The Red Cross Blood Donation Campaign - Case Study Example

REPORT ON THE RED CROSS BLOOD DONATION MARKETING CAMPAIGN Executive Summary This report examines the process through which the Red Cross can carry out its blood donation processes on a large scale in order to target and attain results from a large section of the population. The study indicates that the Red Crosss strength is in their core and fundamental values, their asset base and goodwill as well as leadership and loyal volunteers. However, the primary weakness of Red Cross is in its poor management tradition, inconsistency in fundraising and poor online presence. Based on the environmental factors and the internal strengths and weaknesses, the core objectives of this process is to create general awareness to a large section of the population, convert potential donors, improve interest amongst existing donors and encourage institution-based donations. This is to be packaged in various brands that will seek to attract and sustain peoples interest in donating their blood through the Red Cross. This will be done through awareness programmes and other direct marketing and promotion activities. The promotion will be done through public relations campaigns, marketing campaigns, customer relationship management and online marketing campaigns. There are ethical issues that come with the expansion of the scope of the activities of the Red Cross. This include undertaking due diligence and checks to prevent issues and problems. Based on this, the paper recommends a budget of £21 million to help to complete this project. Introduction This report involves a critical analysis of the marketing conditions and processes in Red Cross. The report will aim at evaluating the external and internal market conditions and environments and provide a set of recommendations on how to improve the marketing conditions and circumstances of Red Cross. The marketing plan involves a marketing audit and a presentation of recommendations for the fundamental objective of helping the Red Cross to increase the number of donors and make the current base of donors efficient and effective. PART A: SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS/MARKET AUDIT Currently, Red Cross is an organisation that is seen as a major entity around the world. The Red Cross has a history that goes back to the First World War and this adds up to the entitys goodwill and positive view in the eyes of most people. In order to ascertain the market feasibility and the possibility of becoming a major entity, there is the need to review the Red Cross in relation to its internal and external standing. Strategy, Situate, Shared and Structure (McDonalds 10s) A SWOT Analysis is “a study undertaken by an organization to identify its internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as its external opportunities and threats.” (Griffin, 2013, p67). This involve the identification of the internal capabilities and competencies of an organisation in order to find its actual make-up and formulate better ways and means of maximising competencies and minimising threats and risks (Hartline and Ferrell, 2010). In order to analyse the SWOT of an organisation, it also pays to examine the fundamental principles and ideas that keep the organisation going. And in the case of Red Cross, the following values form the main framework and scope for the operation of the organisation: 1. Humanity 2. Impartiality 3. Neutrality 4. Independence 5. Voluntary Service 6. Unity 7. Universality (American Red Cross, 2014) These seven values provide the fundamental and basic framework within which the Red Cross operates and carries out their activities. They are a humanitarian entity that are known throughout the world and they have a basic desire and expectation to do nothing more than serve their generation and help people to survive severe and difficult humanitarian circumstances and situations. Based on these core values, the strengths and weaknesses can be deduced. Summarize (McDonalds 10s) Strengths 1. Red Cross has a major asset leverage. Due to the history of the Red Cross and its origins going back several decades back, it is seen as an organisation that has links and connections to the top-tier of the United Nations and other top organisations around the world. Thus, the Red Cross has been able to raise funds from donors and from governments around the world. These donors are loyal and they continue to contribute to the organisations financial upkeep; 2. Market Share Leadership in the humanitarian industry. Red Cross is a leader in the global humanitarian industry. This is because they have a presence in different nations and communities around the world. 3. Loyal and Well Trained Volunteers: There are numerous loyal volunteers who are well trained to carry out their activities with care and professionalism. They provide the best services to people in different parts of the world and this is done significantly in the best way and the best manner to ensure motivation and efficiency. 4. Strategic Warehouse Placement: The Red Cross has numerous warehouses and operational units that can be easily opened up to support in various campaigns and activities around the world. 5. Effective and Efficient Information Technology Systems: The Red Cross has a major volunteering database and a strong information technology system that includes the names of the major volunteers that are involved in their various activities and processes. 6. Strong Marketing Campaigns and Processes: Red Cross has major marketing processes like commercials on air, networking, social media and other things. This can be built upon and more information can be gathered for better processes and better communication in a marketing campaign like this. Weaknesses 1. Poor management and uncompetitive posture: Red Cross has been ran as a not-for-profit entity. Hence, it has developed a tradition of managing things like a public sector. This is prone to lead to organisation onto the path of a public sector entity and this could lead to major waste and inefficiencies. 2. Inconsistencies in Fundraising processes: There is a major inconsistency and fluctuation in the level of raising funds and amounts of money that Red Cross makes each year. This is because there are major problems and issues with the volume of funds in the company. 3. Poor online presence: The Red Crosss online presence is highly disadvantaged and less effective and efficient. Opportunities 1. Due to the leveraged assets, there could be a coordination of affairs to integrate elements and aspects of the resources of the company to integrate this blood donation programme. 2. Being a market leader, Red Cross can dictate the pace in the blood donation sector of the humanitarian industry. 3. Volunteers can be given some specialist training to support in the expansion of the blood donation process. 4. Warehouses and locations can be mobilised and utilised for the attainment of the best results for the industry. 