Social Enterprise PlayWright Media - Essay Example

?PlayWright Media PlayWright Media was formed in Birmingham with a goal to provide affordable services to small to medium companies and third sector organizations. Their services include online marketing, brand communications, advertising, PR and design and print. In addition they provide an extensive variety of marketing planning services. As a social enterprise, PlayWright Media is dedicated to providing opportunities to young people in Birmingham. They work with 11 – 25 year olds and help build their confidence through informal education. They also offer projects that are aimed at giving young people practical skills that they can utilize. Their C.O.M. Youthnity Project is a 6 week media program that gives students an introduction to basic film, photography and radio. They also take volunteers to help with these youth oriented programs and this helps since they are able to connect better with the students. Since its establishment in October 2009 Playwright Media has successfully worked with a number of Third sector organizations to promote and showcase their services. Through the success of smaller projects Playwright has managed to sustain lengthy contracts. In particular Playwright Media has played a key role in the growth and sustainability of several small organizations. PlayWright believes 'your goals are our goals' and their consultants work hard to achieve them, whether they be increasing profit or turnover, attracting and retaining customers or simply maintaining competitive advantage, PlayWright can always help. Right now, PlayWright is looking to create an event that will help push its client base when it comes to corporate events and reach out to its target audience. It also wants to make people aware of the youth centric programs it handles. Objectives: PlayWright Media has two specific objectives to plan this event. 1. To significantly increase their client base for their corporate services, with a focus on companies based in South Birmingham. 2. To significantly increase the awareness of their organization and its services to its target audience. Solution An event targeted at SMEs, that is, Small to Medium Enterprises that will help them realize that they are in fact the future of the nation, and how the right marketing will help them increase their productivity and give them better output. It has always been a misconception that media services are targeted mainly at large scale enterprises. This, due to the fact the most obvious and main stream of promotional media such as television and newspaper advertisements are very expensive due to their wide coverage. Smaller agencies do not allow such expenses in their budget, one, because they do not need to reach out to such a wide audience and two, because spending on such activities seems nothing short of frivolous to them. They concentrate on servicing their immediate geographic area and bank on word of mouth to spread word of their services. Pettit and Singer (1985) state that SMEs normally operate in less concentrated markets, with greater competitive pressure. In the last three decades, the economy of Birmingham has gone through a tremendous change with manufacturing being replaced by the service sector as the principle source of employment. This is expected to create over 50,000 additional jobs in the city in the next decade. (birminghameconomy.org.uk) A new research has shown that only nine per cent of Birmingham’s SMEs have created over 50,000 jobs in the city in the last three years. (birminghampost.net) Thus, we can say that SMEs are the future of Birmingham and to take them to a higher level, they must be given the right guidance, support and coverage. Event: “SMEs: Brightening Birmingham” The event will be a corporate style seminar followed by a group discussion revolving around Small and Medium Enterprises and the future prospects they have in Birmingham. The theme of the event will be “SMEs: Brightening Birmingham”. SMEs in the area of South Birmingham will be invited to this event. The idea is to make people aware of the bright futures that SMEs have in the city and also to give the representatives of these SMEs tips on how to increase their productivity and output with the help of the right media. Benefits of SMEs: Small to Medium Enterprises play a very significant role to the economy of the nation. With SMEs forming the largest percentage of businesses in any country, it can be effective in bringing in the economic benefits to the common men, given their penetration into the economy at the very gross root level. (Kuratko 2008). They are more local and thus have a better understanding of the local people of their region. Thus, the things they produce usually have a more local flavor and end up being preferred by the localities. However, these enterprises do not make use of media to promote their products and thus lose out a lot of customers who do not even know of the existence of these industries. Thus, this event will give them the assistance they need in terms of using localized media, that is, using various forms of media but in a more local form so as to reach out to the target audience of the SMEs which is usually found in the immediate area they operate in. Benefits of small scale media: “It is not enough for a business to have good products sold at attractive prices. To generate sales and profits, the benefits of products have to be communicated to customers.” (tutor2u.net) Promotional media, whether on a large scale or a small scale plays a major role in spreading awareness. The point is to get the right form of media that will work for a particular agency. There are various forms of promotional media such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and publicity. These are the four main elements that form the promotional mix and are mainly used by large industries due to their wide reach and extensive effect. 