EOC - Marketing Mix : Promotion

“Clearly, there are many ways to segment a market, but not all segmentations are effective. For example, buyers of table salt could be divided into blond and brunette customers. But hair color obviously does not affect the purchase of salt. Furthermore, if all salt buyers bought the same amount of salt each month, believed that all salt is the same, and wanted to pay the same price, the company would not benefit from segmenting this market.” (Marketing an Introduction, Armstrong/Kolter, 185) This statement is also true in promotion in various markets, not every form of promotion will work for the same type of consumer. I am looking to bring in as much business as possible at a price that keeps the business at a decent cushion of profit, but not extremely profitable itself. “Portland-based Vanilla Bicycles sells hand-built bikes with price tags ranging from $4,000 to $12,000. Now, after only nine years in business, owner Sacha White has stopped taking orders—not because business had dried up but because he has a five-year waiting list. White and his crew of three make only 40 to 50 bikes a year. Frames are made from exotic metals, are welded with silver alloy, and weigh as little as 30 ounces. No two Vanilla bikes are the same. Each is custom fitted to the client and features intricate metal carvings and an artisan paint job. Amazingly, almost all of these high-end velocipedes are sold to middle-class customers. Still, orders have not ebbed with the economic downturn. In fact, Vanilla could ramp up production significantly and still sell everything it makes. However, White claims that would compromise the special nature of what customers consider to be works of art. Vanilla bikes are so special that when Portland bike couriers describe something as cool, they routinely say, “That’s soooo Vanilla.” (Marketing an Introduction, Armstrong/Kolter, 205) Even though I do not want to be as select as the company mentioned above I do want to form a unique sense of community surrounding the business and give the customers something to talk about when they leave, but to do that getting them in the door is the most important. I plan on doing the promotion through social media campaigns, a website with an email marketing campaign, a local advertisement in the free Summerlin newspaper provided at most homes doorsteps once a month, and more. I will go into further detail in the implementation evaluation control post.