The attached is a strategic communication plan created for The Donut Experiment in Bloomington, Illinois.

1.
Strategic Organizational Plan
Prepared by:
Bridget Norman, Jordan Stegmiller, & Dana Durante
DNS Communication
March 28, 2019

2. Page 2 of 24

3. Table of Contents
Page
Executive Summary 3
Introductory Summary 3
1.0 Organization Background 4-5
1.1 Business definition 4
1.2 Vision 4
1.3 Mission 4
1.4 Value Proposition 4-5
1.5 Organization Structure 5
1.6 History & Culture 5
2.0 Situation Analysis 6-12
2.1 Definition & Scope of Situation 6-7
2.2 Stakeholders Effected 7
2.3 Competition 7-9
2.4 SWOT Analysis 9-11
2.5 Market Position 11-12
3.0 Plan 12-18
3.1 Objectives, Strategies & Tactics 12-14
3.2 Critical Success Factors 14-16
3.3 Key Performance Indicators 16-17
3.4 Budget & Resource Allocations 17
3.5 Timeline 17
3.6 Evaluation Method ​& Anticipated Results 17-18
Appendices 19-21
A. Organizational Chart 19
B. Proposed 2019-2020 Budget
20
C. Proposed 2019-2020 Timeline 21
References 22
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4. Executive Summary
The Donut Experiment is a boutique donut shop that provides customers with the
opportunity to customize their own donuts. The Donut Experiment goes beyond the
traditional, allowing its customer base to be creative and embrace an experience. The
Donut Experiment seeks to gain awareness in the Bloomington-Normal area to continue
its success.
This document presents a recommended plan extending from April 2019 to August 2020
in order to increase awareness and establish a consistent customer base. An interview
conducted with owner Ashley Alexander assisted in the acquiring of information to build
a foundational understanding of The Donut Experiment’s organizational goals. This plan
was developed through an extensive analysis of the organization’s current and
prospective target markets. Additionally, a thorough analysis of The Donut Experiment
as a niche in the market guided the development of this plan. The potential to expand
awareness across college campuses and establish a customer base within working
professionals in the surrounding areas led to the creation of cohesive objectives to stride
closer to the organizational vision. The objectives for this plan are as follows:
● Implement a customer loyalty tracking method by May 27, 2019.
● To increase returning customer base by 10% by May 1, 2020.
● To increase presence on surrounding university campuses by participating in three
or more events per year by May 1, 2020.
● Become the client for ISU’s Public Relations campaign course for the fall 2019 or
spring 2020 class.
● To increase awareness of menu options among professionals in the neighboring
area by 30% by September 1, 2019.
If each of these objectives is met by the deadline, The Donut Experiment will increase
awareness across all relevant target markets. Each objective is strategically created to
complement each other. Launching a customer loyalty tracking system would provide
insight on the most prominent customer bases, and determine benchmarks for subsequent
objectives. Increasing campus involvement through the utilization of on-campus events
and becoming a prospective client for the Illinois State University undergraduate
campaign course will increase awareness among college-aged individuals. As an
establishment surrounded by working professionals, an objective accompanied by a
guerilla marketing strategy will provide targeted clientele with knowledge of menu
offerings. Following these unified objectives will foster awareness and assist The Donut
Experiment in becoming a front-of-mind establishment.
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5. 1.0 Organization Background
The Organizational Background describes the essential parts of The Donut Experiment.
DNS Communications defined what the business is, the state of its vision, mission, value
proposition, organizational structure, and its history. The analysis of this information will
assist in the process of developing a strategic communication plan, which is described
further in sections 2.0 and 3.0.
1.1 Business Definition
The Donut Experiment was founded in 2012 by a husband and wife team with a passion
for boutique donut shops. The original location is on Anna Maria Island, just off the coast
of Florida. In 2015, Mr. and Mrs. Wampole expanded their company and began
franchising. In January 2018, the Bloomington, Illinois location opened at 1604
Morrissey Dr. Unit 102. Since then, The Donut Experiment offers personalized donuts to
Bloomington residents.
Guests can choose from signature icing, drizzle, and toppings. There are six icing
options, 15 toppings, and three drizzles that customers can combine to create their unique
donut. Behind the counter, customers see their donuts being made and are served them
warm. If someone is unable to visit the store, they have the option to order customized
donuts via Grubhub.
1.2 Vision
A vision statement describes what the organization would like to become in the future.