1. Advertising: Advertising is a paid form of non personal communication in prime forms of media like television, newspapers, magazines and the like. These have a wide reach but not personal impact. 2. Personal Selling: People say that personal selling is undertaken with a view to form a bond with the customer, but everyone knows it is ultimately undertaken to try and close the deal. It is more one on one based and has a more personal impact. 3. Sales Promotion: Sales promotion concentrates on the levels of the supply chain, even the end consumer, by giving them incentives to help increase sales. 4. Publicity: Publicity can also be referred to as Public Relations and refers to the placing of important information in various forms of media without directly purchasing for the space. (Heath 2005) It is understood why these elements are used mainly by large firms, the cost and reach aspect. However, PlayWright Media customizes its services and concentrates only on providing media services to small to medium and third sector organizations. Thus, the event, ‘SMEs: Brightening Birmingham’, will also give the SMEs in the area an opportunity to view the services that PlayWright provides and encourage them to begin using media services in spite of being small to medium scale. Purpose of the event: 1. The whole purpose of this event is to spread awareness of the benefits of Small to Medium Enterprises to the economy and how they can achieve better productivity and output. 2. The event will deal with the benefits of media on a small scale, custom made for SMEs. 3. The event is also being conducted to help spread awareness about the services provided by PlayWright Media in terms of its corporate services and by extension, its youth programs. Event Particulars: SMEs: Brightening Birmingham, is designed to be a corporate event in its entirety. Corporate Seminar: It will be a seminar based on the theme “SMEs: Brightening Birmingham,” given by Kathryn Burns who is the Project Manager of the Centre for High Value-added Products (CHVAP) based in Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD), Birmingham City University. Prior to joining BIAD, Kathryn spent over 15 years in industry working chiefly in manufacturing companies ranging from SMEs to multinationals and has authored ‘Supporting Design and Innovation in SMEs’, Journal of Small Business Management in 2007. (biad.bcu.ac.uk) Group Discussion: The seminar will be followed by a Group Discussion where all the members present will be split into groups and they will discuss the topic as well. A member from each group will submit their discussions to the audience and the audience will be given an option to rebuttal. Invitations will be sent out to all of the SMEs and Third Sector Organizations in and around South Birmingham. A pass for two will be priced at ?40, while it will be priced at ?25 for individuals. Event Date: Saturday, August 20, 2011 Event Time: 10 am to 4 pm Event Venue: The Britannia Birmingham Event Flow: 10:00 am – 10:30 am: Arrival and registration of guests by volunteers from our Youth programs. On arrival, guests will be asked to choose a chit from a bowl. There will be numbers from 1-10. This will help us to divide them into groups for the Group Discussion. 10:30 am – 11:00 am: Tea/Coffee 11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Welcome address and members introduce themselves 12:00 pm – 01:00 pm: Seminar: “SMEs: Brightening Birmingham” Speaker: Kathryn Burns 01:00 pm – 02:00 pm: Lunch for the members. While they are having lunch, the chairs in the room will be rearranged for the Group Discussion by Volunteers. The volunteers will have lunch arranged for them by us, after they arrange the room. 02:00 pm – 02:15 pm: Members are requested to break into groups based on numbers they had been given. 02:15 pm – 02: 45 pm: Time for Group Discussion 02:45 pm – 03:30 pm: Presenting of ideas and audience feedback 03:30 pm – 04:00 pm: Conclusion and Tea/Coffee Costing: We have chosen the “Day Delegate Package” at the Britannia Birmingham Hotel since our event is planned only for a day. For a negotiated price of ?25 per head, the hotel provides the following services in this package: Room Hire of main room Morning Tea, Coffee & Biscuits   Afternoon Tea, Coffee & Biscuits Restaurant or Buffet Lunch   Stationary Mineral Water Cordials Mints Flipchart At the venue, we will be assisted by 6 students from our youth programs. They will help out in serving the food, arranging/rearranging the hall for the event and any other assistance that may be required. They will be briefed about this a week prior to the event. The budget for providing them with food is ?100. Their food will be arranged for from a more reasonable place, such as the closest