marketing plan -gems extreme summer camp

TOUR 112

Susan Halsall

Marketing Plan

Gianna Gillales, Erin Spencer, Manuel Villalobos and Sarah Lo

November 28th, 2013

GEMS Extreme Summer Camp TOUR 112-‐Fall 2013

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Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary ................................................................................................. 4

2 Situational Analysis ................................................................................................. 5

2.1 Company and Business Description ................................................................... 5

2.2 Customers ........................................................................................................ 6

2.2.1 Market Demographics ................................................................................. 6

2.2.2 Market Needs .............................................................................................. 6

2.2.3 Market Trends ............................................................................................. 7

2.3 Channels ........................................................................................................... 7

2.4 Competition ...................................................................................................... 7

2.5 TREES ................................................................................................................ 9

2.5.1 Technological Situation & Issues .................................................................. 9

2.5.2 Regulatory Situation & Issues ....................................................................... 9

2.5.3 Economic Situation & Issues ...................................................................... 10

2.5.4 Ecological Situations & Issues .................................................................... 10

2.5.5 Social/Cultural Situations & Issues ............................................................. 11

3 SWOT .................................................................................................................... 12

3.1 Strengths ........................................................................................................ 12

3.2 Weaknesses .................................................................................................... 13

3.3 Opportunities .................................................................................................. 14

3.4 Threats ........................................................................................................... 15

4 Product Offering and Plan ..................................................................................... 15

5 Keys to Success .................................................................................................... 15

6 Critical Issues ....................................................................................................... 16

7 Marketing Strategy ................................................................................................ 17

7.1 Mission Statement ........................................................................................... 17


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7.2 Target Markets ................................................................................................ 17

7.3 Marketing Objectives ...................................................................................... 18

7.4 Strategic Focus ............................................................................................... 19

8 Marketing Mix ...................................................................................................... 19

8.1 Product Action Plan ......................................................................................... 19

8.1.1 Position and Branding ................................................................................ 22

8.1.2 Product Decisions ...................................................................................... 23

8.1.3 Delivery Decisions ..................................................................................... 24

8.2 Distribution Action Plan .................................................................................. 25

8.2.1 Access ....................................................................................................... 25

8.2.2 Resellers/Intermediaries ............................................................................ 26

8.2.3 Partnerships .............................................................................................. 26

8.2.4 Title Transfer ............................................................................................. 27

8.3 Pricing Action Plan .......................................................................................... 27

8.3.1 Costs ......................................................................................................... 27

8.3.2 Competitive Pricing ................................................................................... 29

8.3.3 Channel Pricing ......................................................................................... 29

8.3.4 Consumer-level Pricing ............................................................................. 29

8.3.5 Methods and Terms of Payment ................................................................. 30

8.4 Marketing Communication Action Plan ............................................................ 30

8.4.1 Groundwork .............................................................................................. 30

8.4.2 Digital Media Action Plan ........................................................................... 33

8.4.3 Advertising Action Plan .............................................................................. 34

8.4.4 PR and Publicity Action Plan ....................................................................... 35

8.4.5 Sales Promotion Action Plan- Consumer and Trade ................................... 37

8.4.6 Personal Selling Action Plan- Consumer and Trade .................................... 37


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9 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 37

10 References .......................................................................................................... 38


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1 Executive Summary GEMS Extreme Summer Camp is a privately owned business that provides weeklong

summer camps for tweens and teens ages 12-‐17. The camp runs all summer out of the Cowichan Lake Outdoor Education and Conference and provides campers with a variety of outdoor activities and sports that are not easily accessible to them otherwise. “Our goal is to provide youth with a caring experience in which campers develop independence, self-‐esteem, self-‐confidence and group belonging in a healthy and safe environment. Our camp leaders strive to enrich the lives of campers throughout fun, new experiences, creating new friends and great memories that will last a lifetime.”

Our staff are highly trained and equipped with tools to ensure the campers have the best experience at camp. Our head staff members consist of the founders, owners and program operators: Gianna Gillales, Erin Spencer, Manuel Villalobos and Sarah Lo. We are accompanied by eight senior and seven junior counsellors who are with the campers in every aspect of the campers’ experience. In addition to the counsellors, GEMS employs two boat drivers and four lifeguards for all of our water activities. Our training consists of an intensive weeklong session to ensure that our staff provide the best experience for all campers.

Our primary market is the local B.C. youth who are currently enrolled in high schools from around the province. The parents of the youth are working through the summer and are looking for ways to get their youth outside and active. We provide adventures, new experiences, and the opportunities to make new friends. Teens learn to gain independence, skills, and confidence while experiencing the great outdoors. Our secondary target market is International Youth and who have recently moved to Canada, or who are visiting Canada. These teens are looking to experience the western culture and the diversity that British Columbia has to offer. These international campers can strengthen their language skills while gaining independence, confidence and self-‐esteem. This allows these students to learning and experience the without applying for a study permit. Our strategies are to target youth through our intermediaries such workers within the school districts and community centers with youth programs, as well as international education centres. Social media is our main pathway to reach the teens.

Our main competitors are Keats Camps located on Keats Camps and Camp Qwanoes.

Both these camps are faith base camps unlike GEMS. These camps have been operating on the coast for many years and are major threats to our small camp. Our technological situation and issues are minimal because we are using well known social media sites and Paypal for online registration payments. The regulatory situation and issues are controlled by the owners and the facility manager at Cowichan Lake Outdoor Education and Conference. Working together, we discuss permitting, licensing and insurance policies to protect our staff, campers and facility.


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Our economic situation and issues are limited Our target is the middle to higher class family, so they will have a fair amount of disposable income due to double income from both parents. As a result financially, they will be able to send their teens to GEMS. Our ecological situation and issues are operated and maintained by the facility manager of the centre. GEMS help by ensuring our activities and products have minimal effects on the environment.

2 Situational Analysis

2.1 Company and Business Description GEMS Extreme Summer Camp was founded in 2013 by Gianna Gillales, Erin Spencer,

Manuel Villalobos and Sarah Lo. The company is operated by the four founders, but each of them is responsible for different aspects of the company. Gianna is the Director of Sales and Promotions, Erin organizes the finances, the Program Director is Manuel and, finally, Sarah overlooks the Guest Services and the office work. GEMS consist of four directors (the owners) and fifteen counsellors ages eighteen to twenty-‐two, eight senior and seven junior counsellors. As well, we employ four lifeguards and two boat drivers with full licenses. All staff members must be passionate about working with youth, outgoing and have strong leadership skills. During training, all staff members will be trained in first aid and other camp activities such as rock climbing. They must also have a criminal record check complete.

GEMS is located on the beautiful shore of Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island. The camp takes over the Lake Cowichan Conference centre for the summer. This facility is on 44 acres of land and offers lake front access for all of the water activities. The area is secluded is the perfect location for youth to learn about the environment and participate in outdoor activities. Promoting a healthy active lifestyle for young campers in the summer is necessary for a balanced life. This prime location on Vancouver Island is spectacular because it is removed from the loud crazy city allowing the campers to focus on the outdoors. GEMS Extreme Summer Camp offers a variety of land and water sports. The facility has volleyball, soccer, badminton, swimming, boating, and hiking trails. We add our own little touch to the area by increasing the amount of activities such as mountain biking, wakeboarding, tubing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boards, jet skiing, archery, crafts, and other recreational supports. With offering a variety of activities and exposing the campers to them, we hope that they will find an interest, which will turn it into a hobby. We hope that it will give them a positive outlook on physical activity as well as an outdoor education. The camp is run out of the Cowichan Lake Outdoor Education and Conference Centre which “includes a site General Manager, an on-‐site program coordinator, a naturalist with environmental qualifications, contract training specialists from nearby post-‐secondary institutions, as well as grounds keeping,


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maintenance, security, transportation, housekeeping and food preparation staff who all work as a team to ensure that each visitor has a rewarding experience” (Cowichan Lake Outdoor Education and Conference Centre). GEMS does not have to worry about those employees because they are not employed by the company.

