At the end of Chapter 14, read Situation 2 and using the questions as a guide, discuss recommendations.

At the end of Chapter 17, read Situation 1 and using the questions as a guide, discuss recommendations.

SITUATION 2

Aspen Funeral Alternatives, a funeral home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, recognizes that families are more cost conscious than ever. As the company's website states, “Outlet malls and discount stores offer convenience and value—why pay more?” The strategy of the owners is to offer lower-priced funeral products with the same personalized, high-quality services, just fewer options. Aspen goes to great lengths to control costs and passes the savings along to its clients. For example, its operating hours are limited to Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to minimize overtime pay to employees. (Essential staff are still available 24/7.)

   Aspen's website says that the company's low-cost service alternatives offer no fancy facilities, no limousines, and no hearses. A general price list, covering Aspen's professional services, use of its facilities, and caskets, is posted on the site.

Question 1 What psychological concepts of consumer behavior are relevant to marketing this service? Be specific.

Question 2 How can the stages of consumer decision making be applied to a person's decision to use a particular funeral home?

Question 3 Which CRM techniques could be used by this type of business?

Source: http://www.aspenfuneral.com, accessed January 30, 2009.

 (Longenecker 435-436)

Longenecker, Justin G., J. Petty, Leslie Palich, Frank Hoy. Small Business Management: Launching and Growing Entrepreneurial Ventures. Cengage Learning, 09/2011. VitalBook file.

SITUATION 1

How do you get retailers to stock your product when their shelves are already full? For Brian Levin, founder of Perky Jerky, it meant talking store managers into letting him give his product away. Perky Jerky is a meat snack with a caffeine kick, described on the company's website as “the new high-protein, ultra-premium, functional food for active lifestyles. . . .” Perky Jerky “brand ambassadors” give out trinkets and offer customers tastes of the product in stores. They find that those who try the snack ask the stores to carry Perky Jerky. One year into the business, Levin reported nearly a million dollars in sales.

Sources: http://www.perkyjerky.com/index.php/, accessed April 4, 2011; and Jason Fell, “Building a (Nearly) Million-Dollar Brand on a Startup Budget,” http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/219395#, accessed April 4, 2011.

Question 1 What do you think about giving away a product? Does it build sales, or does it suggest desperation?

Question 2 How would you budget for marketing expenses if you had hired sales representatives to give products away?

Question 3 What are some of the ways you might compensate your “brand ambassadors”? Which method do you think would work best and why?

 (Longenecker 519)

Longenecker, Justin G., J. Petty, Leslie Palich, Frank Hoy. Small Business Management: Launching and Growing Entrepreneurial Ventures. Cengage Learning, 09/2011. VitalBook file.

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