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Table of Contents

Executive Summary.............................................................................................................4

Situation Analysis................................................................................................................5

Product and Service Analysis...............................................................................................6

SWOT Analysis.....................................................................................................................7

SWOT Action Plan...............................................................................................................00,0002

Target Market Analysis........................................................................................................13

Competitor Analysis............................................................................................................14

Current Financial Situation..................................................................................................16

Communications Audit........................................................................................................17

Macroenvironment.............................................................................................................18

Strategies...........................................................................................................................21

Objectives..........................................................................................................................22

Tactics...............................................................................................................................23

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Table of Contents (cont.)

Measurement/Evaluation..................................................................................................35

Conclusion……………………...................................................................................................36

Appendix 1 - Budget/Return on Investment.......................................................................37

Appendix 2 – Timeline………………………...............................................................................38

Appendix 3 – Brand Redesign.…………….............................................................................39

Appendix 4 – Website..……………........................................................................................40

Appendix 5 – Hashtag………………………................................................................................41

Appendix 6 –Stumble Upon..……………...............................................................................42

Appendix 7 – Facebook Ads.……………................................................................................43

Appendix 8 – Google Ads..……………….………….....................................................................44

Appendix 9 - Quick Response Code...................................................................................45

Appendix 10 Polo Shirt.....................................................................................................46

Works Cited.…………….......................................................................................................47

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Executive SummaryOpera Scotland is positioned to achieve success in the online community. Statistics show Scotland’s economy is slowly but surely showing signs of recovery from the recession, meaning residents will have more disposable income to enjoy arts such as the opera. In addition, now is an excellent time to establish an online presence because so many new and powerful tools are available to members of the general public to establish a brand and spread awareness.

Immediately noticeable in this plan is a redesigned Opera Scotland website. This new color scheme and logo will be integral to establishing a corporate image for the website that remains consistent throughout all other media. By incorporating Scotland’s official colors and flag into the design, visitors will feel a greater sense of nationalism, while a curtain design generates a connection to the opera.

Opera Scotland’s main objective is to increase awareness of the brand to as many people as possible by taking advantage of the many social and digital media outlets available to their target market. While the ultimate goal will continue to be bringing visitors to the Opera Scotland website, the best way to generate awareness of the Opera Scotland brand will be to utilize social media such as Facebook and Twitter in conjunction with other digital media such as Stumbleupon, YouTube and Wikipedia.

Opera Scotland should also look to take advantage of other outlets in order to increase awareness of the brand. The utilization of digital media in an advertising sense can also go a long way toward rapidly increasing awareness for the website. Facebook Ads and Google Ads can be purchased and carefully targeted to reach a specific sect of the market interested in the opera.

While digital marketing will continue to be an important part of the process for Opera Scotland, it will be important to keep in mind traditional marketing tactics as well. Opera Scotland representatives, in order to establish a more personal connection with fans of opera, can position themselves outside events in order to distribute information about the website. While doing so, they can wear Opera Scotland polo shirts that are branded with quick response (QR codes) that are scannable on smartphone devices. These same QR codes can also appear on future flyers. This will establish a good relationship in the traditional sense while still incorporating new, cutting-edge technology.

By taking advantage of these new and exciting opportunities and adhering to a strict budget of £1,000, we fully expect Opera Scotland to achieve a 200% ROI by March 31, 2012.

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Situation Analysis

IntroductionOpera Scotland is an informational website run by the Fraser brothers – Iain, Peter and Stephen – to provide fans of Scottish opera with the preeminent destination for information on news, upcoming events and history in the world of operatic performance. Faced with the challenge of reviving interest in a waning market, the Fraser brothers hope to create an all-inclusive site facilitated by a community of opera enthusiasts that will build awareness and interest in the art of opera.

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Product and Service AnalysisPerformance and Event Listings Opera Scotland’s primary focus is to provide listings of operas and upcoming events in Scotland. This is not limited to shows, but includes lectures, festivals, concerts, classes and cinema performances. By visiting the website, visitors can learn the dates, times and locations for all events.

Archive Opera Scotland provides a detailed archive service with information on past and present operas, cast biographies and opera venues. This feature adds scholarship, builds knowledge and sparks interest in both the historical and present significance of opera in Scotland.

ArticlesOpera Scotland allows visitors the opportunity to read in-depth articles about opera-related events in Scotland. By updating articles like these more frequently, Opera Scotland would be providing visitors with a reason to visit the site more frequently. Customer Need The products offered by Opera Scotland meet the needs of those interested in opera by allowing them to find out more information on performances, listings and history. The site also gives the opera enthusiast a forum to share in his or her interest with other fans of the art.