2.2 Customers

2.2.1 Market Demographics The University of Waterloo teamed up with the Canadian Camping Association to

conduct some research on summer camps and their results show that biggest demographics for campers are from ages ten to twelve year olds with 38%. The ethnicity with the greatest percentage is Caucasian with 47%. This survey asked a total of 1,288 campers from a variety of camps across the country. Our product is available to the boys and girls ages twelve to seventeen. Each week is dedicated to a certain age group so like ages and interest can be together. Our target market is youth from middle to high class families who have the money to send their youth to camp for one week. These families live in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. Statistics Canada shows an increase in the amount of immigrants to Canada from countries as the People's Republic of China and India. We hope to expand our market to the immigrant youth. Dealing with parents who are new to the country is a challenge but GEMS respects all cultural needs and practices.

2.2.2 Market Needs The needs of the customer are from two separate groups. The first the need of the

parents needs to be fulfilled. The safety of their child is important. They want their child to have fun, be active, and make unforgettable friends and memories. The parents are sending their child away for a week and they do not want to worry about the safety of their child. They are more likely to do some research about the camps, searching for the safest one with a great reputation. The need itself is the supervision of the youth when they are at work. This affects their buying behaviour because parents want reliable facilities and staff. Youth are also introduced to activities that cannot be accessible at home. With a camp that will meet all their needs, the parents will have a positive attitude towards our business. GEMS Extreme Summer Camps wants to ensure parents of the safety of our activities, the certified training of our staff and a place where great memories will easily be made. If all the standards and qualifications are meet the parents’ assessment list then the purchase is made.

The camper on the other hand, the one receiving the product needs to have fun by participating in activities. They want an exciting summer with memories and outgoing counsellors who will make every aspect unforgettable. These campers experience adventure, responsibility and individual growth. At GEMS each need of the parents and youth are


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acknowledge and a potentially fulfilled. Our staff get to know the campers in depth; they are trained to include all campers in each activity.

2.2.3 Market Trends Attending summer camps has been present in many youth`s summers for the past years.

From 2004 to 2007, summer camps declined but, fortunately, have recovered in the last couple of years. More and more families have two parents working and require day care, nannies and babysitters during the school year. When summer arrives many parents have to book off work to accommodate their youth. Summer camps are a great replacement for the secondary care givers. Campers are constantly being supervised and entertained. Family sizes are becoming smaller. Couples are having one or two kids are more popular these days. Many families can afford to send their child or youth to summer camps. Parents also prefer that their youth be active and proactive during the summer months. Religious camps and non-‐religious camps have seen the shift in the market. The market is expanding slightly. The economy is recovering and individuals are spending money again. More non-‐religious camps are being created because of the sensitive topic of religion.

2.3 Channels Consumers can access are products through our website initially, that is where youth

and parents register for camp. If campers are coming to camp from the Lower Mainland, there are designated buses campers will depart from the ferry terminal, which will take them to GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. Campers on the island can be dropped off by parents or guardians at designated times.

GEMS has a variety of summer suppliers such as the Lake Cowichan Conference Centre who supplies the facility, At The Lake Distributing Incorporation who supplies all the water activities equipment, and other sports equipment from Canadian Tire. These suppliers are costly but they allow GEMS to have the best equipment every year. Our customers have to compensate with high camp fees to ensure our recreational budget can include the proper effective equipment, which is new every other year. The budget is about $50, 000 initially but will be less every year. We do sell our gently used equipment to make back a portion of the money back. GEMS has safety policies and procedures which allow us to buy new equipment often. Broken or faulty equipment can cause an injury and we try to prevent all of them.

2.4 Competition GEMS is a non domination camp, unlike many of our competitors. Christian camps such

as Camp Qwanoes on Vancouver Island and Keats Camps on the Sunshine coast are our biggest competitors. Camp Qwanoes offers an extensive list of activities such as trampoline, fishing and


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knee boarding. They also offer memorabilia such as staff photos and DVDs of the camper`s week. A one-‐week camp cost about $565 with a maximum amount of 410 campers (Camp Qwanoes). A big camp like this one does not offer a personal connection between the staff and the campers due to the amount of kids. With their high number of campers, they are able to offer a lower price but the quality of service is less because of the high amount of youth all wanting the same attention. The camp is also deeply religious which is a disadvantage for them because the target market is limited to religious parents or campers. Many families will be happier with a lower price, which is an advantage, but the connection between campers and counsellors is poor. Qwanoes uses a variety of social media sights and brochures available upon request to promote their business.

Another major competitor for GEMS is Keats Camp which has been operational for over 80 years. They run seven different camps throughout the summer, which are about $650. They offer rock climbing, sailing, a skate park and a low ropes course. This past summer, Keats had a referral program that stated “once you have referred 5 friends and they have all registered, you are eligible to receive one of our GREAT prizes!!! Only the first 30 people to refer 5 friends will receive a prize” (Keats Camp). One advantage Keats has is that it is well known and has history. They also have fabulous young staff that are passionate and dedicated. Their disadvantages are they demolished their adventure camps that used to run during the summer as well. Keats camp uses word of mouth and connections as their main form of their channels. They also used social media ads on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to boost their marketing. In addition, Keats has brochures and posters at local schools to promote their business. Keats also uses their employees who mostly are involved with youth groups and ministries to get kids to sign up for Keats. Camp Activities Price (per week) GEMS Extreme Summer Camp Canoeing

Kayaking Mountain Biking Wakeboarding Jet skiing Paddle boarding Archery

$710

Camp Qwanoes Trampoline Fishing Knee Boarding Canoeing Kayaking

$565

Keats Camp Rock Climbing Sailing

$650


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Skateboarding Low Ropes Course Canoeing Kayaking

2.5 TREES

2.5.1 Technological Situation & Issues The recent technological advances include the ability to pay via credit card online, as

well as the ability to create multiple accounts with various websites where we will be able to give information and keep it all very simple for the customer. The ability to use PayPal and credit card will completely change how we receive registrations because of the fact that we most likely will not be receiving as many mailed applications and cheques. Since we would like to create a very nice and informative website which showcases all of our events and general information, we will need to hire someone to manage that as well as our other social networking sites which will change the power structure. The rate of diffusion is the rate that a new idea goes from one consumer to another consumer. In our case, the rate of diffusion would be the rate that our new technology is used and recommended to other customers. These changes will affect our organization and its marketing because it will all be much more advanced and easier for the customers, as well as us to use. We will be able to create a website with information and online registration which will be extremely convenient for customers. We will also be creating Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts where we will be able to showcase all of our photos, and give out information regarding registration, dates, and other important information.

2.5.2 Regulatory Situation & Issues We will need to obtain any necessary licenses to operate a summer camp. Some of the

licenses will include a food and beverage license, safety license, environmental license and a childcare license. These are going to be vital parts of starting up the summer camp because it will be illegal to operate without the necessary licenses and we will be able to price our camp at a higher rate because of our licenses. Some certificates required for operating would be a food license, childcare license, and any sort of license that would be necessary for the outdoor activities the youth would be partaking in. All of our staff will need to get a criminal record check because they are working with youth. Some of our volunteers will also have first aid and lifeguarding certifications to ensure the safety of the teens. We will be purchasing insurance to ensure the safety and make sure that in the case anything were to happen, we would be covered. This insurance includes property, accident and any other liabilities. These trends will affect our organization and its marketing plans because it is extremely important to ensure that


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we have taken all necessary steps to make sure we have the right certification and our staff is certified and that we have purchased insurance in case of an emergency. On our website, we will be able to post that the staff has the necessary certifications and that we are certified to run our camp which will draw the consumer in because they will now know that we are a safe, reputable camp.