Although The Donut Experiment does not have a vision statement, DNS Communication
developed one as follows:
A nationally recognized donut shop that provides a customizable donut experience based
on quality, fresh-made cake donut.
1.3 Mission
A mission statement concisely defines what and how an organization engages in its
business on the way to realizing its vision. The Donut Experiment does not have a
mission statement, so DNS Communication has created the following:
A boutique donut shop that offers a unique, personalized experience with every
foundation as a freshly made cake donut.
1.4 Value Proposition
The value proposition states what aspects of The Donut Experiment that set it apart from
similar shops in the Bloomington-Normal area. Because hand crafting donuts is its
passion, The Donut Experiment strives to serve each customer their dream donut.
Slogan: ​Fresh donuts, your way.
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6. Key Message Platform:
● ​A destination for a personalized donut experience.
o A large selection of toppings, icings and drizzles to personalize each
customer’s donut.
● ​Every customer is provided a freshly made donut for each unique order.
o Customer’s watch their fresh donut come out of the fryer and go directly
to the icing station.
● Weekly donut flavor specials feature sweet and savory options not available at
any other donut shop in the Bloomington-Normal area.
o Previous options have been cherry pie, key lime, and BBQ pork rind
donuts.
● An inviting atmosphere for all ages.
o Community tables promote conversation among customers.
o Outlets are below each table, along with free WiFi, serving it as a spot for
students and professionals to work while enjoying a donut and a coffee.
1.5 Organization Structure
The hierarchical structure starts with Ashley, the owner, followed by the seven to eight,
part-time employees. These employees are equal among each other, performing the same
duties throughout their shifts such as cashier, donut making and clean-up. All
organizational members are trained to do the same job. There are only a handful of
employees that are trained to open and close the shop.
See Appendix A for a graph explaining the organizational structure.
1.6 History & Culture
The Donut Experiment’s motto is to “do one thing and do it right.” The Donut
Experiment was founded in 2012 by husband and wife duo Shawn and Cecilia Wampole,
who jokingly suggested that they should open a donut shop on Anna Maria Island in
Florida because one ceased to exist. They turned, what started as a joke, into a reality
when they opened Anna Maria Donuts. The couple changed the name to the Donut
Experiment with the goal of expanding their concept to a larger audience.
The Bloomington-Normal location was birthed after Ashley Alexander went on a family
trip to Florida and visited a Donut Experiment location. While eating donuts, she noticed
a sign for a franchising opportunity and the rest is history. The Bloomington-Normal
location officially opened on January 24, 2018. The Donut Experiment offers a laid-back
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7. environment and encourages customers to be creative in embracing their donut
experience.
2.0. Situation Analysis
In order to properly create a strategic plan, one must analyze internal and external
impacts on the organization. First, the scope of the situation is analyzed to determine the
organization’s current position. The competition is analyzed to determine what is missing
from The Donut Experiment that other doughnut shops may possess. The SWOT analysis
is extremely important before DNS Communication could draft objectives. The SWOT
helps identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that face the
organization. Using the information discovered throughout this section, DNS
Communications defined the situation at hand to develop the plan in section 3.0.
2.1 Definition & Scope of Situation
In order to reach the goal of giving back to the community, The Donut Experiment must
remain profitable. The cost for a single donut is $1.40, a half dozen costs $7.50, and it is
$13 for a dozen donuts. It also has various coffee options ranging from black to a
flavored latte. Regular customers consistently stop by for coffee before work in the
mornings. According to the owner of the Bloomington location, about 60% of customers
are in for their first time. This means just about 40% are returning customers.
The up and coming area of South Veterans Parkway has plenty of neighboring
businesses. This proximity is a strength that The Donut Experiment can use to its
advantage. Car dealerships, hotels and the State Farm corporate office are within a five
minute drive from the shop. Of the 40% of customers that are returning, a large group are
commuters who are fans of the well-priced coffee menu.
In January 2017, around the time of opening, The Vidette sent a reporter to write a story
on the new shop. Since then, The Donut Experiment has been featured on
Bloomington-Normal’s country radio station, B104. To bring in more customers, it has
also distributed coupons for a limited time.
After just passing its one year anniversary, internal communication has been mastered
and standardized. The small group of employees managed by Ashley understand the
communication requirements necessary to keep the business functioning. Weekly
schedules are sent out via email and any day off requests are submitted to Ashley through
email or text. Since all the employees are students, there is a norm to communicate
through text.
