Conclusions/Recommendations
Big Mike’s biggest strength is their prime Myrtle Beach, SC location. The Myrtle Beach area plays host to over 13.1 million visitors each year. Big Mike’s is centrally located just a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and Ocean Blvd. Another strength is that Big Mike’s offers a unique menu of homestyle soul food with low prices and little competition in the Myrtle Beach dining market. Big Mike’s menu features “comfort food” and the restaurant attracts a loyal local following plus visiting “foodies” who are looking for a unique experience and local flavor. Big Mike’s is famous for their Blue Plate Special, their Mac n’ Cheese and the owner Mike Chestnut is known for his delicious collards. His nickname is the “King of Collards.” Therefore, we have the following recommendations for Big Mike’s Soul Food.
Social Media & Website
Big Mike’s is already highly rated on the travel websites and reviews for Big Mike’s on Tripadvisor, Google and Yelp are 4+ stars. Their Facebook page has over 2000 followers and well over 3000 checkins. Big Mike’s should monitor these sites to learn more about
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their customer’s wants, needs and dining experiences. This effort coupled along with an engaging integrated social media presence and a branded website would grow brand awareness at a low cost and would have a positive effect on Big Mike’s revenue. In addition, Big Mike’s would insulate itself from the threat of any new competition. It is recommended that Mr. Chestnut employ interns from CCU for a few hours each week to help facilitate a social media program that would integrate Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, using Hootsuite’s free services. Big Mike’s would be a fun place to intern and the owner is a graduate of HTC’s first culinary program! It is recommended that Big Mike’s begin the inquiry for interns now so that he will have the right person(s) for the Fall 2016 Semester. Daily Blue Plate Specials pics, posts about customer’s favorite foods, and photos of fresh food deliveries are all low-cost, fun and fast ways to deliver Big Mike’s good food message. Additional, a well-planned simple, low cost branded website would help Big Mike’s build their brand. The website, social media and travel sites should be integrated to reflect Mike’s brand and send people to their website. The website would feature the brand, menus, photos and fun and interesting facts about Myrtle Beach. The students could then use facebook, website and google analytics to find out more about the customers likes, emotions, and experiences and therefore, measure and report on and make recommendations for a new marketing plan. Taking it one step further, Big Mike’s could integrate their website with a free newsletter service like MailChimp. They could then create a monthly newsletter to stay in touch with their most loyal customers and spread the great news about the community and the good food at Mike’s. 2. Build the Brand Big Mike’s is known for their delicious collards. The owner, Mike Chestnut is known as the “King of Collards.” Our recommendation is to build the Big Mike’s brand to be known as the “King of Collards.” Big Mike’s signage is currently a surfboard. At the bottom of the surfboard are waves. We are proposing for Big Mike’s to use those same wave graphics as a crown in a new logo. The logo would be positioned with the surfboard sideways, in the waves. This would just be a new, fresh twist on the old logo, integrating both logos to keep costs down. The new “King of Collards” logo should go on menus, T-shirts, social media, website and across all media. 3. Expand the Brand Consumers everywhere are becoming more health conscious, Big Mike’s should investigate and experiment with working with local farms and farmers markets to feature a few in season, “healthy” choices on the menu. For example, collards “Fresh from the Farm”. Looking into the future, there is one recommendation that would take greater investment and considerable planning. In many larger cities around the country, food truck rallies are a popular and engaging way to bring people together and have a great time. These events usually include music and art and are good for local businesses, restaurants and the local economy. Most food trucks that attend these rallies are owned by local restaurants where they feature their best and most popular food items on the food truck menu. Although the food truck business is not legally sanctioned in Myrtle Beach, the time will eventually come when food truck businesses will be in demand. Eventually, local ordinances will have to change. The “King of Collards” food truck would build the brand and engage the new customer and bring delicious soul food to the local community and tourists. The food truck menu should include Big Mike’s best menu items, served in their famous friendly, southern style. The food truck would be wrapped (or handpainted for a retro look) with the “surf wave crown”, script “King of Collards” and the website address on both sides. The truck would be used at charity events, festivals, food truck rallies and for catering. Although there is no immediate threat from competing soul food restaurants, Big Mike’s should work hard to build their social media presence and promote the “King of Collards” brand.