2.5.3 Economic Situation & Issues Our target markets are teens. For the teens, their main goal is to have fun and meet

new friends. They will always be coming back and referring their friends who will help us grow. Their parents will hopefully do the same and refer us to their friends for their teens. Since we are going to be appealing to Canadian Families, we will not need to worry about the different currencies, as the only currency used will be Canadian. The Canadian dollar is currently stable. Our target is the middle to higher class family, so they will have a fair amount of disposable income for them to send their teens to GEMS. The middle to high class families have a yearly household income of anywhere from $58,000-‐$118,000. According to the Bank of Canada, inflation and interest rates are going to stay very stable and will not be moving very much. The only issues around infrastructure would be environmental issues such as if there is a downpour during the camp, as there has been in past summers, there is the possibility of Lake Cowichan flooding. Power, roads, and trails shouldn’t be impacted by our actions but could be because of anything that we cannot control. There will be no issues with workforce skill levels and availability as we will make sure all staff is at the same level of skill. These trends will affect our organization because with the income information and information about targets, we will be able to focus our camp on that target while still making sure we stay diverse.

2.5.4 Ecological Situations & Issues At GEMS Extreme Summer Camp, the campsite that will be rented includes electricity,

plumbing, water, food, and wood. The electricity comes from a power plant located in the town of Lake Cowichan and hydroelectric power is used. The plumbing system has already been installed. The lake serves the source of drinking water for the town of Lake Cowichan and a reservoir for the Cowichan River. There are also groundwater storages and watersheds available. The campers will be paying an eight-‐dollar fee for water use, which will be included in the price. Since the campsite is close to the lake, the wood will be collected from the beach to use as firewood for campfires.

There will be two truck deliveries of supplies and food to the campsite. The supplies include toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags, coolers, cutlery, plates, dish soap, large water jugs, folding tables, dish rags/towels, first aid kits and a toolbox to repair things. Most of the kitchen tools are already included with the onsite kitchen on the campsite. The campsite has cabins located on the waterfront of Lake Cowichan. Each cabin has a small bathroom that


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includes a sink and toilet. The showers are located behind the cabins in a small area. Inside the cabins there will be mattresses included. The campers will be in charge of bringing sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, etc.

Transportation is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. There will be many campers who will be driving to the campsite, which will increase the greenhouse gas emissions. We recommend that campers should try to carpool with others or take transit because the camp is on a bus route. Also, GEMS Extreme Summer Camp will be using jet skis and tubing on the lake. There is the risk of having an oil leak into the lake, which will harm not only the species living there, but also the water that is used by the town of Lake Cowichan. We will be renting our boats from Cowichan Lake Marina. It would be unlikely for an oil leak as there will be an expert from the rental shop driving the boats. The price of fuel and usage of the boats will be included in the camper’s total price. Also, another concern for the environment would be where to dispose of wastewater and sewage wastes. Our wastewater and sewage wastes will be sent to a sewage treatment plant and wastewater plant, so that the material can be broken down safely and put back into the water. We have a policy of reuse, reduce, and recycle. Our campers will be educated on helping the environment to stay clean.

2.5.5 Social/Cultural Situations & Issues Attending a summer camp is a way for teens to explore a variety of experiences in their

lives to help them grow into healthy adolescents and adults. GEMS Extreme Summer Camp helps teens to develop positive behaviors through fun activities. By joining this summer camp, teens will feel connected to others and society, gain new skills, meet new people, encounter positive social interactions, discuss the meaning up leadership in workshops, and participate in physical activities. GEMS Extreme summer Camp experience is uniquely positioned to provide all of these needs for teenagers. GEMS’ goal is that by the end of this camp, campers will learn to be independent, make decisions for themselves, and develop social and emotional skills.

The social trends that would affect our product would be set for health conscious, eco-‐friendly, and wanting to reduce their carbon footprint in order to have a successful business. Our product that we provide at GEMS Extreme Summer Camp is a co-‐ed summer camp. We allow both males and females aged twelve to seventeen that are still attending high school. The majority of our campers will be from North Vancouver and the Lower Mainland in Vancouver.

There are some prevailing attitudes that could affect GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. There are anti-‐camping activists that object to having water sports and motorized boats on Lake Cowichan. There are also happy locals who do not mind having campers on Lake Cowichan because it brings in money for the tourism industry.


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3 SWOT

3.1 Strengths

Staff GEMS Summer Camp will offer professionally behaved, experienced camp counsellors.

These counsellors will be trained to be great leaders and role models; they will also be trained to deal with unusual behavior with problem solving strategies. The dedicated camp counsellors will be assisted by committed youth volunteers who have chosen to spend part of their summer helping a group of kids develop their leadership skills and make friends.

Connections with market Enthusiastic GEMS’ employees will be visiting many main high schools in the Lower

Mainland, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan to market and promote the summer camp. These trips will consist in visiting grade eight to eleven classes to advertise the product and the experiences prospective campers will encounter. This will be the perfect time to excite and attract the customers.

Location This year the camp will be located next to the beautiful Lake Cowichan, just an hour

away from the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. This location offers many activities for the campers, volunteers and staff that includes, but is not limited to, canoeing, kayaking, swimming in the lake, hiking, orienteering, and fun games. This location also has a volleyball court and net, a big field, which can be used to play soccer, ultimate, baseball, football, and many other activities and sports, and a big games room with a table tennis table, a pool table, videogames, and board games. This convenient location offers a variety of activities and makes sure everyone has different options and choices to make it a fun time for everyone. This location also has two main big dormitory buildings with shared washrooms and showers; each dormitory can sleep up to 56 people, perfect to split girls and boys. It also has many four-‐person cabins, perfect for camp counsellors and volunteers.


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Resources The campsite is supplied with kayaks, canoes, and other sports equipment. The rent of

the campsite includes: all the cabins and dormitories necessary with its beds, showers, bathrooms, electricity, hot water, and heat. The rent also includes the availability of the games room, dining room and first aid cabin 24/7. There will also be 3 cooks in-‐site providing breakfasts, lunches and dinners every day of the summer. (Cooks and food is included with the campsite.

Technology GEMS Summer Camp’s website will offer campers, parents and/or guardians all the

information about camp: where it is located, how to get there, counsellor information, things to do, available food, price, emergency contact, information for campers, site, accommodations, a photo gallery, event calendar, news, and they will also be able to register and pay on the website.

3.2 Weaknesses

Staff The job as a staff is ongoing during the summer, since they have to be alert 24 hours a

day, 7 days a week. We might also encounter problems with staff when they burnout from interacting with campers all day, every day. Giving counsellors breaks during the day or letting them rest for a day or even a weekend can avoid this problem.


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General business success 2014 will be the first summer GEMS will be operating, therefore the management will

not know if many families will sign up their youth for camp. Not knowing the number of campers we will receive during the summer is not an advantage for our company, we need to know how many staff member we will need to hire before hand, we also need to know how much of supplies we need to order and buy. We have a limit number of campers who can register; we can lodge up to 75 campers per week.

Location This location comes with risks that definitely have to be considered. Having access to

the lake for the day can be very dangerous; there is a risk of campers not being able to swim, because of the temperature of the water, of simply because they are not physically able to swim. We will reduce these lake risks by hiring a lifeguard who will watch over the lake and campers during swimming times.

There is also the risk of having wild animals in site, of campers getting hurt, or of staying in site for periods of time longer than expected because of natural reasons. Staff is highly trained to handle any type of natural situation; they are all certified to do first aid and CPR.

3.3 Opportunities

Consumer As mentioned before, we believe we have so many opportunities to target the market

face-‐to-‐face. Our target market is youth between the ages of twelve and seventeen, which means our target market is high school students (grades seven to twelve.) The way we’ll let our target know what we have to offer, the promotion, is by going to high schools in the Lower Mainland, Victoria, Nanaimo and the Okanagan and talking to students and teachers.

Economic GEMS camp tries to competitively price by looking at the competition’s price and trying

to beat it without affecting the quality of our service. This is an opportunity to attract customers who are not looking to spend a great amount of money, but who are still looking for a fun-‐filled summer for their youth.