Currently, the Illinois government is planning an increase in minimum wage from the
current $8.25 an hour, to $15 an hour by 2025 (Badel, 2019). For a small business, this
can put a strain on generating a profit after paying all the employees. If the increase in
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8. wages becomes too much of an expense, employees will need to be laid off, or product
prices will rise.
Due to the unique offerings The Donut Experiment provides, customers may perceive the
shop as a special outing. It is a personal experience that requires more thought and time,
compared to competitors like Dunkin’ and Denny’s Donuts. This is a strength, but can be
a weakness in some mindsets.
Since The Donut Experiment is a fairly new business, it faces issues daily. The problem
that is currently at highest priority is determining predictability of the customer base. The
Donut Experiment had maintained the same daily hours up until recently. This change
was initiated due to the lack of consistent business on Monday afternoons. Its shortened
hours start at 7 a.m. and close at noon. The rest of its hours have remained the same;
Tuesday through Saturday still open at 7 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. Sunday’s hours are 8
a.m. until 3 p.m. The fluctuation of customers makes it difficult to set a schedule. Each
day reaches a different level of sales, causing a strain on determining how many
employees are needed for a given day.
2.2 Stakeholders Effected
The Donut Experiment serves multiple publics in the Bloomington-Normal area. Each
public has a distinct interest in the Donut Experiment and is affected by the business in
various ways.
External stakeholders include the costumer bases that the Donut Experiment serves. The
ability of the customer base to generate revenue for the business makes these various
publics the most important stakeholder. If consumers choose to purchase from competing
businesses, it can become an organizational issue. It is essential that the potential
customer bases are aware of the business and understand its concept. A secondary
external stakeholder is the competitors of the Donut Experiment. Being the first location
in Illinois for the Donut Experiment, makes differentiating itself from large chain
competitors and smaller local businesses crucial.
Internal stakeholders include the franchisee, Ashley Alexander; the employees; the
original owners; and those in charge of franchises. Being the first of its kind in central
Illinois makes franchise owner Ashley an important stakeholder for the Donut
Experiment. The employees of the Donut Experiment are the individuals that keep the
store running on a day-to-day basis, making their happiness and experience a relevant
consideration. The original owners of the Donut Experiment and other franchises are an
internal stakeholder because the success of the store reflects on the organization as a
whole. Being one of two Midwest locations can lead to future expansion into the
Midwest or other areas of the nation.
2.3 Competition
While The Donut Experiment provides a unique way to consume doughnuts, the
community is very much familiar with plethora of alternative options for sweet treats.
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9. The Donut Experiment presents itself as an establishment that wants to give its customers
exactly what they are looking for in a doughnut. The number of topping combinations
become endless as the customer builds their custom confection. The organization
struggles with their awareness in the community, as it can be hard to break through the
noise of other trusted community shops.
After secondary research, it was discovered that there are three different markets with
various levels of threat to The Donut Experiment. The first market is the trusted
community locations throughout Bloomington-Normal: Denny’s Doughnuts and Sugar
Mama Bakery. All competitors are rated on a three-point scale to compare them against
each other, three (3) being in critical competition, to one (1) meaning a low-interest
threat. The second market are the front-of-mind, household name doughnut brands like
Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’. The third market in competition with The Donut Experiment
are fast food locations: McDonald’s, Hardee’s, and Starbucks.
2.3.1 Trusted Community Locations
● Denny’s Doughnuts (3):​ Denny’s Doughnuts is a longtime member of
Bloomington-Normal and is best known for its melt-in-your-mouth glazed
doughnuts and customizable cookies. Denny’s Doughnuts is front-of-mind for
corporations when seeking catering options. It is also a go-to place for a
traditional glazed doughnut. Illinois State Athletics utilizes a partnership with
Denny’s Doughnuts for athletic events, and serves doughnuts and customized
Reggie Redbird sugar cookies at fundraisers, luncheons, and banquets (Reggie’s
Kids Club, 2018). The long-standing tradition that surrounds the organization
provides reason to believe that it is a high-level competitor to The Donut
Experiment.
● Sugar Mama Bakery (2): ​The Illinois State campus boasts thousands of potential
customers. Sugar Mama is a family-owned bakery specializing in cupcakes and
cakes. The shop is located in the heart of Uptown Normal (Sugar Mama, 2019).
The bakery offers cheap, convenient desert only a few steps away from Watterson
Towers. This option is in the forefront of student’s minds because of its history in
Uptown Normal, and leaves no consideration to those outside of this area. For this
reason, it is an average-level competitor.
