Lydia Warren N0728408 I confirm that this work has gained ethical approval and that we have faithfully observed the terms of approval in the conduct of this project. Signed: Lydia R. Warren Date: 14/05/2020 Word Count: 9018
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction.........................................................4 1.2 Rationale............................................................5 1.3 Stage 1 Reflections..................................................7 1.4 The Proposal and Opportunity......................................10 1.5 Report Aims and Objectives.........................................11
2. METHODOLOGY
2.1 Introduction........................................................17 2.2 Research Methods...................................................18 2.3 Table of Methods...................................................19 2.4 Research Advantages and Limitations..............................21
3. MARKET ANALYSIS 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8
Introduction to the App Market.....................................29 External Factors affecting the App Market.........................31 Market Drivers.....................................................35 3.3.1 Market Penetration of Smartphones..........................35 3.3.2 Review Culture..............................................35 3.3.3 The Instant Consumer.......................................36 Market Attractiveness..............................................37 Market Challenges..................................................39 3.5.1 App Abandonment and User Retention.......................39 3.5.2 Over Saturation of the App Market..........................41 3.5.3 Monetization Strategies.....................................42 Competitor Analysis................................................43 Brand Positioning Map.............................................47 Competitive Advantage..............................................48
4. THE OPPORTUNITY AND IDEA GENERATION
4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5
The Problem in a Nutshell.........................................53 Concept Testing.....................................................53 Concept Feedback...................................................54 How did the idea develop?.........................................55 How does the idea relate to Stage 1?...............................55
5. THE BIG IDEA 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5
The Business Conception Process...................................59 Business Objectives.................................................61 Vision, Values and Mission........................................62 Brand Pyramid.....................................................64 Brand DNA.........................................................65 5.5.1 Name.......................................................65 5.5.2 Logo........................................................65 5.5.3 Font........................................................67 5.5.4 Colour Scheme..............................................69 5.5.5 Tone of Voice...............................................70
6. THE BUSINESS MODEL 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9
Business Model Canvas.............................................73 Value Proposition..................................................75 4P's................................................................77 McKinsey's Consumer Decision Journey ............................85 Target Market......................................................90 Consumer Segmentation.............................................95 Rogers Curve of Adoption...........................................99 SWOT Analysis....................................................101 TOWS Analysis....................................................103
7. MARKETING STRATEGY
7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4
Marketing Aim and Objectives.....................................108 AIDA..............................................................109 DRIP..............................................................111 3-Year Marketing Timeline.......................................113
8. COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5
Communication Aim...............................................117 Communication Objectives.........................................117 Instagram.........................................................119 Twitter............................................................121 Charity Partnerships..............................................123
9. FINANCES 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9
Finance Aim......................................................127 Finance Objectives.................................................128 Start-Up Costs.....................................................129 Raising Capital...................................................131 Profit and Loss: Year 1...........................................133 Profit and Loss: Year 2 + 3.......................................134 3-Year Marketing Budget..........................................135 3-Year Sales Forecast.............................................137 Cash Flow: Year 1................................................137 Sensitivity Analysis..............................................139
10. MEASURING SUCCESS
10.1 Key Performance Indicators ......................................143 10.2 Risk Assessment..................................................145
11. FUTURE
11.1 Brand Future.....................................................148
12. CONCLUSION
12.1 Objective Review.................................................151 12.2 Conclusion.......................................................152
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
IMAGINE.
Imagine a world where you aren’t able to buy the clothes you want because you simply aren’t able to enter the shop. Imagine dreading going shopping because of the judgment you feel from others. Imagine having to ask a member of staff to clear an accessible changing room so you are able to try on the clothes you like. Imagine not being able to reach the card machine at the till. Imagine the humiliation as two staff members have to bring out a ramp, so you are able to access a shop.
IMAGINE.
3
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Over 50% of disabled individuals in the UK don’t have to imagine this; it is their reality. (Gov UK, 2016) (See Appendix 10.1) Accessibility is for everyone. The joy of a retail experience is for everyone. Shopping should be for everyone. But is that really the case? As the needs of individuals become more complex, retailers are required to respond to this, creating accessible retail space for those with a physical or mobility related disability. The need for a solution for this problem is something which is waiting for a response. While there are apps, websites and resources which address a small part of this problem, a new business solution can be developed to address this need. Prior to this report, extensive investigation was undertaken as part of the research project addressing the question; “The retail shopping experience is not inclusive of those with physical disabilities. To what extent is this true?�. Following on from the previous findings, this report endeavours to research and understand the existing market, and then to launch a new business concept as a solution to the problems and insights identified in Stage 1. The business plan will include a marketing strategy for the brand, and a communications plan.
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1.2 RATIONALE
With accessibility limiting the shopping experience of individuals, this project has been conducted with the intention of relieving this problem by creating a business solution. The right to a good shopping experience is something that every consumer should be able to access, with no limitations. The Golden Circle Model (See Appendix 10.2) clearly highlighted the importance of investigation into this area, as “to prevent the shopping related self-confidence issues that physically disabled consumers face, and to improve the accessibility of retail stores for those with a physical disability.” This particular area which is being researched created the need for a response from the author, with areas of research highlighting particularly touching areas. Similar to the previous Stage 1 project, Stage 2 is focused on individuals aged 18-30 with a physical disability. This sample group has been carefully selected and continued into this project as this age group are more keen to research brands and shopping before they connect with a brand, “Millennials, on the whole, are not impulse-shoppers. They like to research.” (AdEspresso, 2018). This is an important characteristic of the target consumer so the business solution includes features such as this, as part of the business offering.
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Inclusivity is a growing area with more and more individuals embracing an activist culture and more celebrities beginning to talk about inclusivity, encouraging people to have conversations around the challenges of inclusivity, more specifically accessibility for disabled people. (Gassam, 2018)
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1.3 STAGE 1 INSIGHTS The accessibility of retail stores for those with a physical disability is an issue that is faced in everyday life by certain individuals. The ability to make a spontaneous to the shops is considered a luxury for some people. The growing issue of the availability of accessible spaces is something which demands to be addressed. (Schmöcker et al., 2008) Across both the literature which was analysed, and the rich qualitative research which was obtained, key areas were highlighted, including problems which needed addressing or the provision of a solution.
The current landscape of retail stores provides implications for those with extra needs when attempting to carry out basic tasks. “Three quarters of disabled people have left a shop or business because of accessibility issues”. (The Ramp People, 2018) Therefore, it is evident that a solution needs to be created in order to eradicate this problem. Over time, developments have been made to improve areas of this environment, such as Carol Kaufman-Scarborough’s work to improve the accessibility of Abercrombie and Fitch stores. (Kaufman-Scarborough, 2019).
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The Stage 1 report analysed the problems faced by individuals who are directly affected by accessibility issues and explored the ways in which this impacted on their confidence as shoppers. Alongside this, thought was given to the responsibility of the store staff, considering how this problem can be tackled. Research revealed key insights: the enjoyability of the shopping experience being hindered by the accessibility of the stores; the lack of understanding and knowledge from retail staff, which made individuals feel belittled
and embarrassed; and the parallels between a bad instore experience and the likelihood of the customer not returning to the store. One of the main issues highlighted in Stage 1 was the embarrassment caused through a bad in-store experience, prompting the consideration of inputting preventative methods to alleviate this problem. Tying together all of the insights which were identified has allowed for the development of a solution, which will be explained and developed throughout this report.
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1 . 4 P R O P O S A L
AND OPPORTUNITY
The Opportunity A product or service to prevent potentially challenging environments or situations being encountered by individuals with a form of physical disability. Pricing strategies must be considered and must take into account the disposable income of the individuals at whom the product is aimed at. Disabled individuals can sometimes have less income as some people are limited in their ability to work. Pricing must be competitive amongst competitors in order to stand in a good position in the market. The brand must be highly accessible, providing convenient use to the consumer, and creating a seamless experience for them when they are using the product. The Proposal Accessful is a review-based app in which users can review and read reviews about the accessibility of retail stores. The app will include various features such as a forum, which will allow users to interact with individuals who share the same experiences about them. With improving accessible stores as the driver of this brand, the brand will also aim to help boost the self-confidence of those needing to shop in accessible stores.
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1.5 REPORT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
1 To carry out appropriate research methods aiming to collect reliable and valid results which will aid the development of the strategic business plan. 2 To develop the opportunity established in the Stage 1 report, reducing this defined problem to create a viable solution for the problems identified. 3 To undertake and evaluate the collection of primary and secondary research, aiming to understand the existing landscape, the competitors operating in this market, and the existing consumer needs and desires, and then to draw upon this research to design and create a brand. 4 To build and create a successful brand which provides a solution to the problems which have been identified, which is achievable, profitable, and addresses the needs of the target consumer.
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12
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2. METHODOLOGY 16
2.1 INTRODUCTION
In order to aid the development of a feasible business plan, further research was conducted to fill in gaps which were established at the end of Stage 1, with the move towards creating a business outcome. Additional research is also necessary to understand new areas and markets which are being entered with the development of a new business concept. A mixed method approach is taken here, stated by Shorten as, “Mixed methods research requires a purposeful mixing of methods in data collection, data analysis and interpretation of the evidence. The key word is ‘mixed’, as an essential step in the mixed methods approach is data linkage, or integration at an appropriate stage in the research process.” (Shorten, Smith, 2017). Research methods have been carefully selected and considered, relating them to the subject matter at hand, which inevitably calls for a need for sensitivity in research. Research methods are selected with the prevention of limitations in mind, in order to gain the highest quality of valid data.
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2.2 RESEARCH METHODS Online polls aimed at wider audience to gain understanding of preferences.
Structured online survey aimed at target audience, completed by 37 people.
Expert interviews conducted with industry professionals via video call or email.
Interviews with target audience, via email, social media, and video calls.
PRIMARY
RESEARCH
Websites, reports, journals, articles
SECONDARY 18
Mintel, Deloitte, Statista
2.3 TABLE OF METHODS TYPE OF RESEARCH
QUANTITATIVE OR QUALITATIVE
Online Survey
Individual Interviews
PARTICIPANTS
PURPOSE
Quantitative and qualitative
The participants of this survey ranged from 1830-year olds. This is the age range at which the business solution will be aimed. Therefore it was logical to limit the age range to this. The survey was completed by both males and females, with the end result being 21% male, 73% female, and 6% choosing not to say.
The purpose of an online survey is to collect a broad range of quantitative data from a range of respondents. As this survey has been shared online, there are more opportunities for the respondents to be from a wide range of walks of life and geographical location. This means that the results will be of a higher quality.
Qualitative
The individual interviewees were all aged 20 - 30 and were a mix of men and women. These individuals were contacted via social media or email, some of whom were participants of the Stage 1 research. This allowed there to be an understanding of and development of the idea creation process and how it has developed into a business concept.
I n d i v i d u a l interviews were conducted with the aim of gathering rich qualitative data. An interview allowed for a more in-depth understanding of the opinions and needs of the target consumer. These interviews were split between face to face interviews and email interviews. The interviews meant that the respondent was able to be more in-depth with their answers and provide their true opinions without being limited to the options of the survey.
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TYPE OF RESEARCH
QUANTITATIVE OR QUALITATIVE
Expert Interviews
Online Polls
PARTICIPANTS
PURPOSE
Qualitative
The participants of the expert interviews were more limited than initially intended, which is explained further in the “Intended Methods� part of the Methodology. Experts from a varied landscape allowed for a wide range of understanding from those with more knowledge.
Expert interviews are conducted to gain understanding of the opinions of those with an expert knowledge, which has been gained across their time in industry. These experts can range across a wide spread of industries, all with valuable knowledge to input into the rounded gathering of data and knowledge.
Quantitative
The respondents of the online polls were a range of individuals aged 18+. Males and females answered the interactive polls. A total of 162 people answered the online poll, with 402 people viewing the story. This means that just over 40% of viewers chose to answer the poll. This was projected via Instagram stories, as this provided a useful feature for selecting a favourite option.
