DECIDE Boardroom

Marketing Strategy

Version 1.0 September 27, 2005

Presented by: Colleen Schwarz Assistant Director

Marketing Strategy
DECIDE Boardroom Overview
The DECIDE Boardroom (Decision Evaluation and Complex Information Development Environment) facilitates the decision-making process through the use of Group Decision Support technologies.

Strategic Alignment of DECIDE with ISDS Department

The DECIDE Boardroom supports the ISDS Departments First Objective of the Strategic Planwhich is to create a Decision Support lab. As a result of successfully utilizing the DECIDE Boardroom, the expected outcomes are as follows: The Center for Virtual Organization and Commerce (CVOC) will be recognized as national centers. The technology infrastructure will support computational, wireless networking, and other information technology based research.

Overall Marketing Strategy

The overall marketing strategy is to raise the awareness of the DECIDE Boardroom within key target markets, defined as (1) Businesses in Baton Rouge, (2) Government agencies in Louisiana, and (3) Faculty at Louisiana State University. As a result of the increased awareness, the expected outcomes are as follows: An increase in the number of meetings held in the DECIDE Boardroom by businesses and government agencies An increase in the amount of research conducted by academics in the DECIDE Boardroom

Thus, the outcomes of the marketing strategy relate to the overall strategic vision for the DECIDE Boardroom and the ISDS Department.

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Target Market #1: Businesses in Baton Rouge

Description of the Sector
Includes small- to medium-sized firm in the Greater Baton Rouge Area.

Needs and Benefits

The table below shows how the benefits of the DECIDE Boardroom meet the needs of business in the Baton Rouge area:

Needs
Conduct time-efficient meetings Achieve valuable meeting results Input from all meeting attendees Tangible decisions made Accurate documentation of Meeting

Benefit
Software keeps meetings within time constraints Software eliminates many group biases Anonymity of responses increases user participation Software moves participants from Brainstorming through final decision by utilizing customizable algorithm Software provides automatic documentation with minimal effort

Routes to Market
The target market can be reached through targeted marketing, an increased web presence, networking with alumni, working with business organizations, and through business conferences.

Special Needs
Small- to medium-sized firms are sensitive to cost and may be reluctant to storing company information on another network.

Target Market #2: Government Agencies in Louisiana

Description of the Sector
Includes government at all levels (state and local) across Louisiana.

Needs and Benefits

The table below shows how the benefits of the DECIDE Boardroom meet the needs of government agencies in Louisiana:

Needs
Conduct time-efficient meetings Achieve valuable meeting results Input from all meeting attendees Tangible decisions made Accurate documentation of Meeting
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Benefit
Software keeps meetings within time constraints Software eliminates many group biases Anonymity of responses increases user participation Software moves participants from Brainstorming through final decision by utilizing customizable methodology Software provides automatic
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documentation with minimal effort

Routes to Market
The target market can be reached through targeted marketing, an increased web presence, networking with alumni, and working with government organizations.

Special Needs
Cost is a major factor for government agencies. They often have to select the lowest cost provider. Furthermore, they may be resistant to the changes involved with utilizing technology to aid decision making.

Target Market #3: Faculty at LSU

Description of the Sector
Includes faculty at LSU interested in studying how groups use IT in making decisions.

Needs and Benefits

The table below shows how the benefits of the DECIDE Boardroom meet the needs of faculty at LSU:

Needs
An on-campus location to conduct research Minimal cost Well-respected GDSS Software

Benefit
Located in CEBA Free for Faculty members conducting research GroupSystems was developed by the University of Arizona, a premiere GDSS research institution

Routes to Market
The target market can be reached through targeted marketing, an increased web presence, networking with faculty members, and working with individual departments at the university.

Special Needs
Many faculty members do not have research budgets. Therefore, it is imperative that the cost to use the Boardroom to conduct research is minimal. Furthermore, volatility of any variables must be minimized to ensure validity of results.

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Reaching the Target Markets

The implementation of the marketing strategy will rely upon a multi-channel marketing plan. To reach the target audiences, the following mediums will be used: (1) Face-to-face meetings; (2) Web; (3) Targeted mail-outs/e-mails The purpose of utilizing the preceding mediums is to increase knowledge of the existence of the DECIDE Boardroom and increase use of the boardroom by businesses, government agencies, and researchers.

Medium #1: Targeted mail-outs and e-marketing

Objective The targeted mail-outs will facilitate the distribution of information about the DECIDE Boardroom to a wide audience. Reaching Businesses and Government Agencies 1. An advertisement will be placed in Business Line and other publications sent to LSU alumni. 2. Brochures will be sent to targeted alumni in the Baton Rouge area 3. Brochures will be sent to targeted businesses and government agencies in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas. 4. E-mail advertisements will be circulated to LSU alumni, business, and government agencies in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas Reaching Faculty 1. A brochure will be sent through inter-office mail about the boardroom to targeted faculty 2. Brochures will be followed up with targeted e-mails to the faculty reminding them of the DECIDE Boardroom services Forward Strategy Beyond the aforementioned steps, the forward strategy will be to develop a database that can be leveraged for future communications with business, government agencies, and faculty that are interested in the DECIDE Boardroom. Outcome These actions will disseminate knowledge about the existence and capabilities of the Boardroom in an efficient and targeted manner. Constraint To implement these tasks, a brochure will need to be created which will require monetary resources.

