The Studio Salon – Public Relations Campaign Web viewThe Studio Salon. Public Relations Campaign. ... The Studio Salon features a website in addition to their Facebook . ... SWOT

The Studio SalonPublic Relations Campaign

December 2011

Simone SmugarShippensburg University

2 The Studio Salon – Public Relations Campaign

THE STUDIO SALON

13 West King Street

Shippensburg, PA 17257

Phone: 717 – 532 – 5102

[email protected]

http://www.thestudiosalon.net/tss/

Smugar | December 2011


mailto:[email protected]

The Studio Salon – Public Relations Campaign 3

Table of Contents Pages

I. Executive Summary 4 - 5

II. Situation Analysis 6 – 14

III. Target Public 15 - 19

IV. Strategy 20 - 23

V. Goals, Objectives and Tactics 24 - 27

VI. Timeline and Budget 28 - 30

VII. Evaluation and Contingencies 31 - 35

VIII. Appendix 36 – 51



I. Executive Summary

This campaign outlines how The Studio Salon can achieve their goal of awareness among Shippensburg University students in addition to increasing revenue and awareness from other areas. Through in depth and comprehensive research, this campaign has been able to pinpoint the ideal client for The Studio Salon to market to as well as the ways in which to target them. The salon



owner, Jen Rosenberry, is extremely dedicated to attaining the goals in order to make her salon exceptional.

The Studio Salon of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania is a privately owned and run hair salon that provides a multitude of beauty, hair and nail services to the surrounding area. They are a standalone salon with a small staff and an intimate atmosphere that matches the needs and desires of their clientele. They offer beauty, hair and nail services mainly to women, ages 16 to 55, but they also offer hair services to men and children. They are located in the center of town in a widely accessible and marketable area. Their signage is prominent and they are located next to Knutes Pub and Grille, a very popular local bar where many townspeople frequent as well as university students.

Their revenue comes directly from services and products sold throughout each fiscal year and they currently have a solid base of both walk-in and returning customers. The list of returning clients at The Studio Salon consists mainly of townspeople and other locals. This suffices the salon but their main goal is to market to and obtain clients from the nearby located Shippensburg University. The university boasts roughly 6,600 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students, therefore opening the doors to over 7,000 potential clients. This number may not seem large, but Shippensburg, Pennsylvania (the town) is a small area with a population of only [roughly] 6000 townspeople.

The Studio Salon will need to work hard in order to reap the full benefits of this plan. The research regarding target markets and primary prospects included in this campaign is merely an overview compared to what could be achieved through constant media monitoring and other forms of primary and secondary research. They must also understand their clients’ wants and needs and more importantly, how to market directly towards those feelings. The tactics in this plan will take constant updating as they are all on a case by case basis. These tactics can be implemented by season, by quarter or for holiday / occasional purposes.

The Studio Salon has been in second place for too long. Their image and brand are outdated and this campaign can give them the chance to be the frontrunners in their own campaign. Creating a new idea of an established business is difficult, especially in a small town such as Shippensburg, but through constant promotion, The Studio Salon can put themselves in everyone’s mind. Through an entire rebranding featuring image building, awareness building and message building, The Studio Salon can create - and show off – their upscale and exclusive image.



II. Situation Analysis

The Studio Salon is a privately owned salon located on King Street in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. This salon has been in town for the past two years and caters both the townspeople of Shippensburg and students from Shippensburg University. Due to the small proximity of Shippensburg, there are many potential clients due to their few choices for personalized hair care.



The Studio Salon offers upscale hair styles and many different options, which are a rare commodity in a small town. Its personal atmosphere and small staff are one of the main reasons that The Studio Salon has so many returning, happy clients. It strives to keep its clients happy by remaining relevant and trendy while providing extraordinary service.

Mission and Goals

The Studio Salon does not currently have a mission statement, but that is something it would like to create during this project. Upon speaking to Jen Rosenberry, the owner and manager of The Studio Salon, I discovered core values that are important to both the staff and customers. The establishment sets themselves apart with its variety of services, dedication to their clients – be it returning or walk in – and overall commitment to excellence. Their main priorities are to keep returning clients as well as recruit new ones. When asked what sets The Studio Salon apart from any other hair salon, Jen explained it was their pledge to giving 100 percent effort towards each and every customer. Throughout my plan, I will strive to design a mission statement that Studio Salon can present to their customers as a strong and accurate representation of what their business stands for.

History

The Studio Salon has been located on King Street for a little over two years, but it was purchased by Jen Rosenberry on August 13th, 2010. The previous owner of The Studio Salon, Lisa Skiles, used to manage a clothing store called “Pin Ups – Fine Apparel”. She began with a small hair cutting station located in the back of her boutique, called “Back of the House”. Lisa has over 20 years of experience in the industry and 15 years as a salon owner (of various types) which qualified her to create such an unlikely hybridized establishment. The salon portion of the store quickly became popular due its trendy and fashionable styles. This prompted her to open The Studio Salon directly next store and manage both under her name. Due to the growing success of The Studio Salon, Lisa realized that she was unable to manage both establishments and turned over the salon to Jen and focused mainly on her clothing store. Unfortunately, the store went under and now the previous owner is an employee at The Studio Salon.

The staff is made up of six women total, Jen Rosenberry, the owner and manager; Lisa Skiles, the previous owner: Jessi Alspaugh, Jess Ott, Gabrielle Trinkle, and Tasha Tover. Out of this small staff, one woman is a receptionist and does not provide any of the services. Therefore, only five women handle all of the hair, makeup and nail services provided by the salon, on site and on location. Additionally, within this small group, only two of the women are trained in nail services and therefore create a narrow time frame in which patrons can acquire those services.

Industry Information

More than 250,000 businesses in the United States are classified as beauty salons, which can be defined as an establishment that offer primarily hair care and nail treatments. Additional services, such as skin care, tanning, massages, hair removal (laser or waxing) and exfoliation are considered



spa services and can be added on to any beauty salon if there are trained employees for each service. If an establishment provides all of these services in one location, they are considered a day spa. Statistically, the most popular beauty services are pedicures and waxing. Moreover, there are currently over 845,000 persons employed in the beauty industry in the United States1. About 44% of these workers are self employed. Some own their own salon or lease booth / chair space from an established salon owner, but many self-employed cosmetologists run their business from their homes or a rented space.

To work at a beauty salon, you must first have been professionally trained. “All States require barbers, cosmetologists, and other personal appearance workers to be licensed, with the exception of shampooers. Qualifications for a license vary by State, but generally a person must have a high school diploma or GED, be at least 16 years old, and have graduated from a State-licensed barber or cosmetology school. After graduating from a State approved training program, students take a State licensing examination. The exam consists of a written test and, in some cases, a practical test of styling skills or an oral examination. In many States, cosmetology training may be credited toward a barbering license, and vice versa, and a few States combine the two licenses. Most States require separate licensing examinations for manicurists, pedicurists, and skin care specialists. A fee is usually required upon application for a license, and periodic license renewals may be necessary.” 2

These workers can be trained to perform many different services such as:

Shampooing and conditioning hair Cutting hair Styling hair Styling hair for events / occasions Repairing damaged hair Perform nail services such as:

o Manicureso Pedicureso Polishing o Nail extensions

Apply makeup Perform massages Perform hair removal via waxing or laser treatments

Cosmetologists are also taught to how to act in various salon environments, how to deal with crisis situations and how to perform outstanding customer service. In addition, if a cosmetology school has a salon that they frequently send their graduates to, they may instruct them on the specifics of the brand carried by that salon. If not, it is up to each salon owner to educate their employees on the brands of products they sell in their salons. Another skill that is taught to all

1 As of 2010 marketing research reports2 http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos332.htm#nature



cosmetology students is how to work with financial and client information. Many salons, especially upscale locations, have their newer employees “pay their dues” by working in low level positions before moving up to actually performing services. For some, this may mean a desk job where they will be in charge of appointments, ordering supplies and products, keeping business and inventory records and working with advertising.