The purpose of the online interactive polls was to gain an understanding into the opinions of individuals in regard to logo design and colour ways. While not all the respondents were the target consumer group, this form of primary research was helpful to gain a large number of quantitative responses, as the opinion of colourways and logos can apply to any type of respondent.
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2.4 RESEARCH ADVANTAGES TYPE OF RESEARCH
INTENDED METHOD
REALISTIC METHOD
ADVANTAGES
LIMITATIONS
Online Survey
An advantage of an online survey is the ability for respondents to remain anonymous. “ P r i v a c y , anonymity, and confidentiality are key ethical considerations in online survey research. Although often considered in tandem, it is important to differentiate anonymity and confidentiality. Anonymity is the process of not disclosing the identity of a research participant, or the author of a particular view or opinion.” (Nayak, Mudavath, Narayan. 2019)
A key limitation of an online survey is the restriction of the responses. Limited questions mean that the respondent is constrained by the options for answers. This means that there may not be a high quality of data gathered as the respondent is not able to answer fully. In addition to this, there is a possibility that 100 responses will not be gained. As the target group is a niche demographic, it is more difficult to gain a large quantity of respondents.
The intention of the online survey was to gather 100 or more responses, providing a wide range of opinions from individuals who might use the business idea. This was put in practice by sharing the survey across multiple platforms and encouraging individuals to share it further with their friends and acquaintances.
The realistic outcome of the online survey is a challenge faced in Stage 1, as the survey did not reach 100 responses, making the data gathered somewhat invalid. This is due to the nature of a limited respondent group, as the survey was only to be answered by a small group of individuals.
Individual Interviews
I n d i v i d u a l interviews allow the respondent to take their own pace when answering the questions put to them, and to be able to discuss this in the detail they feel appropriate. In addition, an individual interview allows the researcher to understand the nature and intent of the way answers are delivered, with the ability to pick up on body language. Author of Advantages and Disadvantages of Four Interview Techniques in Q u a l i t a t i v e Research, Raymond Opdenakker says, “Social cues, such as voice, intonation, body language etc. of the interviewee can give the interviewer a lot of extra information that can be added to the verbal answer of the interviewee on a question.” (Opdenakker, 2006)
A standout disadvantage is that the respondent may feel under pressure, or feel uncomfortable, in sharing a large amount of information with the researcher. As there may not be an established relationship between the respondent and the researcher, this means that the level of trust may not be built up, meaning the respondent is not keen to share too much. This can be detrimental to the quality of the information and data gathered by the researcher.
The intention of conducting individual interviews was to gather information from, and the opinions of, the respondent in a more detailed way than through a survey. The intention for these interviews were that they were to be conducted both via email and face-toface. It can be argued that this impacts on the quality of the interviews, but this was the best solution given the impossibility for face to face interviews.
U n f o r t u n at e l y , this did not pan out as was originally intended, due to the limitations on meeting faceto-face. To combat this, more email interviews were conducted to gain a range of opinions. While this acted as a solution, there are too many limitations to this, as the respondent may have not been able to fully convey their opinions via email.
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AND LIMITATIONS TYPE OF RESEARCH
INTENDED METHOD
REALISTIC METHOD
ADVANTAGES
LIMITATIONS
Expert Interviews
The ability to interview individuals who are an expert in their field allows for a further and deeper understanding of the topic area, potentially from a perspective that has not been considered by the researcher. This adds value and depth to the research which has already been conducted. “Talking to experts in the exploratory phase of a project is a more efficient and concentrated method of gathering data than, for instance, participatory o b s e r v a t i o n or systematic q u a n t i t at i v e surveys.” (Bogner, Littig and Menz, 2009)
A significant disadvantage of conducting expert interviews is the risk of bias in the answers given by the individual. As the individual has been working in the industry which is being explored, it is likely that bias and strong opinions have been formed. Due to this, the responses they are providing will carry an element of bias, which is difficult to compensate. This means that when analysing the responses and information gathered from these interviews, the research needs to remove the bias from the responses to ensure that this does not impact on the validity of the research conducted.
The intention for expert interviews was to contact and interview a number of individuals across various industries which could add valuable knowledge to the data gathered and emphasise and back up the research p r e v i o u s l y gathered.
However, with the restrictions that have been faced, it has been more difficult to gather information from businesses and experts as they each have their individual challenges in the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic. Evidence of the outreach to these experts can be found in Appendix 7.5. This has been overcome by conducting interviews where possible over a video call, or reaching out to experts not directly related to the topic, but yet can offer expertise from an alternative perspective.
Online Polls
A key advantage of an online poll is the ease with which the respondent can participate. One or a number of simple questions which do not require an in-depth response from the respondent will encourage individuals to answer as it does not take too much of their time. Similar to this, the researcher is able to gain key information quickly from online polls as many respond quickly, especially if accessible to the respondent via a social media platform, such as an Instagram story.
The main disadvantage of online polls is the dependence on respondents choosing to engage with the poll and give their opinion. As stated before, almost 60% of viewers chose not to answer the question posed to them in this Instagram poll. This means that a significant amount of data opportunity has been missed as not everyone responded. Sparrow writes “Online polls have an increasing share of the market, despite the obvious drawbacks of relatively low internet penetration and the fact that they rely on panels of willing p a r t i c i p a n t s .” (Sparrow, 2006).
The intended method for the online polls was to gather a broad range of data, of a high quantitative value. While the respondents of the polls are not the target audience, the question posed to them considered the colours and aesthetic of the brand, which meant that it was not so fundamental for the respondents to not be outside the target audience, as the information is still valuable.
After the i n f o r m at i o n collected from the online poll, the intention was then to discuss this further with a select few members of the target audience in an organised focus group. However, due to the challenges faced at this time, this has not been possible. To overcome this, some 1-1 interviews have been conducted via email to ask further details about the colours and the branding, such as what was intended to be carried out in the focus group.
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TYPE OF RESEARCH Secondary Research
ADVANTAGES
LIMITATIONS
A key advantage of secondary research is the ability to access a wide range of material from wider sources. This is at no time or cost to the researcher, as the research has been conducted by someone else. This sets the researcher up with a wide range of information and knowledge to be drawn on before conducting their own. This saves time and cost.
A standout disadvantage of secondary research is the lack of understanding of how the research was carried out and the intentions behind it. There may have been a level of bias in the research, or the research project was swayed in some way to achieve the ideal responses. This must be taken into account when the research is being used or drawn upon, so as to elevate any potential bias in the research.
Secondary research also means that the researcher can access data from other industries and fields that can have an impact on the topic of research. This creates a more rounded research base and considers the impacts from non-direct sources.
Another disadvantage to secondary research is the difficulty in finding the correct information. When research smaller brands and businesses for example, it may be difficult to find the required information as they have not published it online. For larger businesses, this is not a problem, however for smaller businesses, this may limit the secondary research that can be conducted on them.
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INTENDED METHOD The intended method for the conducting of secondary research was to gain an understanding on the market, competitive landscape and other areas to be understood before launching a brand. This is important to understand the industry and market being entered before launching a potential business. The intended method including gathered financial information on competitors, to understand the business models that competitors operate on, and to establish the market health and challenges.
REALISTIC METHOD While the challenges faced did not affect the ability to conduct secondary research, the research aimed to be gathered proved to be difficult in some areas. The main area where this was challenging was the gathering of data for competitors. As the proposed business will be addressing a niche audience, the competitors all small businesses with small target audiences. As the competitors are small, detailed information on the businesses are difficult to find, which makes competitor research challenging. To overcome this, as much information has been gathered as possible. From this, estimates can be made to fill in any other gaps in research, for example between competitors.
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3. MARKET
27
ANALYSIS
28
3.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE APP MARKET The technology industry is one that has been accelerating for many years, with the likes of Apple, Google, and Microsoft evolving into tech giants. With the constant development of technology, comes the demand from consumers. with access to the world at our fingertips, available within seconds, the expectation for the needs of a consumer to be met through technology is higher than ever.
Before launching a new business concept, it is important to establish the state of the market before entering, scoping out the gaps in the market, the currently market offering, while also considering the market health and longevity. According to a report by App Annie, “annual worldwide downloads have grown 45% in 3 years since 2016”(App Annie, 2020).
With this recorded growth, this provides promising prediction for the future of the app market, meaning that launching a business in the form of an app holds significant potential. MarketWatch reports that “according to Kenneth Research, the Global intelligent Apps Market is expected to reach $123.89 billion by 2023”. (MarketWatch, 2019). 29
“Based on App Annie’s data, Mintel values the mobile apps market at £1.98 billion for 2019, up by 33% from 2018. The industry is going from strength to strength, with consumers downloading apps frequently and being more willing to spend money up front or for in-app purchases. Therefore, the mobile apps market is expected to continue its strong growth in the future. Mintel forecasts that the market will grow by 83% between 2019 and 2024 to £3.62 billion.” (Mintel, 2019)
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P
E
S
An alternative way to consider the pairing between politics and the mobile app market is to consider the way in which apps can be used to voice political opinions. For millennials and Gen Z who use their mobile devices constantly, an app is an extremely accessible platform for the sharing of opinions and ideas. An example is “After School”, an app designed to interest millions of teens in political engagements, especially the Presidential Election campaign in America (Nicosia, 2016). As mentioned in the market overview, the economic value of the app market is significant. MarketWatch reports that “according to Kenneth Research, the Global intelligent Apps Market is expected to reach $123.89 billion by 2023”. (MarketWatch, 2019). The economic value of the app market provides a good landscape with opportunity for businesses to capitalise on this and develop apps in a growing and developing market. With the estimation of the adaptive clothing market at over £200 billion, (Leiber, 2019) and the Purple Pound (the economic value of the disabled pound) carrying potential that businesses are not tapping into, this creates a combination of significant opportunity to engage in all three markets. Similar to the mention of 5G in the Political section, the advances in 5G significantly impact the economic state. In a New York Times article entitled “China’s Dominance of 5G Networks Puts U.S. Economic Future at Stake” touches on the current situation regarding the conversation and challenges around the development of 5G. (Benner, 2020). With Chinese giant Huawei dominating the field in terms of 5G, countries such as the UK and the US are reluctant to continue with this, over fear of interference from the Chinese (Wheeler, 2020). The social aspect in relation to the app market and the impact which this has, provides multiple different viewpoints to consider. A key factor which links social to the app market is the rise of social media and the sharing economy. With social media platforms bigger than ever, the consumer has more opportunities to share their lives, opinions, views and beliefs with thousands of people. More specific to the review-based app market, apps such as Tripadvisor and Trust Pilot provide an orchestrated space for users to share and read other opinions, and for users to share their good and bad experiences. Social media platforms allow users a safe space to share their opinions, often with the option to remain anonymous, encouraging the sharing of honest opinions as there is no way of being identified.
3.2 EXTERNAL FACTORS 31
AFFECTING THE APP MARKET 32
T
In relation to the impacts on the app market, the technological aspect is one that has significant relevance. This constant development in technology is something that will be transferred into the app market and create upgrades for the technology available. A report from Deloitte, called “Tech Trends 2019” talks about the upcoming advances in technology and predicts, “a more exciting time, a more opportune time to leave your mark on your company, your industry, and an entire world of possibility.” (Deloitte, 2019). With the constant developments in technology, the app market is under persistent pressure to keep up and move forward with the new technologies, in order to stay relevant in the market and to maintain the competitive advantage against the other players in the market.
L
The legal aspect of a brand needs to comply with any legislation in place regarding the nature of the app and the contents included. For example, with an app focused around accessibility and disability, it is important that the app does not breach any legislation regarding the Disability Discrimination Act, or any retail space legislations which are currently in place. With the nature of an app which includes consumer written reviews, this is something that will need to be monitored and maintained in order to ensure that the content written by individuals does not breach this legislation as well.