Social/Cultural Campers have the chance to experience time away from home, as well as parents have

the opportunity to spend time away from their youth. This time will help both, parents and youth, to take a break. (Win-‐win situation)


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Camp will also offer the opportunity to campers to get engaged with their surroundings and spend time away from the city. Campers will be expected to spend time outside and “discover” nature. They will also have the chance to make new friends and work on their teamwork skills by participating in the everyday activities planned.

3.4 Threats

Competition There is a large amount of summer camps offering a similar service in British Columbia;

every one of them offers a different experience and attracts slightly different customers than we do. Our main competitors are camps located in the Sunshine Coast and the Vancouver Island, who attract high school students and offer similar services as us. GEMS also has to consider summer camps that are focused on a certain activity or sport (snowboard camps, volleyball camps, weight-‐loss camps, etc.) and try to explain why they should our services instead of the other camps’ services.

Regulatory Running a summer camp comes with many responsibilities, as we are liable for campers

and volunteers. As a company, we will have to deal with many risk management procedures to lower the chances to be sued by a parent if a child gets injured.

4 Product Offering and Plan Please see section 8.1 of this document.

5 Keys to Success

1. Professionally trained and experienced camp counsellors. GEMS caring camp staff are reliable in topics such as health, wellness, emergencies, bully prevention, and motivation. The staff is trained in all the areas mentioned above to provide support to campers, make them feel welcome and provide the sense of belonging. GEMS’ staff is also required to attend a two-‐day first aid certification training, and requires two certified lifeguards in site at all times to provide safety. GEMS’ counsellors and there to assist all campers with every aspect of their

2. GEMS location is chosen to benefit campers


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GEMS camp is conventionally located next to Lake Cowichan, on the Vancouver Island. This location offers many perks to both, campers and counsellors. Counsellors will be able to plan activities in the open fields, in the woods, or in the outstanding main lodge, and campers will be able to enjoy the lake, play their favourite sports on the field, go hiking and benefit from the indoor entertainment in the lodge on rainy days. Lake Cowichan Conference Centre, where the campsite is located, is equipped with kayaks, canoes, sport equipment, board games, videogames, televisions, and much more. With all these, campers will always be active and meeting other youth.

3. Enhancing personal development

Summer camps, such as GEMS Camp, offer a social environment where campers will be able to interact with other campers and counsellors. The diversity of the community (age, background, values, habits) will teach campers adaptability skills and will show them different points of view. GEMS will help campers develop creativity by offering numerous craft activities such as ceramics, knitting, bracelet making, painting, and much more. Staff will also support and encourage campers to make positive friendships and experiences, resulting in self-‐confidence. And finally, campers will experience time away from home, and will gain independence by making their own decisions and choices.

6 Critical Issues

1. Continuous increase in the number and kinds of competition. Being one of the numerous summer camps in British Columbia, GEMS faces a large range of competition. A general, outdoors summer camp could not be the number one option for youth who like a sport, or an activity, in specific, making a specialized camp their number one choice. Even in the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, and Lower Mainland, there are many outdoor, popular summer camps that we compete against. A way to make sure we attract youth to our camp is by going to high schools, and youth groups all over the Lower Mainland and the Vancouver Island. We will talk to staff, parents and youth, to advertise what our programs offer and how their youth can benefit from us.

2. Risks Management

Running any type of company comes with risks, but running a summer camp comes with an even higher amount of risk, since we are responsible of youth and youth. Risk management is the best way to avoid accidents, or at least reduce the possibility of


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happening. We will protect youth and staff with an insurance coverage, staff are trained for emergency situations such as medical emergencies and natural disasters.

3. Weather incidents

Although GEMS is favourably located next to a beautiful lake, and a green forest, a few aspects could keep youth from benefiting from these perks. Extreme weather can be a concern that might keep campers and counsellors in the indoors for hours, or maybe days. It could also restrict suppliers to deliver food, campers to leave. During situations like these, staff will create indoor activities to keep youth socializing and engaging with fellow campers. A way to avoid undesirable situations is by preparing with always having extra inventory in the kitchen, and having “emergency indoor activities” planned in case it excessively rains.

4. Decline in local economy

The Canadian economy has been stable, however, it does not mean we are safe and GEMS can be affected economically by a recession and inflation, leading to decreases in discretionary income. As we are vulnerable to both, recession and inflation, the company will have to perform adjustments to keep the camp running, such as price increases, layoffs, switch to growing markets, and differentiation.

7 Marketing Strategy

7.1 Mission Statement “Our goal is to provide youth with a caring experience in which campers and counsellors develop independence, self-‐esteem, self-‐confidence and group belonging in a healthy and safe environment. Our camp leaders strive to enrich the lives of campers throughout fun, new experiences, creating new friends and great memories that will last a lifetime.”

7.2 Target Markets GEMS targets youth between the ages of 12-‐17 from British Columbia, and international

youth who would are looking for a local experience, and a way to discover what nature has to offer in Canada. Target Market Characteristics of the Market Local Youth (Primary Market)

! Currently enrolled in high school. With over 440 public high schools and over 100 private high schools in British Columbia (British Columbia Teacher’s Federation, 2012),


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the number of potential customers can reach up to 300,000 students.

! Youth whose busy parents might spend a lot of time at work, who we can attract and who will, eventually, make the final purchasing decision.

! Slowly increasing market in British Columbia. ! Youth seeking for adventures, new experiences, and new

friends. ! Sporty, active teens looking to gain independence, skills,

and confidence while experiencing the great outdoors. International Youth (Secondary Market)

! International youth who have recently moved to Canada, or who are visiting Canada.

! Looking to experience the western culture and the cultural diversity that British Columbia has to offer.

! Seeking to escape from their culture for the time staying in Canada.

! Strengthen their language skills while gaining independence, confidence and self-‐esteem.

! International teens searching for a Canadian learning experience without applying for a study permit.

7.3 Marketing Objectives

GEMS Summer Camp has set themselves the following specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time based objectives, which we hope to accomplish within the time frame.

1. To grow and expand as a summer camp by welcoming 20% more campers each summer for the next 5 years.

2. To expand our national and international market. We would like to increase the number

of youth who come from outside of British Columbia by 10% in the next 3 years. 3. To improve awareness of our company by 50% within 3 years. 4. To become one of the top three summer camps named among customers within 10

years.


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7.4 Strategic Focus

1. Once the first summer is over, and we can see the number of youth who chose to spend their summer with us, for how long, and how profitable and stable we were, we will take action to grow as a company. We plan to welcome and attract 20% more campers each year by increasing marketing; therefore we need plan accordingly by hiring at least three more counsellors, renting more space, obtaining more supplies, etc.

2. As a result of mainly focusing on local youth at this moment, we will be missing the

cultural diversity most parents want their youth to experience. Therefore, we plan to target more potential customers who live outside of British Columbia next year. GEMS summer camp will be marketing their product to international private schools in the Lower Mainland, Canadian students who want to experience what British Columbia’s nature has to offer, and to foreign youth who want to travel to Canada. We will advertise our products mainly on social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, etc.

3. The way we plan to improving awareness of our company is by increasing referrals from

our intermediaries. We will work on building relationships with high school counsellors, teachers, parents, community centres, and other youth groups, resulting in established trust and reliability. Another way to increase awareness is by advertising and promoting ourselves on local newspapers in the spring season when parents try to decide the summer plans. We also will be on the social media, as mentioned before, to post pictures, and videos of the site and previous experiences to make the product tangible.

To become one of the most named and best summer camps in British Columbia will require a lot of marketing strategies, and positioning ourselves to create a brand profile.

8 Marketing Mix

8.1 Product Action Plan GEMS Extreme Summer Camp is located within the Lake Cowichan Conference centre

which covers 44 acres of land. The camp consists of lake front access for swimming and for all our other water activities, volleyball court, badminton, hiking trails and outdoor areas designated for recreational sports.