Salons differ in hours of operation depending on their owners. Privately owned salons may create a more relaxed schedule, where they only work when they have appointments booked and do not see walk-ins, others work short hours or not every day of the week. Salons that are part of a chain have their hours regulated by their corporations and therefore have a “normal” Monday-Saturday, 9AM-9PM work schedule. In chain salons, it is more likely for the owner or store manager to be present in the mornings and encourage their staff to book their more difficult appointments accordingly.

The current economy is shaky and has put pressure on consumers to cut back on frivolous and unnecessary spending. Unfortunately, salon services took a large hit as many women opted for DIY. As the economy gets back up, the salon industry will see a rise in sales but at this current moment, their profits are down. Salons differ in employee earnings due to many factors, such as the size, location, and popularity of the salon. These can create differences in revenue and therefore salary of each employee. Some salons pay their employees purely for their hours worked and allow them to keep any cash tips, while others allow their workers to receive commissions based on the price of the service / products they sell. Moreover, some salons can afford to give their employees bonuses for a variety of reasons such as outstanding work or holidays. “Median hourly wages in May 2008 for hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, including tips and commission, were $11.13. The middle 50 percent earned between $8.57 and $15.03. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $7.47, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $20.41.”3

Current Numbers

Quarterly revenue for The Studio Salon is $40-50,000 in services and $4-5,000 in retail.4 The salon offers a variety of hair, nail, makeup and waxing services that can be done both in store and on location. Within these services, the most lucrative are those pertaining to hair coloring. Due to the high level of training needed to perform such a delicate task, the clients of The Studio Salon are willing to pay a higher price in order to have the service performed correctly. Another reason that this service is so profitable is that it must be repeated every six to eight weeks as the dye fades out. Many of these clients are on the older end of The Studio Salon’s demographic and have the appropriate income to pay for these services on a regular basis.

Another large source of revenue is event services including hair, nails and makeup. Clients who are attending upscale events choose to The Studio Salon over competitors due to their “one-stop-shop” appeal. If a client books a large time frame for their appointment, they can receive multiple services at once. Proms, weddings and other such events are prime examples of such

3 http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos332.htm#nature4 Personal Interview: Jen Rosenberry Sept. 2011



instances. Another reason clients may choose to book a multi-service appointment is to obtain all of their beauty services in one quick and easy visit.

As the numbers above show, products are ten percent of The Studio Salon’s quarterly revenue. Products include: shampoo, conditioner, styling gel, hair spray, defrizzing serums and specialty products, such as those for curly, fine, or color treated hair. If you have received a hair service, The Studio Salon offers recommendations on which types of products to purchase to best suit your hair color and consistency.

At this current time, The Studio Salon does not want to add any additional services to their repertoire, except for possibly learning extensions.

Services5

Aside from the newer services, Jen has always kept the same prices in order to create continuity for clients. The Studio Salon offers basic men, women and children’s haircuts as well the following services (complete with prices):

Hair:o Cut

Women ($26) High School Age ($24) Middle School Age ($22) Elementary Age ($16) Preschool Age ($12) Conditioning Treatment ($10-20) Bang Trim ($3-5)

Men ($17) High School Age ($16) Middle School Age ($15) Elementary Age ($14) Preschool Age ($10) Conditioning Treatment ($10-20) Bang Trim ($3-5)

o Color All Over Color ($40) Men’s Color ($20-30) Soap Cap ($15 and up) Highlights / Lowlights ($10-20) Corrective Color (Requires Consult)

o Perms

5 http://www.thestudiosalon.net/tss/




Long ($65) Medium ($60) Short ($55) Partial ($50)

o Straightening ($40-55)o Styling

Shampoo and Blow Dry ($16) Up Dos and Event Styles ($45)

o Razor / Texture Cuttingo Feather Extensionso “Bling Highlights”

Nails:o Manicures ($20)o Pedicures ($30)o ManiPedi ($45)o Gel Polish

Waxing:o Eyebrows ($10)o Lip ($10)o Chin ($10)o Face ($10-40)o Arms ($30)

Makeup :o Application ($25)o Lessons ($25)

On-Location Hair Styling Parties / Events

Product Brands

Paul Mitchell Bed Head Rockaholic Aquage OPI Nail Polish

Competition

The Studio Salon is privately owned and run and therefore doesn’t see competition in chain hair salons. While this may not be a hardened fact, the employees and their owner agree that their



services are more specialized than those performed at chain locations. Also, they believe that their variety of services sets them apart from a location that provides simple hair services. This logic is also applied to other salon establishments such as nail salons, which offer similar services including manicures, pedicures and waxing services.

Within the town limits of Shippensburg, there are very few hair salon options. In addition to The Studio Salon, there are two other well-known, privately owned salons: ‘Heads Will Turn’ and ‘The Hair Cottage’. The Studio Salon sees The Hair Cottage as its number-one local competition. While The Studio Salon works within an actual salon-style shop, The Hair Cottage is run out of a home on Orange Street that has been converted to a salon. There are many facts that make The Hair Cottage an apparent rival for The Studio Salon, their similarity in services, prices and hours of availability. Contrastingly, there are large differences between the two. The Hair Cottage sells handmade jewelry and personalized apparel, which gives customers an even stronger bond with the salon. Their biggest difference is that The Hair Cottage offers a 10 percent discount to Shippensburg University students with ID. This is not yet an option at The Studio Salon and therefore drives the target public towards their competitor.

Additionally, The Studio Salon and The Hair Cottage have deeper rivalry than just their customer base and service fees - over half of The Studio Salon employees, including Jen, are former employees of The Hair Cottage. The women have all left for the same reason– they believe that The Hair Cottage does not pay attention to the customers’ needs and wants and simply sees them as another dollar. Based off of these events, the women of The Studio Salon have vowed to always provide exceptional services.

Problem Statement

Due to the newness of The Studio Salon coupled with the small staff size, they do not intend on changing or upgrading their services at this time. However, their main concern is creating a better relationship with the students of Shippensburg University that will result in an increase in student clientele, therefore creating a solid client base as well in an increase in revenue. The Studio Salon offers weekly specials available to all clients, scheduled or walk-ins, but due to their limited advertising efforts, not many of these clients are able to benefit from these offers.

Technologically speaking, The Studio Salon is a forerunner. Unlike their biggest competition, The Hair Cottage, The Studio Salon features a website in addition to their Facebook page. This website is well designed, easy to navigate and provides users with all the information they need regarding the salon. All of the services, along with prices, are laid out in a simple fashion. Their contact information is prominently displayed on every page, giving the customer the option to call at any point. In addition, The Studio Salon Facebook page is frequently updated with specials, pictures and statuses encouraging customers to stop by. They also use this to update their followers with new products, new services or deals. Lastly, The Studio Salon Facebook page currently has 215 “likes”, has four photo albums featuring events, products and services, and provides a direct link to their website.