E
With apps being the most accessible platform for many mobile phone users, environmental awareness is being created by capitalising on this platform. As listed by Country Living, there are multiple apps on the market to educate environmental awareness; whether that be food waste, single use plastic awareness, or focusing apps which fund tree plantation. Brands are making the most from the potential that the app market provides. (Cornish, 2018).
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Having established the external factors affecting the market, it is important to then consider how these factors will affect the business proposal. Out of all the external factors, it can be argued that the social component is the most pressing for the business proposal. When launching a business based solely off reviews and the sharing of opinions, the sharing culture is something which is of significance here. As the sharing culture evolves into various aspects of the consumers life, reviews and forums will be used more. This is a positive external impact as this will benefit the business proposal.
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3.3 MARKET DRIVERS The drivers in the market are the pushing force behind the market growth and the way in which the market is developing. These factors impact those operating in the market and those wishing to go into the market. The app market has many drivers, which shape it into what it is. The key drivers have been highlighted in relation to the proposed business idea.
3.3.1 MARKET PENETRATION OF SMARTPHONES A key driver for the app market is the significant use of smartphones, and how this is penetrating the market. According to Finder, 70% of Brits own a smartphone (Boyle, 2020). With smartphones essential to the daily life of almost 80% of individuals, the dependence on apps and technology is of huge significance. The importance of providing technological solutions to the needs and demands of the consumer is essential in easing the daily life of an individual. With the increase in multiple device ownership, it is vital “To maintain a successful business, retailers must embrace the emerging omnichannel world.” (Finlay, 2019). The connectivity of devices is something that brands need to capitalise on and ensure that the omnichannel experience is being delivered successfully to consumers in order for them to maintain brand loyalty. All of these elements fall under the market penetration of smartphones, and significantly impact the app market.
3.3.2 REVIEW CULTURE A market driver specific to the review-based apps is the rise in review culture. Review culture entails the dependence of shoppers on their access to reading reviews before they make a purchase. According to BrightPearl Report, “The Rise of Review Culture”, “46% of shoppers check star ratings before making an online purchase” (BrightPearl,2019). While the nature of the proposed business idea considers the rating of accessibility of a store, this still carries the same sentiment that consumers place high value on the ability to access reviews.
“While 45% of ratings to be reputation of not know
UK retailers consider online reviews and star ‘very important’ to the financial status and their business, sadly 38% admit that they do how best to deal with negative reviews.” (BrightPearl, 2019)
A study conducted by Ipsos MORI says, “57% stating that they ‘trust online recommendations if they’re from a well-known site / app’”, clarifying and adding weight to the aforementioned statistic from BrightPearl (Ipsos MORI, 2017). Both of these statistics highlight the importance customers place on reviews and show the way in which review culture is vital to the purchasing decisions. Review culture does not solely include the purchasing of clothes, as other review sites allow for specific review pages. This is what will be carried into the creation of the new business concept, as the proposed app is specifically based around the reviews of accessibility of stores. Review culture acts as a market driver as it encourages the creation of review apps, and apps that include a review feature.
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3.3.3 THE INSTANT CONSUMER Forbes contributor Brian Solis writes that “Impatience is a virtue: how the on-demand economy is making mobile consumers impatient”, and touches on the instant consumer, and their growing demands. (Solis, 2017) Throughout the article, Solis goes on to discuss the “on-demand economy” and how every business should be catering to the “right now consumer”. (Solis, 2017) The demanding consumer as a driver for the app market is closely linked, as the expectations for an instant experience are often delivered through the format of an app. A quote from Sales Force states, “Your brand is not the most important thing in your customers life - convenience is." (Sales Force, 2019). This powerful statement reinforces the sentiment of Solis’s discussion. The consumer is expecting convenience, which has become more important than the brand itself. If the consumer is demanding convenience which a specific brand cannot fulfil, the consumer will then choose ease and instant supply rather than being brand loyal.
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3.4 MARKET ATTRACTIVENESS When considering market attractiveness, a model developed by Christopher Moller, a Trendspotter, creates a helpful framework for analysing the market. This is sectioned into four areas, to allow for a detailed breakdown of the market; Technology, Users, Market, and Innovation.
USERS
What is desirable to users?
Market readiness
Technical readiness
Market proof/ validation Market entry Product readiness
TECHNOLOGY
Market traction
Business readiness
MARKET
What is possible with technology?
What is viable in the market? (MOLLER, 2019)
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TECHNOLOGY
This section of the model considers the idea of technological readiness, and the way in which new technology can be used when approaching the market with a new concept. In order to stay ahead of competitors, it is important to recognise the need to enter the market ahead of similar brands. When creating an app, a number of advanced features will allow for the business to sit ahead of its competitors in the market. While technological advances are main advance features that an app can provide, it is also key to refer to the technological ability in developing smooth running app software. This is crucial for a good user experience, with practical, easy to use interfaces which guide the user seamlessly through the app.
USERS
One of the most important considerations when creating a new idea and reaching new markets, is the user; their needs, desires, demands and wishes. In order for the market to be attractive, there needs to be a key identified consumer, with defined needs, in order for the new business concept to appeal to the users of this market, and the competitor products. By analysing and understanding the current offerings in the market, which is being supplied by competing brands, a gap in the market can be identified. This identifies a space in the market where a new business will be positioned.
MARKET
The market section of Moller’s model considers what is viable in the marketplace. While the business concept needs to be innovative, it also needs to be a viable concept that will sit well amongst its competitors. The new concept needs to be feasible in the market in which it intends to operate, and be functional, in providing the solution to problems which have been identified in previous research. The business idea needs to be practical in order to be well received in the market.
INNOVATION
The need for innovation when creating a new business idea and pushing into a new market is key for standing out amongst competitors. If a business is not innovative, or exciting, the chance for capturing the audience will be missed. For a consumer to trust a new business over an existing trustworthy one they know, there needs to be an element of excitement or innovation in the business concept for the consumer to choose the business. The business idea needs to challenge the other competitors within the market, applying subconscious pressure to other brands, highlighting the levels of innovation which can be achieved.
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3.5 MARKET CHALLENGES 3.5.1 App Abandonment and User Retention When approaching a new market, it is important to consider some of the potential challenges that already exist, and that may be faced by the business. A key challenge within the app market is app abandonment. Sarah Perez, for TechCrunch, reported that “nearly 1 in 4 people abandon mobile apps after only one use” (Perez, 2016). This highlights a key challenge which needs to be considered when creating the business. Chris Ciligot discusses app engagement and retention; “Increasing engagement and retention will lead to more active and loyal app users. The following five strategies for boosting app engagement and retention can help lower an app’s churn rate, and help enterprises see the desired results and ROI they expect from their investment in mobile app development.” (Ciligot, 2020).
Continuing w i t h Ciligot’s 5 methods for maintaining retention, the third method talks about in-app messages. This refers to the importance of in app messages aligning with the needs of the user, meaning that the user feels connected to the app. In addition to this, the fourth method is offering an incentivisation programme. There is importance in capitalising on a reward or loyalty scheme, as both the business and the consumer will benefit from this. Whether this be through a freemium model, or a monetization model, these are both efficient ways to engage the consumer in the app. Finally, the last point in the methods provided is to encourage two way communication.
Building upon this, Ciligot goes on to propose 5 methods to increase app engagement and user retention. The first of these, is efficient onboarding, which touches on ensuring that the start-up process of downloading and logging into a new app is as simple as possible, minimizing the number of steps taken. The second step to take is using push notifications in the right way.
As consumers want to build a relationship with brands, an opportunity for feedback and communication between the brand and the consumer is something which should be a key priority in the creation of an app. While Ciligot’s methods are practical steps, in order for these to be efficient in overcoming app abandonment and user retention, it is important that they are used simultaneously, and in the correct amount. In order for the user to have a seamless experience, these methods need to be used in a natural output.
According to Invesp, “push notifications can boost app engagement up to 88%”, encouraging the user to engage with the app across multiple different occasions. (Shukairy, n.d.).
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This graph by Localytics demonstrates the mentioned statistics regarding the level at which the consumer is likely to abandon an app after the initial download.
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3.5.2 Over Saturation of the Market In addition to this, another key challenge which will be faced when entering the app market is oversaturation of the market. With over 2 million apps in the App Store, the market is more crowded than ever (Nicas, 2018). As technology continually grows and develops, there is an app for most needs. However, this makes it harder and harder for new emerging apps to be noticed in the market. According to MindSea, “The number of mobile app downloads each year has been steadily increasing. In 2017, there were 178 billion app downloads. That number is projected to grow to 205 billion this year, and 258 billion in 2022 - a 45 percent increase over five years.” (MindSea, 2019). As the consumer downloads more apps than ever before, it is crucial that new apps identify their USP and point of difference amongst their competitors. Alongside creating a specific USP, it is important that the marketing of the new business idea is targeted and planned well, in order to capture the attention of the target audience and give the consumer reasons to trust a new, upcoming business rather than an existing one. In a counter argument to the over saturation of the market, Business of Apps says, “some people are starting to think that the mobile space is too saturated to grow in. This is not the case. A lot of times it comes down to two key areas: the app’s uniqueness and its ASO [App Store Optimisation] strategy.” (Business of Apps, 2018). This argument places the emphasis on the importance of points of difference from the existing competitors in the market. It is vital the app stands out in the market and demonstrates its uniqueness.
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3.5.3 Monetization Strategies Another challenge faced in the app market, is the various monetization strategies. A detailed report by Mintel, titled “Mobile Device Apps – UK – October 2019” considers the statistics around free or paid apps. Demonstrated in the table below, there was a significant rise in the downloading of paid apps from 2018 to 2019, with a growth of 809% (Mintel, 2019). It is easy to assume that consumers would rather an app be free rather than paid, but these statistics show otherwise.
When asking for feedback on the proposed business idea, many mentioned the challenge around monetisation, with the disposable income of disabled individuals being a challenging topic. In conversations with disability expert and lecturer, Julian Wing, he said, “Disabled people, generally, because of the benefits system [which is a generous benefits system in relation to the rest of the world] they do have significant financial power. The disabled pound needs to be taken note off. You know, like the grey pound or the pink pound, the disabled pound, the purple pound is a force to be reckoned with.” (Wing, 2020) (See Appendix 7.1) While this is a challenge, the incorporation of advertisements, selling the data gathered from the app, and further ways to monetize the business plan will be included when explaining the business proposition further.
These numbers are useful when it comes to deciding on the monetisation of new apps and business concepts. The report continues to state, “Consumers also spent more on free apps and games with in-app purchases, and paid apps and games with in-app purchases. Spending on the former increased by 29% to $202 million in July 2019 and spending on the latter increased by 6% to $3.8 million in July 2019.” (Mintel, 2019).
App Type July 2018 ($m) July 2019 ($m) Change (%) Free with in-app purchases
157.2
202.0
+28.5
Paid with in-app purchases
3.6
3.8
+6.3
Paid
0.6
5.2
+807
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3.6 COMPETITOR ANALYSIS BRAND AccessAble
Wheelmap
PRIMARY OR SECONDARY
OVERVIEW
Primary
AccessAble is an online and mobile provider for helpful reviews and information designed to enable to the consumer to enjoy going out: “AccessAble is here to take the chance out of going out”. (Accessable, 2020)
Primary
A project by SocialHelden, Wheelmap is a map based review app for wheelchair friendly spaces. Wheelmap operates on a traffic light system for how accessible a space is.
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BUSINESS OFFERING
AccessAble provides guides for public places, listing features which are or are not available, which may be necessary information to the user. AccessAble provides information for a number of types of public places, such as restaurants, parks, tourist attractions and shopping centres. Wheelmap provides an edited map which indicates the accessibility of places, such as shopping, food and drink places, hotels, transport links and tourist attractions.
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
Accessable operates an ambassador scheme which allows influencers to promote the brand. This raises awareness of the brand and what it has to offer.
