Unit 6 Managing a Successful Business Project Level 4 GSM London College

Aim

The aim of this research is “To analyse the impact of social media marketing in enhancing marketing and promotional activities of Qbic Hotel.”

Objectives

In order to support the aim, researcher has formulated objectives which are listed below:

• To understand the meaning of social media marketing.
• To investigate the influence of social media marketing in enhancing promotional and marketing activities.
• To identify the issues associated with social media marketing.
• To provide recommendations so that Qbic hotel could improve the social media marketing to enhance customer base.

Research Questions

1. What social media marketing means to business organisations?
2. How social media marketing influences marketing and promotional activities of organisations?
3. What are the issues and challenges associated with social media marketing?

P2 Project management plan

Cost: The total cost associated with the research project is around 2025 pounds. Major portion of total cost will be incurred during literature review analysis. Researcher has to purchase articles in order to generate deeper understanding.

Scope: In the end of project, researcher will be able to describe the influence of social media in enhancing the marketing activity of Qbic Hotel.

Time: Researcher will take 59 days in order to attain the aim and objectives of the study.

Quality: In order to enhance the quality of the study, researcher will use precise and relevant sources of data collection.

Risk: Risk can be associated with the analysis part where researcher can find difficulty in analysing the data effectively due to inadequate response of participants and lack of coherence and relevance in the found articles.

Communication: Researcher will communicate with the participants of the study in order to obtain data.

Resources: Resources such as questionnaire, books, and journals will be used to carry out the study.

P3 Gantt Chart to provide time frames

Illustration 1: Gantt Chart

 
Illustration 2: Network Diagram

P4 Small-scale research

Small scale research has been conducted by researcher in order to gather the reviews of managers and employees regarding impact of social media marketing. The analysis has been done in themes which are described below:

Theme 1: Very Often Qbic Hotel uses social media for marketing and promotion of its services.

Interpretation: The questionnaire survey has been conducted at Qbic Hotel where the participants has been asked how often their organisation uses social media for marketing. After analysing the sample of 20 respondents it was identified that 11 agreed very often, 5 agreed often, 3 agreed sometimes and 1 agreed never. Thus, from the analysis it is clear that management of Qbic Hotel very frequently used social media for marketing and promotion of its services.

Theme 2: Social media marketing provides benefits to Qbic Hotel.

Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey conducted at Qbic Hotel, the participants were asked about any benefits Qbic Hotel secured after using social media marketing. From the analysis of sample of 20 respondents it was identified that 16 agreed that Qbic hotel got benefits from using social media as marketing, 1 disagreed that social media marketing does not provides any benefits whereas 3 were not sure whether Qbic Hotel was has secured any benefits from using social media as marketing tool or not. Thus, from the analysis it is clear that social media indeed provides benefits to Qbic Hotel.

Theme 3: Improving relationship with customers and by enhancing organisation reputation social media marketing benefits Qbic Hotel.

Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey conducted at Qbic Hotel, the participants were asked what kind of benefits management got after using social media marketing. From the analysis it was identified that 5 agreed on enhancing customer base, 10 agreed on Improving relationship with customers, 3 agreed on Enhancing organisation reputation and 2 agreed on increased in profits. Thus, from the above analysis, it can be concluded that improving relationship with customers and by enhancing organisation reputation social media marketing benefits Qbic Hotel.

Theme 4: There are issues or challenges management faced while using social media for marketing

Interpretation: To accomplish the aim and objective of research, researcher conducted questionnaire survey at Qbic Hotel. The participants has been asked about any issues or challenges they have faced while using social media marketing. From the analysis it was identified that 11 participants agreed that they faced issues and challenges, 8 respondends denied of facing any issues and 1 responded was not sure whether any issues or challenges have been faced or not by using social media marketing. Thus, from the analysis it can be understood that issues or challenges management faced while using social media for marketing.

Theme 5: Issues of negative feedbacks faced by Qbic Hotel while using social media marketing.

Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey, the participants of researcher has been asked what kind of issues they faced using social media marketing. After analysing the sample of 20 respondents it was identified that 4 agreed on measuring ROI, 8 agreed on negative feedbacks given by customers on social media, 3 agreed on linking social media campaigns to sales and 5 said no issues. Thus, from the analysis it can be understood that Issues of negative feedbacks faced by Qbic Hotel while using social media marketing.

Theme 6: Management devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges

Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey, the participants of the research has been asked whether management devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges or not. From the analysis it was identified that 17 managers agreed that management devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges and 3 were not sure whether management devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges or not. 0 response on disagreement and thus it can be concluded that management indeed devised strategies to overcome the issues and challenges.

Theme 7: Developing client relationship strategies have been formulated by your management to overcome issues and challenges of social media marketing.

Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey conducted at Qbic Hotel, researcher asked about the type of strategies has been formulated by management to overcome issues and challenges of social media marketing. From analysing the sample of 20 respondents it was identified that 2 agreed on using social analytical tool to measure ROI, 11 participants agreed on developing client relationship, 3 agreed on establishing unique and creative content and 5 agreed on more consistency on social media. Thus, it can be concluded that Developing client relationship strategies have been formulated by your management to overcome issues and challenges of social media marketing.

Theme 8: What are your recommendations to management so that they can improve their social media marketing practices?

Interpretation: In the questionnaire survey, researcher asked the participants about their recommendations which could help Qbic hotel to improve their social marketing practices. In this context, 7 respondents recommend more training to employees, 4 respondents recommended increasing social media marketing budget, 6 participants recommended to establish more creative content and 3 participants have no recommendations. Thus, it can be understood that employees and managers recommended to establish more creative content and provide more training to employees to raise their skills and competencies.

LO 2

P5 Analysing research data

In this part researcher will describe the research methodologies applied by him or her in the following research. It is important for researcher to describe the research methodology so that readers can have the idea about the methods utilised by the researcher. In this context, the methodologies used by researcher is described below:

• Research Philosophy: According to Saunders research onion, research philosophy should be the first criteria to be covered by researcher (Taylor et al., 2015). In this research project, researcher has selected positivism research philosophy. As positivism research philosophy deals with source, nature and development of knowledge.
• Research Approach: Discussion of research approach is crucial in the research study. It refers to the plans consisting steps describing broad assumptions made by researcher to the process of data collection. In this research project, researcher has selected inductive research approach.
• Research Design: Research design is the plan which helps researcher to accomplish the research questions. In this research project researcher has selected exploratory research design to attain questions of research.
• Research Strategy: Research strategies are general plans through which researcher able to accomplish the aim and objectives of research (Silverman, 2016). In the present research study, researcher has used quantitative research method to analyse the numerical data effectively and efficiently.
• Data Collection: Data collection is crucial for research study (Mackey and Gass, 2015). In the primary research study, researcher has acquired data from primary sources by using questionnaire research instruments. The questionnaire has been provided to the managers and employees working at Qbic Hotel and it comprises close ended questions.
• Sampling: Sampling is done where the survey population size is large. As surveying large populations is not feasible, researcher prefers to take sample. In present project, researcher has taken sample of 20 employees and managers using simple random sampling method and provided questionnaires to them for survey.
• Data Analysis: Data analysis is the process of converting raw data into meaningful information (Lewis, 2015). For research perspective, analysing collected data and interpreting it in precise manner is rudimentary. In this context, researcher by using thematic analysis analysed collected data in effective and efficient manner.
• Ethical Consideration: Ethical consideration is the norms and ethical codes followed by researcher. In the present research project, researcher follows all the ethical norms and code of conducts. Researcher explained the purpose of research to participants in order to gain their consent. No such information has been acquired which affects the confidentiality of the organisation. Anonymity of participants has been maintained.
• Research limitations: in the present research study, researcher faced limitations in collecting and analysing data, resistance of participants, lack of time and budget issues.