5. The Information System and marketing processes of Red Cross can be used to enhance the relationship with consumers. Threats 1. Management processes can make it difficult to enhance the dollar value of investments in the marketing campaign. 2. The inconsistency of funding will mean it is possible that a blood donation campaign will not get enough money. 3. The internets usage cannot be done in a very reasonable and consistent way and manner. PESTEL Analysis (Skills & Systemize, McDonalds 10s) PESTEL Analysis involves the analysis of the external environment within which a firm or organisation operates (Henry, 2008). This include the examination of the Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Environmental and Legal matters, relevant to the organisations affairs (Henry, 2008). Political Politically, there are numerous international issues and cases that require a lot of blood and technical support. This include regions like the Middle East and other war zones around the world. This will mean that the marketing drive must make use of these images and processes as a means of improving and prompting individual attention. Economic After the global financial crisis ended, things are now picking up and people have access to more resources than they used to have in the past couple of months and years. Hence, the economic element and aspect of the society has changed significantly in favour of people who are more willing and able to understand and the need to help others through blood donations. Sociological The society is changing significantly and more and more people are becoming used to the need to provide blood. The Red Cross can however build on this concept and try to commercialise it through institutions and organisations like media houses that seek to provide an exemplary process of helping the members of the society to become more productive and supportive of blood donations. Technological The growth of the Internet means that more and more people can be reached over the Internet rather than through other means and processes. This implies that the Red Cross has a chance and an opportunity to expand their presence and process through the Internet. Environmental The environmental trends and processes have contributed to the improvement of the blood donation processes and the delivery of blood that has been extracted from people for the aid of others. Legal The new law that seek to force donor-paid interactions implies that firms like Red Cross are somewhat threatened because they will have to pay higher overheads in order to retain their services in the process. Barriers to Marketing Planning From the SWOT Analysis and PESTEL Analysis, it appears that the following issues are as follows: Cultural Barriers There is a general problem with management in the public sector entities like Red Cross. There is a problem with the attitude of the management. Also, a lot of members in the society have a lot of issues and problems with the desire to donate. This include certain religious groupings that are against blood donations. Cognitive Barriers Poor online presence and due to this, Red Cross cannot easily connect with certain members in the society. There is a view that blood donation has various negative attributes to the human body. System Barriers There are issues with the Red Cross Online system and there is a problem with the focus on economic processes and activities. Resource Limitations. There is a limitation in the funding and staff expertise. There are also issues with awareness amongst consumers and other legal constraints. Objectives (Sequence and Style, McDonalds 10s) Based on the processes and limitations that have been identified, there is the need to streamline the objectives of the Red Cross Marketing Campaign in order to provide the best results and attain effective interest in the programme of the organisation. The following objectives will form the core of the marketing campaign: 1. Creating a general awareness of the importance of blood donations and create a pool of potential donors; 2. Convert potential donors to actual donors through various marketing and customer relationship management processes; 3. Improve interest and encourage various past donors to continue making more donations; 4. Encourage and enhance institution-based donation programmes and activities. Strategy and Tactics (Strategy, McDonalds 10s) Marketing Strategy involves the various approaches and means for the completion of a given marketing campaign or process. This include all the methods and processes that can be used and utilised by an organisation to meet its marketing objectives. New Product Development Campaign The Red Cross will need to find a new product or define a unique method and niche through which they will offer their services. In doing this, the following features will have to be present. Product The Red Cross will present a new campaign to be called Save a Life 2014. This product will involve several facades and units of the promotion of the campaign. This will involve various segmentations and components that will help the firm to attain results in the campaign. This will involve four sub-units that will be developed to target different segments and targets in the market. 1. Save-a-Life Beginner: This will be a package that will target people who have nothing to do with blood donation. This will include a package that will be sent to different consumers in different parts of the world who will need awareness. The product will be presented through various campaigns and marketing communication drives that will involve getting in touch with new donors and new users of these services and try to convert them into real and actual donors; 2. Save-a-Life Doer: This package will involve messages and communication drives that will try to follow up on people on the Red Cross database that have been recruited and given information about the donation process. The doer will seek to convert various donors and potential donors to actual donors. 3. Save-a-Life Returnee: This package will involve the attempt to get existing donors and past donors to get back and give more blood and provide more donations to the Red Cross in order to help to increase the stock in their blood bank. 4. Save-a-Life Institution: This will be a product for various institutions and organisations that might want to give blood as a corporate social activity. This will target such individuals and institutions that might want to conduct mass blood donations and also send information out to the public about the importance of blood donations Price/Value In this marketing campaign, there will be a major trend and a major move towards the promotion of value. This is because most of these donors will not be required to pay money but they will be encouraged to appreciate the kind of value that comes with their donation and processes. 