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ATHENA STUDY ABROAD

MARKETING PLAN

Compiled and Presented By:

Mark Mullen

Jonathan Hammond

Megan Kaunert

Blaire Kelley

Charles Kimerline

Joey Pasternak

Taylor Potts

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary 3

Situational Analysis 4

Company 4

Competitors 7

Context 11

SWOT Analysis 14

Target Market Analysis 15

Growth 16

Size 16

Strategic Fit 17

Positioning 18

Marketing Mix 18

Product 18

Promotion/Place 18

Key Recommendations 20

Appendix A 24

Appendix B 26

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Executive Summary

4

Situational Analysis

Company

Background

Athena Abroad is a privately held study abroad provider located in Gahanna, Ohio founded by

John and Stacy Benander. Athena Study Abroad was founded by the couple to bring students

authentic study abroad experiences involving cultural immersion that was designed by

knowledgeable and caring advisors.

Located at 73 Mill St., Ste. B in Gahanna, OH 43230, Athena Abroad provides 12 unique study

abroad programs on three continents and two internships programs. Programs are available in

lengths of a semester and a year as well as during summer and winter terms. Unlike other study

abroad programs, Athena offers its students programs that focus on cultural immersion which

puts them in touch with the locals of their host country, elements of the culture, as well as other

international students to create a unique and well-rounded experience. As a display of their

dedication to the countries that host their customers, Athena donates a percentage of their income

back to the host countries through their S.O.S. (Students Offering Support) program.

Athena Abroad aims to make itself a “one-stop-shop” for students, parents, and advisors looking

for assistance in their study abroad experience. Athena programs offer U.S. and international

offices which provide services including student advising services, pre-departure handbooks and

orientation services, overseas advisers, student networking, supplemental insurance, and

scholarships.

Athena offers a number of scholarships and discounts to students interested in study abroad.

Students who decide early can apply for early bird savings. Students can also apply for general,

location specific, term specific, third party, and short term scholarships.

Athena Abroad also maintains several different points of contact for interested customers

includingFacebook(www.facebook.com/athenastudyabroad)andTwitter

(www.twitter.com/athenaabroad) , as well as different media to learn about Athena Abroad and

sample others abroad experience including their website (www.athenaabroad.com) , blogs, photo

contests, testimonials, and a YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/athenaabroad).

Industry Overview

Study abroad students only represent about 1% of all students enrolled in higher education in the

United States. In the 2009/10 academic year, 270,604 U.S. students studied abroad. This was a

3.9% increase from the 2008/09 year.1 Students in the U.S. typically study abroad for one or two

academic terms unlike foreign students who study abroad in the U.S. usually for most or all of

their degree. According to the most recent Institute of International Education Opens Doors

Report, in 2009 the five most popular chosen countries to study abroad in were the United

Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, and China. The study also found significant increases in the

number of students studying abroad in less traditional countries and places. In the top 25

destinations, nineteen were countries where the primary language was not English.

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Study abroad can be very costly for students depending on which program they decide to use and

where they decide to study. Costs include, but are not limited to tuition, fees, housing or room

and board, transportation costs, medical insurance passport and visa fees. Policies for financing

study abroad vary for universities in the U.S., however, students studying abroad can receive

financial aid by scholarships, grants from their U.S. university, private student loans, and

government student loans.

There are many different models of programs used for studying abroad. Four of the main models

include island, integrated, hybrid, and field-based.2 The island model refers to students studying

along with other American students in a study center. Island programs are usually sponsored by

American universities, which also develop the curriculum for the American students. Integrated

programs enroll directly in courses with the local students at host universities. Hybrid programs

refer to programs that include both island and integrated aspects. Students enrolled in hybrid

programs can often take some of their courses at a host university and some at a study center.

Finally, field-based programs are the most liberally structured programs and usually involve field

study training and an independent study project.3

The main tool that study abroad programs are using to increase awareness and sales is the

Internet. Programs use websites to market themselves and to set them apart from their

competitors, which makes it of utmost important to have the most navigable, attractive and user

friendly website possible. There are also websites that provide names of study abroad programs.

These sites can significantly increase exposure to a program and can also be a program’s

downfall if they choose not to take advantage of these sites.

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Athena Financial Analysis

As shown in Table 1 below, the total revenue for Athena Study Abroad in 2011 was

$1,202,823.00 plus $4.00 made in interest. Subtracting the $14,758.00 in refunds and allowances

provided over the course of the year, Athena’s total revenue was adjusted to $1,202,823.00.

Athena’s total expenses in 2011 totaled more than its revenue, resulting in a net loss of

$22,031.00.

Table 1

Interpreting the above data and analyzing it mathematically intimates that while Athena’s

revenues increased by 15% compared to the previous year, its costs increased 23%. It may be

worth considering the implementation of cost control measures to allow the revenue growth to

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outpace that of its costs, enhancing profitability. Other methods to increase this margin for the

firm will be discussed later in this plan.

COMPETITOR OVERVIEW

Primary Competitors

After researching Athena Study Abroad six primary competitors were identified. Those

competitors are Academic Programs International, CEA Global Education, AIFS Study Abroad,

International Studies Abroad, Academics Study Abroad, and Global Student Experience.

Athena Study Abroad and each of its primary competitors were analyzed based on the following

evaluation criteria: price, product mix, available options, customer service, overall website

quality, and customer base. These criteria were chosen based on the factors considered when

choosing a study abroad program.