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SWOT Analysis

Strengths

• Specialization: Division of responsibilities

• Archive• Passion, Knowledge,

Enthusiasm• Social media

Weaknesses

• Resources• Awareness• Ad revenue only income• Content organization• Bounce rate

Opportunities

• Extremely Targeted Market• Networking• Digital Media• Ticket/Merchandise Sales• Affiliations• Festivals/Exhibitions

Threats

• Decreasing Interest• Constantly Changing

Environment• Name confusion• Low interest (2-3%)

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SWOTStrengths• Peter, Iain and Stephen’s immense knowledge on Scottish Opera history, passion for attending opera performances and

enthusiasm for sharing this passion and knowledge with others.

• Vast amount of content to work with, most of which is already compiled and uploaded to website.

• Division of responsibilities: each brother has a forte and a certain role within the organization.

• Took initiative and embraced social media, with steps already taken to establish a digital presence and brand awareness.

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SWOTWeaknesses• For foreseeable future, revenue from selling online advertisements is the only available source of income.

• Opera Scotland lacks resources, including manpower, money and time.

• Awareness: Too few people know about site’s existence. • Only 1,306 visitors in 1st quarter out of a potential 100,000-150,000 (Google Analytics).

• Website functionality: The website content of is good, but needs to be reorganized in a more user-friendly way so that the mission of Opera Scotland is clear and information can be easily accessed.

• The website bounce rate is too high at 46.41% for Quarter 1 (Q1) 2011

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SWOTOpportunities• Specific niche market with targeted audience

• Primary target market age group makes up 24.8% of Facebook users (CITE-checkfacebook)

• Ability to network and leverage the opera community as a resource

• Utilize social media and other digital tools to build an online presence and community for Scottish opera enthusiasts

• Increase current product mix to include: downloadable PDFs, event tickets and merchandise (CDs, DVDs, mp3s)

• Festivals and other events to affiliate with and create potential sponsorships or strategic alliances

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SWOT

Threats• Decreasing attendance and interest in opera (MC)

• Other organizations with performance listings

• Opera Scotland faces a constantly changing environment with new performances, actors and venues

• Name confusion with Scottish Opera

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Understanding Opera Scotland is an organization of limited resources, this plan will take advantage of emerging digital media that can be implemented in cost-effective and time-efficient manners. These tactics will be used to increase awareness of opera in Scotland as well as to promote audience engagement and contribution in the community that Opera Scotland is working to establish. In order to increase discussion of the subject, we will target a niche market of opera enthusiasts who have as much passion for the art as the Frasers. Utilizing this new media and Opera Scotland’s extensive knowledge and archive will propel the organization to increased awareness and respect in the opera community.

SWOT Action Plan

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Primary Target Market – Adults age 45+, above average income, well educated

While the primary target market comprises a relatively small percentage of the Scottish population, this provides an excellent opportunity to efficiently and specifically target Opera Scotland’s message. According to the Fraser brothers, approximately 100,000 to 150,000 people fit this description (Frasers, Interview, July 2011).

People of this target market represent the ideal candidate to visit Opera Scotland. Much of this demographic will be retired, have disposable income, have an appreciation for the arts and a desire to indulge it. Opera Scotland can capitalize on the interests of the target market by taking advantage of networking opportunities – both digitally and in person – to inform followers of the most recent developments in opera, provide upcoming listings, and create a community of dedicated enthusiasts willing to discuss and share their feelings about the arts.

Secondary Target Market – Families with children ages 4-16

In addition to representing the future, children also make up a large percentage of the present. Seventeen percent of the UK population is comprised of children ages 4-16 (Office for National Statistics). Considering all of these children are part of the family demographic, these families are candidates for purchasing opera tickets. This will prove important in a number of ways. First, and most importantly, attending the arts at a young age can prove very beneficial for children. Also, 31 percent of UK families value doing things as a family (Mintel). This represents a glowing opportunity for families to bond and expose their children to culture.

Target Market Analysis

Tertiary Target Market – Opera scholars and students

In the academic world, research is of the utmost importance when presenting any work. This could prove to be quite a boon to Opera Scotland. Academics in many different areas of study – including history, fine arts, or opera itself – could benefit directly from Opera Scotland’s extensive archive of information. When researching for thesis papers or doctorates, these scholars could turn to Opera Scotland for research and, in all likelihood, would be willing to pay a premium for a downloadable PDF of these valuable archives.

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Competitor Analysis

Primary Competitors• Scottish Opera (http://www.scottishopera.org.uk/)

• Face a problem with name confusion. This also negatively impacts search engine optimization (SEO) for Opera Scotland’s website. Difficult to distinguish the relevance on a search engine and, unfortunately, Opera Scotland’s listing falls below Scottish Opera on Google.

• Scottish Opera website offers a beginner’s guide to opera as well as brief summaries of major timeframes of operatic history, which is very concise and organized.

• Offers event listing and the ability to purchase tickets through their website – additional discounts offered if customer subscribes to their site.

