apple store mba 630 - gettys- major project (real draft)

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Our Programs

Call Us Now 757.424.0040

Wobblers

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Infants & Toddle

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www.FirstDiscoverCDC.com

Infants

Pre-K & Pre-K Graduation

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ......................................................... 3

Introduction ....................................................................... 4

Program & Services Description ................................... 5

Market Research: Market Opportunity Analysis ........ 8

Market Segments .............................................................. 9

Distribution Channels .................................................... 11

SWOT Analysis ............................................................... 12

Making SWOT Analysis Work ...................................... 13

Marketing Strategies ...................................................... 14

Communication Strategies ........................................... 15

Marketing Budget ........................................................... 17

Implementation Strategy ............................................... 19

Evaluation Methods ....................................................... 22

Social Media Analysis TOOLS ..................................... 23

Conclusion ....................................................................... 25

References ....................................................................... 26

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FIRST DISCOVERY CHILDREN‘S ACADEMY

September 6, 2019 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

First Discovery is a thriving business that just celebrated its 10th year as a childcare provider in Hampton Roads. In 10 short years, First Discovery has expanded to three locations, awarded the "Best of Hampton Roads" for consecutive years, and continues to strengthen their brand as they put customers first and invest in the things that matter most! The investment in staff training and development, and focusing on education from the earlier ages of 3 months old continues to give First Discovery a competitive edge. First Discovery's Social Media has helped the company grow by generating referrals, bringing in new customers, engaging current customers, and even rallying support to become one of Hampton Roads' "award-winning" childcare providers. The following pages contain a marketing strategy that identifies emerging markets while laying out an actionable marketing plan that will boost enrollment to promote growth! The marketing plan centers around three main initiatives:

1. Maximizing the Emerging Market of the Importance of Education at a Young Age: The marketing plan helps First Discovery walk through a company rebrand leveraging the name change from First Discovery Child Development Center to First Discovery Children’s Academy.

2. Enrollment Season Initiative: This initiative will boost enrollment across all three locations placing extra resources and target campaigns to grow First Discovery’s newest location.

3. Corporate Partnership Initiative: Target business closest to each location to offer corporate discounts that the company can use to expand their employee benefits.

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INTRODUCTION

Company History, Mission & Purpose First Discovery Child Development Center is a family-owned business that was started in 2010. First Discovery serves children from ages six weeks to twelve years old and prides themselves on being "more than just a childcare center" with a high level of excellence in developing children academically and socially. The staff partners with parents as a team to help each family develop their children in the best possible way by providing "developmentally appropriate activities, well-trained and consistent staff, a safe and healthy learning environment, and continuity of care” (FirstDiscoveryCdc.com, 2019). "First Discovery is more than a typical daycare center. First Discovery adheres to the highest standards of education, safety, security, cleanliness, and loving care" FirstDiscoveryCdc.com, 2019).

"At FDCDC, our primary goal is for children to feel safe and secure. Additionally, we believe that a learning environment that fosters respect for cultural diversity and utilizes an extensive approach to education allows for optimal growth and development of young children" (FirstDiscoveryCdc.com, 2019).

3 Locations & 1 Vision: To provide an environment where children feel loved, safe, secure, and thrive both academically and socially.

“Indian River” 5355 Lila Ln

Virginia Beach

“Newport News” 338 Oyster Point Rd.

Newport News

“Rosemont” 3560 Chester St.

Virginia Beach, VA

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PROGRAM & SERVICES DESCRIPTION