Table 2, below, will outline the following criterion, which will be elaborated further in the text

following the visual aid:

Price: The average customer will spend thousands of dollars on a study abroad program

so price is a key factor.

Product Mix: Refers to the services available such as academic programs and housing.

Available Options: Refers to the locations provided and the duration of the trip.

Customer Service: Refers to the support customers receive when entrusting their money

to study abroad companies. Follow up, post purchase follow up and customer contact is

also considered here.

Overall Website Quality: Ratings will be based on information provided, ease of

navigation, and website layout.

Customer Base: Refers to who is purchasing the study abroad program and from which

company.

Table 2

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Academic Programs International (API) (http://www.apistudyabroad.com/): API was

founded in 1997 by four women who wanted to offer students a high quality, affordable study

abroad experience. API has grown rapidly for 15 years and now sends 2500 students abroad

annually. The API mission statement says it “is an educational organization dedicated to

providing challenging and enriching study abroad programs for our students. The experience of

living, interacting and learning in an international environment presents invaluable opportunities

for each student’s academic and personal development”.

API has many different locations that students can visit including Spain, France, and Italy. They

offer 100 programs in 38 cities in 17 different countries. API also gives more than $400,000

dollars in scholarship money each year. Prices range from $5500 to $18000 depending on the

program and the type and level of service the customer wants.

API offer students with many housing options, like many of the other study abroad programs

they include apartments, dorms, or living with a host family. They have many services including

medical insurance, 24 hour emergency room service, peer mentors, and cultural liaisons. They

also, have 50 resident directors in 17 countries depending on the size of the program.

Potential customers can contact them through fax, phone, and email. Clients can connect with

them through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Green Passport Program, Vimeo, and Flickr. With

many ways to connect to them it is easy to contact them and interact with API Study Abroad

individuals and groups.

CEA Global Education (http://www.gowithcea.com/): CEA is a well-established and successful

study abroad firm whose mission statement says, “CEA's Global Education Network is to

provide a worldwide network of study sites offering a variety of high-quality, global learning

opportunities”.

CEA offers programs in 22 cities in 13 different countries. Their prices range from $3195 to

$16395. It depends on the timing and type of program the student may choose to see what the

price would be for each individual. Clients may also apply for internships for businesses within

the program that pertains to their education. They offer government aid, private aid, and various

other types of financial aid. They offer some scholarships, but prefer to give lenient payment

plans.

The housing options are typical homestay, apartments, and dorms. They offer many different

services that are separated into 3 categories that are before the client goes, while the client is

there, and when the client returns. They offer medical insurance, airport reception, discount rates

for businesses in the area. Prospective students may also look into sports activities in some

programs.

CEA offers many different services and gives a lot of airport support if needed. They can be

contacted through email, fax, or phone. Students can connect with them through Facebook,

Twitter, YouTube, and subscribe. They offer a “chat now” option which allows potential

consumers to chat with a representative at any time.

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Academic Studies Abroad (ASA) (http://www.academicstudies.com/): ASA is led by a man

named Lee Frankel whose title is Director of ASA. He has much experience in study abroad

when he was just 6 years old he lived in Mexico for 6 months with his mother. He also, has

visited many places over time and makes sure he hires people who have travel experience. ASA

mission statement read the following “Any study abroad program can get you to a country and

find you a place to live. It takes a certain kind of study abroad program, however, to provide you

with all the tools necessary to ensure that your experience is both memorable and fulfilling”.

ASA offers many programs in 18 different cities in 9 countries. The prices range from $3495 to

$20970 depending on the program. They offer many different scholarships from general

scholarships, diversity, and non-ASA Scholarships.

ASA offers the typical housing of any typical study abroad program. The services they offer are

diverse in nature. They offer cell phones, airport pickups, medical insurance, a site director, and

internet access. They have different services within different locations just depending on the

customer’s preferences.

ASA can be contacted by fax, phone, and email. They have an offline message box where those

with inquiries can submit questions, which will answer by ASA in an orderly fashion. Those

interested can connect with them through Facebook and Twitter.

AIFS Study Abroad (www.aifsabroad.com): AIFS Study Abroad was founded in 1964 and is

one of the oldest, largest and most respected cultural exchange organizations in the world. 6,000

students each year choose AIFS to study with. AIFS has global offices located in fifteen different

countries. The mission of AIFS Study Abroad is to provide the highest quality educational and

cultural exchange programs to enrich the lives of young people throughout the world. AIFS

Study Abroad is the leader in summer, semester and academic year college study abroad

programs.

AIFS Study Abroad offers programs in 23 countries located all over the world. From summer

programs, to full year and semester programs, AIFS offers students many possibilities and

opportunities. Program prices range from $4495 to $16995. AIFS provides students with

financial aid and scholarships.

AIFS also accommodates its students well with their many housing options. Students have the

option of living in dormitories, apartments or a homestay. Along with this students get many

great services that accompany them to whatever country they are in. AIFS provides students with

on-site residential directors, academic consulting, 24 hour emergency service, and academic

advising.

AIFS also has many ways in which prospective students can contact them. From phone to fax or

e-mail, AIFS offers many ways in which students can get ahold of them. Online chats are also

available on the AIFS Study Abroad website which gives clients direct answers to their

questions. Prospective students can also follow AIFS on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

International Studies Abroad (www.studiesabroad.com): ISA or International Studies Abroad

was established in 1987 by Gustavo Artazo. With its headquarters located in Austin, Texas ISA

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provides the study abroad experience to over 5,000 students each year. International Studies

Abroad aims to provide quality international education opportunities to American and Canadian

students looking to expand their knowledge of global culture and language. ISA’s programs are

designed to maximize student learning abroad, while providing support and academic guidance

throughout all phases of the study abroad process.