University Awareness

Currently, The Studio Salon only accepts discounts for Bard Cards – a discount card provided to the residents of Bard Townhouses, an off-campus housing complex that houses primarily university students, as well as marketing to them directly with door-to-door offers. Their ties to the many other areas of the university are very weak – their only marketing attempts are by posting coupons and offers through boards on campus, such as those in the CUB and academic buildings (currently only in John L. Grove College of Business and Dauphin Humanities Center). They do not advertise in the residence halls and other buildings such as the library and the campus recreational exercise facility, where there is a constant flow of students.

Additionally, they have no relationship at all with Creekside, Brookside and Madison Court Apartments, a housing complex that has almost 800 residents; all of which are university students. Britton Court and Hot Point Commons, two smaller student-based off campus residences, are also not targeted, as well as students who reside in rented houses in town such as the houses on Richard Street.

Community Awareness

Despite the owner’s assurance of having a solid in-town clientele base, the only local businesses that they advertise with are supermarkets, Laundromats and other establishments that feature community boards. This is not the most effective way of gaining attention due to the cluttered nature of bulletin boards. Also, these locations are places where patrons typically do not pay attention to anything except the task at hand/what they came there for and usually do not take the time to look at the information displayed.

While their main priority is to gain awareness and clients from the university, The Studio Salon would also like to have a solid hold on the community. According to Jen, 65 percent of their customers are returning members that reside in-town and return for the same services every visit. Within this percentage, many are not aware of coupons or deals due to poor advertising. The Studio Salon would benefit from providing coupons advertised in town-wide mailings or community newsletters. Out of these 65 percent, over half of them are women ages 35 to 55 who may not be following The Studio Salon through their technological outlets. Therefore, The Studio Salon aims to cover all its bases by using target marketing.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

The Studio Salon already employs tactics that will help them to achieve their goals but would like to upgrade those tactics in order to obtain the most benefits. The strengths include:

Giving 100 percent effort to every client Continuous attempts to advertise Use of coupons and specials Willingness to change and work with public relations in order to improve



Newness and relevancy in fashions and techniques Personal experience Dedication to clients

Weaknesses:

The weaknesses of The Studio Salon are few and far between, but there are things holding them back from having the kind of business they crave. These include:

Size of the shopo One waxing stationo Two pedicure chairso Two manicure tableso Three hairstyling stations

Availability of time slots Small staff Difficulty of booking multi-service appointments Obvious competition with The Hair Cottage

*Note: The size of the shop limits the amount of stations that can physically be offered by the salon. This is an unchangeable weakness, as The Studio Salon has no intention of moving to an alternative location*

Opportunities:

At this stage, the opportunities for The Studio Salon are vast. They currently engage in little to no advertising and their main client base stems from in-town customers. Their goal for awareness from university students can easily be obtained if they implement this campaign.

Threats:

The main threat of The Studio Salon is their aversion to large amount of change. While there is not a feasible budget to obtain a larger space, hire more staff or become the upscale salon they see themselves as, they still have the ability to run a decent and well-promoted salon.



III. Target Public

The key publics of The Studio Salon can be determined by using the formula P + V = I (potential + vulnerability = importance).6 This means that by looking at a key public’s potential to influence The Studio Salon and their vulnerability to what that key public can or cannot do. Separating the key publics of The Studio Salon can be simplified down to this: townspeople, with which they already have a solid and defined relationship versus university students which represents a connection yet to be made. Breaking it down farther than that, it can be seen that while The Studio Salon offers services to children and men, about 85 percent of their clientele are women.

These statistics infer that female students from Shippensburg University would be the ideal target of a public relations campaign. In order to reach the maximum potential of the campaign, we are using targeted marketing to pinpoint the exact kind of girl that would be most interested in repeatedly acquiring services from The Studio Salon, as well as advertising to her friends.

6 “Strategic Public Relations Management”, 2nd Edition, Erica Weintraub Austin and Bruce E. Pinkleton



Therefore, the target publics have been separated into three categories: “Lexie” (Primary), “Female University Students” (Secondary) and “Townspeople” (Tertiary).

“Lexie” (Primary)7

In order to create the most lucrative and effective public relations campaign, there needs to be a clear cut idea of who the salon is marketing to. In doing that, the research becomes a profile of a girl with expensive taste, an eye for fashion and an air of exclusivity. For the purposes of this campaign, this girl is called “Lexie”. Lexie is 20 years old and is a member of a prominent sorority on campus, therefore attending many events throughout the year where she must look fashionable as well as professional in front of her peers. She is relatively wealthy, especially in comparison to her peers. Her parents are paying all of her expenses while away at college, including non-essentials such as clothing and beauty services. Lexie has been regularly getting services such as manicures for over five years and is accustomed to looking stylish and attractive. Her hair features professionally done color and her eyebrows are meticulously waxed. Perhaps the area in which she lives is more affluent than Shippensburg and has more options for her to indulge in this behavior but out here, The Studio Salon is one of the only locations that can offer her all of those services in one convenient location while still remaining elite. This is the girl that The Studio Salon should focus their efforts on marketing to because she has the mentality, the motivation and the money.

Sororities

The ideal of Lexie can be found in different areas on campus but is most prominently associated with one group: sorority girls. Young females within this demographic travel in packs that commonly make decisions based on the opinions of the other members. Despite the devotion to the group, each girl is constantly attempting to set herself apart as the leader in any particular area, but the most coveted is appearance. If a group is knit tightly enough, it only takes female to convince another of the worthwhile properties of her decision and the others will quickly follow suit. Within a college campus, the most prevalent example of this is within sororities and (the female portion of) co-ed fraternities. Many of the girls fit the “Lexie” persona and would be willing to purchase services for a slightly upscale price in order to achieve their goal.

Using this knowledge, I attempted to hold a focus group for the female presidents and representatives of Greek life within the Shippensburg campus. During this focus group, the girls would first listen to a short presentation about the services and features of The Studio Salon, followed by a short questionnaire about which services apply to each individual sorority and ending with an open forum discussing the pros and cons of acquiring services from the salon. This focus group would have narrowed the demographic down to an exact image of the type of girl that The Studio Salon should be focusing the majority of their advertising time and money towards. Unfortunately, despite multiple attempts to reach out both electronically and in person, I was unable to connect with anyone involved in Greek life. Therefore, I have no measurement of reactions to the proposed plan.

7 Personal interview with ‘Unnamed Female’ from Shippensburg UniversitySmugar | December 2011


Female University Students (Secondary)

This section provides a broad overview of female university students ranging from 18 – 22 years old (based on the mean ages of traditional, four-year students).This age group is obsessed with technology, social media and getting their information faster than ever. They are far less concerned with the future and are mainly interested in what this product or service can do for this at this exact moment in their lives. Since they have left their family structure behind for an independent lifestyle, these women believe themselves to be strong and knowledgeable. They have not yet embarked on creating their own career or family and therefore revel in their lack of ties to anyone but themselves. This instills a “me, me, me” mentality in most women in this age bracket. Some of the most important categories of their lives consist of health (eating right, exercising, etc), beauty, fashion and technology. Their vulnerability as an age group makes them easy targets for many different marketing techniques. Their quick-fix attitudes lead to split decision spending and therefore, more consumerism.

To reach women 18-22, organizations must go to them. These days, advertisements that run along the edges of their Facebooks and other sites will get women’s attention better than a television commercial.8 The key with online marketing is to engage in a conversation with the target audience by keeping them updated, informed and sending them exclusive offers. Lastly, all advertising has to be mobile. If a female sees an enticing ad on her smartphone, there is nothing stopping her from clicking “purchase” and buying it right then. Another way to get to these women is to “invade” campus. A very popular example of this is Victoria’s Secret’s deal with a few select universities (such as Penn State) to create a joint fashion line featuring the logo and emblem of the school along with the coveted “PINK” by Victoria’s Secret label. This is marketing genius, a two-for-one deal that includes exclusive and expensive merchandise: campus wear and Victoria’s Secret products.