Similar to other offerings in the market, this is a weakness for AccessAble. It is difficult to differentiate AccessAble from those who often a similar service, such as Wheelmap.
Operating a traffic light coding system makes understanding the accessibility of a place very easy, and quick to use. An app form allows for the service to be used on the go.
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With no written reviews of the places, this means that the detail element to Wheelmap is limited. This means that the consumer is not able to fully understand the jus-tification of the ratig which has been given.
BRAND Euan's Guide
TripAdvisor
PRIMARY OR SECONDARY
OVERVIEW
Primary
Euan’s Guide is a website with various reviews for disabled people to review. This is not retail specific. It provides peer written reviews which share with others the experiences had in these places. It also has a news section which gives important news stories that are likely to affect the readers.
Secondary
App giant TripAdvisor started out as a reviewing platform, which developed into, “World's largest travel platform. Browse hundreds of millions of traveller reviews and opinions. Compare low prices on hotels, flights, and cruises.” (TripAdvisor, 2020)
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BUSINESS OFFERING
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
Euan’s Guide provides an offering for the consumer where they can go online and browse reviews of places reviewed by other individuals. It also offers venue information, new services and more.
Through researching Euan’s Guide, their financial information is available to view. A key strength here is the investment which they receive from donators.
Euan’s Guide only operate as a website and do not have a mobile app. This prevents users from using the site out and about in the most accessible way.
TripAdvisor offers users a multifunctional platform, to review shops, hotels, restaurants, resorts etc. TripAdvisor has now also branched out and provides a flight finding service.
The volume of reviews on TripAdvisor could act as a strength and a weakness. When a place is highly reviewed it makes it easier to trust the reviews.
However, the sheer volume of reviews can often be overwhelming for the user and taint their user experience as it is often a long task to read through lots and lots of reviews.
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3.7 BRAND POSITIONING MAP CLEAR INFORMATION
GAP IN THE MARKET
EMOTIONAL
FUNCTIONAL
DIFFICULT TO FIND INFORMATION In order to understand the gap in the market for Accessful, a brand positioning map has been created to visually plot where Accessful sits amongst its competitors. With axis which are most relevant to the brand and what Accessful has to offer, this allows the gap in the market to be clearly identified, and considered in relation to the new business offering. A mix of primary and secondary competitors shows the market at its widest with the most amount of competitors. 47
3.8 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
When analysing the competitor analysis table and the brand positioning map, it allows the understanding of the competitive advantage. Some key weaknesses which were highlighted in the analysis of competitors focused on the difficulty in accessing the reviews. To gain advantage on competing brands, the organisation of reviews and information will be extremely clear in the Accessful app, with information organised by store or by location. Another advantage that Accessful will hold against its competitors is the balance between emotional and functional benefits. Providing two elements to the app, the reviews themselves and the forum feature, there is opportunity for information gathered to be emotional and functional.
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4. THE OPPORTUNITY AND IDEA GENERATION
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4.1 THE PROBLEM IN A NUTSHELL The problem identified highlights the need for consumers to know whether a store is accessible. By creating the solution in the form of an app, this gives the user the ability to check the accessibility of a store how and when they like, creating instant access to information. This means that extensive research into a store does not have to be done in advance or detract from the spontaneity of a shopping experience. When asked, “do you have to do a lot of research to find where you want to go?”, a primary research respondent said, “I have to. I can’t just get up and say, “oh I’m going to go shopping in Derby”, no, I have to make sure where I’m going has accessibility, whether I can get in or not.” (Pontes Viella, 2019, See Appendix 6.1). This quote from primary research pinpoints the problem completely, and demonstrates the need for a solution.
4.2 CONCEPT TESTING Stage 1 insights and primary research highlighted the consumer opinions towards the current shopping environment for those with accessibility needs, focusing on key developments that needed to be made in order to encourage the consumer to shop with a brand more. This research and information shows the opportunity for a service or brand to be developed to create a solution to the problems faced by consumers, and allow for a more accessible, and enjoyable shopping experience. 53
“Include info about disabled toilets and changing places, toilets as well as expanding on features such a lowered cashier desks, lifts, disabled friendly shopping assistance”
4.3 CONCEPT FEEDBACK Developing the insights from Stage 1, a survey was created as initial testing to establish the target audiences’ opinions towards the idea. This was helpful for the further development of the idea, as initial responses highlighted areas in which the consumers felt there could be development.
(Participant 22, 2020) (See Appendix 5.2.22)
A number of primary research responses highlighted the addition of more retail spaces, such as toilets, cafes and other spaces. This is something that will be included in the 3-5 year plan for the business. As it is a niche audience that is being targeted initially, expansion of the app into the reviewing of other retail spaces will be something which is added when the app gains momentum and has a more significant consumer use, and the trust has been gained from the consumers.
“Maybe adding the potential rating system of each store, and, for instance creating a key which portrays the logo of a wheelchair indicating that it is accessible for those in wheelchairs.” (Participant 36, 2020) (See Appendix 5.2.36)
"Really like the forum idea - would be nice to speak to people who experience the same difficulties, I would like a rating system to rate the places out of 5."
“I think it would be good for there to be was a feature where you can connect with friends and share people's reviews with your friends”
(Participant 5, 2020) (See Appendix 5.2.5)
(Participant 15, 2020) (See Appendix 5.2.15)
Both the above survey responses mention the preference for having a rating feature on the reviews. This would allow for the app to be quick to use and easy to find the necessary information. Rating system is something that is universally understood by all and does not overcomplicate the matter. For those with a physical disability who may also have other conditions, a simple system such as this will be accessible.
This suggestion from primary research is something that had not been initially considered, but a feature which would add to the community feel of the app. The community sense will mainly be focused in the forum element, but the ability to share reviews with friends will expand into the main purpose of the app if there is the opportunity to share and connect with friends on the app.
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4.4 HOW DID THE IDEA DEVELOP? The idea generation phase involved the creation of small ideas derived from Stage 1 insights. A process of sketching out 3 main ideas and testing them with peers allowed the development of the final idea. The three former ideas all addressed the outlined problems from a different perspective. Through the process of testing and developing, these ideas filtered into one, which is the final idea.
4.5 HOW DOES THE IDEA RELATE TO STAGE 1? At the end of the Stage 1 project, the conclusion was drawn into a few key insights which are outline the problems identified. When considering the relationship with the Stage 1 insights and the business idea, there is strong correlation between these. A key insight developed from Stage 1 considered the impacts in which a challenging shopping experience has on the self-confidence of shoppers with accessibility needs. Accessful sets out to relieve this problem by informing consumers of how accessible a store is, before they enter, meaning they can reduce the likelihood of having a bad in store experience.
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5.
THE
BIG IDEA
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5.1 THE BUSINESS CONCEPTION
Primary research was conducted, aimed at 18-30 year old individuals who had some form of physical disability or accessibility issues. Online surveys, polls, and individual interviews contributed to the gathering of a rounded view of the varied opinions towards the current shopping landscape, and the key problems faced. Secondary research developed the understanding of the market and the competitors, to enrich the knowledge of the market. Results from the research demonstrated that consumers felt a lack of understanding from businesses about the struggles which they face. A number of individuals shared feelings of embarrassment and self-consciousness when shopping for clothes. A lack of confidence was also mentioned. Through discussion with interviewees and expert interviews, the concept was tested and discussed to gain outside opinions on the business concept, and to seek improvements and advice. Lecturers in the field and business experts were able to offer advice based on their years of experience. The combination of all of the above supported the development of Accessful. Improvements that were suggested in testing have been taken into account to work towards the development of a wellrounded business plan.
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1. To gain the trust of consumers through a secure brand offering, and a platform that engages with the audience.
5.2 BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
2. To meet the needs of the consumer, through providing a solid resource of reviews, and topic discussions. 3. To create a community environment in which individuals feel safe and secure, enabling them to share their struggles and problems with their peers. 4. To encourage the improvement of accessibility for brands investing in Accessful. 5. To be a profitable business within 3 years of launch.
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5.3
VISION
To change the consumer experiences in retail stores, for those with accessibility issues, by improving the availability to reviews and information, encouraging consumers to trust and share with like minded individuals, to make the retail experience a better one for physically disabled consumers.
INCLUSIVITY We believe all shoppers have the right to the best experience possible. No individual should be excluded, singled out, or humiliated because they have extra requirements. An enjoyable customer service experience should be available to all - disability or not.
VALUES
EQUALITY By valuing equality so highly, we aim to consistently provide a service that offers equal access for all. Equal rights amongst all consumers is of significant value to us, and we consider this to be the same in retail. We pledge to always campaign for equality in the shopping environment. COMMUNITY Community is at the core of what we do. We aim to create a safe space within our platform for users to connect and share struggles, stories and opinions. Through talking, helping and creating a voice, together we can make a difference.
MISSION
To assist consumers with access to retail stores, through the gathering of information from trustworthy, personable reviews, shared by like minded individuals. This will improve the shopping experience and aim to improve the self-confidence of shoppers.
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5.4 BRAND PYRAMID 63
BRAND ESSENCE A forward-thinking app provider that draws upon consumer desire for an improved shopping experience for those with accessibility needs. The consumer will be able to rely on Accessful to be there in times of need, to alleviate shopping embarrassment, and be there to trust and count on.
BRAND PERSONA Comforting Friendly Approachable Understanding Good listener
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS With the rise in sharing culture more significant than ever, Accessful will create a safe space for users to share opinions, struggles and challenges with other individuals who can understand and wholly relate. Accessful appeals to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (See Appendix 10.3) and addresses the human need for love and belonging, specifically human connection. Accessful appeals to this need by creating a community space for real connections and interactions to be made between users.
FUNCTIONAL BENEFITS Accessful is a manageable information source which provides knowledge and resources to those with accessibility needs. This is delivered through the reviews and ratings of like-minded individuals who understand the struggles being faced. Accessful allows for user engagement across multiple areas of the app, with a forum feature designed to create connections between users.
FEATURES AND ATTRIBUTES Accessful considers the needs of the consumer and delivers these in a way that distinguishes itself from competitors. The forum feature allows users to interact with other individuals who share the same challenges and create connections and friendships via the platform. Through social media influence, brand ambassadors and appropriate marketing, Accessful will create a community of individuals keen to help make a difference.
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5.5 BRAND DNA 5.5.1 NAME
The process of name generation consisted of experimenting with wordplay and creating a name which was both catchy and effective. As the business involves a functional service, it was important that the name reflected this, and gave notion to the offering of the business. Accessful was created as a mix of ‘access’ and ‘successful’, creating a name which is easy to pronounce and by which to identify the brand. Checked on Companies House, this name does not exist as an operating brand already, meaning it is available for use. (See Appendix 10.4)
5.5.2 LOGO
When designing the logo, the main priority for the design was that it is instantly recognisable and clear. As the business is functional, it is important that the logo reflects this. The colour scheme of the logo uses the main colours from the brands colour palette. It is important to make the logo eye-catching, but to still consider the visual needs of the target audience. This is why the chosen colours for the logo are more muted than others in the colour palette. The banner logo is the main logo, used on the majority of the branding. The square icon logo is designed with social media in mind, as a different format and shape of logo is used for social media profiles. It was important to ensure that the slogan was included on the logo, as to instantly make the consumer aware of the intention of the business, and of its aims.
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Main Logo Design The banner logo is to be used in all occasions where possible. The slogan underneath is essential to the logo and therefore should be included where possible. Icon Logo Design The social media and icon logo should not be used in replacement of the banner logo. This logo is strictly for social media icons, app store icons, and small placements/watermarks on elements of the branding. The choice of logo should naturally be the banner logo, except from times when the icon is more appropriate.
Logo Guidelines
Do not distort the shape of the logo. This results in stretching of the text and distortion of the shape of the icon which does not fit with the brand guidelines.