ISA offers programs in 20 countries that aim to give students a great international learning

experience. They offer full year, semester, summer and internship study abroad opportunities.

Prices for International Studies Abroad range from $1500 to $46000. The price range shows the

wide variety of programs to choose from. ISA also gives the students to receive financial aid or a

scholarship.

ISA accommodates students to help make them feel that they have never left home. Students are

given the choice of staying in dormitories, apartments, and homestays. Residences and pensions

are also available to students in particular areas. ISA provides great services as well. From

comprehensive advising and support to 24 hour emergency assistance, the students are left with

safety and guidance during their stay with ISA.

ISA has many ways in which to contact them. They include a very informative and easy to use

website. They also provide potential clients with e-mail, fax, and telephone as ways to stay in

contact with ISA. Also provided are Facebook and Twitter so students can always be up to date

on everything involved with ISA.

Global Student Experience (www.gseabroad.com): The Global Student Experience or GSE

helps provide a student with the best possible study abroad experience offered. Located in Irvine,

California, GSE is a dedicated team of study abroad enthusiasts, devoted to spreading the

benefits of international education to U.S. College and University students. GSE has set out to

provide first-rate study abroad programs that incorporate superior student advising and support.

GSE provides 31 programs to its customers while only offering five countries to study in. They

have a depth of programs to help battle with the other companies that have more. Prices for study

abroad at GSE range from $4,095 to $30,290. This shows that GSE provides customers with a

vast differentiation when it comes to programs to pick. GSE’s prices are very consistent with

many other study abroad companies.

Global Student Experience provides its students with different options when it comes to housing.

They offer the option of staying in a dorm room or staying in an apartment. They also provide

great services for the student including 24 hour emergency service and student advising.

There are many ways in which to get ahold of GSE. Those include direct messages through their

website and also by telephone. In addition to those mediums, prospective clients can follow GSE

on Facebook and Twitter.

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CONTEXT

PEST Analysis

(P) Political Factors

As an international business enterprise, Athena Study Abroad faces a myriad of decidedly

complex and structurally inherent liabilities regarding the political environment of the United

States and in countries where it has established relationships and conducts business overseas.

The particular areas of emphasis include:

2012 American Presidential Election

Foreign sentiment of Americans

Volatility in the European Union

Security risks

2012 American Presidential Election

The polarizing viewpoints of both parties of the American bipartisan system present enormous

volatility for Athena Study Abroad on a variety of levels. Potential changes in taxation, foreign

policy, business law code, and other regulations, as reported by authorities such as the

nonpartisan Annenberg Public Policy Center, may present obstacles or add costs.8

Foreign sentiment of Americans

The popularity of American policy (both foreign and domestic), its leaders, and other principles

typically associated with typical American principles and attitudes is in a decline in the eyes of

foreign populations as reported by groups such as the Pew Charitable Trusts. This is a somewhat

daunting fact for those that operate abroad, and for the potential consumers that may decide to

study in such a fashion during their undergraduate careers.7

Volatility in the European Union

As Athena Study Abroad conducts the majority of its activities for students in the European

Union, the volatile nature of its economy and the questionable cohesive spirit of the entity as a

whole may present significant challenges for the company. Reuters reports that situational

stressors from debt-laden countries such as Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain are

causing political discord among other members of the European Union, primarily economic and

sociocultural powerhouses such as Germany, Great Britain, and France, which may result in the

consideration of the dissolution of certain parts of the agreement, significantly affecting

multinational operations.9

Security risks

Government agencies such as the Department of State and individual experts such as Richard

Marcinko (consultant, author, and founder of the Navy’s SEAL Team Six) cite transnational

terrorism as a significant risk for American nationals at any location abroad. Acts of malicious

and lethal intent because of political ideologies should be recognized as a concern when in a

foreign locale.5

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(E) Economic Factors

The economic environment surrounding Athena Study Abroad will directly influence its

profitability, the potential for its expansion, and the overall success of the firm. Both macro- and

micro-economically, there are key factors that will present challenges and opportunities to the

business.

The particular areas of emphasis include:

Economic stability and potential growth

Consumer sentiment

Spending activities and consumer power

Economic stability and potential growth

The economic environment in both the United States and in foreign nations remains incredibly

volatile. Sovereign debt and deficits continue to increase even in spite of efforts to curb spending

and balance budgets, government bonds are going into default, and U.S. and foreign economic

policy to encourage consumer spending and investment are only moderately effective. According

to the Federal Reserve, the United States faces record levels of debt and un-borrowed reserves,

another indicator that despite the stock market’s positive performance, the recovery of domestic

and international markets is far from complete. There is a high potential for inflation should the

un-borrowed reserves be introduced into the system due to significant quantitative easing, and

this may have an adverse effect on the value of the U.S. dollar.6

Consumer sentiment

The confidence of the consumer has been negatively altered since the events of the 2008

recession. According to recent Gallup and other media polls, consumers (and lenders) remain

hesitant to fund or commit to major purchases. As study abroad typically is considered a major

purchase (much like a traditional undergraduate program), this may reduce consumer demand for

a study abroad experience unless Athena properly mitigates concerns. Relatively optimistic

economic forecasts by Bloomberg and others suggest that the market will resolve this concern in

the near future.4

Spending activities and consumer power

The typical consumer as evinced by Athena literature is the undergraduate college student,

whose spending power and activity is limited by their nonexistent or limited income flow (the

majority hold at most a part-time position or internship). It may be assumed that the majority of

their study abroad experience will be funded via a third party (parents), loans, scholarships, or a

combination thereof. Consumer power is somewhat limited with the customers of Athena. The

significant costs and the underlying variables causing those costs to change offer little room in

the way of negotiation or price changes on a wide scale. Limited income also reduces consumer

power.4,6,9

(S) Socio-Cultural

Socio-cultural aspects have a large influence on the business world. Certain trends and beliefs

directly affect why consumers purchase certain items. In the case of studying abroad, traveling