• Utilize Facebook and Twitter fairly effectively with 783 “Likes” and 2,497 Twitter followers.

• UK Opera (http://www.operauk.co.uk/)• Opera company that facilitates audience engagement by requesting responses and encouraging dialogue amongst opera

enthusiast community.

• The Opera Critic (http://theoperacritic.com/)• Provides a list of opera companies, singers, and galleries, performance reviews and relevant articles.• Sells CDs and DVDs from website.• Effectively utilize social media with 1,876 Facebook “Likes” and 506 Twitter followers.

• Cadenza (www.cadenza.org)• Opera and play listings. Events are added and updated by the public.• Does not offer any operatic history.

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Competitor Analysis

Secondary CompetitorsAudience is passive and does not usually read the newspaper with intention of learning about opera.

• The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)• Newspaper has performance and event listings but difficult to find opera information from the search off the home page • “Stage” section includes a theatre blog, video clips, ticket purchases

• The Stage (http://www.thestage.co.uk/)• Performing Arts Publication• “What’s On” Section with day-to-day performances, complete list of A-Z productions, city-by-city venue guide, and

performance reviews

• The Scotsman (http://www.scotsman.com/)• Newspaper offering performance reviews• Also provides profiles of musicians and actors

• BBC News • BBC Scotland and ”Scotland’s Music” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/music/)• History features on opera• Two Classical music stations streaming live

• Herald Scotland • Newspaper offering similar services• 2,029 Facebook “Likes” and 529 Twitter followers

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As it stands currently, Opera Scotland turns no profit. While the overall goal of the organization remains to earn a £2,000 profit by 31 March, 2012, the site must also generate enough revenue to at least cover expenses, budgeted at £1,000.

Expenses:• Andrew Conway – paid by Opera Scotland to design website• Flyers – 5,000 fliers were produced to promote Opera Scotland at upcoming Edinburgh Festival

Current Financial Situation

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Opera Scotland has positioned itself for success by establishing a presence on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. More awareness must be created in order for these endeavors to make an impact, but the way these media are run is encouraging. In order to raise awareness, the following communications methods should be utilized.

Current CommunicationsOpera Scotland currently has a low following on Facebook, but that has nothing to do with the way the page is run. Opera Scotland’s Facebook fan page is extremely well run with pertinent news stories and intriguing questions posted frequently. Little needs to be changed with respect to how the page is set up, because once a larger following is built, more discussion and engagement can be expected.

Digital MediaIn order to increase awareness for Opera Scotland, more communications channels must be utilized. Digital tools such as Stumbleupon, YouTube and Wikipedia are out there, waiting to be claimed and used to spread awareness of the brand.

NetworkingBoth digital networking and face-to-face techniques can be used in order to build awareness and discussion for the Opera Scotland brand. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow Opera Scotland to efficiently reach multiple people at once, while traveling to operas and distributing information in a face-to-face manner can go a long way toward establishing a relationship with the public.

Communications Audit

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Economic EnvironmentThe economy of Scotland, along with the rest of the developed world, has suffered since the recession began, but lately has shown signs of recovery. According to the Scottish government’s latest state of the economy, prospects for future recovery seem promising:

• While the nation experienced economic growth in Q3 of 2010 (.5%), it experienced decline in Q4 (-.4%)• The majority of business surveys have reported a pick-up in activity through the first half of 2011, with the Bank of

Scotland PMI indicator reporting six consecutive months of expansion in private sector output• Unemployment has fallen for the 7th consecutive reported month. Over the year February-April 2011, employment

in Scotland has risen by 43,000 while unemployment has fallen by 10,000• Despite weakening more quickly than the UK as a whole at the start of the recession, Scotland's employment rate is

now slightly higher than in the UK (70.9% vs. 70.6%), while the unemployment rate is identical (7.7%)

Prospects for the future:• The Scottish government’s predictions for the economy’s recovery fit in perfectly with Opera Scotland’s vision for

profit growth. The government estimates recovery in Scotland will grow by around 1 ½ % before accelerating further in 2012 and 2013.

• With more people presumably having more disposable income at that time, more members of the target market will become likely to attend the opera, creating a need to visit Opera Scotland and learn more about performances (The Scotland Government, 2011).

Macroenvironment

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Technological EnvironmentA growing number of people are using the Internet as a tool to facilitate many functions of life, including researching, engaging and purchasing, especially amongst Opera Scotland’s target market. The ever-increasing popularity of social networking allows these audiences to engage within a community in which they have vested interests. Additionally, people are connecting more frequently and with the development of smartphones, audiences are using this technology on the go. Such growth necessitates a well constructed website and strategic digital presence through which followers can obtain all pertinent information and interact in a community of other engaged users. For Opera Scotland, this will be developed and facilitated through the following social media and digital tools: website (database and event listings), Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, YouTube, Wikipedia and quick response (QR) codes. This plan proposes to utilize such platforms to develop awareness and recognition for Opera Scotland and the service it provides, as well as create a community through which its audience can engage with other enthusiasts.

