Dr.Scholls Marketing Plan free essay sample

The past 5 years, the women’s shoe industry has seen an increase in sky-high heels. Designers are adding more inches to many of their high heels. Sky-high heels are generally tended to attract women of a younger demographic (ages 18-35). Although these sky-highs are the latest trend, many of these shoes lack comfort. Not to mention the medical implications that can surface from wearing them for long periods of time. Many women, especially younger women, who enjoy purchasing fashionable shoes, will sacrifice comfort just for style. Increasing the awareness of this product will give women the opportunity to wear their shoes longer without discomfort. While it is said that higher price does not always guarantee quality, when it comes to women’s shoes many times the more expensive shoe brands are in fact more comfortable that those shoes on the cheaper end. Young women between the ages of 18 to 35 find themselves either in college or beginning their careers. Which means that they may not be able purchase the more expensive brands. Many young women find themselves shopping at lower priced shoe stores like Traffic and Forever XXI. These shoes although fashionable lack quality and comfort. For HerTM insoles would be the perfect solution for the younger female generation. MARKETING MIX Product Dr. Scholls ® insoles For HerTM provide comfort for women who wear high-heeled shoes for long periods of time. When women walk in high-heeled s hoes all of their weight is shifted to the balls of their feet, which causes the foot to swell. The insoles are made up of FabuSTEP ® gel pads that help to alleviate the pressure that is placed on the foot. Dr. Scholls ® For HerTM offers a variety of insoles the can help ease the common issues women face with wearing high heels. The inserts consist of the following products: * Dr. Scholls ® For HerTM Comfort Insoles * Dr. Scholls ® For HerTM Open Shoe Insoles * Dr. Scholls ® For HerTM Sole Expression * Dr. Scholls ® For HerTM Ball of Foot Cushions * Dr. Scholls ® For HerTM Heel Liners * Dr. Scholl’s ® For HerTM Pump Liners A future product that can be added to the line is the Dr. Scholls  ® For Her TM Shoe Stoppers that can be placed at the bottom of the shoe to prevent the shoe from slipping. The adhesive that is used to help the pads stick to the shoe can be improved so that it is more durable and can remain in place for long periods of time. The insoles are usually transparent with no colors or designs. Future insole products can be available in a variety of colors so that it can match the overall look of the shoe. Price The price for Dr. Scholls ® For HerTM insoles will be determined by how high the demand for the product is. It was stated earlier that many times the more expensive shoe brands would be more comfortable than the cheaper ones. However, almost all women’s heels will become uncomfortable after wearing them for some time. Women will place a high on For HerTM insoles because of the relief from discomfort. For HerTM insoles will allow women to wear their shoes for longer periods of time allowing them to get the most out of their shoes, especially if they where expensive. Currently, For HerTM insoles are sold at a price range of $4. 58-to $7. 97, depending on the insole. The price will reflect the production costs of the product. The quality of the insoles is guaranteed to surpass that of its competitors. The insoles are made using FabuSTEP ® gel and the latest technology. The brand equity behind Dr. Scholls ® is much more favorable among consumers. Surveys will be conducted to gather research to analyze demographic and psychological factors that influence women’s decisions when buying shoes and why they would sacrifice comfort just to wear their shoes. Place Dr. Scholl ® sells its products directly to retailers using intensive distribution coverage. Currently its products are placed in mass merchandiser stores like Publix, Wal-Mart, and warehouse stores, like Costco. To reach the younger female demographic, distributing the insoles to specialty store like DSW, Bakers, and Traffic will help to increase the awareness of the product line. Using unique displays in these stores will convey Dr. Scholls  ® superiority among their competitors. A majority of the young women in our target audience may be attending colleges and universities. Setting up displays around the campuses with representatives passing around discount coupons can help introduce the For HerTM line to younger women. Most retailers and specialty shoe stores sell many of their products on the Internet as well. For HerTM insoles can be offered on line as well and even on online stores like Amazon (www. amazon. com). Promotion To creating awareness of the For HerTM line among our target audience is the main focus behind our promotional strategies. The commercial’s that are currently playing on television can continue to run. Newer commercials can include celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Beyonce. These celebrities are known for their style and appeal to a younger audience. A partnership can be formed with these celebrities to indorse the product line. For example, ShoeDazzleTM (www. shoedazzle. com), a website founded by Kim Kardshian, sells shoes and accessories to its members at a standard price of $39. 99. The shoes styles available on the site include pumps and high-heeled sandals with an average heel height of 5 inches. With a majority of the shoes this high many women will wonder about comfort before making a purchase. Selling For HerTM insoles as a complementary good on this site will increase sales revenue. This would allow our target audience to become exposed to the product. Using social media networks, like Facebook and Twitter, to advertise For HerTM insoles will reach the younger demographic a lot quicker that television commercials will. Commercials should still air on television, however the focus should be to advertise more on the social media sites. The younger demographic spends more time surfing the web and on social media networks that they do watching television. Creating a Facebook page for Dr. Scholls ® For HerTM insoles and a Twitter account will keep consumers up to date of our latest promotional deals.