First Discovery’s Programs: The first five years of a child’s life shapes their destiny! Over 90% of brain development takes place in the first five years (Huffington Post, 2016). With this in mind, First Discovery’s goal is to provide programs with the highest standards possible while immersing the child in a loving and caring environment. First Discovery is committed to a continuous system of improvement. They are recognized as one of Virginia's Star Rated Centers, which requires annual assessments to ensure their programs are operating at the highest levels and are structured with a continuous quality improvement system (Virginia Quality, 2019). First Discovery's Flagship Programs serve ages six weeks of age through school age. Infant (6 weeks – 16 months): Provides a loving and nurturing atmosphere where babies feel safe. FDC partners with the parents to create a care plan that meets the unique needs of their babies. First Discovery provides “engaging spaces that encourage language, cognitive skills, social interaction, motor skills, and emotional development” (FirstDiscoveryCdc.com, 2019). Even at this early age, First Discovery uses a nationally recognized curriculum “Creative Curriculum” that leads babies in developing essential skills at the earliest ages of their lives (Teaching Strategies, 2019) Wobbler/Toddler (17 months – 2 yrs): Provides toddlers with fun activates that engage explorations and provide a structured schedule to promote growth and stimulate learning. Creative Curriculum is a nationally recognized and scientifically based curriculum that is used to provide the highest quality of learning for the young toddler. Preschool (2yrs - 4yrs): Preschool is an age of academic and social growth. At this stage, "school readiness" becomes a priority (FirstDiscoveryCdc.com, 2019). The program focuses on academic, social, and emotional development while providing a fun and engaging atmosphere! Pre - K (4yrs): Pre-K is focused on learning to prepare the preschoolers kindergarten. The daily schedule is packed full of activates that develop writing skills, confidence, problem-solving, personal hygiene, self-care, and, most importantly promotes enthusiasm for learning that they will carry throughout their life! School Age: School-age programs are flexible to meet the needs of each family. There are before school, after school programs, and full-day programs during the summer and holidays. First Discovery’s “school-age program is filled with proprietary brain-based experiences, developed by education experts to provide for optimal brain development” (FirstDiscoveryCdc.com, 2019).

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Summer Camp Programs: During the summers, "Summer Camp" programs are packed full of fun summer activities. For school-age children, field trips off-site are planned daily, and while those under five are onsite, field trips come to First Discovery. Fun activities are onsite like Petting Zoos, water days, and much more! Parents Night Out: First Discovery believes that a child's development is built on the "whole family." The staff of First Discovery provides a monthly four-hour "Parent's Night Out" so parents can enjoy time for themselves while their children enjoy movie nights and fun activities with their friends. Program Goals & Strategic Objectives The goal of First Discovery is to provide the highest quality of learning and childcare for each stage of a child's development by offering programs for each age group and development stage. This high standard of quality is obtained through monthly professional development and training for the staff, utilizing nationally recognized and scientifically based curriculum, and partnering with parents to provide continuity of learning between home and the center. Customer Focused Objective: “Benefits of Being Part of the First Discovery Family” Customer-focused objectives are growing in importance as customer loyalty is difficult to maintain in such competitive markets. First Discovery rewards loyalty through the following: Discounts for multiple children Creating Parent Incentives like “Parent’s Night Out” Holiday Family Events like Christmas Programs, Father’s Day Workshops with Dad, and more. Recognized Externally for Excellence First Discovery is recognized as a Virginia Five Star program, and each year continues to exceed the standards of creating a continuous system of learning. Virginia Pilot’s Best of Hampton Roads Award: First Discovery continues to be named as Virginia’s Best of Hampton Roads. Two First Discovery locations received “Best of the Beach” at the Newport News and Virginia Beach locations (VirginiaMedia.com, 2019). State Licensing Visits: First Discovery received ZERO violations this year at all three locations during State Licensing Visits (Facebook.com & First Discovery, 2019).

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Corporate Growth Strategies: Expansion into New Markets Over the past three years, First Discovery has expanded to two additional locations: “Rosemont” in Virginia Beach and “Oyster Bay” in Newport News. This expansion allowed First Discovery to take their award-winning learning centers into two new markets (Walker & Mullins, 2014). Name Change: First Discovery has built a strong brand of excellence, learning, and family within their first ten years. With a focus on excellence in education and childcare and corporate growth, First Discovery is transitioning from First Discovery Child Development Center to "First Discovery Academy." This name change protects and builds off the strong First Discovery "brand" while bringing even more emphasis on education (Jones, n.d.). The move helps the company reach a target market and builds off the synergy of the brand's reputation and recognition of excellence.