The positioning of the brand name and the slogan must not be modified to change the spacing. This must remain the same at all times.
The spacing of the text must not be tampered with. The spacing must remain default at all times and under no circumstances is allowed to be altered.
Do not invert or alter with the colour of specific areas of the logo. Each colour selected plays an important role in the appearance of the brand and logo.
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5.5.3 FONT The font choice was decided upon with the intention of the information regarding making visuals dyslexia friendly. The font choice needed to be simple, clear and easy to read. As the business is a functional service, it was not appropriate to choose a decorative font. According to Scribe, “Serif fonts are usually easier to read in printed works than sans-serif fonts. This is because the serif makes the individual letters more distinctive and easier for our brains to recognise quickly. Without the serif, the brain has to spend longer identifying the letter because the shape is less distinctive.� (Scribe, 2020). To this end, a clear serif font has been chosen. Input Sans is the font name, and is used in Thin, Regular, and Italic. The font should not be used in underline.
Font: Input Serif Size: Dependent on use Variation: Normal, Italic and Bold only
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abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz abcdefghijklm nopqrstuvwxyz
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5.5.4 COLOUR SCHEME
§ When considering the colour scheme for Accessful, it was important that this was in keeping with the function of the business and fitted with the brand DNA. Primary research suggested that the colour scheme of the brand was dyslexia friendly. When asked “What would you change about the business, a respondent said, “Nothing really but would make sure your colour theme is dyslexia friendly”. (See Appendix 6.2) Having investigated dyslexia friendly colour schemes, research showed that “For people with dyslexia, the ability to read and understand text can be affected by the way in which text has been written and produced. If you are producing information to be read by others, it is important to remember that up to 10% of your readers may have dyslexia.” (Dyslexia. Ie, n.d.) To research this further, an email interview was conducted with an individual who is dyslexic, to understand her opinions on potential colour scheme choices. She said, “For me it would be palette 1, as they are calmer, lighter colours to use. I normally use a yellow overlay on paper & on screen, however, when I’m writing reports on word I generally change my background to a mid-grey.” (Potts, 2020, See Appendix 6.2 for full interview) (See Appendix 6.2 for reference to colour palette 1). Taking notice of the feedback, the colour scheme was decided based on this. The lightest shade in the colour palette is one that will be optional for a background, to aid those with visual preferences.
C=7 M=2 Y=7 K=0
C=0 M=10 Y=41 K=0
C=0 M=40 Y=73 K=0
C=0 M=46 Y=53 K=0
C=96 M=65 Y=51 K=55
C=73 M=15 Y=1 K=0 69
5.5.5 TONE OF VOICE
COMFORTING FUNCTIONAL RELIABLE TRUSTWORTHY UNDERSTANDING SECURE HELPFUL INSPIRING KNOWLEDGEABLE UNIFYING
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6. THE BUSINESS MODEL
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6.1 THE BUSINESS KEY PARTNERS
Reviewers – app users who choose to leave reviews to help others in their search for accessible stores Readers – these are app users who only consume the content and do not contribute to it Ambassadors – influencers who are ambassadors for the app and promote it
KEY ACTIVITIES
Reading reviews and ratings on stores to determine whether they are accessible enough for the individuals needs Leaving reviews and ratings based off a good or bad experience the user has had Connecting and sharing with individuals in the forum feature KEY RESOURCES High tech, quick technology
VALUE PROPOSITIONS Providing resources to aid the shopping experience of consumers with accessibility needs Giving a solution to help the bad experiences in stores, including the reducing of humiliation and physical accessibility needs Satisfies the consumer need to feel accepted and blend in with other consumers
Retail stores Helpful employees
COST STRUCTURE
Free app to download App includes in app advertisement’s Premium model which allows access to the forum and other features - £3.25 per month Selling data/consulting service to brands based off information gathered through the app (3-year plan)
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MODEL CANVAS CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Customer service relationships
Social media use – how the consumer will interact with the business on social media
CHANNELS Website
App for iOS App for Android
CUSTOMER SEGMENTS
Reviewers – people who want to contribute to helping others and take it upon themselves to leave reviews and ratings Readers – these customers choose not to fully participate, but choose to take the information available to them for their own benefit Brands – eventually, brands will be able to benefit from the business, by buying the information from Accessful, or using the consulting service, in which Accessful will help implement accessible spaces into retail stores
REVENUE STREAMS
Revenue from in app advertisements Revenue from premium model
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(Strategyzer, 2020)
6.2 VALUE GAIN CREATORS
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
All necessary information in one place Search by location or store Easy to access reviews Peer to peer opinions
Information about accessibility of stores Reviews left by individuals who have experienced the store Forum to chat and discuss with likeminded individuals
PAIN RELIEVERS Reviews allow an individual to know whether the store is accessible Forum feature gives individuals a place to get advice from others Ratings mean users can quickly know whether to go into a store or not
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PROPOSITION
GAINS Seamless shopping experience Able to find everything they need Perfect customer experience Know what to expect when they are entering a store Trusting stores to provide PAINS Unable to access all stores Clothing does not meet the needs
CUSTOMER JOBS Use retail stores Access fashionable clothing Buy acceptable clothing for themselves Share shopping experiences
Retail stores are not accessible for wheelchairs Feelings of humiliation and embarrassment
(Strategyzer, 2020)
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6.3 THE 4P'S PRODUCT At the heart of everything that Accessful offers, the brand focuses on creating more accessible retail spaces, and consequently improving the shopping experience for those with a physical disability. The basis of the app and product offering is a review-based app in which peer to peer reviews are left to aid others in their shopping experience. Review culture has become a place of gathering information for individuals and choosing where to shop based on the opinions of other people. Battling the retail environment with a physical disability is something more challenging than the struggles faced by the average shopper. Combining a difficult retail space, with a mobility disability, reviews about accessibility are more vital than ever. The ability to access a bank of reviews for retail spaces, all on the same platform, is something that can significantly aid the shopping life of physically disabled consumers. As part of the app, Accessful offers a forum feature to premium users. This feature allows for anonymous discussion between users, about topics and discussion points which they wish to talk to like-minded individuals about. The opportunity to remain anonymous is something that will encourage users to share their personal problems and feel that they are in a safe space to do so. Providing a forum space allows users to interact with others and create a community feeling. For some disabled people, it may be difficult to make friends due to difficulties in going out. To this end, being able to create friendships online is something which could be of value to disabled individuals. Therefore, it is anticipated that the forum feature would be well received.
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An additional feature to the app would include a reward system for users who are active reviewers. If a user contributed a certain number of reviews per month, they would be rewarded with discounts or a free subscription. If brands were willing to be involved with this scheme, users may be able to have brand specific discounts if they are writing a certain number of helpful reviews for those particular brands. A grading system would be in place for the users, indicating to others that they are trusted reviewers, showing what “league� they are in. This also gives other users the comfort of knowing that the reviews being read are from trusted reviewers, encouraging them to believe the validity of what they are reading. Finally, in the 3rd year of operating, a business to business element will be introduced. With the information and reviews that have been left by the consumers, Accessful will develop the insights gained into a consultancy service. In this, Accessful will provide information and recommendations to brands about the ways in which consumers feel they can improve their stores. This will be store specific recommendations left by people who have experienced the stores and their accessibility problems directly. This will be another revenue stream for Accessful, as the brands will be paying for this consultancy service.
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PLACE While Accessful does not operate from a physical place, there are many tangible points at which the consumer can interact with the brand. A benefit of creating an online app allows the consumers to be able to access the app from wherever they are, and not be bound by physical location. The main point of contact with Accessful is through the app itself. The app is designed to be accessible and helpful for all, with the ability to use the app ‘on the go’, or in the home. Being able to use the app while out means that the users will be able to research the accessibility of a store whenever they need to. An example of this is if the user is visiting a new city, they will be able to quickly check the ratings and reviews of a store before entering, meaning they can ensure they will have the best in-store experience possible. This underlines the idea of the app as a handy guide to retail spaces, which is designed to be helpful.
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Similar to this, another point of contact for Accessful is through social media. Social media allows the user to be exposed to Accessful in various different ways. If used correctly, a consistent uploading schedule on social media means that Accessful will be infiltrating the feeds of its followers. Sometimes this will be noticed, other times this will be subconscious, meaning that the user has come across the brand more times than they may realise. Finally, in future years for Accessful, there may be the introduction of physical events, such as pop-up events, to enable consumers to interact with the brand in a physical, tangible way. This is another way in which the consumer can interact with the brand, and will aid in developing consumer to brand relationships.
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PRICING The pricing structure for Accessful has been carefully considered, taking into account the feedback from primary research, and research conducted into the disposable income of those with disabilities; The Purple Pound. Primary research responses said: “I can’t see many people signing up to premium.” (Participant 8, See Appendix 2.2.8)
“I like it, but I don’t think I would get the premium version unless I’m getting a discount or reward.” (Participant 13, See Appendix 2.2.13)
“I wouldn’t get the premium version unless I got discounts” (Participant 14, See Appendix 2.2.14)
“Free version – I would not pay any regular price for a premium version but would happily use an app with ads or with the forum function removed. I expect requiring payment would reduce participation so would suggest having at least the review feature to be free.” (Participant 23, See Appendix 2.2.23)
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Based on these responses, the app will be free to download. The free version of the app will include the reviews, ratings and the view to individuals’ profiles with their ratings and achievements. This means that the main function of the app is free, and users are able to access the reviews without having to pay. This is important as monetizing a functional app is something that brings challenges. However, as mentioned by Participant 23, in-app ads are a way to combat this. This means that when navigating the app, between pages and reviews, there will be occasional in-app adverts that pop up on the screen. An example of this would be every 10 reviews which are read, a short 30 second advert will be played in order to see the next set. A premium version of Accessful will be on offer to users. This premium offering will include the forum feature, which allows users to share struggles, questions and simply to chat to one another. By including this in the premium feature, the user is still able to access the reviews and the ratings but have exclusive access to the forum.
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PROMOTION When marketing a helpful service-based business such as Accessful, the promotional strategy needs to be considered carefully. One is not able to use typical marketing and ways to draw in the consumer, as the target audience is very niche, and the nature of the brand means that the marketing needs to be sensitive. A popularly adopted marketing strategy in 2020, with the help of Instagram, is the use of influencer marketing. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, “Businesses are making $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing� (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2020). This indicates the reception of influencer marketing amongst consumers, and the success of influencers to market campaigns, products and businesses. With this in mind, Accessful will tactfully consider the way in which this is incorporated into the promotional aspect of the business. Instead of adopting the generic approach of paying an influencer to post on Instagram and mention the brand, Accessful intends to create an ambassador scheme. This will invite individuals who use the app to become ambassadors for it. The aim here is to ensure that the ambassadors are people who use and enjoy the app and are therefore able to be organic in their advertisements of the app, as it is something that has helped and impacted on them. Examples of Instagrammers who would be ideal for the ambassador programme are Jordan Bone (@jbone89), Emily Morrison (@ableemily), Ross Lannon (@rosslannon) and Kate Stanforth (@katestanforth). Influencers such as these have built organic followings based on their honesty and openness about their disabilities and the struggles they face.
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With social media populating our lives, with over 2.6 billion people worldwide being active on social media, Accessful tapping into this is essential. (London School of Economics, 2017) An online presence in the form of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages will be created. HubSpot reports that “80% of Instagram users follow at least one business, and 72% of users say they've purchased a product they've seen on the platform.” (HubSpot, 2020). From this, it is clear that an Instagram platform for Accessful is vital. Despite not being able to buy a product through Accessful’s Instagram, the page will promote the app, the ambassador schemes and other relevant posts and information. This allows the user to have multiple ways to engage with Accessful, and for Accessful to have a presence on the most popular social media platform. (Sharma, 2018) Following on from this, another promotional aspect to consider for Accessful is the use of partnering with charities. As previously mentioned, by partnering with well-known charities, such as Scope and Back-Up, this will help validate the business, and create secondary promotions for Accessful. In partnering with a charity, a two-way marketing awareness would be generated, as both parties would be mentioned on the others social media accounts. For Accessful to be mentioned and shared on such a well-known charity’s social media pages and this would create significant traffic and awareness for Accessful.
