MARKETING PLAN
Launch of Awareness & Fund Collection Drive
for
“MY VILLAGE – MY HOPE”
A Rural Development Project in Jaffer Jokhio
Village, Gharo.
CURRENT MARKET SITUATION
The Market for developmental projects and CSR projects by companies and NGOs is quite active
and is growing in importance in terms of budget allocation and publicity. The charity drive for collection
of funds is often aggressive, convincing and credible in nature.
Several developmental projects ensure publicity via media. While many groups do not
undertake projects just to gain social acclaim, however, they increase the visibility of their activities and
create awareness during the peak season for donations, that is, during Ramadan.
Most of the projects by Karachi based NGOs and Companies have long-term developmental
objectives such as in education (Citizen’s Foundation), sewerage and sanitation network development
(Orangi-Pilot Project) and so on. There are very few notable projects that incorporate new, efficient
technologies in providing solutions for prevailing problems.
Target Market Description
Target Market 1: SZABIST’s entire student body, comprising of all programs and disciplines. The
student body:
a. By nature of their age-range, are novelty and variety seekers.
b. Majority of them are financially dependent. We will be “fighting for share of pocket” as they
have limited disposable income.
c. Pre-occupied with their prime goal of acquiring average/above average GPA in a competitive
environment. They seek recognition for their involvement in noteworthy social/business
activities.
d. Balancing heavy workload in curricular, co-curricular and extra curricular activities.
e. Give importance to social life and use of social media.
f. Display moderate level of patriotism, but majority is pessimistic and despondent about the
country’s future making this target market less prone to contributing to developmental
project.
Target Market 2: Corporations, NGOs and foreign agencies, which can provide funding.
a. Corporations have their CSR budgets
b. International NGOs and foreign agencies provide aid for rural development projects to
under-developed countries, on humanitarian ground.
c. Want to project themselves as active CSR initiators
d. Want to associate themselves with credible projects that have long term impact and
realizable, measurable targets and attainable objectives.
Product Review
The product is the Rural Development Project at Jaffer Jokhio Village. It is a CSR Project based on
introduction of new technologies as sustainable solutions for the village.
a. Sustainable water solution: Find underground water source and attach solar pump to bring
water to the surface for use. (Desalination equipment if required).
b. Sustainable energy solution: 1) Provide Micro wind turbines. Each Micro wind turbine will
generate up to 5KW of electricity and total of 3 turbines will be provided for meeting minimum
electricity needs of the 42 households.
c. Sustainable Energy solution for Cooking: Solar thermal stoves. One for each household.
d. Sustainable Sewerage solution: Soak pit latrines (if there is no risk of the sewerage water
seeping into underground clean water systems. Communal latrine cabins can be set up, which
are made of fiberglass and sewerage lines can be connected to these latrines to take the
sewerage away to the main sewerage system.
e. Sustainable solution for Health Facilities. Regular visits by general physician, and lady health
worker.
f. Sustainable solution for educational facilities: For girls (lady teachers), separate class rooms for
each grade, and provision of essential stationery.
Competitive Review
The direct competitors for our project are course-related projects, projects by student societies, and
projects by other institutes that are publicized in SZABIST.
Course-related projects begin their publicity and occur in the second half of the Spring or Fall
semester.
Student societies also organize projects, often financed by sponsors and the SSC budget. These
projects also compete for attention and share of pocket of the student body.
The indirect competitors are the projects that are not CSR related, nor based on humanitarian
grounds but they compete for the attention, time and money of the students. The purpose of these
projects might be entertainment, sports, self-development and training but they charge an amount for
registration/ participation and thus leave less disposable income with the students to give to a CSR
project like “My village – My hope”.
OBJECTIVES AND ISSUES
First Semester Objectives
 Create awareness about this project amongst the target market. Then advance this
awareness to a sense of ownership of the village for its betterment.
 Convert the conviction into “intention to contribute”. Targeted collection of funds Rs.
100,000.
Second Semester Objectives
 Brand activation of “My Village – My Hope” via events and experiences.
 Renew the affiliation of student body with the adopted village, by sharing developmental
activities undertaken and the tangible outcome of the investment made in the project.
 Convert the conviction into “intention to contribute” Targeted collection of funds Rs.
100,000.
Issues
The marketing activities require a budget and manpower for implementation after approval. SDRC
needs to have a marketing budget approved specifically for this project. Also a core strategic group has
to be formed consisting of volunteers has to be formed. The members of this group will be students of
SZABIST.
The perception about the project in the minds of the target market has to be carefully crafted since
we do not want it mis-understood as if the villagers are desperate or on the brink of disaster.“My Village
– My Hope” has to stand for introduction of self-sustaining solutions that work in the long-term and the
students have to feel that they are part of the solution.
MARKETING STRATEGY
The umbrella strategy that will be adopted is MARKET DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, whereby the
same product i.e. the rural development project which was previously marketed to the Vice Chancellor,
Faculty and Staff of SZABIST and is now going to be marketed to a new segment, the student body. The
project already exists but the new market segment will be targeted to gain its share of mind, share of
heart and then share of pocket.
