Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 2 of 48
Table of Contents
Marketing Plan Summary ...................................................................................................................4
Your Business.......................................................................................................................................5
Business structure:.......................................................................................................................... 5
Business location:............................................................................................................................ 5
Market Overview.................................................................................................................................6
Target market:................................................................................................................................ 6
Customer profile:............................................................................................................................ 6
Competitor profile:.......................................................................................................................... 6
Marketing Objectives.......................................................................................................................... 7
Goals/objectives:............................................................................................................................. 7
Marketing Strategy..............................................................................................................................8
Background Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 9
Statement....................................................................................................................................... 9
Business Objectives...........................................................................................................................10
Short Term goals:...........................................................................................................................10
Long Term goals:............................................................................................................................10
SWOT analysis ...................................................................................................................................11
Addressing SWOT..............................................................................................................................12
Market Overview...............................................................................................................................13
Target market:...................................................................................................................................14
Ideal client profile: .........................................................................................................................16
Competitors.......................................................................................................................................17
Competitor analysis:.......................................................................................................................17
Competitor profile:.........................................................................................................................18
Marketing Objectives:.......................................................................................................................19
Marketing Strategy: ..........................................................................................................................20
Promotion..........................................................................................................................................22
Print Media:......................................................................................................................................22
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 3 of 48
Online:..............................................................................................................................................24
Website:........................................................................................................................................24
Search Engine Marketing/Optimisation:...........................................................................................25
Social Media:.................................................................................................................................26
Email Marketing:................................................................................................................................28
Direct Mail ........................................................................................................................................29
Marketing Materials:..........................................................................................................................32
Business Cards:..............................................................................................................................32
Flyers:............................................................................................................................................33
Presentation Folder:.......................................................................................................................34
Pens:.............................................................................................................................................35
Networking Meetings:........................................................................................................................36
Sponsorship:......................................................................................................................................36
People...............................................................................................................................................37
Processes ..........................................................................................................................................37
Physical Environment.........................................................................................................................37
Proposed Timeline.............................................................................................................................39
Marketing Activity.............................................................................................................................41
Finances............................................................................................................................................42
Marketing Budget...........................................................................................................................42
Organisational Implications................................................................................................................43
Contingencies ................................................................................................................................43
Content Example ...............................................................................................................................44
Potential Alliances: ............................................................................................................................46
3 Year Strategy ..................................................................................................................................47
References:.......................................................................................................................................48
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 4 of 48
Marketing Plan Summary
This marketing plan is set over a 12-month period, with a 3-year marketing strategy in place.
Target markets of over 65’s, those with a disability and aged/disability care facilities were
established, and the marketing plan was designed to appeal to them, but also to engage new
potential clients. As AHCNQ is a new and unique organisation, limited competitors were identified,
which can be seen as a strong way to brand the organisation towards the future. It was also
established that there was a significant population in the Townsville region that could be utilised as
potential clients, with the target market of over 65’s having a sizeable impact on the demographics.
Marketing objectives were set, which focus on gaining AHCNQ more exposure and awareness
over the 12-month period. This can be achieved from marketing activities such as print media,
online and direct marketing. These activities were researched in order to utilise the best methods
to appeal to the target market. They were then contacted to obtain pricing information, and collated
into a budget. The use of these marketing communications can be used to achieve the objectives
successfully.
It was also suggested that an effort be made to create alliance/collaborations with other services
providers in regional areas around North Queensland to spread the organisation’s name and
become larger. Marketing activities should be closely monitored over the upcoming years and
adapted to changes in the organisation or marketplace. Utilisation of the JCU internship program
can aid in future marketing efforts also.
Over the course of 12 months, plus the 3 years following, this report hopes to achieve its objectives
and ensure that AHCNQ becomes a successful entity.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 5 of 48
Your Business
Allied Health Consortium NQ:
Allied Health Consortium NQ (AHCNQ) is a collaboration of 7 local businesses from around the
Townsville region to enhance client’s wellbeing through combined experience and efficiency. The
organisation was formed in 2015. Members have come together to form this organisation in order
to grow their individual entities as well as the organisation as a whole.
Business structure:
AHCNQ uses referrals between each individual service to link clients to maximise efficiency. It is
compromised of 7 individual entities, which have over 60 years of combined experience.
Business location:
AHCNQ is Townsville based, providing service to the Townsville and greater region
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 6 of 48
Market Overview
Target market:
The target market for AHCNQ has been identified as males and females over 65, as well as those
with a disability. Approximately 14% of Townsville’s population consists of those over the age of
60, proving that there is a sizable market to cater to. Over the next several decades, the over 65
population is set to grow by large margins, due to longer life expectancy and greater health care
available.
By utilising the over 65 and disabled demographics, relationships with care facilities such as aged
care or disability homes can be utilised to gather a larger client base, and have greater potential
positive word of mouth spread.
Target markets of those with a disability as well as the care facilities available to the disabled and
elderly.
The market can also be extending to other demographics including children and those with
sporting injuries.
Customer profile:
Ideal clients would be those who would have use for more than one of the services provided by
AHCNQ. This would allow for ‘in-house’ referrals to occur, keeping the client within the
organisation. The main consumers will be the over 65 demographic who use the services provided
by AHCNQ the most.
Competitor profile:
By having 7 different allied health services, it creates many competitors throughout Townsville. The
fact that there are 7 different services, can serve as a differential in the market, which has the
potential to draw clients and creating relationships. One main competitor that has the same
offering mix is the Townsville Hospital.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 7 of 48
MarketingObjectives
Goals/objectives:
Objective 1:Build a greater online presence (social media/website)
Objective 2:Develop marketing materials (Business cards, brochures, folders)
Objective 3:Create advertisements for print media (newspaper, magazine)
Objective 4:Increase clients through marketing initiatives
Objective 5:Create relationships with aged/disability care around the Townsville region.
Objective 6:Increase overall awareness of organisation (through marketing communications)
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 8 of 48
Marketing Strategy
By utilising the 7 P’s (Product, Price, Place, Promotion, Physical Evidence, Processes and People)
a marketing strategy can be created. For AHCNQ the 7 P’s could be represented as:
Product: Allied health services, with over 60 years of combined experience/ First and only in North
Queensland.
Price: Affordable services (Medicare, NDIS, Private cover)
Place: Convenient locations around Townsville
Promotion: Local advertisements & promotional work (Bulletin, Townsville Sun, Townsville Eye,
Duo Magazine)
Physical Evidence:Displays/posters/ info booklets in each location to help raise awareness.
Processes:Incorporating AHCNQ into day-to-day use, having processes in place to further
information.
People:Staff knowledge and expertise in each location.
Although these are only suggestions, the incorporation of ideas like these can aid in marketing
endeavours.