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6.4 MCKINSEY'S CONSUMER In order to understand the consumer journey, McKinsey’s Consumer Decision Journey model has been used to demonstrate the ways in which the consumer will interact with the brand, at the different stages of their journey. (McKinsey, 2015) (See Appendix 10.5 for model)
CONSIDER
BOND
ADVOCATE
EVALUATE
BUY
EXPERIENCE
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DECISION JOURNEY C O N S I D E R
The consumer journey begins when they are initially made aware of Accessful. This may be through recommendation from peers or friends who have come across Accessful and had a good experience on with the app, and chosen to share this experience with their friends, it may be through stumbling across the account on Instagram, or it may be through an ambassador or influencer sharing their experience with Accessful. However this has happened, the consumer now has to consider the use of the app for themselves; will it benefit them, is it useful to them, is there a need in their life to mean they should download the app? It is at this stage that the consumer will be considering the way in which the operate currently, how do they access reviews, does it work for them. If the outcome of the consideration stage is that the consumer decides they need the app, they go on to evaluate their decision.
Now decided that the downloading of Accessful will benefit the consumer, the individual must evaluate this choice before going ahead with it. This evaluation process will contemplate the potential monetary purchases that will come with the downloading of the app. The evaluation stage will see the consumer weigh up the idea, and potentially research reviews of the app from other people who have downloaded the app. If the consumer is to read a large number of positive reviews, they will go on to download the app, leading them to the next stage in McKinsey’s Consumer Decision.
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E V A L U A T E
B U Y
Having considered the use of the app, and evaluated this against the current lifestyle of the consumer, they have concluded that the downloading of Accessful will benefit them. If the consumer has been researching reviews, or on Accessful’s Instagram page for example, there may be a swipe up link or a hyperlink which they follow, or by searching directly on the app store. Now, the consumer is looking at the brief introduction to the app on the App Store or Google Play Store. Choosing to download the app, the user will wait for the process to be complete, before opening the app to set up their account and begin to look at the app. It is at this point where some consumers will unfortunately decide the app is not for them, be it, too complicated to use, or simply was not what they were expecting. Here, these consumers will choose to delete the app. However, those who enjoy the look of the app, will begin searching further, and noting to use the app next time they go shopping.
At the experience phase, the consumer is experimenting with the app, using the reviews when they are out shopping, or choosing to contribute to the forum feature on a premium subscription. Similar to the buying stage, there are unfortunately consumers who will not find the app to be for them and choose to not use it after experiencing it a couple of times. However, those who are enjoying the app will choose to become more involved and take advantage of more features. An example of this may be someone who downloaded the app with the intention of using the free version. This consumer has had such a good experience on the app that they choose to pay for the premium version as they feel they would benefit from the use of the forum. As this happens, the consumer becomes more and more satisfied with the app, as they use it more often.
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E X P E R I E N C E
A D V O C A T E
As the consumers experience with Accessful continuously improves, they become an advocate for the business and the app and begin to share their experience with their peers and those who may benefit from the app use. This may be verbally, by using the app on a trip with another individual, or by sharing their opinions on social media and online. If they have a large following, this will reach more people. The same can be said if the individual has a large circle of peers who could use the app. If the consumer becomes a big advocate for the brand, they may also share their experiences in forums and group pages with like minded individuals. This may lead others to download the app and begin the Consumer Decision Journey.
As the consumer becomes an advocate for the brand, they begin to form a bond and attachment to the brand too. At this stage, the consumer is interacting with the brand at all possible platforms. This includes being an active follower of the brand on Instagram and other social media platforms, participating in competitions, and in a dialogue with Accessful. This bond is formed due to the incredibly positive experience which has been had by the consumer. They feel an attachment and a connection with the brand which has grown and developed the more the business is interacted with. It is this bond that encourages the consumer to stay loyal to the business, and to continuously support Accessful in everything that they do.
B U Y
B O N D
As the consumer has a bond and a trust with the brand, this will encourage them to continuously buy into the business. As Accessful is not selling products to be rebought, the loop back to the buying stage may operate slightly differently here. This may include the attending of potential events that may be run by Accessful in the future, or buying into any form of brand extension and future development.
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6.5 TARGET MARKET
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Established in Stage 1, the target consumer group for Accessful is individuals aged 18-30, a combination of Millennials and Gen Z consumers. This age group was identified as the most appropriate group for researching the shopping challenges. SocialMediaToday says, “There are also more Millennials in the workforce than other generations, with an expected $1.4 trillion in disposable income by the year 2020.” (Speier, 2016). Shaped by macro trends like digital connectivity, Millennials and Gen Z consumers expect their consumer needs to be met instantly. “With all the latest tech-leaning us towards instant gratification that millennials have higher expectations for customer experience.” (Martin, 2019) This expectation for an instant experience crosses over into the way apps are used by Millennials. With the ability to access information whenever is desired, Millennials and Gen Z are an appropriate audience for aiming an app-based brand at. Moreover, the shopping experience is largely aimed at 18-30 years olds, with the use of influencers and the way in which the fashion landscape is marketed. To this end, the chosen target audience was deemed the best audience for Accessful. With the target audience age range defined, the type of consumer is easily defined due to the nature of the business. By creating such a niche brand, there is consequently a small audience being targeted. When developing the business, this is something that was understood from the outset. The aim on Accessful is not to create a business that appeals to all, it is to create a business that provides a solution to the problems faced by individuals, even if that is a niche audience.
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P R I M A R Y C O N S U M E R
Gen Z/Millennials (18-24) DEMOGRAPHIC: Males and Females, aged 18-24, disability which affects physicality and mobility, students/part-time employees/ unemployed, job-seeking or benefit users. PSYCHOGRAPHIC: Jungian Personality type: ISDP – Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving (Myers Briggs, 2020) BEHAVIOURAL: Quiet, sensitive, thoughtful, dependent on others, reliant, non-trustworthy, practical, believe in change, activists, don’t have faith in the government, slow to adapt, minimal disposable income, spend wisely and considerately, small group of close friends, connect often online, prefer online contact to face to face contact.
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S E C O N D A R Y C O N S U M E R
Millennials (24-30) DEMOGRAPHIC: Males and Females, aged 24-30, disability which affects physicality and mobility, part-time employees/unemployed, had various small jobs, now job-seeking or benefit users. PSYCHOGRAPHIC: Jungian Personality type: ENTP – Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving (Myers Briggs, 2020) BEHAVIOURAL: Outspoken, vocal about beliefs, experienced, knowledgeable, sceptical, rational, communicator, sharer, saver but have more disposable income, standoffish, small group of friends, values knowledge over experiences, keen to voice their opinions, member of multiple forums and online groups.
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T E R T I A R Y C O N S U M E R
Millennials and Gen X (30-54) DEMOGRAPHIC: Males and Females, aged 30-54, carers or relatives of someone with a mobility or physical disability, employed as a fulltime or part-time carer, earning a low income from the job, but cares for the individual. PSYCHOGRAPHIC: Jungian Personality type: ISTJ – Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging (Myers Briggs, 2020) BEHAVIOURAL: Perceptive, aware, sceptical, cautious, pre-planning, knowledgeable, responsible, understanding, investigative, likes to know details, approachable, trustworthy, caring, friendly, focused, dedicated, considerate, problem solver, practical, sympathetic to others, perceptive, aware of environment and risk around, sensible.
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6.6 CONSUMER SEGMENTATION
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ELLA. Kent 22 Female Single Wheelchair bound with Multiple Sclerosis A-Levels Part-time blog writer Monthly disposable income: Low Shopping habits: Likes to consult her friends about places to buy and places they’ve had good shopping experiences. Finds shopping in store almost impossible but doesn’t enjoy sending back items which don’t fit. Trying on an excessive amount of clothing is tiring for Ella. Before being wheelchair bound, Ella was interested in fashion and loving shopping the latest trends. Shopping concerns: As Ella was able to shop with ease before her diagnosis, she is aware of the difference in shopping experiences. She is very self-conscious now she is in a wheelchair and hates the feeling of being stared at when shopping. She is easily humiliated and doesn’t like to feel like the odd one out. Social media use: High: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok. Ease of attainment: Green
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KATE. Hertfordshire 29 Female Long term partner Paralysed from waist down from a skiing accident Degree Jouralist Monthly disposable income: High Shopping habits: Kate values looking fashionable at all times, and cares about her appearance. Since her skiing accident, she shops regularly at the same places and buys into the same brands that she knows work for her. Kate misses the excitement of browsing a new store to see what there is, as this part of shopping is no longer accessible to her. Shopping concerns: Kate is frustrated with the experience provided by stores as she expects a high-quality experience. She likes to shop in places that provide good customer service and becomes unhappy when this is does not happen due to her disability. Kate is limited to a number of shops that work for her, so is often very sceptical when it comes to trusting new brands and stores. Social media use: Medium: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
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Ease of attainment: Amber
SANDRA.
Surrey 46 Female Married
Full-time carer for her daughter Aimee (Rett Syndrome sufferer) Monthly disposable income: Medium Shopping habits: Sandra shops for her 18 year old daughter Aimee, who suffers with Rett Syndrome. Aimee is in a wheelchair, and is locked in, meaning she can only communicate with the movement of her eyes. Sandra enjoys quality mother daughter time with Aimee and they enjoy trips out to stimulate Aimee via sensory experiences, such as colours and patterns. Shopping concerns: Sandra finds shopping with Aimee difficult as staff members often completely overlook Aimee and only focus on Sandra. This makes Sandra frustrated as wants Aimee to have the best experience as possible when shopping, and struggles with the fact that this experience has been taken away from her due to her disability. Social media use: Medium/Low: Facebook, Instagram Ease of attainment: Amber
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6.7 ROGER'S CURVE OF ADOPTION As a helpful way to visualise how the consumers will interact with Accessful, they have been plotted on Rogers Curve of Adoption. (Rogers Adoption Curve, Maeli, 2016) This demonstrates the stages at which the consumer is likely to adopt the brand, based on their shopping habits, concerns and behavioural traits.
KATE
ELLA
SANDRA
EARLY ADOPTERS
INNOVATORS
LATE MAJORITY EARLY MAJORITY
LAGGARDS
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STRENGTHS Accessful allows for connections to be made with other individuals, on a platform where they are able to make connections, but also gain information, making Accessful multi purpose. As mentioned in primary research by Participant 8, “I like the idea of a forum as that stands out from other apps already on the market.�, the forum feature makes the app stand out amongst its competitors. This is key when creating a business as it needs to maintain a competitive advantage and develop a corner of the market for itself. (See Appendix 5.2.8) Based on primary research, Accessful has developed from the background of insights from potential consumers, and also experts in the field feeding into the development of the brand. This means that the services provided, and the way in which they are delivered, are perfectly targeting the needs of the consumer. As Accessful is a niche business, this allows the audience to feel connected with the brand. Due to the nature of the product offering, it is important that the users feel connected to the brand. When the subject is something very personal, it is more important than ever that the user feels safe and secure in sharing personal information. OPPORTUNITIES As part of the 3-5 year plan for Accessful, the brand will develop and add a B2B aspect to it. This will include a consultancy business, in which Accessful will advise other brands how to make their stores accessible based on the information gathered on the app. This will make use of the reviews and information shared by users. An opportunity to expand the brand awareness would be to partner with a charity. This potentially makes the brand appear more trustworthy if there is a wellknown charity backing it. Another opportunity is to hold pop up events for the users of the app. These could manifest in many different ways, such as events to demonstrate what a perfectly accessible store would look like. This would engage current consumers and invite new ones. Finally, when the brand is more established, the review options will expand into other retail areas, such as public parks, leisure centres and restaurants.