Mc. Donald’s. There are four in the vicinity of the hotel. Equipment such as laptops, cameras, microphones, etc. will be provided by us since we are a media agency and equipped to manage this event. Event Marketing Mix: PRODUCT: SMEs: Brightening Birmingham, is an event targeted at the small to medium enterprises in the area of South Birmingham. It is scheduled to be a corporate event consisting of a seminar and a panel discussion. The main purpose of this event is to reach out to the small and medium industry sector and give them the necessary boost about their future and also spread awareness about the custom made services provided by PlayWright Media for these organizations. PRICE: The set budget for this set of events is ?3000. Considering the number of people as 100 and a negotiated average rate of ?25 per head for the day, the cost of the event will be ?2500, leaving us with ?500 for miscellaneous expenses. The speaker is a Birmingham resident and has graciously agreed to waive any sort of fee in exchange for promotion space for her book. Also, the event is expected to make money off its passes. Invitations will be sent out to all of the SMEs and Third Sector Organizations in and around South Birmingham. A pass for two will be priced at ?40, while it will be priced at ?25 for individuals. PLACE: The Britannia Birmingham, Tel: 0871 222 0093, New Street, Birmingham, B2 4RX has been chosen as the venue for this event. conf707@britanniahotels.com 0871 222 0093 PROMOTION: This event will be promoted as one that shouldn’t be missed. Everyone knows that the routes to success include expanding one’s horizons and assessing one’s competition. This event will be a platform for both. It will give everyone a chance to kill two birds with a stone. It will also give them all a chance to mix around with people from different industrial sectors and make contacts. We will use various means for promoting this event. Formal invites will be sent to all the Small to Medium Enterprises and Third Sector Agencies in the South of Birmingham. Viral advertising will be involved in the promotion strategy as well as this form of advertising is free and can be effective. Informative mailers will be sent out regularly to the targeted SMEs in the area to remind them of this event and to encourage them to be a part of it. PR will also be an important part of the promotional activity for this event. The press will be contacted to be a part of this event. Pre and Post Press Releases will be sent to the local papers and magazines and the Press will be invited to attend this event. POSITIONING: We want this event to be positioned as a one of its kind event since it is unique in its approach. Not only is PlayWright Media different in its objective that it concentrates specifically on smaller enterprises, but it also provides specific services to them. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE: To get in touch with Playwright Media or to get any information about the event one can get in touch with Daina Anderson on 0121 616 5115, or check out the PlayWright Media website, http://www.playwrightmedia.co.uk PROCESS: To be a part of this event, interested parties can purchase additional passes by getting in touch with Daina Anderson on 0121 616 5115, or checking out the PlayWright Media website, http://www.playwrightmedia.co.uk Evaluation There are various ways to monitor the success of this event. But first we need to figure out what we want to evaluate, the immediate financial success in terms of costs covered and profits made, or the long term benefits that this event will have to PlayWright Media. The best way to evaluate the long term success of this event will be to monitor the addition of clients to PlayWright Media from SMEs that were present at this event. That will be the absolute measurement of the success of the event. However, participants of the seminar may also choose to use media independently, or with other such agencies. Driving people to the event The main reason people have to attend such an event is the lack of knowledge in the market that the event is going to talk about. The event will give small and medium industries the information they need in terms of media and how it will be beneficial to them. Anyone will want to attend a seminar that is going to give them tips and pointers on how they can better their services. It will also give them the opportunity to make contacts and monitor their competition. Also, the event will will give the various SMEs a chance to view firsthand the services provided by PlayWright Media in its corporate section. Chosen Venue: We have tied up with Britannia Birmingham to be our partner for this event due to its location and the various conference and seminar facilities they provide. (britanniahotels.com). The Conference Facilities are first class and are ideal for a conference and events. There are a wide range of stylish rooms available ranging from The Britannia Suite holding up to 200 people combined with panoramic views overlooking the City of Birmingham. WIFI is available throughout the hotel's public areas like conference and bar area. -It is close to the Motorway and Rail Networks. - NEC Arena: 25 minutes by car -The National Indoor Arena (NIA) and ICC Birmingham is 10 minutes walk -Birmingham Symphony Hall: 10 minutes walk -Car parking is available nearby