The fact that AHCNQ is the first of its kind in North Queensland is a unique selling point, which can
create a differential when it comes to marketing. Not only does it mean that the clients can be
referred to another service within the organisation, but it also means that their details and history
will already be there, creating efficiency on both ends.
By creating a larger, more prevalent online presence can allow for a greater audience to be met.
Social media marketing is proving to be an important avenue through which many marketers
choose, it is not only cost effective, but also has immense potential to reach large audiences.
AHCNQ can incorporate Facebook, Twitter and Linkdin to appeal to potential clients and their
reference groups.
A sensis report (2015) shows that over 50% of all people over 65 uses the Internet at least once a
day, indicating that digital marketing is a method that AHCNQ can utilise and still appeal to their
target market.
The Incorporation of search engine marketing (such as Google ads) can put also AHCNQ at the
top of many searches through the use of keywords, which can relate to increased clients.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 9 of 48
BackgroundAnalysis
Townsville is located in North Queensland, approximately 1111km away from Brisbane, QLD.
Townsville has a population of 190,000 (2014), but due to industries such as mining and defence
force, this is ever changing. Townsville is only expected to expand in the future, with a projected
population of 350,000+ by 2036.
Townsville is a thriving community, with a population growth of 2.4% annually, which enables
AHCNQ to always be exposed to new clients.
Statement
AHCNQ’s goal is to support aged care industries, and community organisations, in North
Queensland to provide high quality health care to clients in the community and residential aged
care residents while reducing administration demands of managing multiple contractors.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 10 of 48
Business Objectives
Short Term goals:
Goal/Objective Description By when
Create online
presence
Through the use of social media and updated
website
September 2016
Develop marketing
materials
Creating business cards, folders, flyer, etc September 2016
Create
advertisements for
Print media
Townsville Bulletin, Townsville Eye, Townsville
Sun, Duo
September 2016
Utilise NDIS to gain
new clients
A whole new market, utilising this to gain new
clients
November 2016
Long Term goals:
Goal/Objective Description By when
Acquire and sustain
clients
Through the use of marketing efforts, acquire
significant clients and sustain them
Feb 2018
Create long-term
relationships with
facilities
Contacting and creating relationships with
multiple aged/disability care facilities around
Townsville.
Jan 2018
Create new
collaborations/ alliances
Align AHCNQ with other health organisations
around the North Queensland area. Jan 2018
Growing to statewide
services.
Following on from creating new alliances,
growing to becoming a statewide service
provider.
Jan 2019
Utilise NDIS to gain new
clients
Long-term retention of clients using NDIS November 2018
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 11 of 48
SWOT analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
- First of it’s kind in NQ
- 7 local businesses
- 60+ years of combined experience
- Referral system
- Strong individual reputations
- Limited awareness
- Engaging potential clients (set in their ways)
- Not all in one location (comparison to Hospital)
- Potential clients (aged care) already have relationship with other
organisations.
Opportunities Threats
- Creating a strong marketing plan to roll out over 12 months
that will allow for awareness to be spread.
- Over 65’s becoming larger population
- Longer life expectancy
- Marketing capabilities
- Utilising NDIS
- Competing allied health facilities
- Reputation of competitors
- Overall state of economy
- Late market entry
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 12 of 48
Addressing SWOT
SWOT weakness/ threat Activity to address weakness/threat Completion date
Limited awareness University student (internship) to create a marketing plan for future,
focusing on raising awareness. Then implementing marketing
communications.
September 2016
Competing allied health care
facilities
Focusing efforts to create a differential between competitors, utilising
unique organisation.
June 2017
Engaging potential clients Marketing efforts, as well as utilising the NDIS to benefit organisation.
June 2017 (always adapting
and changing)
Reputation of competitors
Utilising the reputation of each individual service provider of AHCNQ to
benefit the overall organisation.
February 2017
Getting potential clients to chose
AHCNQ services over current.
Through marketing activities and offering complete range of services by
quality staff.
December 2017
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 13
Market Overview
Townsville is the home to large public hospital, which has multiple allied health care facilities
located inside. This competitor can prove to be a large problem as the facility has most services
under one roof. AHCNQ has a competitive advantage over the Townsville Hospital in the fact that
the hospital is seen as a place of emergency, and large wait times, so clients will more than likely
chose an option, which is more inviting. The Townsville Hospital is not the only competitor in the
allied health market but due to AHCNQ being an organisation with 7 individual services, it is the
only major identifiable one. There are multiple physiotherapy, occupational health, psychologist,
speech pathologist, medical practices, podiatrists and social workers available to Townsville and
the wider community, which may be competitors to the individual services.
Townsville, whilst relatively small, is a hub for allied health services, meaning that the market
space is quite competitive. To stand out among the rest, AHCNQ must use their collaboration to
create a gap in the market, where this differential becomes a selling point to potential and existing
clients. Having access to 7 different specialties allows each individual business the ability to refer
one another, keeping clients within the consortium. To create this gap, marketing communications
must be created in order to raise awareness of the organisation.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 14
Target market:
To identify potential clients better, the target market has been split into three main groups; Over
65’s, Disabled and Aged/Disability care facilities. These have been selected due to the relevance
and likelihood of being potential clients. The over 65’s were selected as they are most susceptible
to injuries and diseases that debilitate them. The over 65’s are a rapidly growing sector of the
market, with life expectancy growing and superior health care being the main factors behind it. In
2013 14% of all Australians were over the age of 65 (3.3 million), and 1.9% over the age of 85
(439,600) and is expected to grow to 21% and 4.2% respectively (AIHW, 2014). According to the
Australian Bureau of Statistics, approximately 11.73% of all Townsville residents are aged over the
age of 65, which indicates that there is a significant portion of the Townsville population that could
be potential clients. Many of the over 65’s suffer from similar diseases such as arthritis, diabetes,
osteoporosis and hypertensive disease. These can be seen in the chart below.
Figure 1.) Diseases prevalent amongst over 55’s (AIHW, 2014).
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 15
Those with a disability have also been selected as a potential target market, because they require
the services that many of AHCNQ’s services can deliver. Although the population declining 1.5%
between 2003 to 2012 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013) there is still an obvious market of
those who need AHCNQ’s services, with 18.5% of Australian’s suffering from some type of
disability and another 21% who has had some sort of long term health condition. There is a clear
correlation between age and disabilities, with the chance of having a disability rising as the age
gets older, this shows a crossover between the two target markets. The chart below shows the
correlation.