2.3.2 Front-of-Mind Donut Stops
● Dunkin’ Donuts (3): ​According to Thrillist in 2015, Bloomington-Normal is the
home of the most restaurants per capita in the U.S. (Gentile, 2015). This means
that doughnut and coffee giant Dunkin’ is located right along Veterans Parkway.
Dunkin’ has two locations, one in Normal and the second a block away from the
Parkway. Dunkin’ is known for its $2 large iced coffees and cheap cake donuts.
The donuts offered come iced and sprinkled to corporate liking. The restaurant
offers a drive thru for maximum convenience. The double location and drive thru
enhance the convenience of this establishment, classifying it as a strong
competitor against The Donut Experiment.
● Krispy Kreme (3): ​Krispy Kreme offers a location in the heart of Veterans
Parkway, just a few miles north of The Donut Experiment. Along with Dunkin’,
Krispy Kreme has pre-made flavor and sprinkle combinations that customers may
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10. choose from. The drink selection is pretty basic, ranging from a basic black coffee
to this season’s flavored latte. The organization’s famous “Hot Now” neon red
sign drives traffic into the store for an impulse snack when doughnuts have just
been made fresh in store (“About”, 2019). This chain doughnut shop is very
popular across the U.S., because of its household name, it is classified as a
high-level competitor.
2.3.3 Fast Food Locations
● McDonald’s (2): ​McDonald’s released a limited-time breakfast menu item in
early 2019 (Donut Sticks, 2019). McCafe Donut Sticks are available to customers
only during breakfast hours. The cinnamon-sugar pastry is similar to a churro in
texture and flavor. The frequency of McDonald’s breakfast could lend to someone
fixing a doughnut craving with this option. This reduces the likelihood that the
individual would stop at The Donut Experiment. The fact that the product is
limited edition combined with the convenience of the organization qualifies this
as an average competitor.
● Starbucks (2): ​Starbucks is considered a high threat to The Donut Experiment
because of the number of locations it has and how established the brand is itself.
Starbucks is front-of-mind for working professionals on the way to work. A quick
run through the drive through, and you have what you need to start your day. The
Donut Experiment offers coffee drinks similar to Starbucks’ drink menu (Food,
Drinks & Menu, 2019).
● Hardee’s/Carl’s Junior (1): ​The burger joint garnished extra media attention
following the limited release of the “Fruit Loops Mini Donuts,” (Flager, 2019).
The aesthetically-pleasing carton holds five colored cake donuts with icing falling
down the sides. This would be rated an average competitor to The Donut
Experiment because lovers of cake doughnuts might return to Hardee’s to satisfy
a doughnut craving at any time of the day, but the product will not stay on the
menu forever.
2.4 SWOT Analysis
The SWOT analysis is a chart explaining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats of the shop. Within each of these aspects, there are implications and possible
actions to take. An implication is how an aspect of the analysis directly impacts the
organization. A possible action shows how the organization can use the aspect to its
advantage.
Aspects Implications Possible Actions
S​trengths Unique product
offering for
Bloomington-Nor
mal residents.
Only donut shop in town
that offers complete
donut customization
options.
Further promote the
uniqueness of the
product
Located on
Veterans Parkway.
The location on Veterans
Parkway is easily
Utilize traffic on the
road to draw
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11. accessible for working
residents in town. Less
than a mile away from
both State Farm and
Country Financial’s
campuses.
attention to the
convenient location.
Variety of menu
options.
Something for everyone’s
tastes whether it is a
coffee drink or a custom
cake donut with endless
product combinations.
Continue offering
daily donut flavor
specials that are not
specifically
promoted. This
increases the
chances of a repeat
customer finding a
new favorite flavor
combo.
Use of food
delivery services
(Grubhub and
DoorDash)
Allows customers who
are unable to personally
go to the location to
experience the donuts.
Promote this feature
more to increase
sales from those
without a car or who
don’t have the time
to go to South
Bloomington.
W​eaknesses Lack of marketing
budget.
Not having the funds to
buy paid marketing
tactics and only relying
on word of mouth and
free marketing tactics.
Build a stronger
presence on social
media
Niche product. The donut shop offers
two kinds of products; a
variety of coffee drinks
and cake donuts with an
unlimited list of
toppings. If you are
someone who does not
enjoy either, you would
never visit the shop.
Introduce another
product in the shop
for patrons to have
another food option
if they decide to
visit.