WEAKNESSES The very nature of the business could be seen as a weakness, with the business function dependent on users leaving reviews. If this does not happen, the app will not have the array of reviews that is needed for it to be as successful as possible. A weakness of the business plan is that the brand is entering a particularly niche market. The percentage of people who are disabled is small, and they are a difficult market to approach in terms of profitability. As the market is niche, this means that there are not a huge number of individuals who will be likely to use the app. This is something that must be taken into consideration when planning for the future of the business. As the business is targeting a niche audience, who don’t always have a significant amount of disposable income, it is difficult to anticipate making a large profit from the business. However, this has never been the goal with Accessful, as the businesses intention is to help others.
THREATS A significant threat for Accessful is that the market is already crowded with many other players offering a similar service. Points of difference are incredibly important here as it creates a highlight for the brand. This helps to stand out amongst competitors, and not get lost in the crowd. When entering the market, it can be difficult to be trusted as a new brand, as why would someone choose a new brand over one that is already established and trustworthy. The new brand needs to grab the audience quickly, in order to build an audience base. Creating trust between the consumer and the brand is also essential here. The consumer needs to have a reason to believe in a new business. Another threat is that the business will not be taken up by enough individuals. As the business is review based, it is essential that people leave reviews for places they have been, in order for the basis of the business to work.
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6 . 8 S W O T
ANALYSIS
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6.9 TOWS ANALYSIS
INTERNAL STRENGTHS (S) 1. Business is built upon primary research from potential consumers 2. Providing a solution to an identified need 3. Responsive niche audience 4. Areas for expansion when the business grows
INTERNAL WEAKNESSES (W)
EXTERNAL OPPORTUNITIES (O) 1. Capitalising on the rise of influencer marketing 2. Creating Accessful ambassador scheme 3. Business consultation 4. Raising brand awareness and stand out from competitors "MAXI-MAXI STRATEGY" (SO) - Capitalising on external strengths and primary research to further the opportunities, the maxi-maxi strategy considers reaching outside of the initial product offering and utilising the external opportunities. Developing primary research focused around the partnering with charities and the ambassador scheme would help to understand the desires of the consumer in this specific area. - An opportunity to expand the brand awareness considers partnering with a charity. This helps the brand to be more trustworthy with a well-known brands name behind it.
"MINI-MAXI STRATEGY" (OW)
- By using influencer marketing, it is likely that a large audience is 1. Technological reached. However, with such a niche audience and target group, the choice risks of influencer is incredibly important. 2. Low In order to meet the needs of the disposable income of target consumer, appropriate influencers are selected, those with an authentic feel, audience and those willing to share with their 3. Niche following their struggles. As the forum audience can feature is focused around the sharing work against and understanding of challenges that the business people face, it is key that this is 4. Small reflected in the choice of influencer. demographic The influencers chosen also need to with reflect the brand values and messages complicated that Accessful are promoting and needs campaigning for. 103
EXTERNAL THREATS (T) 1. Overcrowding of the market 2. Users not leaving enough reviews 3. Business is not adopted by enough consumers 4. Competitors dominate the market and Accessful is not used "MAXI-MINI STRATEGY" (ST) - By building on the strengths of having a responsive, niche audience, this is able to combat the threat of competitor domination. By ensuring that the product offering targets the audience directly, appealing to their needs and desires, this will eliminate the threat of other competitors, as the consumer will be getting everything, they need from Accessful. - The future of Accessful considers the way to overcome external threats, by capitalising on the audience which the brand will have developed over time. Strategies for the future of the brand will consider the performance of the first years of launching, and evaluate the ways in which improvements can be made to stand out from the competitors, in order to ensure that Accessful holds their place in the market.
"MINI-MINI STRATEGY" (TO) - A way to stand out in the market, but consider the weaknesses, is through the creation of pop up events to stand out from the competitors. Considering the low disposable income of the target audience, it is important that these events will be free to attend. While there will be opportunities for paid experiences within the events, the main majority of the events, and the entry fee will be free. This means that the events will be inclusive of all individuals, as Accessful is accessible to all, regardless of disposable income.
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Developed from the SWOT analysis, a TOWS analysis has been conducted to further investigate the opportunities which can be developed by Accessful. Capitalising on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, these have been turned into strategies for future opportunities. This gave deeper understanding into the potential strategies for the marketing and communication of Accessful, ensuring that weaknesses are overcome, and the opportunities are capitalised.
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7.1 MARKETING AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
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AIM To increase brand awareness and engagement with Accessful, creating a captivating marketing strategy, capitalising on trends such as the rise of the influencer, and using various marketing approaches to gain more consumers and app users. OBJECTIVES To expand brand awareness and create a well-known online presence for Accessful, engaging with its followers and consumers. To increase downloads of Accessful app by 5% year-on-year. To grow Accessful’s Instagram followers by 25% year-on-year.
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7.2 AIDA MODEL
AWARENESS Marketing campaigns and social media presence will build awareness and understanding, creating an excitement and buzz around the brand. It is important that there is sufficient brand awareness amongst many different areas of the target audience, including peers, competitors and brand ambassadors. INTEREST Curating and planning informative and engaging content and marketing campaigns will create interest and intrigue into the business and what it has to offer. The use of an ambassador programme allows interest to be gathered from a broader range of people. DESIRE The consumers desire and needs are based around the lessening for humiliation in stores and feeling like retail spaces are accessible and inclusive of this. By reflecting this in the social media campaigns and marketing, the consumer will feel like they are being heard and listened to. ACTION With all the marketing prompts leading the consumer, the action taken should be the downloading of the app. The use of influencers and social media will help to drive the downloading of the app, with easy swipe up links and hyperlinks making the action of downloading the app as easy as possible.
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DIFFERENTIATE Standing out from the competitors in the market and proving the audience that the brand is worth investing in will differentiate Accessful from those around it. This is key for ensuring that the brand audience is maintained, and not to blend into the background of the market. REINFORCE To reinforce the brands values, the social media and app experiences will blend together seamlessly, with the core messages of the brand at the heart of everything that is output by the brand. This reinforces and reminds the user the nature of the brand, and what it is aiming to do and achieve. INFORM The very nature of Accessful is based around informing the consumer about the reviews of stores. Accessful also aims to inform those who aren’t aware about the struggles faced by individuals with physical disabilities, and to raise awareness for this problem, to hopefully see proactive changes being made to improve the retail space. PERSUADE Persuade the consumers that they need to download Accessful and that it will improve their day to day life. Persuasion techniques will include evoking an emotional response in them, causing them to download the app. This will infiltrate the users social media interactions with the brand.
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7.4 3-YEAR MARKETING TIMELINE
In order to visualise the marketing plans for the first three years of operating, a timeline has been constructed to aid this. Key timings to observe are the consistency of the ambassador scheme for all three years, and the introduction of business consultancy. By creating a timeline, it allows for evaluation of the marketing activities, and altering the activities if there are certain times where activities are minimal.
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C O M MS UT NR IA CT AE TG IY O N S
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8.
8.1 AIM To create a successful, encourage and interactive communications plan for Accessful, engaging users across various platforms.
8.2 OBJECTIVES 1. To effectively engage new followers and users to interact with Accessful. 2. To convert 10% of new followers to app downloads through a successful communications strategy. 3. To build consumer trust and loyalty through interacting with them across multiple social media platforms, encouraging users to be involved with the brand. 4. To use marketing and communications to create awareness of accessibility problems.
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8.3 INSTAGRAM Instagram is the ideal for platform for marketing Accessful to its consumers. With the brand aimed at 18-30-year olds, Instagram is a widely used platform amongst this demographic. A report by Later on Instagram Marketing states, “Whether you work in ecommerce, education, or media and publishing, it pays to build a presence on Instagram.� (Later, n.d.) In order to have a strong online presence, it is important that Accessful capitalise on this.
When it comes to follower count for the ambassador scheme, a large number of followers is not essential. For the Accessful Ambassador scheme, it is more important that the followers are built organically and there is a good engagement rate. Often, a large number of followers doesn’t relate to a strong interaction from the users. It is important for the ambassador scheme that the chosen influencers spread and promote similar messages to Accessful and align with the brand values.
A key element to Instagram success is timing uploads and interaction correctly. According to Later, the ideal upload time varies from day to day. (Later, n.d.) (See Appendix 10.6 for chart). By uploading at popular times, this means that users are most active when the posts will be made, meaning that this improves the reach and engagement rate. It is key that posts are live at the most popular time in order to gain most reach. The more reach the Instagram feed gets, the more app downloads there are.
Selecting appropriate influencers is important for the ambassador scheme. Small accounts such as @simplyemma, @ableemily and @shonalouiseblog have built an organic following overtime, sharing their struggles and experiences they have faced. This kind of content is exactly what falls in line with Accessful, being open and honest. With engagement rates of between 10-30%, all of the mentioned influencers would be perfect for the ambassador program.
Another vital part of an Instagram is interacting with others via the Accessful account. Whether that be influencers, similar brands, brands with a higher follower count, or users who tag Accessful, engagement with others is crucial. Interacting with other accounts through liking, commenting, following and reposting, Accessful remains current on Instagram, and stays visible to other users, such as through the Explore Page. AMBASSADORS Another use of Instagram will be the ambassador scheme which Accessful will run from the first year onwards. With influencer marketing being the norm for brands, it is vital that Accessful adopt this, and make it appropriate for the brand. This is where the ambassador scheme has been developed from but adapting it to fit with the values and messages of the brand.
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#HOWACCESSFULAREYOU Making use of Instagram features it offers, a hashtag will be started to create awareness and raise brand exposure. The name for the hashtag will be “How Accessful Are You”. A play on words with the brand name, with the opportunity to read as ‘how successful are you’ or ‘how accessible are you’, this name has been created to prompt people to share their experiences with stores and retail spaces, sharing how
accessible they are. This may also be used alongside sharing reviews of the app or the brand. This campaign will be launched by Accessful and encourage users to continue using this for their own posts. The use of a catchy slogan allows the content to be discoverable, as mentioned by SproutSocial, “hashtags are what make your Instagram content discoverable” (Barnhart, 2020). This hashtag will be used across stories, captions and in posts.
DAILY
WEEKLY
Following, liking, commenting and interacting with similar brands and accounts with similar and higher follower counts.
1 or 2 conversation started based posts a week. This will get followers engaging with the account and the brand.
Daily posts Instagram stories. This may be behind the scenes, promoting the app, or reposting #howaccessfulareyou.
Once a week Instagram take over from an ambassador, including one feed post and a day of stories.
Interacting with accounts who mention Accessful or use the #howaccessfulareyou, by liking, commenting or engaging with posts or stories where this features.
2 – 3 review posts a week, taking the most helpful reviews from the app and sharing them on the Instagram feed. However, this should not be more than 3 as it takes away from downloading the app.
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8.4 TWITTER A different social media outlet for Accessful is important to maintain a presence across all social media platforms. While Instagram is more popular than Twitter, Twitter still has 330 million users. (Yin, 2019) In an article titled, “19 Best Examples of How Top Brands Use Twitter”, Ayers talks about the most effective ways for brands to use Twitter to engage with their followers. He says, “In order to knock it out of the park on Twitter, you will need to find or create valuable content in your niche, post consistently, engage with your followers and build relationships.” (Ayers, n.d.) With Twitter operating a 140 character limit, the key to using Twitter appropriately is by grabbing the attention of the reader effectively in a small number of words. Accessful will use Twitter to share brand updates, app updates, reviews, and other information. It will also retweet and interact with other users on the platform. As Twitter acts as a news source as well as a social media platform, this will be adopted by Accessful, with a more formal tone of voice than that of Instagram. Similar to Instagram, the #howaccessfulareyou campaign will be used in the tweets made by Accessful. Other users who use the hashtag in their tweets will be retweeted by Accessful, maintain good interaction with their followers.