Figure 2.) Correlation between age and rate of disability.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 16
Townsville itself has around 6778 or 3.9% of population that severe disability and need assistance,
compare this with the Queensland’s 192,019 or 4.4% (Queensland Government, 2011). There is
also a chance to gain new clients through NDIS, which allows those with a disability to choose who
provides care for them. This is a whole new market, which has never been accessed before, so
there is no data on their consumption behaviours or patterns. The NDIS will mean that multiple
different health care services will benefit. Those with a disability have not been able to have a
choice in where their care has come from before, so using this new-formed market to gain new
clients is important. AHCNQ must appeal to this market and assure them that their money will be
well spent. This market means that AHCNQ will have exposure to younger demographics as well
as families with disabled children, which can result in long-term clientele. As Townsville is an early
roll out site for NDIS, getting in early is key to capturing a large portion of the market.
The other target market that was identified was health/disability care facilities around the
Townsville region. This was selected due to the facilities having multiple people on site, whether it
be aged or disabled, which could allow AHCNQ to service a large number of clients within one
facility. Multiple aged care facilities are located around Townsville with large ones such as: Good
Shepard, Carlisle Gardens and Rowes Bay Retirement Village. There are also many others located
in the surrounding areas such as Ayr, Home Hill and Bowen.
Although this target market is the most difficult to penetrate, it can be the most rewarding, seeing
as there is a multitude of potential clients in one area. It can also result in a follow on effect, with
other facilities seeing the quality of service; they may also request AHCNQ’s services.
While having the three main target markets, it is also imperative to still try and appeal to the rest of
the population. This will be achievable through strong marketing communication and raising
awareness.
Ideal client profile:
The ideal clients would fall under the three main target markets and hopefully have use for multiple
specialities (e.g. physiotherapy and podiatry), utilising the referral system. It would be ideal if the
client would also be returning often, that way a relationship is made. Long-term relationships are a
key, benefiting both the client as well as AHCNQ, by providing them with the service they require at
a high standard, they may refer AHCNQ to their friends and family. Word-of-mouth is very
important to a new organisation, as clients often view their friends/families referrals as trustworthy.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 17
Competitors
Competitor analysis:
Specialty Key Competitors
Physiotherapy
(Sports Med NQ)
- Physionorth
- NQ Physiotherapy centre
- Performance Physio Group
Occupational Therapy
(Access Therapy Services)
- NQ Therapy services
- Helping Hands clinic
Podiatry
(Townsville Podiatry Centre)
- Balance Podiatry
- Foundation Podiatry
- NQ foot & ankle
Speech Pathology
(Coastal Speech Pathology)
- Townsville speech pathology services
- One voice therapy
- Talk NQ
Medical Practice
(Townsville & Suburban Medical
Practice)
- Townsville Family Medical Centre
- Healthlink Family Medical
- Townsville GP Superclinic
Social Work
(Realising Possibilities)
- Headspace
- On Bundock
- Queensland Youth Services
Psychology
(Be Psyched)
- Townsville Clinical Psychology
- Rosslea Psychology Centre
- Peak Performance Psychology
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 18
Competitor profile:
Generally speaking, the competitors in the market are small-to-mid sized enterprises, sharing the
market between them. They generally offer similar services to what each of AHCNQ’s specialties
offer, which allows for a competitive edge when including AHCNQ into the mix. As AHCNQ is
unique in North Queensland, it is difficult to identify any major competitors that can offer the same
services as the consortium as a whole, although, The Townsville Hospital can be argued as a
competitor, due to its offering of the same services in one location. TTH is a large public hospital
that offers services such as: Audiology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Medical Imaging, Occupational
Therapy, Pharmacy, Physio Therapy, Podiatry, Speech Pathology and Social Work. Although the
services come at one location, a major caveat is that the wait times are generally poor and there is
also a stigma around going to the hospital that many people don’t enjoy. TTH is also publically
funded, as well as receiving money from the government, meaning large quantities of money
passing through.
Due to AHCNQ being unique from the other organisations in the market, this can create a
differential that can be used to advantage. To achieve this, marketing communication efforts must
be created in order to raise awareness of the organisation.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 19
Marketing Objectives:
Marketing Objective Details Time Frame
1.) Create a stronger online
presence
Through the use of social media
and fixes to the website layout.
Continuously improving over the
course of 12 months.
2.) Creating marketing materials Materials such as presentation
folders, business cards,
flyers/brochures to create
awareness
Completion within 6 months
(update every 12 months)
3.) Advertise locally Advertise to raise awareness in
Townsville Bulletin, Townsville
Sun, Townsville Eye and Duo
Magazine.
Over the course of 12 months.
(Repeating when needed)
(Gantt chart to be created)
4.) Direct mail & Emailing After marketing materials are
created, utilise flyer delivery and
email marketing
Over the course of 12 months
(Repeating when needed)
5.) Local networking Hold a networking event to raise
awareness and spread word.
Within 12 months of marketing
plan.
6.) Utilise analytics Use analytics to calculate
marketing penetration & reach
Always monitoring.
7.) Future collaborations Collaborate with other health
facilities around NQ
2-3 years
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 20
Marketing Strategy:
To position AHCNQ, it is imperative to utilise the fact that the consortium is; A.) The first of it’s kind
in North Queensland and B.) It collaborates 7 local Townsville services into one organisation.
These two facts allow AHCNQ to differentiate themselves from their competitors, which partnered
with a strong marketing plan, can allow for success. Bringing to light the referral system and
efficient transition from service-to-service can also be credited as a differential. While most
competitors of the individual specialties are just the singular business/service, having an alliance of
7 makes for a major difference in the Townsville community. It could also be discussed that
sporting teams that individual specialties have worked with (Townsville Fire), could possibly be
utilised to show that within the organisation are trusted local services.
Using the 7 marketing principles (7p’s of marketing), everything can be seen in a simpler way.
P’s What they are
Product - Health services
- Quality service
- Technology? Is it modern?
- Knowledge & Know-how
Price - Prices vary place to place
- Medicare
- Private health insurance
- HICAPS
- Payment plans
Place - Locations of each service
- Online
- Visit to client?