P6 Communicating appropriate recommendations

After conducting research study at Qbic Hotel, researcher founds some issues and challenges that faced by the management regarding social media marketing. In order to obliterate these issues, researcher has provided some recommendations. These recommendations can be implemented within the organisation in order to enhance their social media marketing practices. The recommendations are listed below:

• Establishing social media marketing goals which aligns to business objectives: The first step the management of Qbic Hotel needs to take is establishing social media marketing goals which align to business objectives (Armstrong et al., 2015). This can be done my using SMART objectives. By formulating precise goals and objectives management of Qbic Hotel will be able to enhance their social media marketing.
• Learn everything about audience: Knowing who the target audience is essential and identifying the type of content they prefer is important for social media marketing. The management of Qbic Hotel needs to acquire effective and adequate knowledge about their audience so that social media marketing practices can be enhanced in effective and efficient way.
• Research the competition: Knowing who the competitors are very important. Management need to consider what competitors are planning about and how they will inculcate the plan is essential (Lamberton and Stephen, 2016). It is recommended to the management of Qbic Hotel to conduct research in order to analyse the competitor’s organisation using social media marketing. In this way, they will be able to gain competitive advantages and will be able to enhance social media marketing and promotional activities.
• Conducting social media audit: Social media audit helps the management to assess the things which are working efficient and which are not working efficiently. They will be able to know about which social media websites is providing more benefits for them and which site is generating loss (Tiago and Veríssimo, 2014). Thus, it is recommended to the management of Qbic hotel to conduct social media audit in order to gain competitive advantages and to know the accurate position of social media marketing.
• Following deadlines strictly: All the activities based on the project management plan set by the researcher should be followed properly. At initial stage when any of the activities gets delayed, then all the remaining activities gets affected. With this respect, proper planning should be made by considering the deadline and in completing them with high quality.

P7 Reflection

The aim of my research was to analyse the impact of social media marketing in enhancing marketing and promotional activities of Qbic Hotel. In order to support the aim, researcher has formulated objectives which were to understand the meaning of social media marketing, to investigate the influence of social media marketing in enhancing promotional and marketing activities. To identify the issues associated with social media marketing and to provide recommendations so that Qbic hotel could improve the social media marketing to enhance customer base. Digital technologies indeed revolutionised the way today's business managers conduct their business activities. Digital technologies have transformed the way organisations operates. It not only helps in lowering the cost, time and efforts of companies but also enhances the profitability and productivity of the organisation. In this context, I have conducted research analysis at Qbic Hotel to know how they use social media marketing for promotions and advertising their services. For this research I have prepared list of activities and scheduled it appropriately which has been demonstrated with the help of Gantt chart. I have conducted primary analysis and selected employees and managers as the participants of the research. With the help of precise research methods I have framed this research project in most appropriate and precise manner. I have used questionnaire method for collected primary data. A sample of 20 employees and managers has been taken randomly and I have provided them questionnaire by hand and collected by hand only. I have used thematic analysis in order to interpret data. In this research I followed all the ethical norms and code of conducts. Researcher explained the purpose of research to participants in order to gain their consent. No such information has been acquired which affects the confidentiality of the organisation. Anonymity of participants has been maintained. I have faced few limitations such as time barriers, resistance of participants and budgetary issues. Though I have managed it somehow and thus was able to attain common goals and objectives. Thus, from the above study, I have learned various essential aspects to carry out the research study. I have learned how to prepare questionnaire, articulate it to the participants, learned how to manage time. I have faced limitations during the study which I have described in the research methodology section. I have made redundant efforts in order to obliterate those limitations and produce a well establish and robust study for the readers.

Reference

• Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M., and Brennan, R. (2015) Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Education
• Bakan, J. (2016) Social marketing: thoughts from an empathetic outsider. Journal of Marketing Management 32, (11–12) 1183–1189
• Lamberton, C., and Stephen, A. T. (2016) A thematic exploration of digital, social media, and mobile marketing: Research evolution from 2000 to 2015 and an agenda for future inquiry. Journal of Marketing 80, (6) 146–172

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