2. Mission Statement
To promote safe traveling practices to college
students by providing welcoming, reliable, and
safe short-term lodging in top European cities at
rates students can afford.
3. Competitive Advantage
We will provide hostel services at a lower cost than
comparable area hostels while maintaining a safe, clean
and welcoming environment because our number one
priority is promoting safe travelling practices.
4. Main Objectives
Non-financial
To develop a widespread reputation as a reliable and safe
place for college students to stay when traveling in Europe.
To educate customers on safe traveling practices in general as
well as in each hostel’s particular city.
To generate a sense of community among travelers staying in
the hostel in order to encourage travelers not to explore the
city alone.
To form partnerships with university study
abroad/international student offices to educate students on
safe traveling practices.
5. Main Objectives
(Continued…)
Financial
To form partnerships with local businesses to decrease
cost of running hostel by 10%.
To earn enough revenue to open a new hostel every 3
years.
To secure charitable donations or partial financial
backing from at least one organization or person (such as
Visitors Bureaus, area attractions or local
philanthropists) in each city to which we plan to expand.
6.
7. Why You Should Join Us
Benefits to Marriott
Good public relations because it shows that Marriott
cares about safety in traveling
People who stay at StudentStay can be translated into
general Marriott customers in a few years; good-will
will create loyal customers
8. Why You Fit With Us
Marriott’s involvement in StudentStay would give
credibility to our hostels, advancing our goal of
making it easy for students to find reliable and safe
hostels in which to stay.
Marriott has business connections in the
international markets to which we hope to open
hostels.
12. Target Market
College Students (international and national)
Parent’s of college students
Possibly study abroad schools looking to cut deals for
their students traveling abroad
All demographics
Age 18-25
All races
Aimed toward students in middle class (financial)
13. What Makes Us Different?
Safety
Affordable
Student discounts
Meet other college students
Customer service
List of activities for popular travel destinations
With contact information
Location
in a variety of different cities, customers know that they can
trust our hostel chain.
Choosing a hostel when visiting a variety of cities is made easier
14. Connecting With
the Customer
Psychological influences: Financial security
(always low prices for the customers),
Situational influences: Easy to navigate website &
excellent trained customer service
Sociocultural influences: Allows comments from
past customers, connects to Facebook to inform
customer which friends have used our service
16. Understanding Our
Target Market
Market segments
college students
traveling for pleasure
part of a study abroad program.
Limited income (if any)
Want low prices while not having to settle for quality.
Only design the bare minimum the essentials
Sleep and directions for popular attractions
Cleanliness and maintenance efficiency
17. Positioning Statement
For students who want an inexpensive place to
lodge
Don’t want to settle for cleanliness, customer
service and quality of the facilities,
Student Stay by Marriott is the perfect place for
students to lodge while they are exploring the
amazing sites our world has to offer.
18. Introduction/Growth Stage
Advertising through Marriot
Introduce our new hostels.
We will claim how the Marriot hotels are clean and safe;
“Student Stay matches your Marriott standards”
Educate our audience about our hostels and also create
the message we want to be heard (clean, safe, and
reasonably priced).
Growth manage our price right, attract our student
audience.
Therefore, increasing sales/revenue and creating ways
for the hostel to grow.
19. Pricing Scheme
Hostel rates will change, fluctuating depending on city, day of the
week, time of year and holidays.
To determine price, StudentStay will consider two important
things: the rates for hostels that we view as comparable in value
to what StudentStay is offering and the rates of hostels that we
believe are unsafe (trading safety for price).
StudentStay rates will be determined by finding a middle
between the hostels we are trying to prevent students from
staying in and the hostels that we are modeling ourselves after in
value but will offer at a more reasonable rate.
This pricing scheme will appeal to consumers because we are
offering a hostel experience only a few dollars more than a hostel
of lesser appeal and a few dollars less than a hostel of comparable
value. This should entice consumers to make safe travelling
decisions as it only costs a few dollars more per night to do so.