Macroenvironment

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Cultural EnvironmentThe Fraser brothers are angered and frustrated that no significant value is placed on opera in Scottish culture. According to the Fraser’s, opera is not recognized by the Scottish people as having a cultural influence; consequently, they see opera’s importance and popularity decreasing in Scotland. Their aim is to eliminate this stigma in society and educate opera goers about the historical and cultural significance of this art form.

The statistics for performing arts attendance in Scotland are comparable to those of England, where less than 50% of people attend theatre events. However, research shows 11% have attended a play or drama three times in the past month. This plan will attempt to capture these audiences for Opera Scotland (MC). Demographics play a key role in the demand for Opera Scotland’s services. As discussed in the target market analysis, it can be generalized that Opera Scotland’s target market places a significant value on higher education. Therefore, these people have a higher potential to be interested in the historical information and database service provided by Opera Scotland. Highly engaged opera enthusiasts may not just attend performances for the enjoyment factor, but also because they value the opportunity to learn the history and significance of the production, venue and cast.

Macroenvironment

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Positioning StatementOpera Scotland will establish a reputation and online presence as “The Wisdom for Opera in Scotland” – the leading source of information for all things opera in Scotland.

• Build an online community for opera enthusiasts to share in the love of opera and distribute relevant information amongst themselves.

• Redesign website and create new corporate brand image to offer organized, relevant content, add design elements, videos, music and pictures, thereby enhancing the visitor experience.

• Leverage the power of social media to attract and persuade the audience to engage with Opera Scotland and its followers.

• Establish relationships and affiliations with relevant organizations to build credibility and generate interest, therefore bringing in new audiences to learn about and engage with the Opera Scotland brand.

• Strengthen and substantiate face-to-face communication tactics currently utilized by Opera Scotland to build awareness amongst Scotland’s opera and performing arts enthusiasts.

Strategies

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• Generate awareness of Opera Scotland, specifically by increasing website traffic by 300% by April 2012

o Increase return traffic and visitor retention by 50%, decrease bounce-race

• Build interest and online community engagement, specifically by generating Facebook “Likes” and Twitter followers

o 500 Likes and followers by March 31, 2012

o 1,500 Likes and followers by April 2013

o 2,500 Likes and followers by April 2014

• Generate £3,000 in profit by March 31, 2012, generating £2,000 after budget and operating expenses

Objectives

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Opera Scotland Brand RedesignThis marketing communications plan proposes to create a new logo design and develop a brand identity for Opera Scotland that incorporates the Scottish flag and a new color scheme of blue and white that will be consistently integrated through all media channels. The concept for the brand design is to exude sentiments of Scottish heritage and nationality, add bright colors, and incorporate stage curtains to reflect an opera theme.

Social Media and Digital Marketing TacticsOpera Scotland must maintain a consistent presence and brand image while being persistent in its attempts to connect with target audiences online. Opera Scotland has already taken advantage of social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter, however the focus now must shift to using these tools to build an online community of interactive opera enthusiasts.

This marketing communications plan recommends adding a variety of other digital tools to increase awareness of the website and promote engagement in the community that Opera Scotland facilitates. Through the implementation of these tactics, we hope to generate a significant increase in website traffic, therefore earning a profit for Opera Scotland from the selling of advertising space.

FacebookOpera Scotland cannot grow unless there is a larger group of people aware of its presence. Therefore, this marketing communications plan proposes that Facebook should become a primary focal point of Opera Scotland’s attempts to reach a wider audience. The key purpose for Opera Scotland to utilize Facebook as a digital communication tactic is to build and facilitate a community of dedicated opera followers who can come together and share their love of the art. This awareness campaign will focus on continuous promotion to Opera Scotland’s Facebook page by integrating it through all other digital tools.

The creation of a “welcome tab” on the Opera Scotland Facebook page is a unique tool to draw the viewer’s attention and interest. This graphic will be viewed by anyone who is not already a fan of the page when they visit it for the first time. The welcome tab will help establish the Opera Scotland brand, encourage visitors to “Like” the page and help deliver “wow” factor by conveying professionalism and competence in the digital space.

Tactics

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The hashtag #operascotland will give definable identity to Opera Scotland’s presence on Twitter and will allow them to be searched and tracked more definitively. Laying claim to the #operascotland hashtag will create a clear and defined vision for the company in the digital space, enabling Opera Scotland’s mission to be understood and become an engaging topic of online conversation.

#operascotland Definition: The Wisdom for Opera in Scotland. Opera Scotland aims to share its knowledge and passion for opera’s significance in Scottish society through event listings and an operatic history archive.