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MARKET RESEARCH: MARKET OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS

Emerging Market Opportunity 1: Awareness of the Benefits of Early Learning. First Discovery’s name change highlights a huge “market opportunity.” The transition shifting the focus from "Child Development Center" to "Academy” places a stronger emphasis on the education of children at the earliest age possible. Pre-School and Pre-Kindergarten programs were among the fastest-growing segments of childcare in the country in 2018 (The Business Research Company, 2019). This emerging market is attributed to the awareness of the importance and benefits of early learning. First Discovery is taking advantage of this emerging market with a focus on "education" in their name. Emerging Market Opportunity 2: Growth of Baby and Child Care The childcare industry is booming globally as it reached an astonishing $339.1 billion in 2018, with an annual 8.3% since 2014. While the industry continues to soar, another emerging market is the segment of "Baby and Child Care," which is forecasted to reach 124.9 billion in sales globally by 2022 (The Business Research Company, 2019). In the United States between 2016 and 2017, families with both parents working increased from 46% to 61.9%. In 2018, the number of children living with a single mother in the U.S. was 16.4 million and approximately 3.25 million children living with a single father (Duffin & Statista, 2019). These two statistics point to an emerging market and continued need for baby and childcare services. Emerging Market Opportunity 3: Partnerships with Corporations The competition for quality hires in the U.S. is fiercer than ever, and many companies are getting creative by offering childcare perks as a differentiator (Wilkie, 2018). Care related absenteeism and turnover results in billions of dollars year (Wilkie, 2018). Many corporations are adding childcare perks to their benefits packages. Some businesses have onsite childcare services while others partner with childcare programs that are close to them geographically to offer deep discounts or stipend to their employees. The ROI for these types of childcare perks don't always show who up on the balance sheet but definitely can positively impact a company's brand, employee loyalty, and reduce turnover (Wilkie, 2018).

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MARKET SEGMENTS

Understanding market segments is essential for the success of any company. Research has shown that effective market segmentation leads an average of 15% profit growth when used effectively (Markey, Du Toit & Allen, 2008). First Discovery is only ten years old but has been growing each year because of successful market segmentation, which includes understanding both the market and its customers, as seen below. Working Parents: This segment represents families that have both parents working or a single parent who works and needs childcare. In 2016, 34.2 million families included children under 18, and 61% of families with two parents were households where both parents worked, making quality childcare a necessity (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017).

First Discovery does an excellent job meeting the needs and desires of working parents. First Discovery offers convenient drop-off and pick-up times. Drop off times start as early as 6 AM, and the price of daycare includes breakfast and lunch. Pick up times extend as late as 6:00 PM daily. In addition, First Discovery understands that it is important for parents to feel "connected" to their children even while they are at work. First Discovery uses technology to help meet this need with cameras installed in every room featuring in-app mobile viewing for parents anytime they would like to check in on their children. Also, the child's care plan, including what they ate for each meal, how their day is going, the schedule, and even photo updates from the teachers can all be viewed through a mobile app.

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017)

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School-Age Child Care Needs: The majority of families with school-age children still need childcare in most cases before school, after school, or both. Some families in this segment cannot provide transportation to and from school and need their children to be transported by the childcare facility to and in some cases from school. First Discovery has new, branded 15 passenger vans and a couple of school buses with staff who have a safe driving record and CDL credentials. These vans deliver First Discovery students to nearby schools and make routes back for pick up so the student can finish their day it First Discovery. This service meets the needs of working parents with school-age children. During aftercare, teachers off help on assignments, a fun time, and after school snacks and before care breakfast. SNAP Families In 2008, a law was passed to lift the cap of eligible deductions a family could claim for dependents who needed childcare. This change has benefited families who depend on SNAP to provide for their families (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2010). Every $3 and family spend on childcare that their SNAP assistance is increased by $1, which helps families receive more SNAP assistance, which can be used to pay for childcare (Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, 2018). First Discovery understands the needs of low-income families and is set up to meet the needs of these families by holding a SNAP permit. The SNAP families can use their EBT card at the payment center discretely and swipe their cards just like other families paying with a credit card. Holding a SNAP permit allows First Discovery to expand their services to a customer base that they would otherwise not reach.

(Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2010).

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DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS

Website & Corporate Branding

Facebook Ads & Targeted Marketing

Corporate Partnerships

THE FOUNDATION First Discovery’s

Website

Create A Modern Mobile Friendly and

Professional Website

Consistent Branding Ensure

consistency in branding with names,

logos, colors, and quality of photos

Pricing, Curriculum

& Enrollment Make sure the

important elements are easy to find and navigate through.