In conclusion, Big Mike’s location and reputation for serving delicious soul food in Myrtle Beach along with low prices is their winning combination. The recommendations we have provided should give Mr. Chestnut several ideas that he can incorporate into his own marketing plan.
Marketing Plan Budget & Timeline
In order to bring a low-cost menu and an excellent value to the consumer, Big Mike’s must keep variable costs as low as possible. Therefore, we have recommended this efficient marketing budget for maximum impact. We recommend Big Mike’s promote through social media and their own website and use the marketing, graphic and design services of the local creative
community.
I think the advertising and sampling are the most effective out of the four. The way Jimmy Johns advertises is very different from other companies. They make them really funny and creates a new “community.” The poems shown in the video were very eye-catching and has a quirky twist to it. The “community” is very similar to that of Harley-Davidson’s lifestyle which was created and sold in addition to their motorcycles. The other part of the ads and commercials is that the sandwiches they make seem funnier. The product is almost thought of better than those of other sub shops because of the way they are promoted through advertising. I think sampling is very important in the food industry. No one likes to buy a lunch and end up hating it. Providing small samples will allow people to taste them first before spending all the money to buy a full
Throughout the history of the company, its owners, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, have interacted with their customers, gaining knowledge on what people like and dislike about their ice cream. Opening their store in Burlington, Vermont in 1978, they immediately began interfacing with the local populace by hosting a free summer movie festival, projecting movies on the wall of their renovated gas station. In 1985, they introduced New York Super Fudge Chunk®, a flavor suggested by a writer from New York City. Throughout the years, they have continued to introduce new flavors either suggested or inspired by either regular individuals or well-known celebrities.
Coffee, one of the world’s most known beverages. Seen being drinking at work places, colleges, or in the convenience of your own home. There are a variety of companies that provide us the people with coffee. It can be your local market, bakeries, or even fast food places. 3 places that stand out and our known very well for supplying Americans with coffee is Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and McDonald’s. From their strategic advertising, deals, and even straight down to the design of their cups, they meet the definition of marketing. We will be examining these 3 companies using the marketing mix which consist of product, price, place, promotion and also cover value based marketing and see how these companies meet these definitions and how they satisfy their customers as well.
In 1998, McDonald’s, in order to remain strong, tested the “McDonald’s Big Xtras” or “MBX” which was a potential hit. The “MBX” was a 4.5-ounce burger launched mainly to compete with Burger King’s “Whopper”. It was also reminiscent of the1980s “McDLT”, In ’98; they also brought back the “Filet-O-Fish” which in 1996 had been replaced by “Fish Filet Deluxe”. On a promotion basis, they offered novelty sandwiches, like “Cheddar Melt” and the “McRib”.
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of McDonald’s most famous burger The Big Mac, “ The flavors come together --- it’s like
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For decades, Macdonald’s has maintained a broad advertising campaign. In addition to the media, the company makes considerable use of signage and billboards, sporting events and coolers of drinks with their logo for all kinds of events. The company has used twenty-three diverse slogans in United States for advertising. At the same time the company has few other slogans for the selected countries and regions.
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McDonald’s target market is conscious of budget and is made up of those who is looking to stretch a dollar while still getting the quality food in clean environment. One of the main market segment of McDonald’s is the youth and the family with young children. Most of McDonald’s locations have indoor playground to attract the families with young children. It offers economic way to spend quality family time without stretching their budget. McDonald’s failed attempt at Angus burger is a prime example that McDonald’s target market is not the high end premium dining but the value driven, simple, and convenient food
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