This hashtag has been defined at www.tagalus.com and can be used immediately.

See Appendix for the Opera Scotland definition on Tagalus.

Twitter The key purpose of Twitter is to reinforce the messages pushed through Opera Scotland’s Facebook and website through an additional platform. It will also help catch some members of the target audience who may slip through the cracks. New connections are easily facilitated by Twitter and may allow Opera Scotland to find relevant followers who might be key alliance figures in the Opera community.

Social Media and Digital Marketing Tactics (Continued)

Tactics

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Social Media and Digital Marketing Tactics (Continued)

StumbleUpon By registering a listing with www.stumbleupon.com, Opera Scotland’s website has an increased potential to be discovered by members of the target audience. StumbleUpon is a free community-based web-surfing network focused on delivering relevant, organized content to its users. A person will indicate his or her interests and preferences from about 500 topics; thereby allowing StumbleUpon to provide the most relevant content. Then, once logged in through email or Facebook, “stumblers” will be directed to randomly generated webpages based on their interests. Content becomes increasingly relevant as a stumbler can provide feedback with a thumbs up or thumbs down rating, and if they really like the site, they can share it with friends through Facebook, Twitter, email or with other stumbler friends, allowing additional opportunities for the Opera Scotland website to be discovered.

We recommend purchasing the “Standard” service, which offers priority serving in content streams. According to the StumbleUpon plans guide (www.stumbleupon.com/index/plans), this service is ideal for brands seeking to engage their target audience. With this service, you can target audiences by interest, location and demographics with advanced targeting on a web or mobile device. Standard service offers advanced reporting including visitor data, traffic analysis and website quality score and integrates with Google Analytics. The cost for this service is $0.10 or £0.06 per engaged visitor. See Appendix for Standard Service details.

StumbleUpon

Tactics

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Social Media and Digital Marketing Tactics (Continued)

YouTube An Opera Scotland YouTube channel would dramatically increase awareness for the site. If Opera Scotland can acquire a wide variety of opera-related multimedia – a tactic that will be discussed later – this media can be gathered together in a YouTube channel. In this scenario, anyone searching for opera on YouTube could potentially land on an Opera Scotland video and become aware of the website and its mission.

WikipediaWhile not generally recognized as a true authority on most matters, Wikipedia remains a heavily trafficked site. This marketing communications plan recommends that Opera Scotland develop a document on the history of opera in Scotland from their archived data to be uploaded to Wikipedia. This information can be linked under the opera page, as well as to an independent page for Opera Scotland itself, thereby drawing more traffic to the Opera Scotland homepage.

Tactics

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Website

Branding By rebranding the website using a design scheme centered around the new logo, Opera Scotland will achieve a new sense of corporate identity and will captivate the audience’s attention immediately. The brand design represents how significant the values of heritage and nationalism are to Opera Scotland and the Scottish people. The design aims to also resonate the feelings and emotions of opera by incorporating stage curtains in the design. Additionally, we feel it will be beneficial to engage the audience’s senses with classical opera music playing in the background of the website that can be easily turned off if not wanted.

Structuring ContentBy organizing the website content and improving navigation, visitors will be more apt to stay and explore the site, therefore reducing bounce rate and increasing return traffic. Additionally, to further reduce bounce-rate, we recommend changing the website settings so that hyperlinks within the site (such as links to Facebook, affiliates’ website, etc.) will open in a new browser tab or window. Without this setting, the viewer is taken away from Opera Scotland’s site when clicking on any links and most likely deterred from returning.

The most significant addition to website content is an “About Us” tab at the top of the page in which the audience can gain an overall understanding of Opera Scotland, its purpose and the benefit the viewer is receiving from the website.

Additionally, we propose the implementation of a mission statement to clearly and concisely relay the key message of Opera Scotland.

Mission Statement: Opera Scotland focuses entirely on ensuring that opera is embraced by all as the beautiful and meaningful art it was always meant to be. For the true and dedicated fan of opera, Opera Scotland serves as a must-see destination for upcoming events and operatic history. By visiting Opera Scotland, fans of the arts will come to be truly educated and appreciative of opera, having learned from “The Wisdom for Opera in Scotland.”

See Appendix for a design proposal of the website homepage.

Tactics

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Website (Continued)

Audio/Video ClipsA primary focus of Opera Scotland is to provide site viewers with a comprehensive listing of upcoming operatic events in Scotland. This will prove extremely helpful in allowing opera fans to learn more about upcoming events, but the customer service aspect of this idea can be taken a step further. By posting audio and video clips of each opera listed in that month’s schedule with a brief description, viewers will be able to review or evaluate the opera before purchasing tickets.