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Camp Layout The property contains eight buildings for accommodations, meetings and dinning.

Campers will be staying in the Kaatza Dormitory (8 counsellors and 53 campers), Lakeview Cottage (3 counsellors and 16 campers) and Lakeshore Cottage (2 counsellors and 6 campers). All buildings have showers and bathroom facilities and bunk beds. Each building has its own rustic outdoor feel, which makes them extremely comfortable. The other staff members and extra counsellors will stay in the Cutthroat and Rainbow cabins.

The Grand Hall is located in the middle of the camp, which is easily accessible for all

campers. The hall is where the campers will eat meals three times a day. Like all the other buildings, the rustic outdoor theme is present; the hall is equipped with a fireplace. Each table will have a counsellor and 7 campers where they can choose their own seats. This gives the campers the opportunity to meet other campers who are not in their cabins and make friends. The kitchen is off limits to all campers but it extends off the back of the Grand Hall.

The other two buildings are Open Door Meeting Room (960 sqft) which will be used for

as crafts, board games and other indoor activities. This addition space allows GEMS to offer other activities when the weather conditions are not acceptable for the campers to be outdoors. The other building, The Lakeview Meeting Room is where the staff have their daily 30-‐minute meetings with the program directors to inform them about the upcoming activities.

Camp Itinerary A typical camp day includes: Time Activity


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8:00-8:30 am Wake up

8:30-9:30 am Breakfast

9:30- 10:30 am Cabin Clean up with Junior counsellor, Senior counsellors meeting with owners

10:30-11:00 am

Field game or activity

11:00am- 12:30pm

First Activity

12:30- 1:30pm Lunch

1:30-3:00 pm Second Activity

3:30-6:00pm Free time (all activities open as well as the concession)

6:00-6:30pm Senior Counsellor help campers to get ready for theme dinner, Junior Counsellor meeting

6:30-7:30pm Dinner

7:30- 9:00pm Group Activity (night game, dance party, camp fire)

9:00-10:00pm Dessert and Cabin

10:30pm Lights out

Campers will be woken up by their counsellors 8:00 am where they will have half an

hour before Breakfast. Each morning the breakfast menu will be different and is prepared by the onsite chefs. The day`s announcements will be made during this time. After breakfast is finished, campers will return to their cabins where they will clean up their areas with the junior counsellors. Cabins and rooms will compete against each other to see who can collect the most points at the end of the week for the cleanest cabin. One of the program directors will come around later in the day to inspect. At this time the senior counsellors will be in a staff meeting to discuss the activities they will be running later in the day. They will also be given duties and roles for the evening activities. After the campers are finished cleaning, they will meet in the centre field to play games with their cabins and to hangout. Starting at 11:00 am, campers will participate in the activities they sign up for on the first day of camp. All activities will be run by the counsellors until lunch. These activities include volleyball, soccer, badminton, swimming, boating, hiking, mountain biking, wakeboarding, tubing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boards, jet


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skiing, archery and crafts. This gives the campers the opportunities to try out outdoor recreational activities and sports they have not tried before. All activities have limited spots but all campers have the same opportunities to try them throughout the week. Next, is lunch which is followed by the second activity choosing by the camper. Starting at 3:30pm is free time. This free time is given to the campers to socialize with each other, go swimming or try any of the activities they have not experienced yet. GEMS also has a concession that is only opened during this time where campers can buy candy, ice cream, drinks, notebooks and camp souvenirs. The junior counsellors have a staff meeting at 6:00pm, which is identical to the senior counsellor meeting in the morning. Simultaneously, the senior counsellors and the campers will have cabin time where they will dress up for the theme dinner (the theme will be announced at lunch). The campers will be informed to bring costumes in their pre camp packages so they are prepared for the theme nights. After dinner, the whole camp will participate in activity such as a evening recreational game, dance party, movie or a campfire. An hour before bedtime, campers will receive dessert in their cabin and then it is time for bed. The first and last days of camp are different from a standard day of camp. On the first day, the campers arrive at camp, meet counsellors, unpack, go on a camp tour and discus the rules, take the swim test and play ice breaker games to let the campers to get to know each other and the campers. The structure of the first day is to get the camper comfortable with the camp, the staff and to get excited about camp. They are welcomed to GEMS with a dance done by the counsellors, which they learn in pre camp training. The last day of camp is low key. This allows campers to pack up all of their belongings, tidy the camp grounds (pick up garbage) and get on the bus to return home.

8.1.1 Position and Branding GEMS Extreme Summer Camp main feature is an affordable summer camp with the

benefits of outdoor activities for our campers. All campers have the experience to try out new activities and sport that would not be accessible to them at home. GEMS is for all youth ages 12-‐17 who are wanting to attend a non religious camp which is unlike most of our major competitors.

Our brand promises high quality service from our staff with activities that will make pleasant memories for all campers to enjoy. We offer quality and have standards on the delivery of our product by having consistent training from the owners (programs directors) to ensure this high quality. All of our staff are passionate with working with the youth and are knowledgeable in all the activities we offer. Our camp is small so each camper will receive quality time bonding with the counsellors.


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8.1.2 Product Decisions The core product of GEMS is the experience of summer camp itself. Campers receive the

chance to vacation away from home for a week or more without their mother and father. They also get to socialize and make friends with peers of the same age as them. The facilitating products are all the activities that the campers are able to participate in over the week. The supporting products are the theme nights and surprise activities the campers have the chance to participate in.

Points of Contact

The initial point of contact of is the first time the customers (the parents or the youth) come in contact with GEMS Extreme Summer Camp will be with our advertisement on social media, a brochure or from a school presentation. All these forms of media will give the customers a description of our business, the target markets, and the links or resources for inquiries for more information about our product. The second point of contact will be when

Intial Point of Contact

Registration Online

Pre camp package

Arrival at Camp

Camp Departure of Camp

Post Camp Postcard


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parents or campers register online on our website. All campers once they register, they will receive a pre camp package that welcomes them to GEMS. The package will include a camp shirt, a bandanna, a ‘what to pack for camp’ checklist and a thank you letter from the camp owners. This is helps the campers and their parents feel good about their decision for choosing GEMS. The next point of contact is the first official point of contact with the product. The campers will be welcome by the counsellors and staff upon arrival. The campers play a variety of games with the counsellors within the first hour. After that, the campers will meet their counsellors for the week and they will be shown to their accommodations. For the next week, the campers will have direct contact with our product, experiencing every aspect GEMS has to offer. The last day of camp is when they will depart from the product hopefully with positive memories and experiences. After the campers have been home for a week, they will receive a post card from the counsellors at camp. This is to help with post purchase evaluation.

Since it is the first year of operations, updating the product has not been considered yet. GEMS plan to upgrade and by new equipment each summer and will sell the gently used equipment to other camps and to people on Craigslist. This ensures that the camp will have the newest equipment and gadgets for the campers hopefully resulting in more positive experiences. The facility is not under our business because we are renting the centre so improvements on infrastructures can be suggested by GEMS but not build by the company. The camp plans to improve the overall product by expanding the activities offered and potentially offer more specialized camps dedicated to certain activities such as a mountain bike camp or extreme water sport camp.

All of the staff at GEMS are a part of the entire product. Counsellors lead the campers in activities while making them enjoyable. The camper’s experience is influenced by their counsellors’ personality and the activities they participated in.

On the first day of camp, the staff all wear the same staff shirt, black shorts and bandannas to differentiate them among the campers. This uniform helps with the campers understand the leadership roles the counsellors will play throughout the week. At GEMS, the week is filled with daily unique activities that will hopefully be the positive peak of the experience for the campers. A negative peak is harmful to the business so GEMS tries to settle any bad experiences with campers as soon as they happen.

8.1.3 Delivery Decisions GEMS recognizes the importance of high quality service and experience for the campers

during their time at camp. To handle the challenges of variability, the employees of GEMS are required to attend a weeklong training session at the camp the week before camp starts.