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opportunities affect the amount of students studying abroad. It is shown that more people in the

United States are interested in traveling. Also as more education is becoming a must, many

students are looking for a new way to experience learning. In the past, stereotypes and lack of

racial tolerance have influenced many people in the United States and also influenced their

traveling tendencies. The current generation is known for their diversity and their racial

tolerance.

Universities are becoming more Internationalized

According to a study on privileged migration, “as societies become more open in nature it is

suggested that universities too should become more open and hence more international.10

Therefore, international education has become a significant aspect of many university curricula

at institutions around the world11

and the internationalization process of universities itself is an

important factor with respect to the future of higher education.12

Generally speaking, the whole

area of higher education has meanwhile become much more internationalized than it was still the

case for example 30 years ago.”13

Therefore, university students are becoming more diverse and

the want of an international education is increasing.

Traveling is becoming more popular

According to the leisure market research handbook, people want to experience their travels the

way that the locals do. They do not want the normal tourist version of a country, they want the

real experience. The handbook claims that, “Thirty-nine percent (39%) of travelers, for example,

agree that trips that include cultural, arts, historic, or heritage activities or events are more

enjoyable to them.” Also according to TripAdvisor.com 31% of Americans are planning to spend

more on leisure travel in 2012, and 24% are planning five or more getaways this year. Travel is

increasing along with the want of a cultural experience. .

Increase in the openness of the younger generation

The current generation in society is more open than ones in the past. HR magazine claims that

they are able to connect with each other and are not stopped by geographical boundaries.

(T) Technology

Technology could strongly influence the study abroad market. If utilized correctly, technology

could be a key asset to the success of a study abroad business. The majority of younger college

students base their searches on the internet. If students need to search for information on

anything, the first source that they go to is the internet. Not only is the internet being used, but

social networking is also a very powerful resource. If a company were able to correctly use

social media as a marketing strategy, they could reach many more consumers.

Large increase in the use of technology and Social Media

Many consumers today already know about the product before they approach a store or a sales

person, so technology has become a vital factor to marketing and selling. Social media is another

increasing outlet. According to the Journal of Marketing, “By 2011, approximately 83% of

Fortune 500 companies were using some form of social media to connect with consumers.

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Furthermore, surveys suggest that consumers are increasingly relying on social media to learn

about unfamiliar brands.”

SWOT Analysis

Table 3: SWOT Summary

Strengths Weaknesses

Focus on cultural experience Size

Philanthropic elements Country Selection

Cater to customer needs Profitability

Website

Opportunities Threats

Study abroad rates Competition

Internet usage Economic Volatility

Social Media Political Uncertainty

Returning economic confidence

Strengths

Focus on Cultural Experience: Athena’s study abroad prides itself on building programs that

immerse the students in the culture and people of the place of study. With more and more

students wanting to experience a diverse education, Athena holds competitive strength over other

programs. Many travelers want to experience the location the way the locals do instead of seeing

the standard tourist attractions.

Philanthropic elements: Athena shows their appreciation for their host countries by donating to

them. Through their Students Offering Support program, they donate a portion of their income

back to the country. They are the only program in comparison to their key competitors who do

this.

Cater to customer needs: Athena bases their learning process off a “One-stop-shop” theory.

Being a small company Athena can give their time to students. If the students can find

information easily and talk to someone personally, they may be more likely to go with that

company.

Weaknesses

Size: Athena is a small and still growing program, but its competitors have been around long and

are present in locations around the world. As a small company, Athena may have trouble

building larger programs with such large competitors.

Country Selection: Currently Athena offers only 12 countries as a selection, some of its

competitors offer anywhere from 24 to 32 countries to select from.

Profitability: Although Athena is increasing their business and scholarships, the company still

experienced a net loss of $22,031 in 2011. This indicates that costs must be reduced or revenue

must be increased proportionately higher than costs associated with this expansion.

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Website and Social Media: Students looking to study abroad are shown to search the internet

and social media for initial information. Social media accounts for 15% or total internet usage.

Athena’s website lacks professional organization, and easily accessible information. Also Athena

has Twitter and Facebook, but they could possibly be better utilized.

Opportunities

Increase in study abroad rates: Education rates are raising as is and along with it, different

educational opportunities. Education is much more internationalized than it was.

Internet Usage: Consumers are doing more and more research on the internet as technology is

advancing. Research shows that before the company even comes into contact with the customer,

the customer knows everything about their future purchase and has narrowed their choice down

accordingly.

Social Media: Social Media now accounts for 15% of internet usage. Many companies have

social media but they are not effectively utilizing it.

Returning Economic Confidence: There is indication that the economy in the United States

will continue to improve. Even a localized improvement in the United States would be

economically advantageous for Athena with regards to demand and profitability.