1. Save-a-Life Beginner: The value that will be spread to such donors is through the presentation of information about the importance of donating blood to save lives; 2. Save-a-Life Doer must understand the kind of changes and contributions that s/he can make and how near he is in helping people who are in dire need of blood; 3. Save-a-Life Returnee: This class of donors must be made to understand how Red Cross appreciates their effort and how much the challenge appears to engulf the organisation and their fundamental values of saving lives without prejudice or reward. Thus, the returnee must be made to understand that by donating, he partners with Red Cross in their vision of promoting humanity 4. Save-a-Life Institution: This package must be made to understand that by giving and by participating in the donation drives, they are going to enhance their social values and help other people in the society. Promotion There will be different promotion campaigns that can be utilised by Red Cross to attain optimal response and high levels of response from consumers. And this include: 1. Public Relations campaigns: This include the use of various speaking engagement that can be utilised to get people interested in the products available 2. Marketing campaign: Each of the four brands must come up with different marketing campaigns that will provide important and directed marketing campaigns that will inform and educate consumers 3. Customer relationship management: This will involve the use of database management processes in which there will be direct contacts by Red Cross on consumers in the company. 4. Online marketing campaign: This process involves the marketing and promotion of the products and services of the company through the Internet and online mails that will be sent through social media and direct emails to get consumers to develop and sustain interest in the products and services of the Save-a-Life campaign. Each of the campaigns and processes will provide some kind of avenue through which the various marketing approaches and techniques will be employed. This will include the various plans and the various processes that will be utilised throughout the campaign. 1. Save-a-Life Beginner: These persons will be targeted through a direct and mass public campaigns that will involve the spread of information to the general public. The information that is shared throughout the media will direct potential donors to make contacts to vantage telephone lines, websites or donation centres. 2. Save-a-Life Doer: These parties will involve persons who have been captured on various databases of Red Cross but have not made any donations. These parties will need a customer relationship management drive through which online marketing campaigns and direct marketing processes can be carried out. 3. Save-a-Life Returnee: These parties will also be targeted through online marketing processes and activities. They will be given mails and other communication processes that will be applied in a way and manner that will keep previous donors involved in continuously donating. 4. Save-a-Life Institution: Such entities must be approached through direct marketing and public relations activities. When they get in touch with Red Cross, they must be processed and given the chance to give off their information so that Red Cross will contact them, send personnels who will interact with them and attain results with them. Place There must be central points where Red Cross will have professionals who will take submission and information from members of the public. These persons will include the various Donation Centres that will be in selected cities. Each donation centre will be a local coordination point for the different stakeholders and the different components of the drives will be carried out. The donation centres will be complemented by various online sales and distribution units that will also make contacts with real donors and coordinate affairs. Donor centres will operate at the local level whilst their use of online marketing approaches and methods will be conducted in a way and manner that they will make direct contacts with people on the field. Relevant Ethical Issues In doing this, there are ethical problems and ethical issues that will come to play and might prove to be problematic. There are issues with matters that can lead to various kinds of lawsuits that can affect the processes of donation. The main issue involve the ability to examine all potential donors appropriately. This is important because if donors are at a health risk and they donate, there could be issues and problems that will come out to affect the Red Cross. The United Nations came under massive attack when the Nepalese troops sent to help during Haitis earthquake spread cholera in Haiti. This means that there could be a replication of the issue and matter in a way and manner that can lead to problems and issues for Red Cross. Also, in mass donation and mass training, there is the problem of contamination and poor sanitation and health cautions. This therefore implies that there is the need for all the internal processes and structures to be examined critically before anything can be done. There is a problem of false claims which could come up. This will involve the issue of volunteers telling potential donors things that are not realistic. Such situations are therefore prone to leading to numerous problems and issues that could affect the processes. This can be dealt with through proper training and education. Budget In order to complete the strategy and the proliferation of the four approaches and methods to improve the number of donors giving out blood, the following must be considered Item Amount Setting Up Donor Centers £3 million Training of permanent Red Cross staff £5 million Training of marketing staff members £5 million Checks and review of systems £2 million Database set up and management £1 million Program branding £2 million Online marketing campaign £1 million Traditional marketing campaign £2 million TOTAL £21 million Implementation Week/ Activity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Idea generation & Idea Screening Business Analysis and Market Strategy Development Product Development Test Marketing The implementation of the plans and agenda for the commercialization of the Red Cross brand will be based on seven pointers. They will involve the following.: 1. Idea Generation: This will involve various interactions and analysis by the various stakeholders at the very early stages of the project; 2. Idea Screening: The different ideas will be evaluated and reviewed critically according to the expectations of stakeholders; 3. Marketing Strategy: The marketing strategy will be developed and implemented appropriately and accepted by all units and departments. 4. Business Analysis will be conducted in order to provide a basis for the promotion of Red Crosss activities and implement them. 5. Product Development: After the analysis of the business processes, there will be the development of the products that will be made available for the usage. 6. Test marketing: There will be a preliminary testing of the marketing processes before actual marketing can be done. 7. Commercialization: Massive and large scale contacts on the market can be conducted. 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