Townspeople9 (Tertiary)

The townspeople of Shippensburg are strongly represented, with the bulk of their clients being women, ages 35 – 55, who are repeat customers and live within a 20 mile radius of the salon. This particular demographic has changed a lot over the past ten years. These women are defined by their need to discuss everything in their lives either before, as or after it happens. As technology evolves, these women have fought to keep up with it, earning them the title of the largest group of online spenders. Despite this online shopping, they are difficult to market directly because they are not compulsive and plan their spending ahead of time, especially when it comes to luxuries such as manicures and hairstyling.

Various marketing information contains similar information about how to approach and successfully reach this targeted group of women. Specifically targeting the type of customer you hope to have is the only way that a company will bring in the “right” kind of business. The women in Shippensburg are mainly rural women and may not be as well educated on the latest fashions as

8 http://www.ehow.com/way_5147854_ways-target-something-market.html9 http://blog.clickbooth.com/2010/02/22/marketing-to-women-ages-35-55-part-1/


http://blog.clickbooth.com/2010/02/22/marketing-to-women-ages-35-55-part-1/


similar aged women in Philadelphia. The Studio Salon takes into account who their audience is and how to correctly market directly to their wants and needs. Within this demographic, there are many different subcategories, each with their own agenda.

Single Motherso Focused on:

Providing for children Making more money Finding a partner Spending more time with children

o Would ideally work from homeo Independent and powerfulo Inherent social climberso Appearance is highly important

Stay-at-Home Motherso Low percentage of demographico High value on maintaining family unito Marketing to both mom and family o Social with other motherso High value on serving the needs of otherso Does not pay enough attention to own needs

Working Motherso Very large percentage of demographico Managing multiple things at onceo Always on the goo Ambitious and determinedo Craves more family time

Great value in products or services that save timeo Understands the importance of appearance in the workplace

Takes time to work on health and beauty

Married Women without Childreno Very low percentageo Well educated o Well establishedo Freedom, Independence and Powero More frivolous with money (“me” factor)o Puts the most value on having fun than other women



Single, Not Married and Without Childreno Smallest percentageo Mainly interested in:

Completing education Finding a partner Settling down Starting a family

o Take very good care of themselves (health and beauty)

This age group as a whole relies heavily on strategic shopping so that they can receive the most product / service for their time and money. This means they also care about a product or service that will last them for a set period of time. Lastly, women rely heavily on the opinions of others in regards to using a product or visiting an establishment. These opinions can come from online reviews, television programs, consumer reports, word of mouth or gossip. All of these are factors that women weigh in on before making a decision.



IV. Strategy

“At The Studio Salon, you don’t leave with a look; you leave with an image.”

The above statement is the newly proposed slogan of The Studio Salon. In order to have the exclusivity factor that they so desire, The Studio Salon must reach higher to obtain top notch clients. Having a slogan creates brand identity, which is defined as “the visible elements of a brand (such as colors, design, logotype, name, symbol) that together identify and distinguish the brand in the consumers’ mind”. 10 Based on the lack of awareness from both the town and the university, rebranding the entire image of The Studio Salon may be an effective change in order to reacquaint the target market with the salon.

Moreover, the slogan is not the only thing proposed to change. Due to their small staff size, their limited client pool and small advertising budget, The Studio Salon has not made large attempts to advertise to the public. When The Studio Salon was part of the Pinups Apparel brand, they created banners and other monikers to display around both the town and the university in order to gain awareness. Also, because Pinups was the dominant business, their name is displayed much larger than The Studio Salon. In addition to the large name, only the website and contact

10 http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/brand-identity.htmlSmugar | December 2011


information for Pinups is displayed. However, since Pinups has closed, The Studio Salon has not updated any of these signs. This is confusing to the public, as they do not understand which company is which or where to find the services they need.

Mission Statement

My situation analysis established that The Studio Salon does not currently have a mission statement and has tasked this campaign with providing one. Their website features this statement in their “About Us” section: “We believe looking good and feeling good are mutually dependent, and our range of service and product offerings are designed around this concept”. In order to turn that belief into a mission statement, more of their core values had to be evaluated and turned into a statement that clearly represents the overall soul of The Studio Salon.

Therefore, I propose the following as the new mission statement of The Studio Salon:

“At The Studio Salon, we strive to exceed expectations by providing the best services to our customers. We are dedicated to remaining educated about the current products, services

and changes to the salon industry. We believe in a personal relationship with each client as well providing services that exemplifies their individual style. It is our responsibility to

maintain the highest level of professionalism at all times. We pledge to always go the extra mile to achieve this mission and uphold incomparable standards.”

Targeted Marketing

The definition of target market is “a specific group of consumers in which a company aims its products and services”.11 By creating a specified target market, The Studio Salon will be able to focus their time and money into a campaign that will yield results without being wasteful. The main issue that The Studio Salon struggles with is their want for change without the ability to do so. By that I mean that while their prices are slightly out of reach for most college students, they are still interested in marketing directly to them. Changing the way that they market and advertise to these students could make the desired impact on traffic and revenue.

During discussions with Jen Rosenberry, she has made it clear that they do not want to change their prices or become a “bargain brand” hair salon.12 Therefore, offering things such as coupons and discounts are not tactics that they could feel comfortable enacting unless there was substantial research to prove them effective. This is where identifying a target market becomes necessary. Not only does this enable them to create messages and campaigns that speak directly towards the type of people they would like to attend their salon but in turn, it allows that market to feel exclusive, included and therefore more likely to positively respond. In addition, this strategy will ensure longevity because the same ideas can be applied to different situations, including acquiring alternative publics.

Their salon is one of a kind in Shippensburg and refuses to compromise their elite status by changing their image. Thus, the word “exclusivity” summarizes the feel of the proposed strategy.

11 http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/term/82498.html12 Personal Interview: Jen Rosenberry Sept. 2011



Customers at The Studio Salon choose its high-end look and feel because they are more dedicated to timely and trendy salon services. Likewise, The Studio Salon strives to be above the fold when it comes to fashions and prides itself on providing its clients with the latest and best options available. The strategy behind this campaign is made up of four steps: research, analyze, plan and execute. By following these steps, The Studio Salon will be able to reach their goal of reaching more university students more effectively and efficiently.

Research

The research provided in this campaign coupled with the intended client type has created a specific character. By locking in on this type of specific individual, The Studio Salon can create advertising and marketing techniques geared towards this exact person.

This client, who we have previously labeled as “Lexie”, contains the following features:

Age: 18 – 25 Female In sorority Very sociable Current University student Wealthy in comparison to peers Possesses credit/debit card paid for by parents Regularly getting salon services for over five years Committed to continuing salon services during semester Enjoys being ahead of her peers with regards to fashion Easily persuaded to try new things Committed to current trends

After creating this particular girl, The Studio Salon can further research marketing techniques suited for her needs. Even though she possesses a higher level of wealth than her peers, Lexie is still a college student and conscious of her purchasing. If presented with a deal such as a percentage off of a service, she would be more inclined to pay for a second service with the difference instead of simply saving. Therefore, creating a discount or providing her with a coupon would not likely create a drop in revenue. Research also shows that this demographic requires that the marketer must go to them in order to make an impact.13 Ergo, The Studio Salon must make a push towards advertising on-campus and within campus media. Their personalized ads, such as mailers or coupons, must be sent directly to those who would take action.