Scenario: An opera fan of moderate interest level looks through the listing of upcoming events, but is unfamiliar with several of the performances. An audio or video clip of a past performance goes a long way toward educating the viewer on that particular show, and give him or her a better idea of whether to attend the performance.

PhotographyPhotography is another form of media that can add intrigue and excitement to the website to pull in additional viewers. By encouraging the audience to upload photos to the website, as well as post them on the Opera Scotland Facebook page or mention Opera Scotland in a picture posted to Twitter (Twitpic), it will allow them to share in the experience with other members of the community.

Tactics

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TacticsAdvertising

Creating Facebook and Google AdsWe recommend purchasing online advertisements to promote Opera Scotland’s awareness, due to their low cost and high probability to reach our target audience. These advertising spots can be split-tested by placing 50% on Facebook and 50% on Google, running for a period of two months. At the end of that time, the results should be evaluated to determine each medium’s effectiveness. This tactic is integral to achieving the marketing objective of driving audiences to the Opera Scotland website and online communities. We advise that Opera Scotland employs a cost-per-click (CPC) payment structure for purchasing online advertisements. Based on our analysis, Facebook advertisements will reach 213,520 users with the following demographics and interests:• Demographics: Age 35, both Male and Female, living in the United Kingdom, either baby boomers or with children 4-16• Interests/Keywords: Opera, classical music, performing arts, theatre, theater, musical theatre, musical theater, dancing,

singing, acting, history Scotland

Advertisement Example:

This advertisement is intended for Facebook, however the copy will be used for Google advertising as well. For initial testing purposes during the split-run online advertising campaign, the same copy and consistent messages should be used to more accurately determine which medium generates a higher response.

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TacticsAdvertising (Continued)

Selling Advertising SpaceOpera Scotland aims to generate profit by selling advertising space on its website, but must increase website traffic in order to do so. The benefit of online advertisements is that they are targeted to particular audiences and demographics; with Opera Scotland’s niche market and growing online community, selling advertising space has the potential to be an effective source of revenue for the organization.

Potential advertisers look at the traffic history of a website, with 10,000 visits per month the key figure for purchasing advertising space. The objective of this plan is to increase Opera Scotland’s website traffic by 300%, approximately 3,000 to 4,000 visitors per month within 8-9 months. We anticipate that this number will continue to grow as more tactics are continuously implemented. We advise restricting advertisements to text links embedded in side columns rather than banner advertisements, in order to maintain a classy, understated look to the website.

Advertising space is sold in different methods. We recommend enrolling in Google AdSense, an ad-serving application run by Google. Opera Scotland will then be able to charge advertisers a monthly flat rate via PayPal in order to ensure the highest revenue. The advertisements are operated by Google and can generate revenue for Opera Scotland on either a cost per 1000 impressions (CPM) or cost-per-click (CPC) basis (Advertising and Promotion, Chris Hackley, page 137).

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Face-to-Face Communication

Polo Shirts with QR codesRepresentatives of Opera Scotland will wear branded polo shirts with quick response (QR) codes outside performances and distribute information about the website. When the QR code is scanned by a mobile device, the person will be directed to the Facebook landing page where they will easily be able to "Like" Opera Scotland.

Tactics

The market for smartphones is growing rapidly, allowing for new methods of engaging with a brand. By utilizing this technology, Opera Scotland will be positioned as a unique and innovative brand. This tactic will integrate face-to-face communication with digital tools and help achieve our objective of driving all traffic back to Opera Scotland’s Facebook page. Success is easily measurable with analytics tools. The fact that smartphone usage has been spreading so rapidly, with 1.7 billion people expected to own them by 2014, sets the stage for a wonderful opportunity. QR codes are new and exciting, and with so many people embracing the technology that makes them possible, they can only become more popular and useful in the future (Independent).

Fliers with QR CodesPrior to the beginning of a performance, fliers should be distributed promoting Opera Scotland, its website and its social media efforts. In this scenario, a QR code would also be printed on the flier, perhaps giving the audience member something to do during the minutes before the show’s opening.

This effort would not only create more awareness for the Opera Scotland brand but also establish a deeper connection with the target market through a face-to-face dialogue.

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Strategic Alliances

By establishing strategic alliances with organizations in the industry, in addition to continuing to build relationships with opera companies as performances are added to the event listing, Opera Scotland could open the door to a world of opportunities. Co-operative ventures with promotional groups and relevant parties are an effective tactic to further spread awareness of Opera Scotland in the performing arts community. In doing so, Opera Scotland will establish credibility and become a more recognizable brand within the industry. However, in order to establish these relationships, the Fraser brothers (or an Opera Scotland employee) must leverage face-to-face communication tactics and networking opportunities (for example, attendance at the Edinburgh Festival).