Responsiveness Engagement is key, which

can be made maximized through

emails, chats, and the ability to schedule a

tour online.

FACEBOOK ADS

MANAGER

Maximize Facebooks ADS Manger for

Targeted Marketing and Campaigns

Low-Cost Marketing for as Little As $1 Per Day or $30 Per Month

Boost Enrollment Increase Targeted

Marketing Campaigns for Enrollment Season

Budgeting Tools in Facebook Ads

Managers allows the business to throttle up and down as needed

to control cost and boost campaigns as

needed.

CORPORATE

PARTNERSHIPS

Offer Discount Enrollment Packages for Corporate Partners

Expand Employee Benefits Packages With Fierce Hiring

Competition Business are Look for Ways to

Provide Expand Employee Benefit

Programs at Low Cost

Market the Program Nearby Businesses to

Each FDA Location The proximity of Child

Care Services to Parents' Work is Important and

Attractive (Brandenberg, 2019)

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SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT Analysis is a powerful tool that businesses like First Discovery can use to grow their business, mitigate risks, and create a competitive edge that continues to catapult them as

among the childcare providers of Hampton Roads! SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Strengths and Weaknesses are more natural to identify as they are based on internal factors, whereas Opportunities and Threats are driven by external factors. Tommy Charles described it best in his recent article entitled, "SWOT Analysis for Childcare:" • “Strengths: Build on them • Weaknesses: Shore them up • Opportunities: Invest in them • Threats: Monitor them”

O

• Excellent Care, Quality Education, and Caring Staff!� • Focus on continuing education and professional development for staff •. Technology like apps, cameras, and security that gives FDA a competitive edge� •. Very Active and Strong Social Media Presence

T

W O S

• Outdated Website

• Inconsistent Branding • Prices Not Listed on Website

THREATS (--)

• Competition from nearby daycare centers. • The threat of lawsuits from neglect (shared by all daycares)� • Employee Turnover • Staff Very Active on Social Media

• Increasing Awareness of the Importance of Early Learning • Growth of Baby and Child Care Industry in the U.S. based on need • Corporations Increasing their Need to be Creative with Benefits, including childcare services, to remain competitive.�

WEAKNESSES (--) STRENGTHS (+)

(Charles, 2018)

OPPORTUNITIES

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MAKING SWOT ANALYSIS WORK

Building off the SWOT Analysis identified above, First Discover has the opportunity to build off their strengths, shore up their weaknesses, invest in their opportunities, and monitor the threats that are lurking externally. Turning the weaknesses into opportunities is key to helping any business strong. A couple of weaknesses that can be turned into opportunities are:

1. Outdated Website: Refreshing a company's website is extremely important in today's competitive and technologically centric society. FDA can use an outside designer or even build a website using templates that can be purchased at an affordable price. It is important to remember that a company's website is the foundation of all social media, branding, and marketing sources. Each of those sites should always drive customers back to the website.

2. Inconsistent Branding: Consistent branding is extremely important, especially when going through a name change like the FDA is going through. First Discovery can overcome this weakness by making sure the new name, new logos, and colors are consistent overall sites: Websites, Social Media Sites, and in physical areas like signs and promotional materials. Realizing it takes time and money for the physical branding that may take longer, but what is essential is that all internet-based branding is 100% consistent, especially the name.

Threats are the other area that it is essential to pay attention to and strategically change into opportunities.

1. Competition is something that all businesses must pay attention to daily. FDA can target 1-3 of the childcare facilities closest to each of their locations and do a quarterly analysis. The analysis could include a SWOT for each of the competitors and. Compare to FDA to each one using the SWOT.

2. The threat of lawsuits due to child neglect is always lurking at the door of all childcare providers (Mooney, 2019). FDA does an excellent job with focusing on professional development, maintaining high standards in the areas of sanitation, security, and care, but continuing to raise the bar of excellence in these areas will continue to position FDA for growth and maintaining their high standings with inspections.