Threats

Competition: There are many large competitors in the Study Abroad industry. The competitors

are able to offer more programs and a larger range of prices.

Economic Volatility: While forecasts indicate positive growth, the uncertain atmosphere of the

international economic (which is highly interdependent) may cause some hesitancy for

investment in Athena’s goal to gain more customers and may reduce consumer demand and

profitability in the short-term.

Political Uncertainty: The election cycle presents Athena with challenges regarding new taxes,

regulations, policies, and other items should the incumbent president be defeated. This facet of

the contextual environment lends to the uncertainty that plagues the economy and causes the

aforementioned volatility. It will be significantly easier to clearly guide operational policy after

the elections should the incumbent win, or well into the term should the opponent achieve

victory.

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Target

The Target that we have chosen as a group is Art students. This group includes Fine Arts, Art

Education, Art History, and other subjects relating to art such as digital design and Fashion

Design. We feel that this target is easy for Athena to implement and many Art students would fit

well with Athena.

Growth

It may come as no surprise that due to the economy any the demands of finding a job, 2012 will

see the largest growth of people seeing a degree in higher education. On average, 90% of

individuals between 25 and 29 have obtained a minimum of a high school diploma, and 63%

have obtained a college education1.

Of those students graduating with a college education, the highest growing field is business. It is

estimated that 22% of graduates will leave school with a degree in business. The second fastest

growing field is that of liberal arts and humanities with 11% of graduates leaving school with a

diploma in humanities2. Of the students graduating with bachelors of art in art history or art

therapy, about 12.6% will experience unemployment in their field after graduation.

Although this may dismay a company focused on liberal arts and humanities students, of the

11% of student graduating with a college education nearly half of those students will not

continue with a bachelor’s of arts education. Instead, they will choose to pursue a career related

to business3.

Businesses today look to hire a variety of candidates, instead of just the typical business majors.

Although a humanities student may not have the business knowhow, they will bring a creative

way of thinking to business environments.

Size

Students of the Fine Arts have not experience a surge in growth due to the economy and

popularity of “realistic” majors, but Art Majors remain a popular type to study abroad. Many of

these students are creative and enjoy experiencing other cultures.

According to the George Washington Univeristy then had a total of 1,802 students study abroad

in 2011. Here are the statistics for the number of students who studied abroad in each school.

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (CCAS): 41% (This amounts to 739 students

studying abroad in this school assuming that half of the 739 are Art students)

Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA): 67%

GW School of Business (GWSB): 38%

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS): 5%

School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS): 5%

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Many schools with top Arts programs have a high number of Undergraduate Art student Majors.

Top Art schools according to the Huffington Post:

1. Yale University- Has 140 Art major students out of their 5,322 total students.

2. Rhode Island School of Design- 2,300 Art students enrolled

3. School of Art Institute of Chicago- 3,221 Art students enrolled

4. UCLA- Over 800 undergraduates in the School of Arts and Architecture

5. California Institute of the Arts- 520 Art Majors

6. Carnegie Mellon University- 200 Undergraduate Art Majors

Though it is not a fast growing major, Majors of the Arts study abroad often and if focusing on

Art schools, their population is obviously much higher.

Strategic Fit

We realize that our strengths are the most important thing to focus on when considering where

we fit in the market. Being the best at a few things will separate us from the other competitors

than being average on all things. One of Athena’s strengths is that they focus heavily on cultural

experience and also a personal experience.

Gaining knowledge from the focus group, we realized that students value more free time and

getting engaged in the culture. Athena fits so well with Art students because they offer the

freedom of class choices and personal service that many art students would appreciate. Since that

is one of Athena strengths they can capture a bigger part of the Art majors than they already do.

The wants of Art students already fit extremely well with the overall feeling and goals of

Athena’s company.

Art majors should be Athena’s main concern. They can capture many art students in the bigger

cities such as, New York and Chicago. These cities have higher, population and we will capture

a large customer base. When looking at Athena’s competitors there is not one major study abroad

program that concentrates on one defined group. Therefore concentrating on Art students will

allow Athena to separate themselves from any other programs. It will allow Athena to stay small

but, also, fit in the big cities to capture more of the population. Instead of potentially trying to

target all students in the market, Athena could gain higher participation in their program by

switching their focus to these creative art students.

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Positioning

Positioning Statement

Athena creates personable, cultural, and diverse educational experiences abroad for innovative

and artistic students.

Positioning Summary

Our positioning statement is intended to place Athena Study Abroad as a high quality,

personable experience for art students looking to study overseas. One of the goals that Athena

Study Abroad wants to achieve is to continue providing personal contact with all of their

students throughout the process of studying abroad, beginning to end. The company was founded

on the basis of the owner’s experience abroad, so Athena has the ability to offer a relatable

environment in which to work. Being a smaller company, Athena Study Abroad faces less issues

with personalized contact, than that of its larger competitors. Not only by enrolling students in

smaller schools abroad, to give them a more personal and intimate experience, it offers students

the chance to explore the overseas destination of their choice and gain once-in-a-lifetime cultural

exposure. Athena also offers a wide array of academic choices, so students have the opportunity

to pursue interesting course work that they would otherwise miss. Athena now offers a new

program that hits the highlights of European Art, The Fine Arts Triangle. This 10-day excursion

gives art students the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the art and culture of Europe.

By expanding on this idea, Athena will continue to attract students of the Arts.