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Before we hire the counsellors, lifeguards and boat drivers, there is a process with steps we follow. Employees must have a passion for working with tweens and teens, have well developed leadership skills and they should be outgoing. We will post the job description and listings online where applicants will submit their resume with references, cover letter and any certifications they have. The owners will review the applicants and set up first phone interviews and later either in person interviews or over Skype. For the life guards and boat drivers, we ask them to scan their certifications or bring them to the interview. All reference will be contacted before any decisions are made. After the completed this part, applicants who have been hired will need to submit paper work and they will need to complete a criminal record check to ensure the safety of the campers. During pre-‐camp training, the employees participate in team bonding games; basic first aid certification, leadership, activity, behavioural training and all the policies and procedures are reviewed. The staff member will also learn the welcome dance that will be performed on every Monday to welcome the new campers and get them excited for the week. Our website and social media pages will all have a photos and videos of the facilities and all the activities we offer. After the first year of operations, testimonials and camp footage from various weeks will be available online as well. For the first year, we will create a video of the counsellors participating in the activities offered. Within the video, a little introduction of all the counsellors will be filmed. This video will be available only a couple days before the camp do to this being the first year of operations. This is not ideal for our advertisement but it helps with intangibility of the experience. On one hand, the video will get the campers excited and familiar with the facility and their counsellors.

8.2 Distribution Action Plan

8.2.1 Access As mentioned before, GEMS is located on the beautiful shore of Lake Cowichan on

Vancouver Island. The camp takes over the Cowichan Lake Outdoor Education and Conference Centre for the summer. This location can only be reached by car or coach bus. Therefore, every week of service, we will provide two coach busses to pick up campers from the Nanaimo Departure Bay ferry terminal and drop them off at the centre, and vice-‐versa.

Every Monday campers will arrive to GEMS camp, and also leave, depending on what weeks they have registered for, and how long they are staying. On Monday mornings, two coach busses will pick up those campers who have to leave and transport them to the Nanaimo Departure Bay ferry terminal. Once the two busses have dropped past campers off, they will pick the new campers up, and transport them to Lake Cowichan. The ability to transport all campers on the same day in and out of the campsite will be convenient as we can save money, and time.


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We will be renting two charter buses each Monday to transport campers to and from

Nanaimo. Each charter bus holds up to 42 people, and costs $450 for five hours of operation, resulting in a cost of $900 per week. Parents also have the option of driving their sons and daughters to the campsite if preferred.

8.2.2 Resellers/Intermediaries GEMS will rely on many informal intermediaries, as we will be heavily counting on word-‐

of-‐mouth, referrals, recommendations, and reviews. We will build relationships with high school counsellors, teachers, parents, community centres, and other youth groups, to establish trust and reliability. Customers will be also able to register for GEMS Summer Camp online on our website, resulting in a channel intermediary.

8.2.3 Partnerships Because GEMS’ first year of operations will be 2014, we will make an effort to form

partnerships once the numbers indicate that we are profitable and stable. These partnerships will be with other Canadian summer camps, this will create a group of “brother camps” that will benefit and support each other. With these partnerships we can create a summer camp exchange program, where campers and staff will be encouraged to travel to other parts of the country to attend or work at the “brother camps.” The exchange program will create an even


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bigger cultural diversity at GEMS summer camp. Eventually, we could take these partnerships to an international level, and welcome campers and counsellors from around the world.

8.2.4 Title Transfer Parents and guardians will be able to register online on the website and through email.

Paypal will be used for payments and we will base our numbers on the number of people have paid through Paypal. Once parents register their kids online and insert all their information, including address, we will send a package home with a t-‐shirt, a lanyard, and a bandana, which will have GEMS camp logo printed on them. With the package, we will also send a welcome letter including a list of items they may pack, rules, indications on how to get there, as well as a list of the items they cannot bring to camp.

8.3 Pricing Action Plan

8.3.1 Costs

Launch Costs: Cost Campsite ($40,000/week) $360,000 Posters $500 Website $1500 Newspaper Advertisements $67 Shirts and Lanyards $3900 Arts and Crafts Supplies $1500 Counsellor’s Wages (Total) $67,500 Camp Director’s Wages (Total) $27,000 Coach Bus Rentals $9,000

For the owners to be able to launch GEMS Extreme Summer Camp, it is necessary to market the camp using strategies for full success. We would like as many teens signed up as possible to maximize the revenue. To do so, we will need to spend approximately $500 in posters and flyers to market our camp in schools, community centres, and other places where posters can be placed. According to the FedEx website, printing posters on 8.5x11 papers will cost $0.86 per flyer printed. We will be printing approximately 100 flyers, which is a total of $86.00. However if we place the order online, we are given $10 off, for a total of $76. We will also be putting ads in select newspapers, including The Province and The Vancouver Sun. On both the Vancouver Sun and the Province websites, we can purchase a four day advertisement package for $67 newspaper, which includes four days in both The Province and The Vancouver Sun, as well as four days listed online. This advertisement will target parents of our target


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markets who make the decision to send their youth to summer camp. Up to four lines of writing are included with the regular fee, and each extra line costs $10.50. Gianna, one of our camp directors will be designing these flyers and ads as she is experienced in that form of media. We will not be hosting any launching events as the camp itself is considered the launching event.

Operating Costs and Overheads The price of the campsite is currently unavailable, as the camp has not answered our

calls. However, we know that the campsite includes breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as all utility costs, such as Internet, Wi-‐Fi, gas, electricity, phone, and cable. The price also includes general maintenance, cleaning costs, as well as most of the stock prices. We are assuming that the price will be somewhere close to $40,000 per week, based on Pioneer Pacific Camp on Thetis Island which includes everything the campsite on Lake Cowichan would include.

For the prices of GEMS’ stock, we will be purchasing t-‐shirts for each camper, counsellor, and each director. The price of the t-‐shirts will be included in the price. A t-‐shirt ordered off of customink.com costs $6.50 per shirt, which totals to $3120.00 for 720 shirts. We are expecting approximately 80 campers per week, and we will be running for 9 weeks, which is where the 750 comes from. We are expecting to be spending approximately $3900.00 on shirts and a lanyard for each camper, however this price is going to change dependant on how many campers do attend each week, and how many repeat campers we have. As well, we will be purchasing arts and crafts for the camp, which we have budgeted to spend approximately $1500.00 on for the total duration of the camp.

In terms of labour costs, each of the 15 counsellors will be receiving $500 per week, which includes the deduction of the cost to attend as a counselor. The four directors will be receiving $750 per week. We will not be covering the cost of the campsites staff as they are responsible for that.

Because of the large amount of money we will be dealing with, we will be setting up a ‘$6 Small Business Account’ with the Royal Bank of Canada. This includes the ability for people to pay via debit and credit card, as well as built-‐in discounts when our transaction volume does grow.

In order for us to create a website, we will be spending approximately $1500.00 on a

website design, which will be designed by one of Gianna’s colleagues who has created websites for another camp she has worked with in the past. The website will include an option for the ability to pay online via credit card or PayPal.


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Costs specific to each tour The cost incurred regardless of the number of campers is the cost of the campsite,

because it is a set cost regardless of how many campers attend. Costs for each participant will be $710 each week. We will be running Monday evening to the Monday morning the next week.

8.3.2 Competitive Pricing Our product is priced the same as the other competition out there. Keats Camp is priced

at $710 per week, just like ours. This price does not include tax. However, we will be offering less spots than them per week in order to have that personal connection that is appealing to campers. We will be offering similar activities to Keats, however they will not be religion-‐based, like Keats, which is a Christian Camp. Camp Qwanoes is another camp that is potential competition to GEMS.

Our pricing is the same as Keats because it is a similar concept, but has a different target than Keats. Keats targets Christian teens, whereas we are targeting adventure-‐seeking teens.

8.3.3 Channel Pricing Since all of our payments will be through our website, we will not need to pay

commission to the retailers as the four directors are the retailers. The same applies to the wholesalers, as well as the inbound tour operators, which would not be necessary since we are offering a camp, not a tour. We will not be selling through intermediaries.