Promotion - Advertisements
- Marketing materials
Physical Evidence - Appearance of employees
- Hygiene
- Cleanliness
- Smell
- Décor
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 21
Processes - Service
- After service support (following up on
clients)
- Efficiency
People - Staff involvement
- Staff knowledge
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 22
Promotion
To promote AHCNQ, there will be 3 methods used to hopefully appeal to the target markets, while
also gaining momentum with those that aren’t necessarily in the target market. The three main
methods will be:
- Print media
- Online
- Direct mail
Other methods included will be:
- Email Marketing
- Marketing Materials
- Networking Meetings
- Sponsorship
Print Media:
Print media is a traditional way of promoting products and services and although the rise of digital
media is happening, many people still rely on newspapers for their daily news. In Townsville over
2/3 of the residents read the Townsville Bulletin everyday, with a further reach in other regions of
North Queensland. The over 65 audience for newspaper in Queensland is over 500,000 and has a
total reach of 88%. The average readership of the Townsville Bulletin during weekdays is around
89,000 and around 85,000 on Saturdays. These numbers show that significant portions of
Townsville read the Bulletin regularly, indicating that there is a large potential reach in the North
Queensland area. The estimated pricing for an advert in Townsville Bulletin is around $765 for a
6cm deep strip (bottom), including colour. It is proposed that AHCNQ advertise in the Townsville
Bulletin once every two to three months, as this will allow for exposure to a wide range of potential
clients. The Bulletin would give mass exposure to many different demographics, not just the target
market, which could allow for a new client base. Because print media is classified as traditional,
the exposure to an over 65-target market is highly probable.
The Townsville Sun, which is a weekly newspaper, can also be utilised as a mode of advertising
due to its weekly circulation of around 27,481 and a significant over 65’s audience. Because the
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 23
Sun is seen as a local paper, it is often seen as more trustworthy, so advertising in it could be a
successful and effective venture. Although readership is smaller than the Bulletin, this may be a
cheaper option, which means that the advert could run for multiple weeks. The estimated cost for
an advert in Townsville Sun is $199 for a 93mm x 64mm spot, including colour.
The Senior is Australia’s leading newspaper, targeted towards a more mature readership. The
newspaper is released monthly and has a circulation in Queensland of 72,978 and a readership of
229,881. This newspaper could be beneficial to advertise in because their readers are the same as
AHCNQ’s main target market. The newspaper is strategically delivered to where senior citizens
often gather like community centres, shopping centres, retirement villages, pharmacies and
sporting clubs. Much like the Townsville Sun, this option may be cheaper than the Bulletin, but
gives the ability to advertise for multiple months. To run an advert in the Senior, it is estimated to
cost $380 for 1/16th
of a page, including colour. It is suggested that an advert is run around every
3-4 months.
DUO magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine that distributes around Townsville and North
Queensland. Although targeted towards a younger demographic than what AHCNQ is hoping for,
using DUO as a resource can create more awareness and help to identify potential target markets.
DUO is released monthly, and has multiple retailers /newsagencies/ restaurant/ cafes and
businesses that display their magazine. They have a readership of around 45,000 in print and up
to 33,000 online. As a visit to the AHCNQ website shows, some members of the consortium have
already featured in the magazine, which could mean that there is a potential connection already
there. As the pricing of Duo couldn’t be accessed, it has been estimated that it would cost roughly
the same as the Townsville Eye to advertise in; roughly $303 for around 1/12th
of a page, including
colour. It is suggested that DUO is used twice in a twelve-month period.
Townsville Eye is a pullout magazine that is in every Saturday edition of the Townsville Bulletin.
The Eye has a readership of 85,000 and much like DUO magazine, is not necessarily the ideal
target reader, but can create a wider spread of AHCNQ. The estimated cost for an advert is $303
for around 1/12th
of a page, including colour. It is suggested that this method be used once every
six months, in order to spread awareness.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 24
Online:
An online presence is crucial in this day-and-age, with majority of people using a smartphone or
computer everyday. To promote AHCNQ online a greater digital presence needs to be created.
This mainly includes social media and the consortium’s website.
Website:
To promote the website it first needs to be tweaked in order to optimise it’s efficiency and
effectiveness. A different layout of may create an easier online experience when browsing, having
the menu bar options on right hand side and a little bigger would create a more captivating and
engaging. A design like the one pictured below may allow for improved aesthetics and user
interaction.
Figure 3.) Website Design Example
The website needs to be easy to navigate, seeing as the target market of over 65’s and efficiency
is everything. It is also imperative that the site be mobile friendly, mobile browsers are fast
becoming the most used due to their accessibility and ease of use. AHCNQ must ensure that their
website is user friendly on all platforms to ensure user satisfaction. A sign-up module could also be
added to gain a mailing list which marketing materials and newsletters could be sent out to each
month/fortnight. Linking to the individual websites is also imperative, allowing the client to see what
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 25
each individual services has to offer in more detail. It is very expensive to have someone build a
customised website, so finding a cost effective solution is important. There are sites like WIX.com,
which allow for pre-built templates that can be customised to suit AHCNQ and also have built in
analytic systems which run for around $16 AUD per month ($192 per year). Using this site is a cost
effective solution and can lead to future success.
Content for the website is another vital component, with quality content engaging viewers becomes
easier and can result in repeat visits to the website. For AHCNQ, information about each individual
specialty is necessary to ensure that the visitor feels involved and informed. Content on what each
business brings to the table and how they can solve the viewers problem, they have obviously
come to the website with a need, so telling them how it can be solved will create trust. Displaying
qualifications and achievements for potential clients to see can also create trust. A potential future
inclusion in the website could be a booking system of some sort, that allows the user to chose what
specialty they were seeking and when they are available to book, a system like this allows for ease
and efficiency for the user in the booking process.
Content such as a blog could also be beneficial for AHCNQ, with each individual service posting
tips/articles/studies that they specialise in. This then can be shared on social media, creating a link
back to the original website. It also allows clients to interact with AHCNQ creating a human
element to it.
A really successful website that has been identified is for a Brisbane based health service business
called ‘Health Place’. Their website is aesthetically appealing, functional and has quality content.
They have clearly identified what it is they are offering and utilise that to communicate their brand
message. There about section contains vital information, whilst maintaining an informal feel.
AHCNQ could use this as a sort of guideline or inspiration for the future.
Search Engine Marketing/Optimisation:
75% of Internet users don’t scroll past the first page (La Barbera, 2012), which means if word-of-
mouth gets around about AHCNQ and an individual searches for the name, they must be able to
find out any information. This can be utilised by altering the keywords attached to the website to
ensure it is found as well as utilising services like Google adwords.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 26
Search engine marketing/optimisation is another tool that AHCNQ can use to create awareness
and find them at the top of a search engine’s page. Google adwords allows you to create a paid
per click ad (PPC) that will appear as a sponsored link at the top of a Google search. Whilst using
only Google Adwords alone may not be overly beneficial in the beginning, using it in conjunction
with Google Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics will allow AHCNQ to tailor their
advertisements and reduce clutter to the client.
Google Webmaster Tools is a free service which allows you to understand what is going on, on
your website. It allows you to see data about what keywords are gaining you the most traffic, to
seeing what pages on your webpage are being accessed the most. It can also access what words
from your website are creating search engine results. Utilising this feature would allow AHCNQ to
alter their wording in their website description and creating tags that would allow for more organic
search results.