Product

Athena Study Abroad currently offers twelve study abroad programs along with two internship

abroad programs. This number is a lot smaller than most competitors but we feel that Athena

provides a more personal experience than the others. Prices currently range from $3499 to

$15,999 for their internship and study abroad programs and offer programs for art majors in all

cities. Primary competitors such as AIFS and ISA currently offer much more programs but prices

for their programs range from $1500 to $46000. Both competitors also offer internships abroad

as well as study abroad programs as well as offering programs for art majors. Athena offers

programs in Europe, Australia and Japan. All internships that Athena offers are located in Italy.

Competitors also offer a wider variety of locations such as countries in South America.

We feel that Athena will separate them from the competition by offering a couple of

improvements to their current products.

Promotion/Place

Art Majors including Art History, Art education, and Art Therapy

Athena’s current brand and mission matches the needs and wants of students seeking a liberal

arts degree in art, art history, or art therapy. If you refer to the growth portion of this document

19

you will find that the number of students graduating in art related fields is shrinking while the

number students graduating in fields related to business is growing. Despite the overall number

of art students shrinking, a growing number of enrolled art students are studying abroad. We

have analyzed promotion towards art students as it fits Athena’s current brand.

Due to the smaller size of Athena and the need to make it a niche brand, we recommend Athena

seeks to promote its products in conventional and unconventional ways.

Promotion Ideas/ Where Athena will be promoted

1) Search Engine Optimization

It is also important that Athena be easily found on Google search. Currently, Athena does not

appear on the front page of Google search for many studies abroad related searches. We

recommend investing in advances search engine optimization techniques to be more visible to

students searching for study abroad programs.

Breakeven: Same as advertising costs

3) Printed Promotion

In schools, students are flooded with brochures and fliers from various companies including

study abroad programs. Athena could drive students to their website and social media through a

creative grassroots campaign. They should think about promotion beyond the typical fliers and

posters on campuses and promote themselves in a way that would break through the clutter. Set

foam planes on tables with Athena’s information branded on it, find symbols used in cultures

abroad and use them as a main image to student’s eyes. It will allow students to remember the

Athena name when searching for a study abroad program.

Breakeven: Variable Costs of how much they want to print.

4) Study Abroad fairs

It seems that Athena spends a sizable portion of their budget on traveling to organization fairs.

Fairs are a good way to court students, but like a grassroots campaign it only works if it stands

out. Have something at organization fairs that differentiate it from the rest of the companies

there. Have something that invites students to the table, such as a prize wheel or a Plinko board.

If they choose to do study abroad fairs it should be with major universities to capture the higher

volume, they are looking for. With the focus group it was found that almost all students could

care less about studying abroad at a small school. They chose to come to Capital for different

reasons than, they would to study abroad. So, changing the customer type they are looking for

will help volume. Also, many study abroad programs don’t get much attention at fairs, so it is

essential to try and get as many, students to visit them at these fairs. The only way to do this

would be to give free incentives, which is pricy or go to bigger universities

Breakeven: 20,000/ 2,000= 10 students to breakeven

20

Overall Recommendations

Utilize Social Media like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to attract Art students:

Details: Athena already has a Facebook and a Twitter account, but they could easily

adapt it to Art students and also improve the social connection. Athena could give away

scholarships to Study Abroad students who would be willing to post tweets, Instagram

photos, or Facebook photos of their trip/Artwork on the Social Media Accounts. This

way potential customers could see the experiences that other Art students are having.

Also on each Social media site Athena could promote an “Artist of the week”. By posting

their art work or art history, if that is their specialty, their artwork could become the

profile picture of Athena’s account for the week. They have a photo contest on their

website but by using social media, the participants are being more active and also using

their own art to win the competition.

- Rationale: The SWOT analysis shows that Social Media is a fast growing advertising

tool. Athena is not fully utilizing Social Media. Also the SWOT shows that technology is

quickly growing, and that many young students do their information search on the

internet and use social media much of the time.

- Breakeven Costs: 3,000/2,000 = 1.5

- The cost for utilizing social media is not that great because Athena could add about

$3,000 to an existing employee’s salary to compensate them for keeping their social

media campaigns updated. This cost could be covered by recruiting two students to study

abroad with Athena.

Create Internship opportunities (unpaid) for Art students:

Details: This would be very similar to an internship for Art students. Students could pick

and choose who they could study under or what type of apprenticeship they would enjoy.

Athena could work with local artists and ask them to let students work with them to learn

their specific craft; this could be anything from weaving to pottery depending on the

country. For the larger areas students could potentially apprentice or intern with some of

the museums that are located all over the world. This would suit the students who want a

feel of a larger environment and more of the classic art style.

- Rationale: According to our focus group, many students would study abroad if they were

offered an internship. It allows for students to gain two experiences via one study abroad

experience. Art students would be able to get hands on experience while learning in the

classroom. It also gives them real world experience for resumes.

- Breakeven Costs: N/A

Open up programs in larger schools and cities:

Details: Opening up programs in larger cities around the world would allow Art students

many more options. These larger cities such as Paris, Milan, and Berlin house the larger

and more famous museums that Art students could attend. By opening up one or two

programs in the larger schools and cities, Athena would be able to gauge the response of

the participants and see if other bigger city programs would be worth pursuing.

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- Rationale: Based on the focus group some students like the small environment, but more

of them insisted on the larger schools. The larger schools offer a more variety of classes

and choices for Art students. Also based on the focus group, students study abroad so that

they can experience classes that they would not be able to take at their home university.