8.3.4 Consumer-level Pricing Our camp will only be running for nine weeks of the summer, and each week will be

extremely similar. Therefore, the price of the camp will not be changing week-‐to-‐week. However, the price of weeks combined will be a small amount cheaper. For example, rather than charging $1420.00 for two weeks, we will be charging $1370.

The pricing of our camp is comparable to other similar style camps in British Columbia. Our price is going to be a set price, and will not include any sort of ‘extras’, like food on the ferry, candy, etc. However, we will be setting up a system where parents can pay installments over the course of four months, which will make the camp more accessible to those who might have a hard time paying for the camp at once. Since we are offering a camp, we will not be able to have any sales or promotions like other products would. However, we will be setting up a referral program where you receive 10% off of the $710 if you refer a friend who registers. We will also be including the promotional price of two weeks $50 off, which is considered a bundle.


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8.3.5 Methods and Terms of Payment The four directors want to be able to make payments easy and simple to do. We will be

accepting payments via credit card through our website. Since we will not be operating in an office, it is easier to not have debit as an option. It will also cost more if we offer debit services. For online payments through credit card, we will be connecting a PayPal account to the site where all of the transactions will be made. Then, when we would like to withdraw the money and put it into our GEMS account with the Royal Bank.

8.4 Marketing Communication Action Plan

8.4.1 Groundwork

8.4.1.1 Audience Analysis Target Audience: There are many youth’s camps that are located on Vancouver Island, but there is no other camp like GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. This camp will offer campers with a fun-‐filled summer by being active, and making unforgettable friendships and memories for youth. GEMS Extreme Summer Camp offers a variety of water sports and outdoor activities that appeals to youth from ages twelve to seventeen. GEMS welcome both females and males to participate in this exciting camp. This camp targets middle to high-‐class families who can afford to spend the money to send their child to camp. GEMS also targets schools, community centers, international and immigrant youth. GEMS welcome youth from the local area of Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island, and the Lower Mainland. The campers of GEMS will be divided accordingly into groups based on their age groups. There will be a total of three groups for the different age groups. The groups will be the twelve to thirteen year olds, the fourteen to fifteen year olds, and lastly the sixteen to seventeen year olds. GEMS Extreme Summer Camp requires out-‐going personalities, a passion for the outdoors, positive influences on others, and interests in learning about the environment and effective leadership skills. Channel Audience: GEMS Extreme Summer Camp plans to reach out to utilize social media in order to help promote the camp. There will be a Facebook page, a twitter account, a website for GEMS Extreme Summer Camp, and other social media channels. These social media channels will help to promote the camp and to gain feedback. Our sites will be visible to the public and will provide information for families who want to send their child to GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. Those who do not have access to social media sites will be able to learn about the camp through school newsletters and newspapers, community centers, and YouTube audiences. GEMS will also be in contact with a couple of newspaper editors in order to help promote the camp all through Vancouver Island, and the Lower Mainland.


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Communication Preferences/Media Habits: Nowadays youth and teens have access to social media, Internet, television, computers, etc. Since GEMS have categorized the campers by age groups, this makes the communication preferences easier to identify. The younger age group ages from twelve to thirteen year olds. These youth will have access to YouTube, iPods, Internet, computers, etc. GEMS will arrange to promote the camp on these sites. The middle age group ages from fourteen to fifteen year olds. These early teens will have access to cell phones, computers, Internet, and most social media sites. GEMS will target these early teens by advertising on the Internet, and on common sites those early teens have access to. The older group ages from sixteen to seventeen year olds. GEMS will target these teens with advertisements on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, posters, flyers, and the Internet. Promotional Tools/Strategy/ Timing analysis: The promotional tools that will be used will be towards social media, advertisements on school newsletters/newspaper, and community centers’ summer camp newsletters. Also, there will be brochures located at local community centers that will be available to the public. GEMS will start promoting its summer camp right after spring break, which will be in March. Families usually start to take a look at summer programs and camps for their youth in March. GEMS will also promote their summer camp by visiting as many schools as they can to show the youth, early teens, and teens the extravagant experiences they will have at GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. There will be a presentation of what the camp offers, the price to participate, and a brief description about where the camp is located in Lake Cowichan. Also, there will be a video that shows the different kinds of water sports that the campers will be participating in and other outdoor activities.

8.4.1.2 Internal and External Factors Budgetary factors: GEMS Extreme Summer Camp offers many outdoor activities, which can be quite costly. The budget will hopefully cost less every year. The budget may seem like a lot of money for a camp, but GEMS has to spend the money on effective sport equipment, the facilities being used, and other factors. The customers that GEMS will be attracting will have to compensate with high camp fees to ensure our recreational budget can include the proper effective equipment. The budget price and customer fees are reasonable because GEMS offers so many different outdoor activities for the camp. At the end of GEMS Extreme Summer Camp, we sell our gently used equipment to make a portion of the money we spent in the first place back. Competition: GEMS Extreme Summer Camp is a non-‐domination camp unlike many of our competitors Christian Camps such as, Camp Qwanoes on Vancouver Island and Keats Camp on the Sunshine Coast. These two camps are GEMS biggest competitors. Camp Qwanoes promotes its camp by using a variety of social media sites and brochures that are available upon


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request to promote their business. Camp Qwanoes is a deeply religious camp, but their target market is limited to religious campers and parents. Keats Camp is another major competitor. Keats Camp has operated for over eighty years and runs several camps throughout the summer. It promotes its camp by offering prizes to get more campers to join the summer camp. Also, Keats Camps uses word of mouth and connections as their main form of their channels. They use social media ads on Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, Youtube and Instagram to boost their marketing. Plus, they use brochures and posters at local high schools to promote their business.

8.4.1.3 Objectives GEMS Extreme Summer Camp would like to try to achieve a few thousand campers in hopes

that at least five percent of the few thousand will sign up for the summer camp. If GEMS Extreme Summer Camp turns out to be a success next summer, GEMS will provide arrange to have more campers. GEMS would also like to promote their camp through social media, community centers, high schools,, the web, YouTube, and other sources. GEMS has a couple of objectives that would liked to be reached by the end of the camp, which includes:

! To build awareness of GEMS Extreme Summer Camp ! Create customer interests in GEMS Extreme Summer Camp ! Strength relationships with customers in the future ! Create fun-‐filled experiences for youth and teenagers ! Continue camp during the winter break (Indoor activities that will be just as fun as the

summer camp)

GEMS would like to reflect our service for the camp as manageable, delightful, and fun. GEMS would also like to mention a few behavioral objectives that will go towards our target audiences. These include:

! Increase awareness of GEMS Extreme Summer Camp ! Inform customers about new important knowledge of GEMS ! Increase the number of customers, if all goes well ! Understand the customer’s needs and wants

8.4.1.4 Promotional Tool Strategy ! Digital Media – GEMS has decided to use YouTube as a way to reach out to youth and

teenagers to promote the camp.

! Advertising – GEMS will advertise with school newsletters, posters, flyers, newspapers, summer programs, the web, and social media. The posters and flyers will be located at local high schools and around neighborhoods. The brochures and programs will be located at local community center.


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! Public Relations and Publicity – GEMS will focus on using social media sites to spread

the word about the camp. Also, newspapers and a few main radio stations will be used. P.R. will be helpful towards our camp because it is easy to reach mass audiences because it costs little money to promote products and services.

! Sales Promotion – GEMS will promote sales through our mediator, who will arrange contests and games for our customers. Also, there will be discount packages for customers who have more than one child participating in the camp.

! Direct Marketing – Since GEMS media sites set up with information about GEMS

Extreme Summer camp, we have gathered many potential customer’s full contact information and email addresses, which will make it easy for us to directly market these customers through the media sites.

! Personal Selling – The members of GEMS will promote the camp to their friends,

families, and relatives in hopes that they will help spread the word about GEMS Extreme Summer Camp.