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DAILY
Following, liking, commenting and interacting with similar brands and accounts with similar and higher follower counts.
Interacting with accounts who mention Accessful or use the #howaccessfulareyou, by liking, commenting or engaging with posts or stories where this features.
WEEKLY
1 or 2 conversation started based posts a week. This will get followers engaging with the account and the brand.
1-3 tweets regarding Accessful as a business. 1-3 retweets of relevant other brands and users.
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8.5 CHARITY PARTNERSHIPS
In order to widen the marketing approach, the use of charity partnerships will be developed with one or two well-known charities. This campaign will be spread across Accessful’s social media feeds, and the charities. Ideal charities for partnerships would include Scope, Back Up, Stroke and The Steve Morgan Foundation. The business would be pitched to the chosen charities and explained with proposal for the terms of partnership. This would include shared content of the campaign, with both parties having equal rights to the use of the material from the campaign. As part of the partnerships, potential for pop up events would help to bring together both parties and create strong brand awareness. Having a well-known charity able to validate and partner with Accessful would create a strong force behind the brand, which would encourage consumers to trust a new upcoming brand like Accessful. As part of the partnership, a charity approved stamp will be used, for example “Scope Approved”. This kind of accreditation will reinforce the legitimacy of the brand and prove to new consumers that it is worth their time. Brown writes, “With such great opportunity to be had, why doesn’t
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everyone do it? Well, here it’s important to remember: ‘it’s the company you keep’. In the same way a brand partnership can enhance your audience, reputation and overall brand message, it can also have a negative impact on your business in equal measure. First of all, it’s important to consider what to consider when thinking about a brand partnership. Again, a brand partnership needn’t necessarily be ‘an obvious choice’, but it is essential that it is underpinned by similar ideals that help each brand bring out the best in each other.” (Brown, 2020). Key things to consider when choosing a brand or charity to partner with are ensuring that the values and vision line up with Accessful. It is vital that both parties are conveying the same message to their followers and are campaigning for similar things. This being said, if the charities are too similar, this may not work in favour of the partnership, as there may be some direct competition.
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9. FINANCES
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9.1 AIM
For Accessful to operate as a financially successful business, making enough profit to feedback into the business and better the brand. This will be through various revenue streams that will engage the audience.
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9.2 OBJECTIVES
To achieve 100,000 app downloads by the end of the first year. To become a profitable business by the end of the third year. To invest in the business with the profit that has been made.
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9.3 START-UP COSTS
ACTIVITY
AMOUNT
App Development
£68,850.00
Wages
£66,000.00
Website Development
£20,000.00
App Maintainence
£10,327.50
Accountant Fees
£1000.00
Copyright Name
£170.00
Business Insurance
£42.00
Business Registration
£12.00
Website Domain Name
£0.99
TOTAL
£166,402.49
In order to understand the scale of the business and the amount of money needed to raise in funding, the start-up costs from the business need to be estimated first. The main contributor to the start-up of the business is £68,850 for the development of the app. (Oozou, 2020) As the app is pivotal to the business, this significant cost is justified. Wages is another significant cost for the start-up of the business. However, if the app were to go down while running, it is vital that staff are able to fix this problem instantly.
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9.4 RAISING CAPTIAL
FUNDING
AMOUNT
Crowdfunding
£45,000
Virgin Start Up Loan
£25,000
Friends and Family
£15,000
National Lottery: Reaching Communities Fund
£10,000
Personal Funding
£5000
TOTAL
£100,000
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Starting a business with a large start-up cost means that a significant amount of funding needs to be sourced in order to enable the business to start and function. Having analysed the start-up costs and used the Profit and Loss workings out, it has been estimated the amount of capital that would need to be raised. CROWDFUNDING Crowdfunding is a way to raise a significant amount of money with the help of contributors. As Accessful is providing a service and a solution to its users, it is more likely that people will choose to donate to the start-up of the business. Crowdfunding does not have to be paid back. (Tools for Business, n.d.) VIRGIN START UP LOAN The Virgin Start Up Loan allows business owners to borrow up to £25,000 per co-founder. The money can be borrowed over 1-5 years, at a fixed interest rate of 6% per annum. This also includes no set up fee which is helpful for start-up businesses. (Virgin, 2020) FRIENDS AND FAMILY Combined from 3 members of friends and family all contributing £5,000 to the start-up of Accessful, friends and family input allows an interest free contribution. Terms of repayment will be agreed with each member individually. NATIONAL LOTTERY The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund aids to help communities and businesses fund start-up businesses which endeavour to help the community and people in need. As Accessful strives to aid those with mobility challenges, this would quality the business to apply for the fund. With funding from £10,000 to £100,000 available, this will greatly help Accessful. PERSONAL FUNDING Personal contribution of savings will be added to raise the capital for the start-up of the business. This can be repaid whenever is necessary. By contributing own money to the business, this shows to investors and funding contributors that the business owner is willing to risk their own money for the business.
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9.4 PROFIT AND LOSS YEAR 1 The detailed profit and loss for the first year of operating shows the complex workings out of the business. As is clear in the net profit and breakeven, Accessful is making a loss in the first year. This is not worrying, as many businesses often make a loss in first year due to significant start-up costs to get the business running. with low costs of goods, this works in favour of the business as there is a significant gross profit. However, the overheads affect the net profit of the business. Revenue in the first year is lower than send and third year as the business is small, and marketing activities are yet to gain momentum.
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9.5 PROFIT AND LOSS YEAR 2 + 3 In the overview of year 2 and 3, it is seen that Accessful becomes a profitable business by the end of year 2. This has been largely helped by the introduction of the business consultancy service launched in year 2, and the rise in app downloads due to effective marketing with has raised brand awareness. Year 3 sees the continual rise of profit which is helped by the growth of the consultancy service. This service brings in high revenue with small outgoings. (See Appendix 9.1 and 9.2 for detailed Profit and Loss for Years 2 and 3.)
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9.6 3-YEAR MARKETING BUDGET The marketing budget increases year on year as the return on investment into influencer marketing will grow. Through successful choice of influencers with aligning values, this will be effective for the brand. The donation to the charities through charity partnerships will increase each year, but as the revenue from this also increases, the donation increase does not incur a loss for the business.
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9.7 3-YEAR SALES FORECAST YEAR 1
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
9.8 CASH FLOW: YEAR 1
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The sales forecast is calculated from the calculations of the demographic group (See Appendix 9.3 for full workings out). Based off this, it is estimated that the starting app downloads per month will be 9607. From this the sales forecast is calculated, broken down into revenue streams.
A ÂŁ100,000 cash injection is input to aid the profitability of Accessful. As calculated from the profit and loss, ÂŁ100,000 will be sufficient in helping Accessful be profitable. This will cover the fixed costs in the first year which are putting the business at a loss, which is shown in the profit and loss for first year.
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9.9 SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
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A sensitivity analysis is calculated to highlight the potential problems that the business may face, and how this will affect the businesses financials. A 20% difference, positive or negative could significantly impact the business, especially in the first year of operating. Understanding the sensitivity of the business and the net profit will allow for precautions to be planned if a differing in sales should happen.
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10. MEASURING SUCCESS
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10.1 KPIs
KPI
MEASUREMENT
IMPACT
Increase app downloads and new downloads from marketing and charity partnerships by 2% year on year.
By monitoring sales forecast, it will be easy to understand the sales expected.
Successful engagement on social media, with ambassador scheme and promoted posts.
Monitoring average likes and comments, and engagement on stories will give insight into success on social media.
Tweaking the profit and loss sheet to make sure that overhead costs are kept to a low, to make sure that profitability is likely.
Increase in downloads from ambassador and charity partnership posts.
Closely track the source of new app downloads and understand where these stem from.
Increase followers promoted posts.
new from Instagram
Following the numbers increasing from promoted posts, to make sure that promoted posts are effective.
Measuring the return on investment (ROI) of ambassador scheme.
Monitor the increase in new followers around the times of the ambassador scheme posts and stories.
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Making sure that the content being produced is effectively capturing the audience. Ensure that there are accessible touchpoints for the user to download the app, and that social media regularly prompts the user to download.
To make sure that the promoted posts are reaching the correct desired audience who are likely to engage with the account or posts.
To clarify that the chosen influencers for the scheme are appropriate and resonate with the audience.
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10.2 RISK ASSESSMENT RISK
THREAT RISK
MITIGATION
INTERNAL Technical errors with the software of the app risks the user having a bad experience. Lagging, software failures or algorithm faults could mean that the users experience is not seamless and deter them from using the app again.
High
Data security risks are another which face Accessful, as individuals are sharing personal views and struggles on the app. Breaches of security would put the information that people share at risk of being leaked. This could lead to a loss in consumer trust.
Medium
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In the profit and loss, 15% of the app development cost has been added in for app maintenance. This ensures that a significant amount of money is aside for ensuring that the app is updated at all times, and any bugs or faults are fixed immediately. High security and IT systems will be in place to ensure that there is minimal risk of this occurring or affecting the consumers trust. Should this happen, action plans will be in place to tackle this problem effectively, preventing it happening again.
RISK
THREAT RISK
MITIGATION
EXTERNAL A lack of downloads could affect the financial performance of Accessful. As the app is dependant on premium subscriptions and revenue from the in-app ads.
High
Competition in the market is an inevitable risk for a new business. Competing with those who are bigger players in the market is difficult.
Medium
A poor brand perception would impact on the chances of people telling their friends about the app if it is perceived badly.
Low
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A sensitivity analysis has been calculated to forecast the financial performance should there be a lack in downloads of the app which means that there is less revenue than hoped for. Competition in the market is an inevitable risk for a new business. Competing with those who are bigger players in the market is difficult. As the app is a direct response to an established need, there is small risk of this happening. Should this happen, the brand would re-establish its goals to ensure that the perception is improved.
11. BRAND FUTURE
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11.1 BRAND FUTURE In order effectively plan a business, the long-term future must also be considered. It is key to have a goal and a vision for the future of a business, otherwise the journey may lose direction. At the heart of Accessful, is the aim to make the shopping experience accessible for all; whatever impairment, disability or challenge that life faces. This sentiment is what drives the future of Accessful. The business future may manifest in a number of different ways, but the main goal for the future of Accessful is to make the shopping experience a better place for everyone, that no one should feel humiliated, no one should feel embarrassed, and that no one should feel singled out.
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12. CONCLUSION
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12.1 OBJECTIVE REVIEW 1 To carry out appropriate research methods aiming to collect reliable and valid results which will aid the development of the strategic business plan. 2 To develop the opportunity established in the Stage 1 report, reducing this defined problem to create a viable solution for the problems identified. 3 To undertake and evaluate the collection of primary and secondary research, aiming to understand the existing landscape, the competitors operating in this market, and the existing consumer needs and desires, and then to then draw upon this research to design and create a brand. 4 To build and create a successful brand which provides a solution to the problems which have been identified, which is achievable, profitable, and addresses the needs of the target consumer. Upon reflection of these objectives, it is rewarding to learn that these objectives have been met. Through an extensive undergoing of primary research, and this evolving into the shell of a business plan, which in time has been packed out and developed, a successful business plan has been devised. Through key financial workings out, the business is profitable in the second year, and has maintained the brand vision in all that will be done. 151
12.2 CONCLUSION
IMAGINE.
Imagine a time where shopping stores are accessible for all. Imagine a time where the word “excluded” isn’t used anymore. Imagine a time where every individual has an enjoyable experience in retail stores. With Accessful, this is possible, there’s no need to imagine anymore. Primary research highlighted a need for a response to the lack of accessibility in retail stores, which in turn had an effect on the self-confidence of those with physical disabilities in their shopping experience. Through understanding of the current market and competitors, it was then possible to plan and develop a business idea. By understanding the needs of the consumer, their pains and gains, Accessful was then able to be developed with the consumer at the heart of everything the business offers.
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