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12. South Bloomington
location
The location is favorable
for working adults on
Veterans Parkway, but it
is not easily accessible
for college students who
would have to drive 10+
minutes to reach the
location. Not accessible
for students without
transportation.
Take advantage of
events on campus to
attract visibility to
the brand and allow
students to try the
product. Use mobile
service to sell on
campus.
O​pportunities In the future, more
neighboring retail
establishments
will pop up in the
South
Bloomington area.
The location of the Donut
Experiment is in the
development South
Bloomington area,
where they can
capitalize on being one
of the first unique
businesses in the area.
Make connections
with neighboring
businesses in order to
establish presence
before more
businesses begin to
open up.
Increased use of
food delivery
services in
Bloomington-Nor
mal.
The Donut Experiment is
leading the way in donut
delivery. The shop uses
DoorDash to provide
delivery services for
patrons who cannot
make it into the store
that day.
Continue to promote
the use of delivery
services and widen
the range of services
the shop uses.
Currently applying
to GrubHub.
T​hreats A rise in health
consciousness
Many people are
becoming more
conscious of their
consumption of sugar
and what is seen as
unhealthy foods.
Promote the Donut
Experiment as a fun
out that may not
necessarily be a
common occurrence,
not an indulgence.
Increase in
awareness of
gluten intolerance
With more people
eliminating gluten from
their diet, it could
prohibit them from
going to Donut
Experiment
Offer a gluten free
option for the donuts.
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13. Increase in
minimum wage.
Added costs to keeping
the business functioning.
If the increase
becomes too much
of a burden,
employees could be
laid off or donut
prices can increase
to offset the costs.
2.5 Market Position
The Donut Experiment believes it is important to “do one thing and do it right.” The
Donut Experiment provides a unique, customer-oriented experience with one
commonality: a freshly made cake donut. Unlike other boutique donut shops, The Donut
Experiment encourages customers to create their own experiment with over 20 toppings
ranging from Oreos to bacon, making it the customizable experience of a donut lovers
dreams. Due to this, The Donut Experiment is a niche occupier. It serves a specific
market that no other sweet shop does in the Bloomington-Normal area. The Donut
E4xperiment has the capacity to be a team-building outing, a birthday event, or a group
gathering. This feature is not typical in an establishment serving donuts in the
Bloomington-Normal area.
The Donut Experiment is more than a boutique donut shop, it is an experience that is best
shared with family, friends or as a mid-morning pick me up. The Donut Experiment is a
sweet outing that will not break the bank, offering low prices and the opportunity to be
creative.
3.0 Plan
Section 3.0 describes the recommended measures The Donut Experiment could take ​from
April 2019 to August 2020. With the help of the two previous sections, we have prepared
steps that align with the vision of the organization, to give back to the community. The
subsequent sections include: objectives, strategies and tactics; critical success factors; key
performance indicators; a budget; a timeline; and the evaluation method and anticipated
results.
3.1 Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics
This section describes the objectives, strategies, and tactics that guide the strategic plan.
Objectives state a measurable goal the organization wishes to achieve in an amount of
time for a specific audience. To help measure an objective, benchmarks are used to state
a point of comparison. The rationale is used to explain why the objective is necessary.
After an objective is set, strategies are formed to focus on the steps needed to reach the
desired end result. Within each strategy is a group of tactics, or specific actions to follow
to achieve the objective.
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14. Below are five objectives with the strategies and tactics associated with each.
Objectives Strategies Tactics
1. Implement a customer loyalty
tracking method by May 27, 2019.
(Rationale: There is no formal
method for determining returning
customers that can be used for
promotional purposes.)
(Benchmark: Anecdotal observations
of customer traffic, where 40% of
customers are returners.)
Audience
involvement
Adding questions on the donut order
form to track if it is the customers
first visit, and how many times prior
they have visited
Punch card offering free doughnut
after 10 visits
Email sign up for promotions, new
menu items, and discount offers
2. To increase returning customer
base by 10% by May 1, 2020.
(Rationale: Based on results from
Objective 1, retaining customers is an
essential part of owning a restaurant.)
(Benchmark: Anecdotal observation
that 40% of customers are returning.)
Selective
exposure
Promotional material about benefits
of loyalty
Consider discounted coupons
Punch card offering free doughnut
after 10 visits
3. To increase presence on
surrounding university campuses by
participating in three or more events
per year by May 1, 2020.
(Rationale: Increasing awareness of
the organization between college
students would attract more business
and attention.)