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MARKETING STRATEGIES

Word of mouth is great, but it will only get the business so far. Having a well thought out "Marketing Strategy" is key to any business – large or small (Brandenberg, 2019). In marketing, there is something called "The 4 Ps," which is important in all marketing plans (Van Vliet, n.d.). The 4Ps were created by a marketer in the 1960s named E. Jerome McCarthy. The 4 Ps were identified as: "Price, Promotion, Product and Place” (Van Vliet, n.d.). This became known as the “marketing mix” that would provide a framework that all businesses could use to build a successful marketing plan. Below is a snapshot of what First Discovery could use as their “Marketing Mix and 4 Ps.”

PRODUCT Product represents the service the business provides and the reason for existence as a company. First Discovery's products are described in the programs that they offer for "sale" to the customer such as: Infant (6 weeks – 16 months) Wobbler/Toddler (17 months – 2 yrs) Preschool (2yrs - 4yrs) Pre - K (4yrs) School Age (Before & After School) Summer Camps for All Ages

PRICE Price represents the price to the consumer. This price is established by evaluating the cost of doing business, which includes payroll, insurance, marketing, rents, and anything else it costs to conduct business. This process is driven by the business plan.

PROMOTION Promotion – promotion is the tools in which the First Discovery will use to build their brand and bring in customers. This marketing plan highlights some of the promotional ideas that can be used, like FB, Social Media, Building Corporate Partnerships Programs, and more.

PLACE & DISTRIBUTION

First Discover offers three locations: Indian River (Virginia Beach), Rosemont (Virginia Beach ), and their Newport News.

(123RF, 2019) Licensed Image

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COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Advertising Advertising comes in many forms. Still, with today's digital age and the advancement of technology, it has leveled the playing field making powerful marketing tools available to companies of all sizes. This report has focused on some powerful advertising sources like Facebook's Ads Manager, but there are so many options. The report also suggested programs like Corporate Partnerships and capitalizing on emerging markets like the growing research that shows the importance of formal learning at a young age. These are excellent starting points for building advertising campaigns for each program. A few ideas include: Enrollment Incentives: These advertisements can be done through Facebook, on paper fliers sent home with each child during the weeks before enrollment season, sent via text messages, and creative graphics sent through the app that parents communicate through daily. Corporate Partnerships: Creating nice graphic fliers (hard copy and digital) that can be used to open the door for a meeting with the nearby companies' benefits departments and running ads through Linked In, Zip Recruiter and other companies that specialize in helping companies be successful in the highlight competitive market place of finding quality hires. Promotion Promotion is an integral part of a marketing communication strategy. It is the point in the plan when the company decides which "forms of communication" they will use (Universal Class, n.d.). Communication Plan A communications plan is essential to a successful marketing plan. The following three elements must be included and can be defined but using questions to craft a strong communication plan.

1. Message - “What is to be said?” 2. Medium – “Where is it to be said?” 3. Target – “To whom your message is reaching?

(Dragilev, 2019).

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Public Relations Public Relations is something that most small businesses do not have time to spend focused energy on but is essential to the success of their brand (Forbes Agency Council, 2017). Many small companies may only think of "public relations" during a crisis. Still, every engagement company like First Discovery has on social media, in person, winning awards like "Best of Hampton Roads" are all part of First Discovery's "Public Relations.” Crisis Management Plan Having a "Crisis Management Plan" is essential to all companies, even the ones who have remained above reproach. In the childcare provider business given thought to a crisis management plan is one of the most proactive and wise things First Discovery, their leadership, and owners can do. Accusations, even if false, can bring down a business. It is essential to take time each year to think about the "what ifs" and create a plan for those kinds of nightmare crises, can save your business. There is an excellent article written by the Forbes Agency Council entitled, “3 Golden Rules of PR Crisis Management” (Forbes Agency Council, 2017). This read would be a great starting point for First Discovery's leadership and owners as you began to craft a Crisis Management Plan. The article covers how to take responsibility, "stop the fan," the importance of not giving "knee jerk reactions" and reaching out to your PR team before making any statements on camera, social media, or in person. Most small businesses do not have a "PR Team," but that should not be a reason not have experienced council standing by if needed. Reaching out to PR firms who specialize in Public Relations, both positive and negative PR, can be a huge resource for any company. Reaching out to a firm to introduce your company, get pricings, and build a relationship, so if the "what ifs" occur, you have a seasoned resource ready to help your company through the crisis is invaluable.

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MARKETING BUDGET

(Weller, 2016).