Analyze

When all of the research has been collected, The Studio Salon can analyze the information and proceed to brainstorm ways to directly reach these women. Compiling a list of their most desirable services – by Lexie’s standards – it is decided that hair cut and color, eyebrow waxing and

13 http://www.ehow.com/way_5147854_ways-target-something-market.htmlSmugar | December 2011


combination manicure/pedicures are the three most common salon services purchased. Another service that is currently under marketed at The Studio Salon is their on-location makeup and hair services. They offer package deals in which a small team of employees come to your house, or another specified location, and provide services for either a single client or a group. This can be used for events such as weddings, proms and other important occasions. Lexie is categorized as being very sociable, therefore having friends to invite as well as places to go. Now that they have the knowledge of WHAT to market to WHOM, they can begin setting goals and planning tactics in order to reach them directly.

Plan

Deciding on which tactics will most accurately accomplish their goals will be the toughest task. In order to understand which tactics to choose, The Studio Salon must examine the research done on the primary prospects and figure out how to market directly to them. Cross referencing the tactics with marketing strategies will give them the most accurate results as well as paint a picture of how to reach the primary prospects most directly.

Execute

This is the final stage of the strategy, where all of the research culminates into a solid plan that The Studio Salon can use to effectively and efficiently achieve their goals.



V. Goals, Objectives and Tactics

The overarching theme of this campaign is exclusivity. In order to promote that, there needs to be an increase in awareness from the university students and from the community. Upon researching the industry and The Studio Salon itself, the conclusion drawn is that targeted marketing is the most beneficial way for The Studio Salon to create the kind of awareness that will profit their business. Each goal, objective and tactic described will be applied directly to the target public and marketed in a way that will make them feel exclusive and motivated to obtain a service from The Studio Salon.

Goal 1: To increase overall revenue from both product sales and services.

o Objective 1A: Raise service sales by 12 percent by March 2012.

o Objective 1B: Raise product sales by 8 percent by March 2012.

Goal 2: To increase overall traffic of key publics.

o Objective 2A: Increase overall number of appointments made by 15 percent by April 2012.



o Objective 2B: Increase number of appointments made by key publics by 10 percent by May 2012.

o Objective 2C: Position 25 percent more awareness tactics in locations frequented by key publics by March 2012.

Goal 3: To better identify primary prospects through further research and analyze how to target them directly.

o Objective 3A: Train receptionist position to engage in two kinds of secondary research regarding current trends and marketing techniques towards primary prospects by February 2012.

o Objective 3B: Have all research compiled by receptionist by April 2012.

Goal 4: To shift resources to primary prospects in order to maximize both sales and traffic.

o Objective 4A: Create two awareness tactics specialized towards primary prospects by February 2012.

o Objective 4B: Increase revenue from primary prospects by 10 percent by June 2012.

o Objective 4C: Increase revenue from on-site services by 5 percent by June 2012.

Goal 5: To create new events, sales promotions and tactics in order to obtain maximum awareness from primary prospects.

o Objective 5A: Design three events to be held over the course of the year that cater to the wants / needs of primary prospects by April 2012.

o Objective 5B: Create and promote two sales promotions directed at primary prospects by March 2012.

o Objective 5C: Create and distribute two tactics directed at primary prospects by March 2012.

Tactics

In order to continue the exclusivity of the campaign, The Studio Salon must entice the target audience by appealing directly to their eye for fashion and detail. Through targeted marketing they will discover where the target audience lives, shops and frequents therefore increasing their ability to market directly at them.

Events



Plumes of Pride14

o This event will be held in The Studio Salon as well as outside on their sidewalk area. It will allow university students to create their own Shippensburg themed hair feather and have it put in at a discount rate. Groups such as sororities or girls from common residences will be able to have their photos taken and featured on a board in the store.

o Local media as well as campus media will be present to document the event.

Breast Cancer Awareness / Locks of Love 2012o Using the improved plan included in this campaign, The Studio Salon will hold

another Breast Cancer Awareness / Locks of Love charity event.

Sales Promotions

Student Discounto The Studio Salon currently has many specials and discounts available to all

customers but none available especially for University students. In order to reach these primary prospects directly, it is necessary to go to them and create a Student Discount.

Coupon15

o As described earlier in the plan, coupons and specials are an extremely effective way to encourage business. An endless tactic in this campaign is coupons that will be designed in quarter page format (in order to save on printing) and printed on thicker paper to ensure stability.

o These coupons would be professionally designed and printed in full color in order to create the exclusive atmosphere and make the customer feel special right away.

o These coupons will be placed in the mailboxes at the following residences: On-Campus Creekside, Madison and Brookside Apartments Stoneridge Commons College Park Apartments Hot Point Commons Bard Townhouses Britton Court Apartments Fraternities and Sororities

14 See appendix for example of a sample event plan.15 See appendix for example of a sample sales promotion.



Other

Mailer16

o This mailer would serve as an invitation for a university student to create personalized Shippensburg University themed hair feather and have it put in for a discounted rate.

o It would be printed on colored paper, in black and white, and mailed to the addresses of primary prospects on and off campus.

o This would be used in conjunction with the “Plumes of Pride” event.

Receptionist Educationo In order to succeed as a frontrunner in style and trends, The Studio Salon must

dedicate time and resources to researching the industry. Due to their continuous printing, relying on magazines and beauty reports only show them the “now”, not the “future”. Having the receptionist gather information on current and future beauty trends will allow the salon to stay one step ahead of everyone else.

16 See appendix for example of a sample tactic. Smugar | December

2011


VI. Timeline and Budget

Timeline

Present:

November 7th, 2011o Awareness survey electronically sent to 120 students via Facebook.

November 12th, 2011o Locks for Love / Breast Cancer Awareness Charity Event

November 30th, 2011o Results of survey analyzed and recorded.

December 7th, 2011o Campaign received by The Studio Salon.

Future:

January 2012



o Set up documents to record number of appointments made by primary prospects versus average clients.

o Engage staff in discussions regarding the new image and goals of The Studio Salon. February 2012

o Create several awareness tactics directed towards primary prospects.o Have receptionist trained in media monitoring and target market research.

March 2012o Position and distribute awareness tactics in areas frequented by primary prospects.o Create and promote two sales promotions directed at primary prospects.

April 2012o Create spreadsheet comparing number of appointments made at this time last year

to this past quarter.o Create spreadsheet of current trends in the hair industry and distribute results to

staff to increase relevant knowledge.o Cross reference spreadsheet with services given / requested at The Studio Salon.o Design three events to be held over the next three quarters that cater to wants /

needs of primary prospects. May 2012

o Create report containing information about how many appointments were made by primary prospects and what products / services were purchased.

June 2012o Use first and second quarter reports to determine what percent of revenue was a

direct result of services / products purchased by primary prospects. July 2012

o Compile first and second quarter reports in order to gauge campaign progress.

Budget

The Studio Salon brings in $40-50,000 in service sales and $4-5,000 in product sales each quarter. Currently, because of their lack of advertising, the advertising budget is often judged on a case by case basis. The previously proposed tactics; coupons, mailers, events and rebranding of their outdoor advertising, are all feasible projects as they do not take up a large amount of time or money.