8.4.2 Digital Media Action Plan Many youth and teenagers use YouTube to watch videos or to learn about information

about events. This is a great way for GEMS to communicate with their target audiences. The videos will also provide families with information regarding registration, photos of the camp location, an introduction to the staff members, and some fun facts about GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. GEMS would like the public to get to know our staff members because of their positive attitudes, out-‐going personalities, and their friendly smiles. Most companies and businesses have websites that offer up-‐to-‐date information about the product or service. GEMS Extreme Summer Camp’s website is “www.GEMSextreme.ca” It is well designed and easy to operate. The main page of the website has a light blue-‐grey background. The title of the page is “GEMS Extreme Summer Camp,” which is located to the very left of the corner. There is logo and phrase that is located on the opposite side of the title, which is located to the very right of the corner. Underneath the title there are six subtitle boxes are directly across and they include: Welcome, Registration, About GEMS, What’s New, Sign Up, and Prices. Each subtitle box will take you to another page and will provide information on each topic. In the middle of the page, there is a video tutorial of how to use the website and where all the important information is located. Also, there are pictures right underneath the video, which shows pictures of all the staff members and a little brief description about each one. At


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the very bottom of the website, there is a “Contact us” subtitle box as well as a “Feedback/Comment Box”. Some other details that our website includes is:

! A map with directions of how to get to GEMS Extreme Summer Camp.

! The price of the camp and a list of what the customer will actually be paying for.

! There are links on our website page to our Facebook page, Twitter page, and Instagram.

! If there are any other questions that have not been answered, please feel free to click on the “Contact Us” subtitle box, we will be glad to answer you as soon as possible.

8.4.3 Advertising Action Plan GEMS will be using many advertising tactics to promote the camp. Social media is a big

component to our market communication strategy and plan. As part of our advertising plan, our main target will be towards mass media and social media. We will also be using brochures, maps, and merchandise to promote GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. Here is a list of the advertising vehicles we will be using, which includes:

! Radio Stations and Newspapers: This will provide our target audiences with important information of GEMS Extreme Summer camp. We will be targeting the radio stations that most parents, youth, and teenagers like to listen to.

! Social Media: The staff members of GEMS will alternate during office hours to keep the social media sites regularly updated and to provide accurate and new information on each site about GEMS Extreme Summer Camp.

• Facebook Page: ‘GEMSExtreme’ The Facebook page will consist of current updates, photos, current events, and info meet times to meet up with families who are interested in participating in the camp.

• Twitter Account: ‘@GEMSExtreme’ The Twitter Account will consist of current events, current updates on new information, and the link to our main website page.

• Instagram: ‘GEMSExtreme’


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The Instagram page will have photos of the members of GEMS and current information about the camp.

• YouTube: ‘www.youtube.com/GEMSExtreme’ The YouTube site will have videos of current events, each staff member, tutorials, and the dates of the info meet gatherings.

! Brochures: The main purpose of our brochures is to promote GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. The brochure provides a description of GEMS and shows a beautiful photo of Lake Cowichan on the very front of it. There is also a list provided of some of the water sports, craft activities, leadership workshops, and information about the facilities on the brochure. There are a few links on the very last page of the brochure of how to get in contact with GEMS. These brochures will be located at local community centers, and at our main office.

! Maps: There will be a few maps on the main website at ‘www.GEMSextreme.ca’ regarding how to get to GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. Our maps include full instructions with pictures.

GEMS Merchandise: There will be many photos and videos taken during the camp. Once the summer camp comes to an end there will be t-‐shirts, hats, and bandanas for sale. The merchandise will have GEMS logo on it and a photo of Lake Cowichan. All the merchandise will come in a couple of different colors and will be different each summer. Also, parents will have a choice of picking up a CD full of photos of their youth for twenty-‐five dollars. There is music available to be put on the disk, which will cost an extra one dollar and fifty cents. The shirts will be starting at twenty dollars, the hats will be ten dollars, the bandanas will be five dollars each, and the postcards/key chains will be three dollars each.

8.4.4 PR and Publicity Action Plan It is said that “Effective PR strengthens credibility, enhances image, develop goodwill and

influences behavior.” It is also said that PR is “about the quality, not the quantity, of publicity that’s important.” GEMS agree with these two quotes, which is why they plan to use Public Relations in an effective way that will draw the customers in. GEMS plan to use new advertising strategies to gain the target audiences attention. GEMS will be using these other tactics:

! Channel Communications: GEMS will use channel communications effectively to transmit messages to GEMS intended audiences through print media or broadcast


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media. Here are some inexpensive ways of channel communication tactics that GEMS will be using:

• Written Communication: By writing to communicate with customers, it provides a

relatively permanent record of the information. Written documents are easy to store, gather and transmit. Writing also allows GEMS to send a prepared message carefully at a convenient time, and allows the future customer to read it at his/her convenience.

• Oral Communication: GEMS will have the opportunity to discuss the camp and

receive immediate feedback on their website, media sites, and the camp overall. This will help GEMS change their views or messages accordingly and improve their camp. GEMS will have a good opportunity to evaluate the nonverbal message that accompanies the verbal and to use that information to judge the credibility of the verbal message.

• Telephone Communication: It is often the fastest, most convenient means of

communicating with a potential customer. It is easy for GEMS to get their point across and to answer questions to customers who are interested in sending their kid to GEMS Extreme Summer Camp.

• Electronic Mail Communication: GEMS will be using electronic mail communication

because it is both quick and convenient. It can be printed, saved electronically, or forwarded to multiple recipients. It is a simple process of exchanging information with groups of customers regarding GEMS Extreme Summer Camp.

• Web-‐based Communication: GEMS will be able to communicate quickly using text,

graphics, sound, and videos to future customers and allow for immediate feedback. Guerilla Marketing: Many of today’s companies and founder’s of youth’s camp are using similar ways to market their products. GEMS is seeking to find new ways to attract customers that other camps have not heard of or would have ever thought to use. Guerilla marketing will provide GEMS with an advertising strategy with low-‐cost uncommon techniques. GEMS objective of guerilla marketing is to create a unique, engaging, and well-‐thought concept to generate buzz.


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8.4.5 Sales Promotion Action Plan- Consumer and Trade As mentioned before, GEMS will have the opportunity to provide families that are

sending more than one child to camp with a special offer package. This special offer package includes a slight discount on the price the customer will be paying for both youth attending the camp. There is also a draw at the end of each info meet gathering and families who are interested in the camp can enter and win prizes. Some of the prizes include discounts off of merchandise and the prices they will be paying for the camp. There are online promotions for merchandise; an example would be “Get two camp shirts for the price of one.” GEMS hope is to promote our sales promotions through low-‐costs techniques, it will attract more customers.

8.4.6 Personal Selling Action Plan- Consumer and Trade GEMS will find personal selling to be the most effective promotional method for

building relationships with customers. Although personal selling is the practical promotional option for reaching customers who are not easily reached through other methods, it can be high in cost in maintaining this type of promotional effort. Gems will be personally trying to sell their product by reaching out to their target audience face-‐to-‐face. GEMS will be visiting as many local high schools and community centers in hopes to persuade the youth and teenagers to participate in GEMS Extreme Summer Camp.

9 Conclusion Privately owned and operated makes GEMS Extreme Summer Camp unique and

different do to the variety of water sports, activities, workshops, and crafts. Our camp gives all of our campers the opportunity to have a fun-‐filled summer by being active, and making lasting unforgettable memories. The company’s vision for success of GEMS is to attract teens from ages twelve to seventeen who would be inspired to attend camp like GEMS Extreme Summer Camp. Our staff are passionate, outgoing and dedicated to create a positive experience and atmosphere. GEMS would like to form relationships built on trust with the parents of the campers so they feel safe and comfortable about our product. In the years to come, we hope that our product will be successful and continually is be a camp where teens can be outdoors, participate in extreme activities and make new friendships.


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