20. Marketing Channels and
Supply Chain
Transactional Intermediaries: HostelWorld.com,
Hostels.com, HostelBookers.com
Channels: Direct Channel and Electronic Marketing
Channels
Inventory: furniture, linens, hostel store stock
Reducing inventory costs: seek not-for-profit
discounts from local businesses
Customer Service: dependability and convenience
21. Social Media Networks
Primary social media networks
Great for engaging people who like your
brand, want to share their opinions, and
have customer service questions
Great for monitoring programs to track
what people are saying about your brand
A powerful tool to build my channel, to
explain a complex product, and to brand
our videos.
22. Content and Resources
Large assortment of video tutorials
“Things to Remember to Travel Safely”
“Top 10 Places to Visit in Rome/Paris/Madrid”
“How to Pack for your Weekend Abroad”
“10 Things You Need to Know Before Studying Abroad”
Shared on ALL our social media networks
Will also be distributed to universities and other
partners
23. Interactive Marketing
Context Fun, engaging design; easy to navigate
Content Hostel info; travel tips; Marriott messages
Customization User account
Connection link to Marriott site
Communication eBlasts, comment section on website
Community connect with other student travelers
Commerce make reservations directly from the
website (student travel deals)
Editor's Notes
We introduce ourselves
What problem we are trying to fix
safety anecdote
Use of technology and social media to connect with the customers
The target market segments we choose to put our focus on are ordinary students who are willing to sacrifice a private two-person room for a college friendly lodge in a prime location with inexpensive nightly rates. Our only focus is on maintaining customer loyalty through the eyes of the student travelers.
When presenting, make this slide into 1 sentence
To determine price, StudentStay will consider two important things: the rates for hostels that we view as comparable in value to what StudentStay is offering and the rates of hostels that we believe are unsafe, trading safety for price. StudentStay rates will be determined by finding a middle between the hostels we are trying to prevent students from staying in and the hostels that we are modeling ourselves after in value but will offer at a more reasonable rate. This pricing scheme will appeal to consumers because we are offering a hostel experience only a few dollars more than a hostel of lesser appeal and a few dollars less than a hostel of comparable value. This should entice consumers to make safe travelling decisions knowing it only costs a few dollars more per night to do so.
Transactional Intermediaries: HostelWorld.com, Hostels.com, HostelBookers.com
Although a bed at StudentStay can be booked online at StudentStay.com, our hostels will also be available to be booked at popular hostel booking websities such as HostelWorld, Hostels.com and HostelBookers. These website are frequented by students who are traveling around Europe and are excellent ways to best reach our target market and will simplify the booking process for students looking to book a bed at StudentStay. The inclusion of StudentStay on these websites will also be beneficial from a promotional perspective because the listing of our hostels with the other options will highlight the affordability and value of StudentStay hostels. It will also provide the hostel with credibilty when favorable reviews are posted.
Channel Structure and Organization
Direct Channel: StudentStay will almost entirely interact with consumers through a direct channel because the hostels will be run by StudentStay employees in each city.
Electronic Marketing Channels: The exception to the above statement about direct channels is that hostels stays can be booked through third-party sites such as hostelworld.com, hostels.com and hostelbookers.com.
Inventory:
Furniture: beds for dormitories and couches and chair for common areas
Linens: sheets, comforters and pillow cases
Hostel Store: retail stock for in-hostel convenience store (locks, snacks, toothbrushes and other travel necessities)
We can reduce the costs of the inventory by asking for discounts or donations from area retailers or attractions on the basis that we are a non-profit and in exchange for promotion of their services within our hostel.
Customer Service
Dependability: it is important that the StudentStay is consistent every time a student stays at one of our hostels. This can be accomplished by developing training programs for StudentStay staff and conducting inspections of the facility on a semi-regular basis. Dependability can be monitored through reviews on website like HostelWorld.
Convenience: StudentStay should build hostels in cities where students plan to travel and in locations within each city that are convenient to the places they intend to visit and explore. This can be accomplished by asking for feedback from StudentStay guests about where they’d like to see a hostel built--through surveys at the physical hostel, social media and e-newsletters.
Hostel info location
User account you can create an account to track your travels, create a travel blog, create your own itinerary
Conclusion
3 sentences (refer back to pictures during our lines)
(Brad) The importance of study abroad for students and what we learned while studying abroad
(Michael) How student stay can enhance other students experience while abroad
(Amy) How Marriott can benefit from can joining our efforts ($$$)
good will & creating customer loyalty