Below are the expenses for each tactic if executed according to the specifications of this campaign:

Event: o DJ Matt Kanzler (for four hours) + tables + tablecloths + cleanup = $250

DJ pricing: $40/per hour + $50 for table17

*Note: this is for the “Plumes of Pride” event.* Coupon:

17 Personal Interview with DJ Matt Kanzler, November 2011Smugar | December

2011


o 500 copies of full color, quarter page coupons = $45 Four double sided coupons per 8 ½ X 11 page18

Mailer: o 1,000 copies of mailer = $100

Black and white mailer printed on color paper19

Outdoor Advertising:o Five new full color hanging banners to be displayed on and off campus = $875

5’ X 5’ at a price of $7 per square foot20

Item Price Quantity TotalDJ $40 / hour 4 hours $160

DJ Table $50 1 $50

Equipment $40 X $40

Coupon 9 ¢ 500 $45Mailer 10 ¢ 1,000 $100Banner $175 5 $875

Overall Total: $1,270

18 Prices as listed at Student Media Services, Shippensburg University19 Prices as listed at Student Media Services, Shippensburg University20 Prices as listed at Student Media Services, Shippensburg University



VII. Evaluation and Contingencies

Evaluation

From an all-encompassing viewpoint, this public relations campaign has a high level of potential that could create success of The Studio Salon. By creating tactics and sales promotions, they will gain awareness, which leads to clients, which leads to an increase in revenue. All of the goals, objectives and tactics listed above work their way back to the feeling of exclusivity. The primary prospects are young women who thrive on feeling important, included and most of all, ahead of the curve. The Studio Salon thrives on those same feelings, along with the need to increase awareness from their primary prospects which in turn will increase profits.

Goal 1: To increase overall revenue from both product sales and services.o Evaluation:

If the objectives are fulfilled and the tactics implemented, this goal will be very successful. The Studio Salon makes about $45,000 quarterly but could always increase overall revenue. With an increase in revenue, The Studio Salon will be able to afford the newly proposed tactics such as public events and mass mailers.

Goal 2: To increase overall traffic of key publics.



o Evaluation: An increase in traffic contributes to an increase in revenue as well as being a

result of an increase in awareness. Seeing this goal succeed indicates that both of those sub-goals have also been attained to some degree. Also, an increase in overall traffic will provide its own advertising for The Studio Salon in that more customers means more people interacting with the salon and recommending it to their friends and family, which will perpetuate the traffic.


o Evaluation: Receptionists have many duties when working in a beauty salon such as

making appointments, talking with customers and keeping the salon in order. Adding media monitoring on to these duties may involve rearranging schedules but will, in time, prove to be a beneficial asset to their campaign. In order to target their niche market directly, The Studio Salon will need this arsenal of information to create all awareness tactics.


o Evaluation: A shift in resources always seems like a large risk but if there are benefits to

be gained, those risks can be overlooked. Using this newfound time and money to focus on marketing directly to primary prospects, The Studio Salon can create a strong and lasting relationship with their target market.


o Evaluation: This goal may be difficult at first to attain, but with dedication from The

Studio Salon staff, the research compiled by the receptionist coupled with ideas from this campaign will enable them to create their own tactics. They will also have to show serious commitment not only to creating the tactics but distributing and promoting them as well.

Contingencies

This plan has outlined several goals, objectives and tactics that will ensure the overarching theme of university awareness and exclusivity. The objectives, being quantifiable, will have their progress recorded in order to monitor their success. In the event that these goals are not met, a contingency plan must be in place for each scenario.

Below are contingencies for each goal:

Goal 1: To increase overall revenue from both product sales and services.o Contingencies:



If service sales have not reached a 12 percent raise by March 2012, then reconsider marketing techniques related to services – especially those that are the most popular or the most lucrative.

For short-term effectiveness, create a special / promo involving an offer that is enticing to both current and prospective clients.

For long-term effectiveness, go back to the research done by the receptionist and make sure that the marketing techniques coincide with what makes the target public buy.

If product sales have not reached at least an 8 percent raise by March 2012, then reconsider marketing techniques related to products – especially those most frequently purchased or recently released.

For short-term effectiveness, hold a “Buy One, Get One” sale on the most commonly purchased items and bundle the products by type (such as hair care or nail care).

For long-term effectiveness, research which products are more commonly bought in salons as opposed to retailers and create a promotion around these trusted items.

Goal 2: To increase overall traffic of key publics.o Contingencies:

If the overall number of appointments made has not increased 15 percent by April 2012, then reexamine marketing techniques and attempt to reach out to more members of the target public.

If the number of appointments made by key publics has not increased 10 percent by May 2012, then confer with research regarding primary prospects and create an entirely new tactic to reach them based on current trends.

If 25 percent more awareness tactics have not been placed in frequent locations by key publics by March 2012, then include this as an additional duty for the receptionist and use the next month to place accordingly.


o Contingencies: If the receptionist is not trained in two kinds of secondary research by

February 2012, then bring in someone from the Communications / Journalism department at Shippensburg University to take a look at her current monitoring plan, assess the strengths and weaknesses and, if necessary, designate alternative sources of information.



If all the secondary research is not compiled by the receptionist by April 2012, then The Studio Salon should look into hiring outside marketing assistance or hiring someone to the salon that specializes in marketing techniques related to primary prospects.


o Contingencies: If two awareness tactics specialized towards primary prospects are not

created by February 2012, then time must be scheduled into the work week, either during a staff meeting or after hours, where the staff comes together to create tactics that reflect the current atmosphere and client-type of the salon.

If the overall revenue does not reflect a 10 percent increase solely from primary prospects by June 2012, then The Studio Salon must reexamine the marketing and advertising techniques geared towards primary prospects. They will then use that knowledge to discover reasons why the current tactics are not working and how to fix them.

If the revenue from on-site services does not reflect a 5 percent increase by June 2012, then resources must be shifted towards in-store services, especially the most popular or heavily requested.


o Contingencies: If three events are not designed by April 2012, then time and effort must be

designated towards creating event plans, including budget information.

If two sales promotions are not created and promoted by March 2012, then the research done by the receptionist must be further examined, along with the first quarter report, in order to find what specials were successful.

If two alternative tactics have not been created by March 2012, then the research done by the receptionist must be further examined, along with the first quarter report, in order to find what tactics were successful.





VIII. Appendix

Contains examples / samples / descriptions of:

a) Event Plan

b) Coupon

c) Mailer

d) Logo and Outdoor Advertising

e) Receptionist Education



f) Satisfaction Survey

g) Awareness Survey

h) Locks of Love / Breast Cancer Awareness 2011 Review

i) Locks of Love / Breast Cancer Awareness 2011 Press Release

j) Locks of Love / Breast Cancer Awareness 2011 Flier

Event Plan

Plumes of Pride

The Studio Salon prides itself on its dedication to current trends regarding the beauty industry. This past year, the biggest trend in hair accessories has been hair feathers. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes and are attached to ones hair bed with small pliers. They are meant to stay for in for about a month and can undergo any styling that regular hair can such as straightening, curling, washing and drying. These feathers are extremely popular amongst the target audience of The Studio Salon and were frequently purchased for $10 at the salon over the past year. In November, The Studio Salon released a line of handmade hair feathers that they sell



exclusively at the salon. This event will take their homemade feather line to the next level, by allowing their primary prospects to have a hand in creating them.