The larger cities and schools would provide many of the optional classes, especially

electives.

- Breakeven costs: 10,000/2,000= 5 students

- The estimated cost of opening up a new program in a large city is around $10,000.

Athena can cover this cost by recruiting 5 new students, which is a very realistic

accomplishment.

Create a Flexible Schedule for the free willed art student:

Details: A flexible schedule would include a possible four day weekend along with a

train ticket included in their package. Many students, especially in Europe, want to travel

while studying abroad. Athena Abroad could find specific programs that offer a shorter

schedule of classes so that the students would be able to choose a program with a longer

weekend for time to travel. In Europe, Athena should offer a train ticket package included

within their package. Travel is very accessible by train in Europe, and therefore the

European programs could offer these tickets as an incentive to go with Athena. Art

students especially would enjoy being able to travel and seeing new and different things,

whether it’s in Art, Architecture, or theatre.

- Rationale: Focus group participants expressed a want of travel while studying abroad.

On student who had studied abroad and had a four-day weekend and claimed that this

was a vital part of her trip. Also travel in itself is increasing and the population is

becoming more culturally aware and want to experience somewhere other than the United

States.

- Breakeven Costs: N/A but there is a variable cost for train tickets which are about 479

dollars for up to 3 months of traveling time.

Offer Art excursions:

Details: Instead of wasting money on regular tourist excursions, Athena should offer

exclusive Art excursions that would be available. Passes are usually necessary for

Museum visits and therefore these passes could be offered to those who want them. Art

students would be able to take a group tour with their peers so whatever well-known or

small art museum in their area of study.

- Rationale: Many of the focus group participants said that they would probably not attend

the excursions and those participants who had previously studied abroad claimed that

they never attended the excursions. By narrowing down the selection to Art excursions

the students would be more encouraged to attend, and Athena would not waste money on

excursions that no one went on.

- Breakeven Costs: No specific breakeven, the variable costs would be about 60 American

dollars per museum pass.

22

Create varied prices, including higher end programs:

Details: After analyzing the focus group and the current competitors of Athena, a

realistic consideration would be to offer cheaper programs for those price sensitive

customers, then more expensive programs for those students who are looking for the

appearance of a quality program. Charging in the middle prices could also improve

participant rates, because students may not view it as too expensive or too cheap,

especially in comparison to the other companies. The more popular areas in Europe could

be the more expensive programs, while the less popular could be slightly cheaper due to

the low demand. A specific example of this could be increasing the price of Greece.

Greece is now $12,650 for a semester. Bump the price up to $13,999 because this would

be in high demand for Art students because Greece was the birth for many different types

of Art. Instead of just having the Fine Arts Triangle we would recommend creating

programs in France because many Art students would want to study there for an extended

period of time instead of a 10 day trip. France could be priced around $14,999 because it

is a very large city with many Art areas to explore. Then at the lower end of the budget

Athena could take their Spain program and drop the price from $10,999 to $8,999. This

could encourage students who are highly aware of price and would also encourage the

growth of the Spain program.

- Rationale: API’s prices range from $5,500 to $18,000, CEA’s prices range from $3,195

to $16,395, and AIFS’s prices range from $4,495 to $16,995. Athena’s main competitors

all have a large range of prices for students to choose from. Since Athena is a small

company in comparison to its competitors, Athena could take the middle route and also

charge a range of prices. Also according to the focus group, many people would be

willing to pay for a good program, although for others cost is the largest problem when it

comes to studying abroad. Another reason for charging the varied prices is many Art

majors are “starving artists”, but many of the top art programs are extremely expensive to

attend. These customers would have more money to spend on a Study Abroad Program.

- Breakeven Costs: 4,000/2,000= 2 students

- Changing Athena’s range of prices would only involve the cost of advertising their new

prices and differentiated programs. This cost can be covered by recruiting two students,

which we believe is very doable.

Appeal to art students overall, focusing on art education and fashion.

Details: In order to appeal to a different side of the Arts, Athena could test out creating a

program that would be tailored towards students of Fashion. Athena could create a

program in Milan, Italy, which is the fashion capital of the world.

Rationale: According to the Situational Analysis, women account for about 60% of

study abroad students. By including a focus on fashion, Athena could attract other

women who may not even be art majors. Education majors within the focus group

claimed that they could not study abroad because of their schedule. By creating an

23

internship program for Art Education majors it would bring Athena a step closer to

accommodating education majors.

Breakeven Costs: 3,000/ 2,000= 1.5 students

- Appealing to these students would only require the cost of advertising, which can easily

be covered by recruiting at least 2 students.

Promote via “Art Gallery Hops”:

Details: An example of an Art Gallery Hop occurs in Columbus. Students and the public

are free to attend all of the Art Galleries and stories promoting their latest work. Within

these Art Galleries, Athena would be able to promote for their Art Study Abroad

Programs. Athena could approach some of these galleries on High Street in Columbus

and make a deal with the Galleries to set out flyers or brochures at their showings. This

gallery hop attracts many of the surrounding Art students, especially Ohio State

University students.

- Rationale: Many people in the focus group had not heard of Athena Abroad before, and

therefore word of mouth could be the best way to promote the company. An art gallery

showing would attract many students who are majors of the Arts. And with Athena being

at an Art Gallery, it would be seen as credible.

- Breakeven Costs: 2,000/ 2,000= 1 students

- The cost associated with promote at the Gallery Hop is due to advertising Athena or

sponsoring the event itself.