Google Analytics is a service that allows you to see information about your website such as: how
many people viewed, duration of view, what language, location, mobile or desktop and how many
pages viewed. This can allow AHCNQ to track the number of users of their website, and where
they are coming from. This information used in conjunction with Google Adwords and Google
Analytics can allow for successful ventures in search engine optimisation.
Social Media:
Social media is an imperative part of marketing now, with majority of people being online and
having a social media account. This means that everyone can be exposed to some sort of
organisation on many different social media platforms, whether it is through advertisements or
through following the organisation page. Social media is a great way of two-way communication for
any organisation, allowing potential clients to ask questions, browse photos and have access to
content in a new format.
By starting a social media page for an organisation, it is imperative that there is high quality content
being posted. This content can be shared between the website, Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin,
meaning that a variety of different people may see it. Quality content reflects on the organisation,
so when quality content is posted, it can result in positive referrals, as well as heightened search
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 27
engine results for your business. When posting content it must be informative and interesting
which can result in online users engaging in the post through likes, comments or sharing. Varying
social media posts is also important; it should not always be content to do with AHCNQ, but often
articles/studies/infographics that relate to the field of work. When posting content, the use of
language is a key component to how successful the post will be. Speaking to followers like they are
friends and engaging them in conversations will have a greater engagement that can result in
positive word of mouth spread.
Patience is vital when it comes to social media management; success happens over time so it can
be a slow process waiting for a large number of followers. It is important to understand that having
a small number of followers isn’t a bad thing at all, in fact, in most cases it is an opportunity for the
organisation to communicate with users and establish online relationships. When posting online, it
is important to communicate naturally and not forced. If creating a paid Facebook advertisement,
showing brand personality and being informal are two key components to success. It is also vital to
be succinct in advertisements, viewers have a short attention span, and so engaging them early
can be beneficial.
When posting online, it is essential to choose an optimum time in order to harness the best
possible results. McCarroll (2015) states that the best time to post on Facebook is at 5pm to 8pm
on weekdays. This is because when people get home from work they are likely to sit down and
browse their social media pages, therefore being exposed to the content. Continuity in posting
times is also a good idea, people will come to expect a post or even look forward to them. In order
to manage AHCNQ’s social media posts, due to time constraints of AHCNQ’s members, social
media management tools such as ‘Meet Edgar’ or ‘Hootsuite’.
Meet Edgar is a paid per month ($49) service which enables scheduling of social media posts
across different social media platforms. It also allows AHCNQ to categorise all posts in order to
maintain efficiency, as well as gauge which category of post performs best with audiences.
Hootsuite is a free service (for up to 3 profiles) that also manages social media scheduling. It
allows for the user to create a posting schedule, selecting dates and times for each ahead of time.
It also allows you to see analytics of AHCNQ’s posts, showing likes, engagement, country of
access and access by demographics, which if used in conjunction with AHCNQ website analytics,
gives an overview into the entire online engagement and interactivity. The free version of this,
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 28
whilst helpful, is limited in the metrics that it gives you without charging; there are options to
upgrade to pro and business versions of the service.
AHCNQ could also utilise ‘Allied Health Marketing’ which is a Brisbane based company that runs a
social media management services where they will setup/review current social media pages, post
seven weekly engaging posts, develop a client newsletter per month, create one blog per month
and management of Facebook ads. They also offer website creation, catered to your service.
Having a third party like this may give insight into what AHCNQ could do different, as well as taking
the workload off your hands.
Social media needs to be constantly monitored and changed to suit the interests of those following,
this is why content must be informative, interesting and engaging. Through the use of all of these
social media elements combined, AHCNQ will be able to create a brand presence online that will
last. Using interesting and informative content a relationship with users can be created and result
in positive word of mouth spread.
Email Marketing:
Email marketing is a useful tool for any business to have. It allows newsletters or informative
emails to be sent out at intervals (fortnightly or monthly) to those who have signed up to a mailing
list. The mailing list could be from website signups or from another database. For AHCNQ, email
newsletters could be used as a way to connect with clients, letting them know what has been going
on within the organisation as well as individual achievements or milestones. Although email
marketing can be considered annoying and intrusive, if done correctly, it can create positive word
of mouth and encourage client engagement.
Content is the most important aspect of email marketing; it needs to be the right mixture of
interesting and informative without being too cluttered. For AHCNQ, monthly email content could
be discussed at meetings, allowing all members to have their input on what should be sent. Emails
can also include links to social media as well as websites, enticing clients to click through and
browse. The emails could include articles that have been shared on social media or the website to
encourage the individual to keep reading through and engage with AHCNQ on social media.
To manage and schedule these emails there are online services that can help the process. Mail
Chimp is an online E-mailing service that allows the user to create and send email newsletters to
those on your mailing list. Mail Chimp is completely free as long as you have less than 2000 on
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 29
your mailing list, it also allows for up to 12,000 emails to be sent each month. The website itself
contains a reporting systems which would allow AHCNQ see the metrics of their email campaigns.
These metrics are important to understand if those receiving the emails are following through with
clicks to the website, or social media pages. It also allows for the set out of the email to be
selected, which is important to fit the content as well as convey the message that AHCNQ wants to
achieve.
The use of a paid service such as ‘Get Response’ and ‘SendinBlue’, offer a variety of services,
depending on the prices and can start from around $7.50 per month, up to $140+ per month,
depending on the scope of the mailing list. For AHCNQ it is recommended to begin with a free
account with either Mail Chimp or SendinBlue to establish a presence. There will only be limited
amounts of emails being sent in the initial stages, which leave plenty of room to grow in the future.
DirectMail
The use of direct mail is another target method of reaching potential clients. Direct mail is an
effective way of gaining awareness and reaching clients. According to Australia Post (2015) 99% of
people open their mail, 60% read thoroughly and 54% store it for later reference. A Roy Morgan
(2012) research showed that 75% of all Australians over the age of 50 read junk mail, indicating
that this is a key way of reaching the over 65-target market. After an audit on the age density
around Townsville, the suburbs with the oldest median ages are:
- Rowes Bay
- Picnic Bay (Magnetic Island)
- Nelly Bay (Magnetic Island)
- Castle Hill
- Pallarenda
- Oonoonba
- Mundingburra
- South Townsville
- Mysterton
- Belgian Gardens
- Pimlico
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 30
By identifying these suburbs, it is possible to target the direct mail to them, meaning the target
market can be reached whilst maintaining cost effectiveness and reducing clutter.
To distribute the direct mail, companies like PMP Ltd or Salmat could be enlisted to help. Both
companies offer a printing and delivery service around Townsville to areas of AHNCQ’s choosing.
PMP can deliver 10,000 flyers for $1,600 + GST as a base rate. This covers quite a large area of
Townsville and could be beneficial in the early stages of the implementation of this marketing plan.
