more. The target individuals from the masses will consist of the people who are willing to adapt to the newest technology and can benefit from a facility that offers them ease of transferring and sharing pictures instantly and wirelessly. The sales plan will be directed towards the two key segments identified and a clear cut communication of the technology and its benefits. References: prezi.com. 2014. Copy of UGBA 106 Ontella PicDeck. [online] Available at: http://prezi.com/zug0mz1gohxn/copy-of-ugba-106-ontella-picdeck/ [Accessed: 19 Mar 2014]. A, O. 2013. Ontela Picdeck a - College Essay - Awalali786. [online] Available at: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Ontela-Picdeck-a-1928847.html [Accessed: 19 Mar 2014]. Kellogg.northwestern.edu. 2014. Ontela PicDeck (B): Customer Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning. [online] Available at: http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/kellogg-case-publishing/case-search/case-detail.aspx?caseid={A823B6DE-2A4F-4D22-AA47-F89E4C935A49} [Accessed: 23 Mar 2014]. Case, O. 2014. Ontela Picdeck Harvard Case - Essay - Isislovo. [online] Available at: http://www.studymode.com/essays/Ontela-Picdeck-Harvard-Case-1126899.html [Accessed: 23 Mar 2014]. Read More