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Medium #2: Web

Objective By enhancing the web presence, information can be distributed to those conducting a search for the facilities that we possess. Reaching Businesses and Government Agencies To reach businesses and government the DECIDE website will be updated to contain: new contact information more information about the benefits of the software to businesses a form to request more information about the Boardroom or schedule a date to use the boardroom a mechanism to display the dates the boardroom is available

Furthermore, a search will be performed for additional locations to post links to the Boardroom, including potential partnerships with the Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce and other small business oriented organizations in the Baton Rouge area. Reaching Faculty To reach faculty the DECIDE website will be updated to contain: new contact information articles on GDSS research suggestions on how the room can be used to facilitate research on groups a form to request more information about the Boardroom or schedule a date to use the boardroom a mechanism to display the dates the boardroom is available

In addition, partnerships will be pursued with other universities that have GDSS labs. Information and best practices will be exchanged. Forward Strategy Beyond the aforementioned steps, the forward strategy will be to develop an integrated, networked web approach. In this approach, the DECIDE Boardroom will pursue donations of new GDSS software. As part of this arrangement, partnerships with vendors will be formed, thus creating a networked relationship between the partnered firm and the DECIDE Boardroom. By co-marketing products, interested participants will be brought to the Boardroom and potential customers will be sent to the partner firms. Outcome These actions will disseminate knowledge about the existence and capabilities of the Boardroom in an efficient and targeted manner. Constraint To implement these tasks, resources will need to be available to enhance the web presence.
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Medium #3: Face-to-Face Meetings

Objective Through face-to-face meetings, the strengths and opportunities of the DECIDE Boardroom can be explained and relationships can be formed. Reaching Businesses and Government Agencies First, an introductory video about the DECIDE boardroom will be created. The video will communicate more about the Boardroom than pictures and words alone. The video will be saved on a DVD and shown at face-to-face meetings. This video can be produced at a minimal cost and highlight our association with the university. A presentation about the Boardroom will be developed to present to businesses. Then, meetings will be scheduled to speak individually with the current board members. Their vision and ideas for the boardroom will be discussed. Recommendations for additional members of the board will be elicited. In the future, a board meeting for all the members of the board will be scheduled. A meeting with Wendy Luedtke will be scheduled to discuss alumni who may be interested in utilizing the Boardroom. The targeted alumni will be sent a brochure and a meeting will be requested. A meeting with the Director of the Small Business Development Center and Greater Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce will be requested in order to initiate a partnership with their organization. The goal of this meeting is to develop a relationship with their organizations so they recommend the DECDIE Boardroom as a business meeting environment for small businesses in Baton Rouge. Next, when businesses respond to the mailouts and express interest in the boardroom, meetings will be scheduled in which they will view the presentation and video about the Boardroom. Finally, business conferences in Louisiana will be located and opportunities for advertising at these conferences will be pursued. Reaching Faculty A presentation geared toward academics who conduct GDSS research will also be created. Then, information about the Boardroom will be presented at faculty meetings in various departments, including ISDS, Management, Marketing, Psychology, and Sociology. The purpose of these presentations is to increase awareness of the existence of the Boardroom and increase use of the Boardroom in order to facilitate research. Furthermore, individual meetings will be scheduled with faculty members who conduct GDSS research. A meeting with Todd Pourciau from the Office of Research and Economic Development will be scheduled. Names of faculty members who may be interested in conducting research using the Boardroom will be elicited. The targeted faculty members will be sent a brochure and a meeting will be requested.

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Forward Strategy Beyond the aforementioned steps, the forward strategy will be to develop relationships with businesses, government agencies, and faculty. In so doing, these relationships can be leveraged for future opportunities that will further enhance potential opportunities for the Boardroom. Outcome These actions will disseminate knowledge about the existence and capabilities of the Boardroom in an efficient and targeted manner. Constraint To implement these tasks, resources will need to be available to develop advertising materials.

Overarching Constraints
Budget
Some of the marketing activities are free. However, a few tasks may incur a cost. If the cost is too exorbitant, then cut backs can be made. For example, if the brochures are unable to conform to budget constraints, then flyers or postcards could be substituted. Or, if the video is too expensive, the possibility of having a film student at LSU create the video could be researched.

Rental Fee
The cost to use the Boardroom could negatively impact adoption. Some companies may be unable to budget the cost of renting out the Boardroom. They may have their own meeting rooms which could be used without incurring any cost. Furthermore, they may not realize the benefits of utilizing a GDSS. Thus, it is important to educate potential clients on the benefits of a GDSS, so that they are motivated enough to leave the comfort of their own offices.

Marketing Strategy Summary

By increasing the number of meetings held in the DECIDE Boardroom by businesses and government agencies and the amount of research conducted by academics, the DECIDE boardroom will enable the E.J. Ourso College of Business to actualize its vision of achieving recognition in learning, research, and outreach to the business community.

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