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PROJECTED / FORECASTED SALES

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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

As First Discovery evaluates the emerging markets, the competition, and the company's strengths, weakness opportunities, and threats, marketing opportunities begin to emerge. There are three main areas that First Discovery can focus on to boost enrollment. They are as follows:

1. Capitalizing on the emerging markets, especially the new focus on the importance of early education. This realization is gaining the attention of working parents but also parents who could otherwise keep their children at home. Instead, parents realize that children can benefit from being formal education programs at an early age. First Discovery has a robust curriculum that is implemented in their youngest students. With the change in the name of First Discovery Children's academy, it brings awareness and emphasis on the educational and academic side of First Discovery.

2. Maximizing Facebook’s powerful “Ad Manager” to run major campaigns using targeted advertising, such as:

• Enrollment Campaigns for New Customers • Target Advertising to boost the Rosemont location’s enrollment

(Newest Location) • Incentive Programs for Current Customers

3. Corporate Partnership Initiative: Target business closest to each location to offer corporate discounts that the company can use to expand their employee benefits.

MEDIA PLAN:

The media plan is an integral part of the marketing strategy as it will define what media sources will be used, the target market, and the frequency of use (Marketing Evolution, 2019). First Discovery’s media plan, along with all others, should include clear goals.

First Discovery's business goal for the media plan is to boost enrollment through media engagement. First Discovery's media plan includes a mix of social media ad campaigns, radio advertisements, graphic fliers, promotional packages, and companywide rebranding program. The company rebranding begins with a website redesign, new signs at each location, and rebranding for all three social media sites to ensure the same logos, colors, look, and designs are being used for consistency. All campaigns, ads, signs, radio commercials, and social

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media should always point the audience back to the company's website. The website is foundational to all advertising.

The media plan is defined in detail within the customized giant chart on the following pages.

There are three main initiatives that the media plan will support:

1. Enrollment Season Initiative 2. Summer Camp Initiative 3. Corporate Partnership Initiative

ASSIGNMENTS: Having a great plan is only part of the key to success; the other part is making sure there are clear roles and responsibilities.

The Gantt chart will lay out a detailed scheduled, but project managers will be key to the success of each initiative.

Company Rebranding and Web Redesign: Marketing Manager

Enrollment Season Initiative Executive Director

Summer Camp Initiative Assistant Director

Corporate Partnership Initiative Executive Director

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GANTT CHART Gant Charts are excellent tools to help companies like First Discovery create an actionable plan with a goal, milestone, and a scheduled that can be managed to ensure the vision and plan becomes a reality.

First Discovery’s Customized Gantt Chart “At-A-Glance”

The entire Gantt Chart can be viewed at Link: https://app.smartsheet.com/sheets/4CQprvFmrqwqr97gRcmfjxQQp5x

mpq63Jfmwf4q1

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EVALUATION METHODS

All well-designed media and marketing plans will include ways to weight and rate the performance of each component of the plans. A "marketing arbitration tool" can help marketing teams know what forms of online and offline are effective (Marketing Evolution, 2019)

“Marking attribution models assign value to marketing campaigns through statistical analysis at the user-level” effective (Marketing Evolution, 2019). Either a single-touch or multi-touch option typically measures these models. Analyzing the data is essential to make sure the marketing team is to pull resources back on the less effective forms of media and leverage those resources to invest in the more effective form of the media plan. Simplistically stated, this will allow First Discovery to invest in what works! The following are powerful analytical tools that can help First Discovery determines their return on investment: • Google Analytics • Facebook Ad Manager • Campaign URLs Even print mail, fliers, and radio advertisements are tracked by using a URL in the ad (Anastasia, 2015). It is important to make sure all print, radio, and TV ads drive the audience to a URL. Then First Discovery can track the traffic on the URL through tools designed specifically for this purpose. Capturing Sales Reviews is huge for every business and its marketing plan. A business is only as good as their customer's satisfaction. Those reviews need to be an intentional part of the marketing plan. Customer reviews can be captured through:

• Hastagify • SEO Positioning • Pay per Click

• Yelp & Google Reviews

•

• Current Parent Review • Yelp & Google Reviews

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SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS TOOLS