The purpose for strategically aligning Opera Scotland with prominent organizations in Scotland and the UK is to market Opera Scotland’s website, products and services to another company’s already established customer base. The relationship will be mutually beneficial, where Opera Scotland will promote the shows and events on its website and in return www.operasotland.org will be listed on the playbill or other printed materials.

An additional benefit of networking with opera companies is the opportunity to have the opera performance press releases and playbills issued to Opera Scotland for its promotional use on the website.

Tactics

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Strategic Alliances (Continued)

Examples of Possible Affiliates:

• Claissical Music Scotland (http://www.classicalmusiciansscotland.com/)• This website, developed by Daisy Henderson, is briefed on Opera Scotland’s homepage, however there is no reciprocity.

• Scotland Internet (http://www.scotlandinter.net/opera.html)• Scotland’s Internet Directory for organizations and corporations in all industries.

• Scottish Music Centre (http://www.scottishmusiccentre.com/)• Provides tens of thousands of people worldwide with access to a world-class music resource and database.

• Classic FM Radio Station and Classic FM Arts Daily Blog (http://promo.classicfm.co.uk/blog/)• Streams classical music online, on digital, and FM. Listeners can find out about composers, artists, news and events.• The Classic FM blog provides classical music editorial, review, and a behind-the-scenes look at what's happening at

Classic FM.

• Creative Scotland (http://www.creativescotland.com/about/our-partners)• “Creative Scotland is the national leader for Scotland’s arts, screen and creative industries. It’s our job to help Scotland’s

creativity shine at home and abroad.”• “We value our partnerships…and we’re excited about making new ones. Our major partners are artists, cultural

producers, the education sector, broadcasters, local authorities and investment agencies.”

Tactics

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Merchandise and Retail OpportunitiesBeyond the desired income brought in by advertising revenue, Opera Scotland has the potential to bring in revenue through merchandise sales once a higher viewership is achieved. Realistically, this will take place in the long-term future, as these tactics cannot be implemented until awareness objectives are reached.

Ticket Sales By acting as an agency, Opera Scotland has the opportunity to bring in revenue through the distribution of tickets to operas and other events. Enthusiasts would find even more convenience on the Opera Scotland site by having the chance to buy tickets to the very same shows they just discovered on the site’s listing of events.

CDs and DVDsThis represents a high-potential market for fans of opera to purchase the work of a performance they truly love and listen to or watch whenever they desire.

Tactics

Downloadable PDFsA downloadable PDF can generate income from a variety of interested parties, particularly historians, scholars or students of the arts. For those performing extensive studies, or simply those who are incredibly interested in the subject, the sale of a downloadable PDF featuring extensive history of a particular opera can become another source of income.

The PDFs can be generated by compiling the vast amount of archived information over time into quantitative documents. They can potentially be broken up into particular decades of opera history, or by other segmentations as deemed appropriate. This process will take quite some time to implement as completing the research and development will be time consuming. The estimated price per document download is approximately £5 to £10. However, we recommend re-evaluating the marketplace for similar documents at the time of implementation.

PayPalPayPal is an ideal tool to allow customers to purchase merchandise online smoothly and securely. It is an efficient way to accept non-credit card payments with quick and easy integration to a website. Although there are minor commission charges (£3.60 fee on every £100 sale), there are no monthly fees to utilize the service.

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Opera Scotland’s ultimate goal should be to spearhead a dramatic increase in awareness of the brand through the strategic use of social media and other digital media. The establishment of awareness will go a very long way toward making that goal attainable in the future.

Once accounts are established with Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon and YouTube, and a page is created on Wikipedia, Opera Scotland can begin to expect growth in awareness. At that point, it will become prudent to capitalize on potential advertising revenue.

Awareness, though, will always remain the key. Without traffic to the site, no other transaction can be made. Advertising revenue will be important, but other transactions can be made, as well. This will prove to be the ultimate sign of success for Opera Scotland’s growth as more merchandise and ticket sales are sold from the site.

Objective 1 – Networking/Facebook, Other Digital Media• Facebook – measured by the increasing number of “Likes” on Opera Scotland page, as well as by analyzing Facebook Insights• Twitter – measured by number of retweets• Stumbleupon – measured by advertising costs – cost-per-impression basis• YouTube – measured by number of page views• Wikipedia – measured by number of page views• QR Codes – measured by the number of Facebook Likes resulting from QR scans

Objective 2 – Triple Website Traffic• Measured by Google Analytics

Objective 3 – Increase Return Traffic and Visitor Retention by 50%• Measured by Google Analytics

Measurement/Evaluation

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ConclusionThrough its careful dedication to fact gathering and archiving, Opera Scotland has already established itself as an authority on opera and opera-related events. In order for this plethora of information to find its way to the targeted people, it will be imperative to create awareness and inform people of Opera Scotland’s existence.

