Alton Towers Resort Business of Leisure

MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS

Target marketing

• • Target marketing is the development and promotion of products and services to appeal to specific market segments.

Alton Towers Resort use demographics and attitudes to target people: • • Age Gender • • Social group Ethnic origin • • Lifestyle Inclination to visit a theme park.

Alton Towers Resort’s 2010 target markets

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Primary Target Audience - Thrill Seekers:

16-24 year old adults A diverse group – at one end doing their GCSE’s and the other making their ways into careers Seeking escapism and fun thrills

Alton Towers Resort’s 2010 Target Markets

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Secondary Target Audience – families:

Mixed age range Seeking fun and quality family time

Which target market?

Nemesis Oblivion Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Peugeot Driving School Sharkbait Reef Runaway Mine Train

Marketing mix

The simple Marketing mix is made up of the four P’s:

1. Price 2. Place 3. Product 4. Promotion

Marketing mix

The marketing mix at Alton Towers Resort: • • • • Product: Britain’s number one short break destination.

Price: Competitively priced for the available product, offering value for money options to suit all audience types.

Promotion: Communications mix including TV, radio, digital and press to maximise awareness and entice people to visit.

Place: A unique, accessible environment.

What is Alton Towers Resort’s pricing?

Are there different prices for different groups? Suggest reasons for any variations in entry price. Are all audiences catered for?

How do their prices compare with those of their competitors?

Are there any costs for additional facilities? How do these compare with those of others in the market?

Price

• • • Alton Towers Resort ensures that it is competitively priced and offers many value for money options to appeal across its target markets.

On occasion, they drive guests to visit the resort at quieter times of the year through price incentives and special offers.

Ticket types include: – Adult – Child – Under 4’s – Senior citizens – Disabled – Family 4; Family 5 – Groups of 10+ – Annual pass – 1 day / 2 day

Place

• • Place includes all the activities involved in making the product available to consumers For example…

• … the attraction itself

Place

• … buying tickets on the telephone • … buying tickets through third party agents • … online booking

Place

• Location and access are important factors

Place

Good accessibility on the Park is also really important – this needs to cater for customers with special needs

How does Alton Towers Resort’s ‘place’ impact on its success?

• • • • • • • • When is it open?

How would you plan your journey to the attraction?

How easy is it to get there?

Are there special facilities for people with special needs?

Do you foresee any problems? Is there a better location?

What other attractions are in the vicinity?

Can you easily buy your tickets?

Product

• Product is the goods and services that are offered to its customers...

Promotional technique

Advertising Sales promotion Public relations Personal selling

Promotion

Definition

Displaying or broadcasting information about a particular product or service. You have to pay for the space you feature on. Can be carried out in a number of ways, including: television, radio, the internet and newspapers.

Short-term tactical marketing tools which are used to achieve specific marketing objectives, for example money off vouchers, free gifts with purchase and competitions.

Relies on persuading newspapers and publications to feature a product, attraction or service as part of its editorial content. One way this is achieved is by sending press releases to journalists.

Training staff to be more effective in making sales to people who approach the business for information and help.

Direct marketing Sponsorship Events Displays

Promotion

Definition

Involves sending or giving promotional materials directly to customers either by post, over the telephone, email or door-to-door. When one organisation gives financial (or other) support to something in exchange for their name being associated with that product or event.

Planned and organised occasion(s) to raise awareness of the product or service, or to drive visitors to purchase the product or service.

If attractive and eye-catching, these can be quite effective in creating interest and sales. These often feature at major leisure, travel or tourism exhibitions.

Promotion

Promotional techniques are ways that an organisation communicates its product and services to its target market.

• •

What an advert!

Can you list three adverts that you have seen or heard that have encouraged you to buy a product or service?

What do you feel makes these adverts successful?

Promotion

• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools: – TV, radio and cinema Play TH13TEEN advert: http://www.altontowers.com/thirteen/media/

Promotion

• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools: – Press

Promotion

• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools: – Outdoor

Promotion

• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools: – Digital - E-shot & on-line

Promotion

• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools: – Direct marketing - Door drop, Schools, Parent & Toddlers groups

Family DM Schools DM

Promotion

• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools: – Public relations (PR) and events

Promotion

• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools: – Sales promotion

Promotion

• Alton Towers uses a range of promotional tools: – Sponsorship

AIDA

Acronym used to describe the desired effects of marketing messages: – Attention: does it attract the attention of the customer?

– – Interest: are the benefits and advantages promoted to raise interest?

Desire: does it create desire by satisfying the customers’ wants and needs?

– Action: does it lead customers to taking action or purchasing?

Promotion

• •

Promotional portfolio

Develop a promotional portfolio for Alton Towers Resort. For example, you could: – – Pick up leaflets at the attraction Take photos of any posters you may spot – – Cut out ads you may find Print out any online offers you may discover Your portfolio can act as a useful reference point for the different types of promotional techniques available.