“Plumes of Pride” is an event set to take place in April of 2012, when the weather is finally becoming nice. The event will be located outside on the sidewalk area directly outside of The Studio Salon as not to take away from regular business hours. There will be a DJ and free Rita’s Italian Ice (donated by the local Rita’s) and it will last from 2 – 6 pm. This event will give university students the opportunity to create their own, personalized hair feathers featuring Shippensburg University colors, beads and charms and have them put in for a discounted price of $8 per feather. Additionally, a group of ten or more girls that arrive and make their feathers together are offered an additional discount of 10% off of their group total. Lastly, student media as well as local media will be informed of the events date and time therefore ensuring free press / advertising.

This event encompasses a variety of the aforementioned goals and objectives within one occasion. Before the event actually takes place, it gives The Studio Salon a topic in which to promote via fliers, mailers and advertising. It also will draw in students with its affiliation to Shippensburg University. Due to the outdoor nature of the event coupled with free Italian ice and live music, pedestrians will have the opportunity to see the event happening, or hear about it from their friends, and become interested. That way, The Studio Salon will not only receive business from recurrent clients but primary prospects and walk-ins as well.

Coupon

Throughout my primary research, I interviewed students on their opinions about promotions and advertising for establishments such as The Studio Salon. In this particular interview, I spoke with ten female students from Shippensburg University and I found that seven out of ten would comply with purchasing something out of the ordinary if they had a coupon. When asked if they would use it on a salon service such as a haircut or manicure, six out of the seven of the previous people said yes.21 The stability and versatility of these coupons will enable The Studio Salon to hand them out for holidays, event specials and other promotions as they see fit.

21 Personal interview with Comm/Journ females; Nov. 4th, 2011Smugar | December 2011


Many of these residences, such as Creekside, Brookside and Madison Court Apartments have lists of which units house females and would be able to selectively place coupons in only those mailboxes. 22 In addition, the coupons would be available at locations in which these girls are already frequenting, such ‘East Meets West’, a very popular boutique on King Street.

Below is a sample of the proposed coupon:

Mailer

22 Personal Interview with Miranda Warner, Madison Court Apartments; Nov 13th, 2011Smugar | December

2011


Logo and Outdoor Advertising



Receptionist Education Outline

Out of the six women that are currently employed at The Studio Salon, one woman’s title is merely “receptionist” To reap the most benefits of this position, this campaign suggests that duties are added to the receptionist’s job requirements. Currently, the receptionist is in charge of booking appointments, working the register, speaking with walk-ins and doing odd tasks around the salon. She is required to be present during any and all hours the salon is open therefore she spends a lot of time doing the same tasks repeatedly. Her position would serve a greater purpose if she were educated in media monitoring and trend research. Ideally, she would be able to take a total of two nonconsecutive hours each day to comb the internet for the latest trends and fashions in hair styles, accessories and products. Also, because the salon offers services relating to nails, waxing and on location / event styling, these trends would also be included.



The main goal is to have the receptionist compile a spreadsheet of trends, interests, and reoccurring themes in the beauty industry and cross reference them with services requested / given in The Studio Salon. This information can be used to create suggestion topics to clients for example, if a recurrent clients always gets a similar short hair cut, the stylists could offer her alternative choices of cuts that are currently considered popular. Now, more than ever, women are asking their stylists questions about cuts, products and treatments. If the employees have the knowledge to correctly answer these questions, they give the client reason to trust them and therefore a chance at repeat business.23 Each of these spreadsheets would include information regarding competitive pricing, how quickly the trends appear and disappear, and how many clients of The Studio Salon actually request or submit to suggestions related to the researched topics. This will give The Studio Salon employees a competitive edge over other salons as well as stay true to their dedication to keeping their styles fun and fresh.

Media Monitoring

In a nutshell, media monitoring is the act of revisiting constantly updated websites or sources of information related to one topic using the same key words and search topics in order to track one topic. The receptionist would be given a list of appropriate websites such as fashion blogs and beauty trend databases in which she will consistently read and report on her findings. This will ensure that The Studio Salon knows everything, essentially, before it happens in order to keep their clients - and themselves – with an exclusive first look. Creating spreadsheets may sound daunting and difficult but a simple explanation of Microsoft Excel will enable the receptionist to efficiently create records that The Studio Salon will be able to use as references not only for their clients, but for their business as a whole. The research may show that some of the things they are currently doing are either out of date or needing improvements.

Satisfaction Survey

The use of a satisfaction survey is a helpful tactic due to its anonymity. The client can fill the survey out without a name or (much) indication as to their identity therefore allowing them to be honest about their experiences. This particular satisfaction will pertain to the services performed / sold by The Studio Salon. It is brief and is presented to each client after their services have been finished. All of the questions have a line in which the client will fill in their own answer, as opposed to bubbled choices; this will ensure that their full opinion is being heard. For convenience, these surveys will be handed directly to the client with their receipt with the instructions to fill it out before leaving and place it in a closed box located on the desk. In order to make sure that each survey is filled out, the receptionist will be prompted with the phrase “Bring the survey back once you’ve signed your receipt”, or something of that nature that indicates to the client that they are not encouraged to leave without responding.

23 http://www.organiccolorsystems.com/2011-salon-business-trends/Smugar | December 2011


Here are the questions featured in the survey:

1) Please circle whether you are female or male, and an age range in which you fall under.a. Options will be provided for this initial question.

2) How many times have you visited The Studio Salon and purchased a service / product?

3) What services / products have you purchased from The Studio Salon? Please list all.

4) What service / product did you purchase today?

5) Were you satisfied with your service?

6) Please briefly describe why you were / were not satisfied with your service.

7) Who assisted you today?

8) Would you suggest The Studio Salon to a friend or family member?

9) Do you have any suggestions as to improving The Studio Salon?

10) Comments? Questions? Concerns?

Awareness Survey

From the beginning of this campaign, The Studio Salon has expressed their concern about reaching college students. Their clientele is mainly Shippensburg town residents and they believe that this is due to a lack of relationship with university students. In order to gauge the awareness of these students, I created an awareness survey. This survey was distributed electronically on November 7th, 2011 via SurveyMonkey.com, a commonly used survey site amongst university students. It was sent through Facebook to 120 Shippensburg University students, both male and female, ranging from freshman to graduate standing. The survey featured ten, Likert-scale style questions regarding the participant’s demographic information and how much knowledge they had about The Studio Salon. After two weeks, I reviewed the results of the survey to find that it was successfully completed by 83 out of the 120 students.

Here are the questions and answers from the survey:



1. Are you a current student at Shippensburg University? Yes, and I live on campus (22.9%)Yes, and I live in Stoneridge / College Park (8.4%)Yes, and I live in Bard Townhouses (9.6%)Yes, and I live in Madison, Brookside or Creekside Apartments (25.3%)Yes, and I live in Britton Court (1.2%)Yes, and I live in a rented house off campus (22.9%)Yes, and I commute to campus (4.8%)No, I am not a current student of Shippensburg University (4.8%)

2. Have you ever heard of The Studio Salon?Yes (37.3%)No (62.7%)

3. How have you heard of The Studio Salon?Heard from friends (48.5%)Visited website (6.1%)Visited Facebook page (0%)Seen salon while in town (63.6%)Seen fliers (18.2%)

4. Have you ever received a service The Studio Salon?Yes, I got a hair cut (6.3%)Yes, I got my hair colored (0%)Yes, I got my nails done (0%)Yes, I got feather extensions (2.5%)Yes, I got my makeup done (0%)Yes, I got waxing done (2.5%)Yes, I received one of their services (1.3%)No, I have never received a service from The Studio Salon (88.8%)