Utilizing new, emerging media will prove to substantially increase not only the number of people aware of Opera Scotland, but also the number of people who participate in its endeavors on a regular basis.

As powerful as the Internet is, its strength continues to grow every day. By taking advantage of every networking opportunity available, Opera Scotland will quickly grow into an authority for opera in Scotland.

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Notes on the Budget:• Web Development spending will be used to:

• Reorganize website content, build to database• Integrate new brand design to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube pages

• Facebook Ads• Cost Per Ad: £1.13• Therefore, approximately 177 advertisements will be purchased

• Google Ads• Cost Per Ad: £1.77• Therefore, approximately 113 advertisements will be purchased (3 per day, daily cost is £5.34)

• Polo Shirts• Cost is approximately £31 per polo with embroidery on both chest and sleeve • VAT and shipping is an additional £10

• Flyers• No cost since 5,000 are already printed for Edinburgh Festival• Will need to budget for more when current flyers are gone

• Stumbleupon• Cost of £0.10 for every visitor

Tactic Total CostWeb Development £425.00Facebook Advertisement £200.00Google Advertisements £200.00Polos £75.00Flyers --Stumbleupon £100.00TOTAL £1,000.00

Projected Return on InvestmentProfit Earned divided by Amount Spent

Net Profit

Total Cost £1,000

£2,000 ROI of 200%

Appendix 1 - Budget/ROI

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Appendix 2 - Timeline

Aug Sep Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul

Brand Redesign

Social Media/DigMkt Implemen-tation

Audio/Video

Facebook/Google Ads

Sell Ad Space

Shirts/QR Codes

Alliances

Merch

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Appendix 3 – Brand Design

Typeface: Demokratica

Color Scheme: Scotland Blue Monochrome

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Appendix 4 – Website Redesign

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Appendix 5 - Hashtag

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Appendix 6- StumbleUpon

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Appendix 7 – Facebook Ads

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Appendix 8 – Google Ads

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Appendix 9 – Quick Response (QR) Code

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Appendix 10 – Polo Shirts

Works Cited

About Overview - Creative Scotland. (2010). Retrieved July 20, 2011, from http://www.creativescotland.com/ about/ about- overview

Chan, T. W., Goldthorpe, J., Keaney, E., & Oskala, A. (2008, April). Attendance and participation in theatre, street arts and circus in England (Taking Part survery No. 8). England, UK: Arts Council.

Classic FM Arts Daily [homepage]. (2011). Retrieved July 17, 2011, from http://www.classicfm.co.uk/ on-air/ podcasts/ classic-fm-arts-daily/

Cultural and Heritage Tourism - International. (2010, May). Retrieved from Mintel database.

Historic and Cultural Visitor Attractions. (2010, November). Retrieved from Mintel Group Ltd. database.

Population. (2011, June 30). Ageing: Fastest increase in the "oldest old.” Retrieved July 18, 2011, from Office for National Statistics website: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=949

Scotland Universities [A list of Scottish University Websites]. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://scotlandinter.net/ uni.htm

Scottish Music Centre [Homepage]. (2008). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://www.scottishmusiccentre.com/ home/

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Works Cited

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The Scotland Government. (2011, July 11). State of the Economy - Latest [Summary of Key Conclusions]. Retrieved July 21, 2011, from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ Topics/ Economy/ state-economy/ latestSofE

Thompson, J. (2010, April 27). Smartphone usage set to rocket to 1.7 billion by 2014 [Article]. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from The Independent website: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/ smartphone-usage-set-to-rocket-to-17-billion-by-2014-1955258.html

What an Italian opera tour has of value for your children. (2011, July 7). Retrieved from http://ruralholidayslanzarote.com/ what-an-italian-opera-tour-has-of-value-for-your-child

Advertise on Facebook. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http:///www.facebook.com/ads/creat

Google AdWords. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from https://www.google.com/ accounts/ServiceLogin?service=adwords&cd=GB&hl=en_GB&ltmpl=adwords&passive=true&ifr=false& alwf=true&continue=https://adwords.google.co.uk/um/gaiaauth?apt%3DNone%26dst%3D/ cm/CampaignMgmt?__c%253D1381696016% 2526__u%253D1355712896%2523r.ONLINE

#operascotland. (n.d.). @tagalus. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://www.tagal.us/tag/operascotland

Plans and Pricing. (n.d.). Stumbleupon Paid Discovery. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from https://www.stumbleupon.com/pd/index/plans/

RTXTRA Premium Pique Polo Shirt. (n.d.). Logos4Polos. Retrieved July 18, 2011, from http://www.logos4polos.com/PD/printing-embroidery/Polo-Shirts-Printing/Polo-Shirts-Embroidery/65-35-Polo-Printing/65-35-Polo-Embroidery/RTXTRA/1933/RTXTRA-Premium-Pique-Polo-Shirt.aspx