Target specific art schools and institutes:

Details: Many schools have specific Art schools and programs, but then there are also

free standing Art school and top notch programs. According to the size portion of the

target analysis these school could have up to over a thousand students participating in

their undergraduate degree in Art. Instead of approaching random schools, Athena could

spend their money to attend these schools to promote Athena Study Abroad.

- Rationale: This would provide a larger population of Art students because at some

schools the art major may not be as popular. There would be a larger pool of students that

would match with Athena’s goals and aims.

- Breakeven Costs: 8,000/2,000= 4 students

- Traveling would be the main expense for targeting specific art schools and institutions.

The estimated cost of traveling and recruiting is about $8,000, which can be met by

recruiting 5 new students.

Make the website more visually appealing:

Details: Instead of having such a whimsical feeling to the website, Athena could create a

feeling of culture and History. Athena could do this by having their main page as a

collage of photos and art done by some of the students that have studied abroad with

them. Athena could also use a more neutral tone for the font and links that the students

click on. Emphasize the information and the feeling that the student will get if the student

decides to study abroad with Athena.

24

- Rationale: In the focus group many of the participants did not respond positively to the

website at first glance. It is very important to have an appealing website because

according to our situational analysis the first place that students look is on the internet.

Without a good website, students may automatically dismiss Athena.

- Breakeven Costs: 10,000/ 2,000 = 5 OR 2,500/2,000 = 1.25

- Buyerzone.com is a website design company that we researched, which could redesign

Athena’s current website. Their higher end designs are around $10,000 and their middle

price is about $2,500. We definitely think Athena can recruit 1-5 students, depending on

which price they choose, to cover the cost of redoing their website. Also, the website is

their biggest asset for their customers to utilize for research so having a more appealing

and user-friendly website would pay for itself in the long run by attracting more

customers.

Appendix A

WORKS CITED FOR SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

1. "Open Doors 2011 Fast Facts." Open Doors | Institute of International Education. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. <http://www.iie.org/en/Research-and-Publications/Open-

Doors>.

2. "Program Models." - Study Abroad Office. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012.

<http://www.uic.edu/depts/spec_prog/studyabroad/faculty/models.shtml>.

3. "Study Abroad." Choosing a Program. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2012.

<http://www.brandeis.edu/acserv/abroad/begin/chooseprog.html>.

4. Kearns, Jeff. "Business Economists Reduce U.S. GDP Growth Forecasts." Bloomberg. 15

Oct. 2012.

5. Marcinko, Richard, and John Weisman. Rogue Warrior. New York: Pocket, 1992. Print.

6. Press Release, The Federal Reserve. 24 Oct. 2012.

7. Wike, Richard. Wait, You Still Don't Like Us? Anti-Americanism Persists, Pew

Charitable Trust.

8. Winneg, Ken. National Annenberg Election Survey. Annenberg Public Policy Center.

25

9. Wroughton, Lesley. Analysis: Uneasy Role for IMF in Euro Zone Crisis, Reuters.

10. Breen, Marcus. "Privileged Migration: American Undergraduates, Study Abroad,

Academic Tourism,." Critical Arts- A South-north Journal of Cultural & Media

Studies (2012): 82- 137. EBSCO. Web.

11. Miller, Richard K. "Leisure Travel." Leisure Market Research Handbook (2012): 187-90.

EBSCO. Web.

12. Naylor, Rebecca W., Cait P. Lamberton, and Patricia M. West. "Beyond the "like"

Button: The Impact of Mere Virtual Presence on Brand Evaluations and Purchase

Intentions in Social Media Settings." Journal of Marketing (2012): 105-18. EBSCO.

Web.

13. Tyler, Kathryn. "The Tethered Generation." HR Magazine (2007): 23-28.

Appendix B Works Cited for Marketing Plan

1. Gillette, Hope. "Pew: Record Numbers of High School and College Graduates in 2012." Pew:

Record Numbers of High School and College Graduates in 2012. Voxxi, 10 Nov. 2012.

Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.voxxi.com/pew-high-school-college-graduates/>.

2. Newman, Rick. "Where the Jobs Are, and the College Grads Aren't." US News. U.S.News &

World Report, 14 May 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2012/05/14/where-the-jobs-are-and-

the-college-grads-arent>.

3. "Humanities Resources Online - Section III.B." Humanities Resources Online - Section III.B.

Humanities Resource Center Online, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.humanitiesindicators.org/content/hrcoiiib.aspx>.

4. Kingkade, Tyler. "Colleges With The Best Fine Arts Programs: US News & World Report

List." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 01 June 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/01/colleges-best-fine-arts-

programs_n_1562401.html>.

5. Office for Study Abroad." Office for Study Abroad. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

<http://studyabroad.gwu.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink>.

6. "Welcome to Yale University." Yale University. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.yale.edu/>.

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7. "Rhode Island School of Design | RISD." Rhode Island School of Design | RISD. N.p., n.d.

Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.risd.edu/>.

8. "UCLA." UCLA. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ucla.edu/>.

9. "SAIC - School of the Art Institute of Chicago." SAIC - School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.saic.edu/index.html>.

10. "CalArts | California Institute of the Arts." CalArts | California Institute of the Arts. N.p., n.d.

Web. 27 Nov. 2012. <http://calarts.edu/>.

11. "Carnegie Mellon University | CMU." Carnegie Mellon University | CMU. N.p., n.d. Web.

27 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cmu.edu/index.shtml>.