Positioning
This project’s brand name is “My Village – My Hope”. It is positioned as SZABIST’s own village. It is
SZABIST’s attempt at helping to remove the desolation and deprivation of neglected rural inhabitants.
For the students of SZABIST this should be their village – their hope. The students should closely
identify with this project’s noble objectives. This project will be a source of pride, for they will know it to
be their universities project and they will feel that through this project they will be able to contribute
towards the sustainable, technology- based development in rural Sind.
Product Strategy
The Core Benefit is “pride in my university’s demonstration of social responsibility, satisfaction by
contributing to community welfare in a substantial way”
The Actual Product is the Jaffer Jokhio Village project where the first solution we want to invest in is
the provision of sufficient sweet water. Next. The provision of alternative energy sources for heating and
lighting. Thirdly, the hygiene and sanitation solution with rural sewerage system or soak-pit latrines .
The Augmented Product the publicity of SZABIST’s CSR initiative based on green technologies. This
will enhance the reputation of SZABIST in the academic world and in the corporate sector. Secondly,
students will get a chance to engage in this project both personally and have a financial stake in it too,
and learn from the experience of helping a rural community. The related activities, events, seminars,
talks and visits will all be part of the augmented product and add to the experience of contributing to a
sustainable development project.
Pricing strategy
Since this is a fund collection drive, all donations will be in varying monetary value, depending on
the donors’ willingness and ability to contribute.
The ticket price of charity events such as a sports tournament, move screening, food stalls,
handicraft stalls will depend upon the cost and mark up % decided to collect sufficient funds from each
event. For most events the strategy to adopt should be “Mark-up Pricing Strategy”.
Distribution Strategy
This is not applicable since the project is a “cause” and cause-related marketing does not have
requirements for distribution.
The distribution will be through placement of DONATION BOXES at the two campuses. Under the
security guards care, each donation box will be placed at the entrance of 90 and 100 SZABIST. These
point are easily accessible by the student body and will allow them to make anonymous contribution of
any amount to the project fund. The message on each Donation box should be:
“My Village – My Hope” Have you done your bit?
OR
“My Village – My Hope” Share if you Care
However, if the target market wishes to visit the village it should be arranged as a proper event and
transportation can be rented and the whole field trip can be planned to give maximum exposure and an
impactful experience of the on going efforts. Also interaction with the villagers will help the visiting
group empathize with them and identify more closely with the villagers.
Marketing Communication Strategy
The tools to be used for communication are:
1) Advertising: Desktop Ads through computer labs in 90 and 100 campuses. A4 sized flyers on
Notice boards will also be used.
2) Infomercials: The documentary on the village will be screened on various occasions and
venues within SZABIST. The documentary can be screened in classrooms or in the cafeteria
at 100 campus.
3) Public Relations: The SDRC team will enhance the credibility, reliability and authenticity of
this project through public relationing. News stories and feature articles in VERVE
newsletter, SDRC blog. We must build a good "corporate image" for SDRC by heading off
unfavorable rumors, stories, and events.
4) Direct Marketing : The core strategic group of student volunteers can be trained to make a
brief presentation in classrooms and then ask them to make these class room presentation
at least once in every class covering all sections of all programs.
5) Word of Mouth Marketing through opinion leaders such as the SSC president, general
secretary and treasurer also via the Green Society at SZABIST. WOMM can also be
conducted by the core strategic group of student volunteers working directly on this project.
6) Social Media Marketing (Face book): This is the most effective communication tool to
capture student attention where it is mostly accessible. Set up a Facebook page especially
for this project and keep updating it. Use it for interactive marketing. Upload pics of the
village on this page and tag many students on it. Invite students to like this page and
comment on the initiative of SZABIST. Ask students to suggest ways and means to further
improve the living conditions in the village.
7) Events and Experiences: Trips to the village can be organized to take groups of
enthusiastic students who want to see the village. Also, a stall can be set up on campus
displaying the arts and crafts created by the women in the village. These items, if acquired in
large quantities, can also be sold and the sales revenue remitted to the makers. Also,
entertainment events, food stalls, movie screening, sports events can be organized as
charity events to collect funds in the form of sales revenue.
Marketing Organization
Mr. Masood Ahmed
Research Officer
Ms. Jaya Santosh
Research Officer
Core Strategic Group of Student Volunteers
Total 6 in number
ACTION PROGRAMS
Date
Duration
Activity
Person in-charge
To be filled out when the time lines are decided. The Marketing Communication Strategy simply has to
be fitted here with deadlines and assigned to persons in charge.
BUDGETS
The budget will be sourced from Sponsorships and the SDRC Budget.
Possible sponsors include:
1) PSO
2) Byco
CONTROLS
The control measure would be implemented to ensure the implementation and desired impact of
the marketing strategy and plan. Feedback controls should be conducted to check the reach and
positioning of the project in the minds of the target market at the end of the first semester. The
effective utilization of the funds and its communication to the target market will prove to be a control
measure as it will ensure transparency, and accountability of the project leaders and enhance the
projects image for brand building and fund collection in the future.