Discuss an appropriate marketing strategy RW could use if it decides to expand by offering guided bicycle tours.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2018). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [K] marketing strategy is coordinated elements of the marketing mix incorporated into a marketing plan/strategy, including objectives and budget.
2. [K] elements of a marketing plan/strategy
3. [App] target market is tourists and business visitors
4. [App] link to city Tourist Agency
5. [App] product - high quality guided set or personalised group and individual cycle tours with expert guides focused on historical/social/architectural features. Reference to amount spent on bicycles.
6. [App] place - operated from store or other premises to be decided
7. [App] promotion – enhanced website with booking facility, tickets via Tourist Agency outlets, adverts/PR in newspapers, cards/flyers in hotels and travel agents, entries in tourist aimed publications/brochures, flyers and email to university contacts likely to have visitors. Also to businesses likely to offer their visitors some downtime. Methods to contain details of routes, prices, location
8. [App] price - early entrant so slightly higher price than existing small competition. introductory discounts/offers e.g. free drinks/snacks, discounted repeat bookings
9. [App] Reference to marketing budget in Table 2
10. [An] Linked elements of the marketing mix
11. [An] Reasoned argument for methods in the mix elements
12. [An] Possible results of the marketing mix methods
13. [Eval] supported assessment of likelihood of success
14. [Eval] objectives are needed for strategy
15. [Eval] availability of finance/resources for the strategy/plan
16. [Eval] must build in review of strategy
17. [Eval] strategy relies on reliability of data/research