at Birmingham Pallasades, B5 4DQ, 0.20 miles from the hotel. -Newest shopping centre is 'Bullring' which is the largest retail development in Europe is 5 minutes walk -The stylish Mailbox for designer clothes =8-10 minutes walk -Two vibrant markets the Indoor and St Martin's Market which is 5 minutes walk Conference Disabled Facilities All conference rooms accessible by lift, disabled toilet on the mezzanine floor. Fire and Evacuation procedures Staff detailed to collect disabled from room. Fire Alarms • The Fire alarm system is a bell in the public areas and the bedrooms. On arrival at the hotel • There is a mobile ramp inside the hotel via access from the fire exit door next to the main entrance. • The ramp has access to the entrance of the hotel. • The entrance is fitted with a wide door. Reception Area • The floor is made from marble through out and is suitable for wheel chairs. • Reception is all on one level. The registration card will be placed on a clipboard for ease of use. Public areas • The corridors are well lit and carpeted through out and can be accessed by a lift suitable for wheelchairs Toilets • A disabled toilet is situated in the lounge area of the bar. • The toilets are fitted with pull alarms with will notify reception is assistance is needed. Risks: Nothing is without risk. There are various risks that can affect such an event. Some of them are: 1. It is possible that in spite of all the marketing the message does not reach to the right target audience and they may not attend the event. 2. Loss of reputation is another risk that PlayWright needs to take. 3. Financial loss, due to failure of event. 4. Damage to facilities of the venue, which will have to be taken care of by PlayWright Media being the organizer. 5. Loss of equipment involved in the event. 6. Health and safety risks and hazards including food hygiene and over competitiveness when arguments strike among the participants. Increasing exposure of the event from findings from the evaluation. • Press release: A Press Release will go a long way in giving out information of what happened at the event.   • Website: It is essential to update the website with information from the event including who was there, what happened and pictures to give people a feel of how the event went on. • Sponsorship packs: The sponsors of the event should get the required coverage even post the event, like a mention in the press release and on the website. Time Management • How long will planning the project take?: Planning an event at this scale will take about three months. It is essential to begin that early for the simple reason that the venue should be available and it gives all involved some time to do things calmly. • Scheduling: It is important to schedule things as and when they are supposed to happen and do a dry run of the event well in advance to take care of any issues that might suddenly crop up like in terms of technical glitches. • Milestone planning: Milestone Planning involves making note of the important dates and issues that will crop up and coming up with ways to solve them. • Deadlines: It is essential to have Deadlines so that all people working know the seriousness of the work and complete it on time. Backlogs only lead to a waste of time. Human Resources  • Dealing with people: It is essential for every human resource manager to be able to deal with people and the problems they face such as stress during work. It is also the duty of the manager to encourage and appreciate their work. • Team Building: Team Building plays a very important role in encouraging interactions amongst people and ensuring that they can work together. • Leadership: The leader has a dual job. He must be able to lead the team as well as be a part of it. Logistics  Planning and organising the flow of goods, equipment and people to their point of use.  Primarily concerned with supplies, transport and distribution.  Areas to consider:  • Suppliers  • Transportation  • Distribution  • Licensing  • Permits  • Insurance  • Lead times are important  The Impact of Events  • Social & Cultural=  • Physical & Environmental =    • Political = • Tourism & Economic= REFERENCE: birminghameconomy.org.uk, Business and Economy, viewed on April 23, 2011 http://www.birminghameconomy.org.uk/economy.htm Brown, G 2011, Growing SMEs create more than 50,000 jobs in Birmingham, viewed on April 23, 2011 http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/business-entrepreneurship/2011/03/23/growing-smes-create-more-than-50-000-jobs-in-birmingham-claims-report-65233-28384540/ tutor2u.net, Promotion: Introduction to the Promotional Mix, viewed on April 23, 2011, from http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/promotion_mix.asp britanniahotels.com, Britannia Hotel Birmingham, viewed on April 24, 2011, from http://www.britanniahotels.com/hotels/Birmingham biad.bcu.ac.uk, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design Research – Kathryn Burns, viewed on April 27, 2011, from http://www.biad.bcu.ac.uk/research/site/pages/staffprofileAD.php?id=40 Kuratko, D 2008, Entrepreneurship: Theory, Process, and Practice, 8th ed., Cengage Learning, New York. Pettit, RR and Singer, RT 1985, Small business finance: A research agenda, Financial Management, vol. 14, 47-60. Heath, RL 2005, Encyclopedia of Public Relations, SAGE, London. Read More