As a small business, every staff member and every dollar are extremely precious, so leveraging Facebook for First Discovery's Marketing needs can be a huge "Return on Investment." Imagine, a staff of almost 40,000 people globally that specialize in marketing and building communities with departments focused on using their platform to help businesses grow, this is what is available to small business through Facebook (Omnicore, 2019). BUDGET FRIENDLY The price point for Facebook is second to none in the marketing industry, with the starting cost as low as $1 per day! Facebook provides robust marketing and analytical tools combined with the ability to run ads to targeted audiences (Main, 2019). LEVERAGING AD MANAGER: PROVIDES TARGET MARKETING FOR EACH LOCATION There are 600-700K Facebook users in South Hampton Roads. With First Discovery’s three locations, this is excellent exposure for only $30 a month. In addition, First Discover can leverage Facebook's "Ad Manager" to target audiences by location. Using the newest location at "Rosemont," the Ad Manager can target that geographic location, then drill down into segments like Facebook Users with "Children Under 6" or "Users with Children between 6 and 13" to advertise the school-age programs like summer camp and after school programs (Kromer, 2019).

(Andrus, 2019)

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The most effective way for small businesses with limited staff members to manage their social media is to use a tool like:

Hootsuite's: Provides the marketing manager the ability to manage all social media channels from one application. When using Hootsuite, the content posted on one channel is also updated simultaneously on all channels. Hootsuite is free of charge for up to three channels (Hootsuite, 2017).

Hootsuite allows the user to schedule ads, events, polls, and posts in advance across multiple channels using a calendar feature within the application. This feature maximizes the manager's time by allowing them to load posts, ads, events at one time, once a week or once a month so their time can be spent on engagement with the company's social messaging (Kromer, 2019).

“Manage from One Place” Allows First Discover to

manage the top three channels from one place for FREE!

“Reply with a Single Click” Provides First Discovery with the ability to

reply to customers and social media engagement on a dashboard that provides visibility of all three channels at once for

FREE!

“Track Your Performance and Grow Your Audience”

Provides First Discovery with analytical tools to improve

performance and know what resonates with customers and

social media audience for FREE!

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Conclusion It has been a joy to do an in-depth analysis, social media brief, and marketing plan for First Discovery. First Discovery is a thrive 10-year-old business with a solid, satisfied customer base and leadership who strives for excellence and hunger for growth! This combination will pave the way for success.

There are emerging markets that can be leveraged for growth and powerful technology that offers marketing solutions that help a small business like, First Discovery, compete with other large providers throughout Hampton Roads

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References 123RF. (2019). 4Ps Marketing Mix. Retrieved October 1, 2019 from https://www.123rf.com/photo_124233898_stock-vector-marketing-mix-4ps-model- vector.html/ Anastasia. (2015, July 20). How to Measure the Effectiveness of Marketing Campaigns. Retrieved from https://www.cleverism.com/how-to-measure-effectiveness-of-marketing- campaigns/ Andrus, A. (2019, May 14). Facebook Ads Manager: The Essential Guide. Retrieved from https://www.disruptiveadvertising.com/social-media/facebook-ads-manager/ Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017, August 27). Employment in Families with Children in 2016. Retrieved https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/employment-in-families-with- children-in-2016.htm Brandenberg, D. (2019). Day Care Business Marketing Strategy. Retrieved October 6, 2019, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/day-care-business-marketing-strategy- 23466.html Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2010 March 23). The Food Stamp Dependent Care Deduction: Help for Families with Child Care Costs. Retrieved from https://www.cbpp.org/research/the-food-stamp-dependent-care-deduction Charles, T. (2018, April 23). SWOT Analysis for Childcare. Retrieved October 1, 2019, from https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/swot-analysis-childcare-23778.html Dragilev, D. (2019, September 23). Start Here About Articles Press Projects Newsletter Marketing Communications Strategy: What It Is & How To Do It Right. Retrieved October 1, 2019, from https://www.criminallyprolific.com/marketing-communications- strategy/ Duffin, E., & Statista. (2019, August 9). Number of Children Living with a Single Mother or a Single Father in the U.S. from 1070 to 2018 (in 1,000s). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/252847/number-of-children-living-with-a-single- mother-or-single-father/ Facebook.com & First Discovery. (2019, August 27). Come Hang with the Best! Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/FDIndianRiver/videos/649783778847083/

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