Over the course of the next 3 years, this area could grow (even into more remote areas like Tully,
Bowen and Ayr) which could result in a larger spread of awareness. The quoted map can be seen
below.
Figure 4.) Distribution Map (PMP Ltd) 10,000 flyer drop
Salmat quoted 35,936 houses to be delivered to which would cost $2,854.97, plus the printing of
the flyer, which would cost $1,846.00, totalling $5,107.07. The area of distribution can be seen
below.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 31
Figure 5.) Distribution Map (Salmat) 36,936 flyer drop
Small flyers will be the subject matter to be distributed around Townsville; this will be a double-
sided paper that contains a synopsis of what AHCNQ is and does, contact details (including social
media links) and also displaying all 7 logos to show potential clients who is involved. This could
potentially happen once or twice a year, allowing for a reminder every 6 months to potential
consumers.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 32
MarketingMaterials:
Marketing materials are an important way to spread brand image as well having a tangible asset to
give to potential clients or businesses. Marketing materials can include things such as: business
cards, flyers, presentation folders, pens, caps, shirts, stickers, mugs, and key rings. For AHCNQ as
a newly formed organisation, it is important to be seen as different or unique, so marketing
materials must match this.
Business Cards:
To create a greater presence, the use of business cards can be a subtle, yet effective way of doing
so. Business cards given out to potential clients have the ability to be stored away and then used
for purchasing decisions later on, so it is important to stand out. ‘VistaPrint’ offers a design and
printing service, which allows for a business card to be created and sent directly to AHCNQ. The
prices look like:
The folded option included was to show a unique way of presenting information on a business
card, which would also allow ample room to fit all of the brand logos. Utilising the space on the
folded card can allow for the brand message to come across more effectively in a small space. It is
important that all members of AHCNQ use the same type of business card when promoting
AHCNQ to ensure continuity.
Type Amount Price
Premium (both sides
coloured):
250 $19.99
500 $26.98
1000 $39.98
Folded (front and back
coloured):
250 $29.98
500 $39.98
1000 $62.48
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 33
Figure 6.) Example of Business card designs
Flyers:
AHCNQ’s current marketing materials (flyers) are an effective method of communicating the
message of the organisation, although improvements could be made in order gain full benefits.
The design could be improved by font change, and a changed layout to emphasise the services
that are on offer. This should be the main feature of the flyer, whilst also including contact details
and a synopsis of what it is the organisation is about. The back of the current flyer should remain
the same, as it is an effective way of displaying what makes up AHCNQ.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 34
These flyers will be the subject of the direct mail (discussed previously), which is why it is important
to convey the message successfully. According to Salmat’s quote, it would cost roughly $1,846.00
to print 35,936 flyers.
Presentation Folder:
A presentation folder is another important tool to utilise when speaking to potential clients or
businesses. It could be used to contain pricing information, important documentation regarding the
organisation or even be used to give to clients to have something that they take-away.
If utilised properly, this can be a great asset to the organisation. Potentially, this could be used to
create a “pack” that could contain pricing information from all services, business card/s and a pen.
This pack could be given to potential clients when meeting with them, and allow them to have
future reference to AHCNQ when they are deciding who to choose.
The prices from Vistaprint are as followed:
Amount Price
100 $299
250 $449
500 $599
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 35
Figure 7.) Presentation Folder Idea.
Pens:
Pens can be used as a subsidiary marketing material, which is given away to potential clients (in
the presentation pack) to evoke a future though about AHCNQ. Pens are a tangible artefact that
can be passed on to a client and a business associate. Prices for this look to be around $199 for
100 pens with printing included.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 36
Figure 8.) Pen Design
Networking Meetings:
Networking is a vital part of business, it allows for members of different affiliations become
associates. For AHCNQ, hosting or attending a networking meeting for health professionals could
be a way to meet potential collaborations or alliances. This could also be a way to raise awareness
of the organisation within the field and potentially gain AHCNQ more clients from other health
professional referrals.
Location for an event like this could be held at a number of different venues across Townsville,
such as: Mercure Townsville, Tony Ireland Stadium, Rydges Southbank, The Ville or Holiday Inn.
The prices for these vary on the amount of people in attendance and how big the needed room is.
Members of AHCNQ could also attend networking events such as Townsville Chamber of
Commerce ‘Chamber Coffee’, which occur regularly and allow for interactions with different
businesswomen/men from varying fields to meet. Townsville Enterprise member networking
functions could also be another beneficial networking opportunity, which happens each year.
Sponsorship:
Sponsorship of events is a great way to have large amounts of people exposed to your
organisations name and logo. For AHCNQ, sponsorship of sporting events/teams could be a
subsidiary and used in conjunction with the other marketing efforts. Local teams like Townsville
Fire, Townsville Crocodiles and North Queensland Cowboys are potential candidates. There could
also be an opportunity to sponsor or advertise at local events such as: The Townsville Triathlon
Festival, Adventurethon National Challenge, Townsville 400 V8 Supercars, Townsville Running
Festival and Stables at the Strand. Although these events may not be related to the target markets
of AHCNQ, it could still be beneficial in spreading awareness of the organisation and exposing new
markets to the brand.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 37
People
The people within each individual business are vital in conveying AHCNQ’s message. The staff
needs to be knowledgeable, as they are an important part of the success. They have the
opportunity to create a unique experience for each client, no matter the situation. The staff need to
be knowledgeable about not only AHCNQ but their individual service, as that is important to the
overall image. It is important to ask all staff members if they are aware of the services that are
provided and help them in understanding their role.
It is important that staff is well presented, whether that be in uniform or in suitable attire. It is
important to know how clients feel about the staff members, as there could be some members of
the staff that particular clients do not wish to interact with.
It is recommended that AHCNQ look into having a member of staff who is in charge of monitoring
the marketing efforts and adapting these when needed. This staff member could be current or
hired in the future. AHCNQ could utilise JCU internship programs, which can allow for fresh and
innovative ideas and will not cost them wages.
Processes
The processes that the organisation oversees are critical in the overall success of marketing
efforts. This is because, even if there are clients needing AHCNQ’s services, if the processes of
serving them aren’t satisfactory, then it is unlikely that they will be returning. Quality service is a
must-have in a service based field, this can create a differential to competitors and be the sole
reason that a potential client may leave their current provider to come to one of AHCNQ’s services.
A client-centric service type allows for the clients to come first, making them feel unique and
special to the organisation. It is also important to follow-up post service; this is to ensure that the
client is satisfied with the service that they received, which can also lead to another booking.