5. How much is an appropriate amount to charge for a professional, stylized haircut (that comes with washing, drying and styling)? $20-25 (37.8%)$25-30 (31.7%)$30-$35 (17.1%)Above $35 (6.1%)None of these are reasonable (4.8%)I would pay any amount in order to get the result I'm looking for (2.4%)

6. How important is customer service and a personal experience to you at a hair salon?Very Important (80.2%)Somewhat Important (18.5%)Neutral (0%)Somewhat Unimportant (1.2%)



Not Important At All (0%)

7. Do you regularly participate in services provided by The Studio Salon (stylized hair cuts, manicures, pedicures, waxing, etc)?All the time (0%)Somewhat regularly (8.6%)A few times a semester (6.2%)Once a semester (1.2%)Once a school year (3.7%)Once a calendar year (4.9%)Only for a special occasion (1.2%)Never (59.3%)This does not apply to me (14.8%)

8. Have you ever received services at The Hair Cottage?Yes, I enjoyed my results and would go back (7.5%)Yes, I enjoyed my results but would not return (1.3%)Yes, but I did not enjoy my results (2.5%)Yes, but I did not enjoy my results AND would not return (1.3%)No, I have never been to The Hair Cottage (83.8%)This does not apply to me (3.8%)

9. What do you think The Studio Salon could do to increase awareness to students?Send mailers to students with coupons (59.7%)Host events at the salon (31.2%)Host events on campus (48.1%)Create student discounts/specials (80.5%)I do not think they could sufficiently market to students (5.2%)

10. Would you be interested in donating money to 'Locks for Love' via an event in which Shippensburg students donate their hair to charity?I would like to go and see the event, but not donate anything (23.8%)I would like to attend and donate money to charity (53.8%)I would like to attend and donate hair to charity (26.3%)I would NOT like to attend the event (10%)This event seems irrelevant and I do not believe it would be well received (0%)

Upon reading through the analysis, the results were unfavorable towards the level of awareness surrounding The Studio Salon. 62 percent of those surveyed answered no when asked if they had ever heard of The Studio Salon. Out of the 37 percent that were familiar with the establishment, the highest percentage - 63 percent - said that their only connection with the salon is from seeing it in town. This proves that the awareness level among Shippensburg University students is extremely low. When asked what they believe The Studio Salon should be doing to advertise, 80 percent replied with providing student discounts, while about 60 percent indicated that mailers / coupons / promotions would be an effective tactic.24

24 Electronic Awareness Survey Nov 7th – Dec 7th, 2011; http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L7PSQML



Breast Cancer Awareness / Locks of Love 2011 Review

On November 12th, 2011 The Studio Salon teamed up with Shippensburg University senior Bryan Herr to support both Breast Cancer Awareness and Locks of Love, a charity that collects human hair in order to create wigs and hairpieces for children with various diseases. In order to donate to Locks of Love, the hair must be cut into a ponytail a minimum of ten inches long. Bryan is well known on campus for his long hair and the shock of his proposal to shave it for charity has been well received by other students. He and four other boys with notoriously long hair volunteered for the event. Bryan approached The Studio Salon with plans for the event in September and they offered to do the ceremoniously public haircuts for free. Bryan was taken aback by their kindness and thus decided to raise money – a goal of $2000 - for their cause of choice, Breast Cancer Awareness. The Studio Salon also contributed by donating the proceeds of every hair cut given during the time of the event to Breast Cancer Awareness. The Studio Salon notified their current customers and put alerts on Facebook regarding this fact.



Results

Upon interviewing Bryan Herr after the event, I learned the following information about the event. Overall, he did not meet his intended goals. He was only able to raise a quarter of the money he had hoped for and, aside from him, only one other recruited donator - Lucas John Martin, Shippensburg University senior, showed up. He used a variety of tactics in order to raise money. First, he used his employment at the local Walmart to set up a table in which, on his breaks and off days, he could promote his cause and the event and thus, vie for donations. He used this same technique at the Cedia Union Building (CUB), the student center of campus.

Another tactic applied was soliciting donations from friends, family and faculty. He used his own Facebook page as well as the page he created for the group and his campus radio show to encourage donations as well as attendance to the event. The event took place between 3 and 6PM on location at The Studio Salon. They were able to obtain eight donors and raise a total of $500. During the event, there were a few customers who received haircuts that were not for Locks of Love but the proceeds went towards Breast Cancer Awareness. By the end of the event, there was 85 inches of hair donated to Locks of Love and just over $550 donated to Breast Cancer Awareness.25

A review of this event leads to the conclusion that this type of event, unless executed in a different fashion, would not be feasible for The Studio Salon to undertake again. If done correctly, this charity event could be held annually, therefore becoming well known and drive more people to participate. There were many positive attributes to this event and, while it fits directly in with their dedication to Breast Cancer Awareness, the ends did not justify the means. Granted, this was a project being run by an outside source leaving The Studio Salon with minimal responsibilities but if the event were to be done again in the future, there would have to be a solid plan in place in order to receive maximum benefits.

That being said, the event lacked concrete planning and therefore did not yield enough results. Also, despite Bryan’s use of advertisement in high traffic areas in both town and campus, his lack of direct marketing impacted his sponsor involvement. In a recent awareness survey, a question was presented regarding this event and whether or not it is of any interest to university students. In addition, the question asked whether or not students would simply not attend, attend but not donate, attend and donate money or attend and donate hair. The two strongest answers showed that 54 percent of the students said that they would be interested in attending the event and donating money as well as 26 percent saying that they would attend and donate hair.26

Below is a list of what was helpful, what was not and what can be implemented in the future if The Studio Salon chooses to recreate this type of event.

Helpful:o Use of fliers around campus promoting event o Advertising in high traffic areas both in town and on campus

25 Email Interview with Bryan Herr, November 16th, 201126 Electronic Awareness Survey Nov 7th – Dec 7th, 2011; http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/L7PSQML



o Soliciting donations through a variety of different mediumso Timing event when maximum amount of students are on campus

Directly following the last football game of the season During a portion of the semester in which students stay on campus due to

large work loadso Using a resource (his hair) that he already had in order to benefit o Teaming up with a local business in order to create exposureo Teaming up with another charity in order to gain more support

Unhelpful:o Advertising specificity

Fliers - only put up a week before the event Event on Facebook – only made a month before event Information on Facebook – only seen by his friends Information on campus radio – only available to listeners

o Advertising frequency Limited availability due to school, work and extracurricular activities

o Limited donation request frequencyo Creating campus awareness within a target audienceo Relying on friends to help promote and attend event

Future:o Create buzz about event

Connect social media (eg: Bryan’s Facebook to The Studio Salon’s Facebook) Provide fliers about event for 50 days prior to the event

In store On campus Off campus In town

Use larger means than fliers and internet Pitch to Shippensburg Sentinel Pitch to The Slate

o Seek out business or patrons with similar charitable goals for: Exposure Donations Support

In summary, while this event was poorly executed, there was a strong idea behind it. Using The Studio Salon’s dedication charity to connect it with the community and the university appears to be a symbiotic bond. The original goals for this event were set too high therefore it was not a surprise when they were not obtained. If The Studio Salon attempts another event relating to either charity, it would be in their best effort to have a plan in place for executing an event that will bring



them the most exposure and interest while simultaneously donating to an important cause. Practicing target marketing and advertising directly to the audience that will be the most likely to participate will ensure their success.


Documents

The Studio Salon – Public Relations Campaign Web viewThe Studio Salon. Public Relations Campaign. ... The Studio Salon features a website in addition to their Facebook . ... SWOT