PhysicalEnvironment
The physical environment is the environment where the services are delivered and can have major
impacts on how the clients view the organisation. The physical environment is a tangible aspect to
the service, so it is imperative that this is well presented and professional. It also allows ambiance
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 38
and good energy for the client before they receive the service, which is an imperative part of the
service experience.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 39
ProposedTimeline
The following is a proposed timeline in which all marketing efforts are put together over a one-year
period. It shows an estimate of marketing activities timespans, which allows for AHCNQ to decide
which activities, will be chosen. It shows print media first, beginning with Townsville Bulletin, which
is proposed to run 6 times across a one-year period, once every 2 months. It also shows the
Townsville Sun, which is proposed to run 6 times as well, in the months between the Bulletin, this
newspaper is weekly. The Townsville Eye is proposed to run 2 times, once every 6 months but can
be changed upon AHCNQ wishes. The Senior is proposed to run every 3 months, giving sufficient
exposure. Duo magazine is proposed to be used twice in the year; this was due to it not being for
the target market, but still a good way to gain exposure from readers in North Queensland. The
timeline is only depicted over the span of 1 year, this is so that the success of the marketing
activities can be assessed and altered so that they are successful over the next 3 years.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 40
The chart below shows the online segment of the markteting activities and how their timeline plays
out. The website, social media and search engine marketing/optimisation have all been given 12
month timelines, this is due to the constant updating of these activities. Content needs to be posted
often as well as tracking and alterations to ensure that clients are happy with the online presence
of AHCNQ. Email marketing is shown each month because of newsletters sent out on a monthly
basis.
Below also shows timelines for the other marketing activities. Marketing materials are proposed to
take 1 month, this is due to selecting ones that AHCNQ is happy with, as well as ordering and
shipping times. Networking meetings would be a one day event, but has the capabilities to
possibily turn into a reoccuring event. Sponorship is proposed to take a year, but could be shorter
or longer, depending on what was selected.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 41
Marketing Activity
To achieve success, AHCNQ will need to maintain there marketing activities throughout the next 3
years. This will mean monitoring and adapting to the changes in the market (eg. NDIS). To do so,
AHCNQ will need to have a member of their team who is willing to do so; this may be a part-time
marketing role or even another intern from JCU.
Listed below are some of the marketing activities that will be undertaken over the upcoming years
and how they can be achieved.
Activity How?
Creating market presence in Townsville area Through the use of marketing materials,
advertisements and social media engagement.
This will allow for AHCNQ to become more active
in potential clients memory.
Creating social media presence Posting quality content and establishing
relationships with followers. This will allow for an
approachability that engages consumers.
Tracking marketing efforts Following analytics on website and social media to
track online traffic. This will allow for success to be
monitored and help in the identification of
problems.
Gaining new alliances Contacting potential alliance for meetings and
discussions. This can lead to future collaborations
and alliances, which spreads AHCNQ wider and
into more areas.
Establishing relationships with clients Through email newsletters, social media efforts
and client-centric focus. This can allow for a
relationship to be built.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 42
Finances
Marketing Budget
Below is a budge that has been compiled using figures taken from this marketing plan. This is a
rough estimate of how much it may cost to run the marketing activities. NOTE:these are rough
figures, with some prices not being available. It should also be noted that not all of the marketing
activities need to be used at the same time (or at all) these are all just suggestions.
Method Price
Print Media: Townsville Bulletin $4590 (advertising once
every 2 months, for a 12
month period)
Townsville Eye $606 (advertising twice,
across 12 months)
The Senior $1520 (Once ever 3 months,
4 in total)
Townsville Sun $1194 (One advert every 2
months, over a 12 month
period)
Duo Magazine $606 (advertising twice,
across 12 months)
Online: Website $192
Social Media Tools Free (unless professional
tool selected)
Search Engine Marketing $200 (to test success)
Email Marketing Free (unless professional
tool selected)
Direct Mail: PMP (10,000 flyers) OR $1,600
Salmat (35,986 flyers) $5,107.07
Marketing Materials Business Cards $19.99 (for 250)
Flyers $1,846 (for 35,936)
Presentation Folder $299 (for 100)
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 43
Pens $199 (for 100)
Other Network Meeting Varies upon host location
Estimated Grand Total $12,373.99 (PMP) or
$15,881.06 (Salmat)
OrganisationalImplications
Due to the strenuous jobs that AHCNQ members have, it is more than likely that marketing efforts
aren’t the most urgent issue that they are facing. This is why it important to establish an individual
who will be in charge of marketing activities and report back with results and figures. If this is not
done, marketing effort may fall behind and result in limited success and marketing objectives not
being met. As suggested before, utilising the JCU internship program can be beneficial to AHCNQ
due to the constant turnover in the marketing position leading to fresh ideas and innovations. It is
also beneficial due to the cost effectiveness, with the intern position working for free.
Another implication could be that if alliances or collaborations were made in more regional
locations, referral systems would have to be set up, which may be time costly. This can be
combated by putting in place a set of plans, which can create efficient workflow.
Another implication could also be the distance between regional collaborations when it comes to
monthly consortium meetings. Having a Skype call set up, or even a conference call with those
who are unable to attend can combat this. Communication between all members is imperative to
maintain functionality.
Contingencies
As a lot of marketing plans revolve around assumptions, it is fair to say that some may fall short of
expectation. This is why it is important to have contingency plans in case marketing efforts aren’t
as successful as hoped. Here some scenarios that may happen and how they can be dealt with:
Revenue exceeds projections: If marketing efforts are successful and an influx of clients begins
using ACHNQ’s services, it may result in revenue exceeding what was projected, meaning that
marketing budget can be increased in areas which have been most successful.
Revenue does not meet projections: if marketing efforts are no successful, and there is no
significant change to the client base, marketing efforts may need to be tailored and some may
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 44
need to be put on hiatus until changes are made. This means that marketing efforts may need to
be rethought and the utilisation of social media marketing may become more prevalent, seeing as
it is the most cost effective.
Projected budget is too high: If the budget that has been given previously is too high, AHCNQ are
able to select certain marketing efforts, which they think will harness the most success, and chose
them, not all have to be selected.
Marketing efforts are not monitored: If marketing efforts are not monitored properly, key information
can be missed and opportunities wasted. As discussed before, having someone dedicated to the
role will be influential in how successful the marketing plan will be. This will be their main focus, so
maximum effort will be put in.
Social media efforts are as successful as expected: Because social media is hard for businesses
to get started in, it is likely that only a handful of people will be following AHCNQ’s page for a while.
This is nothing to get worried about, as discussed before, it is better to have fewer followers that
you can interact with, than a lot of followers that don’t interact with you.
These are just a few things that could potentially happen and how they could be handled. There
are many more things that could go wrong, but AHCNQ should be able to adapt to ensure success.
ContentExample
When first posting on social media, AHCNQ should be explaining who they are, what they do and
why they are here. It should also be concise and easy to read. The content example that has been
prepared is as follows:
“Hello all, this post is to introduce to our brand new organisation; ‘Allied Health Consortium NQ.’
We are 7 different allied health service providers, coming together in the endeavour to create high
quality service to the people of North Queensland. Our service providers have over 60 years
combined experience in serving Townsville and look forward to many more. Our service providers
are: - Sportsmed NQ
- Townsville Podiatry Centre
- Access Therapy Services
- Coastal Speech Pathology
- Townsville & Suburban Medical Practice
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 45
- Be Psyched
- Realising Possibilities.”
We look forward to seeing you all in the future, and helping you towards a better tomorrow.
After an initial post like the previous, it is important to continue to post on a regular basis, ensuring
that the content is relevant. It is also imperative that the content is engaging and can start a
conversation; this allows AHCNQ to interact with followers and create relationships through two-
way communication. A post like:
“Hey everyone! Today our team celebrated XX years of service to the Townsville community, we
thank everyone who has helped us achieve this, and hope to see you all soon!”
A post like this is personable and allows for reaction from followers. It would be beneficial to attach
a photograph, maybe a group photo of staff members celebrating, this way followers can connect
with the post. It is important to remember that each post should be like talking to a friend, it
shouldn’t feel manufactured or like its being forced. It is also important to post a variety of things,
not just text. Content like videos, reports or articles that other people have created are a good
ways to connect with followers and engage them into conversations.
Content across all social media can be shared using social media management tools as previously
discussed, which allows continuity across all platforms. It is suggested that the AHCNQ website
has a blog of some sort that allows for regular posts, these posts can then be shared to the social
media platforms with links that direct traffic back to the website so that viewers can see what
AHCNQ has to offer.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 46
PotentialAlliances:
After researching the competitor landscape, it was identified that some of these had the potential to
become allies over the upcoming years. Some of the organisations that have been identified are as
follows:
Disability Care:
- Bowen Flexi Care (Bowen)
- Burdekin Flexible Support (Ayr)
- Golden Dove Home Respite Care (Mackay)
- Mackay Family Care & Community Support (Mackay)
- Centracare NQ (Townsville)
- Cootharinga NQ (Townsville)
- Break Thru People Solutions (Tully)
Aged Care:
- Proserpine Senior Living Inc (Proserpine)
- Proserpine Homes for Aged Persons Society Inc (Proserpine)
- Lower Burdekin Home for the Aged Society (Ayr)
- Tully Nursing Home (Tully)
- Dur Del Harr & Aged Care (Ayr)
- The Good Shepard Home (Townsville)
- Pallaranda Garden Settlement Aged Care Facility (Townsville)
- Parklands Residential Aged Care Facility (Townsville)
Aligning with an aged care facility or a disability care facility can allow for utilisation of the NDIS
and create a larger client base for AHCNQ service provider.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 47
3 Year Strategy
As this document discusses the marketing activity over the course of 12 months, it is imperative
that future strategies are discussed as well. As stated previously, the first 12 months will be used
to establish AHCNQ in the marketplace and raise awareness of the organisation. This will be
achieved through the marketing activities previously established.
After the first year of marketing activities has completed, the success of the efforts will be
determined by using analytics. This should give an indication into how the marketing activities
faired and will allow for a decision to be made on what can be improved. For example, if search
engine marketing/optimisation is used and is deemed not successful, then AHCNQ may decide to
stop using it and pursue or focus on a more successful area. Using this first year to test marketing
activities will allow for future efforts to be more succinct and effective, after having a history of what
works and what doesn’t. It also allows for AHCNQ to have a clear understanding of what their
target audience responds to, which can be utilised to gain more clients across all service providers.
A major part of the 3-year strategy is creating alliances or collaborations with other service
providers. These ideally would be located outside of Townsville, which would allow for a greater
reach. More remote/rural locations such as Bowen, Charters Towers, Tully, Ayr and Innisfail could
be potential locations for service providers. It is important to think on a macro scale for the future,
allowing the AHCNQ name to grow into something that reaches all throughout North Queensland.
As discussed previously, it is recommended that someone in the organisation be put in charge of
marketing activities as well as tracking them. This person will then report back at monthly meetings
to give all members an overview of what is happening. Utilising the James Cook University
internship program is a good way to keep the role fresh, and allow for new and innovative ideas to
keep coming through. This is also a cost effective method, seeing as they do not require payment.
As marketing techniques evolve quickly, it is recommended that the marketing activities be
reviewed often, to ensure that objectives are up to date to relevant to what AHCNQ want to
achieve.
Allied Health Consortium NQ | 12 Month Marketing Plan | 2016/17
Page 48
References:
Roy Morgan Research. (2012, December 20). 70% of Australians still read catalogues. Retrieved
March 14, 2016, from http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/finding-1902-201304220101
Townsville Enterprise Ltd. (2013). Make the move Townsville | economic snapshot. Retrieved
February 22, 2016, from http://www.movetotownsville.com.au/economic-snapshot
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2013, November 13). Disability Characteristics. Retrieved
February 29, 2016, from http://www.abs.gov.au
Australia Post. (2015, June 24). Direct mail marketing. Retrieved March 14, 2016, from
http://auspost.com.au/business-solutions/direct-mail-marketing.html
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2015, June 29). Australian bureau of statistics web site. Retrieved
February 29, 2016, from http://stat.abs.gov.au/
AIHW. (2014). 6.9 Ageing and the health system: Challenges, opportunities and adaptations
(feature)(chapter 6 – health through your life; Australia’s health 2014). Retrieved from
http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129547764
La Barbera, V. (2012, April 19). 8 SEO stats that are hard to ignore. Retrieved March 2, 2016, from
Search Engine Optimization, https://www.imforza.com/blog/8-seo-stats-that-are-hard-to-ignore/
McCarroll, C. (2015, October 28). When should you post content to Facebook?. Retrieved March
14, 2016, from Blog, http://alliedhealthmarketing.com.au/when-should-i-post-to-facebook/
NQN rate card FY13. (2012). . Retrieved from
http://static.townsvillebulletin.com.au/mediakit/NQN_Rate-Card_FY13.pdf
Sensis Social Media Report: how Australian people and businesses are using social media. (2015,
May). . Retrieved from https://www.sensis.com.au/
Tanya. (2015, July 16). Marketing to the older consumer. Retrieved February 22, 2016, from Arts,
http://www.ellisjones.com.au/uncategorised/marketing-to-the-older-consumer/
Queensland Government. Queensland Regional Profiles - Townsville City. Retrieved February 29,
2016, from http://statistics.qgso.qld.gov.au/