(Benchmark: There is no current
campus involvement.)
Campus
Engagement
Strategy
Internship
Strategy
Festival ISU table
PRSSA student PR agency client
University RSO chapter events and
socials
Sorority outings
Internship for School of
Communication students
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15. 4. Become the client for ISU’s Public
Relations campaign course for the fall
2019 or spring 2020 class.
(Rationale: Being a client for
COM377 provides great exposure and
free help that can be implemented
immediately.
(Benchmark: Past client success.)
Salient
information
Contact instructor
Prepare material to fit class
requirements
5. To increase awareness of menu
options among professionals in the
neighboring area by 30% by
September 1, 2020.
(Rationale: Forming strong
relationships with working
community members would establish
The Donut Experiment as an easy
pre-work stop.)
(Benchmark: There is no current
benchmark.)
Guerilla
marketing
strategy
Meet with neighboring businesses to
offer discounts for events
Social media contests
3.2 Critical Success Factors
This section includes a graph describing the opportunities, barriers, environment and
resources assigned to each objective. Critical success factors are events that could
potentially help or hurt the success of the strategic plan. Opportunities are positive events
that the organization can use to its benefit. In contrast, barriers are restrictions in
achieving a goal. The environment includes internal and external forces that impact the
organizational changes. Lastly, resources are the knowledge and experience required
needed to successfully attain each objective.
Objectives Opportunities Barriers Environment Resources
1. Implement a
customer loyalty
tracking method
by May 27,
2019.
Reveal most
prominent
customer base to
gear future
marketing tactics
towards.
Customers not
filling out the
question box
regarding their
previous visits.
External factor: if
a customer is in a
rush.
Internal factor:
Running out of
order forms,
grammatical
Building the
order form
template to
include
attendance
questions.
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16. Reveals popular
menu options
among customer
base to help
expand the
menu.
errors, and
improper wording
on forms.
Access to a
printer for the
new order forms
that include
attendance
questions.
2. To increase
returning
customer base
by 10% by May
1, 2020.
Increase in
revenue.
Ability to expand
the philanthropic
aspect of the
organization’s
social
responsibility.
Provide more job
opportunities as
the business
expands.
Not having
enough staff to
compensate for
the increase in
customers.
Buying more
ingredients to
supply more
donuts.
External factor:
The possibility of
a new bakery to
open in the
Bloomington-Nor
mal area.
Internal factor:
Maintaining a
high standard for
customer
experience
including
consistency and
fulfilling orders
correctly.
Payroll to have
more employees
on staff.
Increase in
ingredients from
supply chain.
3. To increase
presence on
surrounding
university
campuses by
participating in
three or more
events per year
by May 1, 2020.
Build strong
relationship with
a new customer
base.
Increase in
revenue.
University
groups
declining the
invitation for a
partnership.
Low attendance
at socials.
External factor:
Alternative
organization
partners with
university group.
Internal factor:
Failure to make
connections with
university groups
and plan events.
Contact
information of
organizations
who are hosting
events.
Transportation
that can move
the donuts safely
to the event
space.
Extra staff to
help before,
during and after
the event.
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17. 4. Become the
client for ISU’s
Public Relations
campaign course
for the fall 2019
or spring 2020
class.
Free, ready to
use public
relations
campaign.
Exposure to
students
participating, and
their contacts.
Bloomington-N
ormal has many
new businesses
looking for
public relations
help.
External factor:
The course
professor chooses
another business.
Internal factor:
Not reaching out
and expressing
interest to the
professor in
charge.
Contact
information of
course
professor.
5. To increase
awareness of
menu options
among
professionals in
the neighboring
area by 30% by
September 1,
2020.
Build a new,
recurring
customer base.
Increase in
revenue.
Not having a
marketing
budget to
promote the
menu options
among the
target market.
External factor:
Commuters have
morning habits
they may not
want to change.
Internal factor:
The operating
hours may not fit
in with the
schedule of
commuters.
Marketing
tactics to get the
word out to
professionals.
Supply a need
for people to
change their
routines to fit in
The Donut
Experiment.
3.3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are essential to the eventual success of an objective
because, instead of waiting until the end of the timeline to determine if you are
successful, KPIs are used to “check-in” with the status of your objective and help adjust
strategies along the way.
● Objective 1: Implement a customer loyalty tracking method by May 27, 2019.
o Benchmark: Anecdotal observations of customer traffic, where 40% of
customers are returners.
o KPI: Include a question on order form asking whether it is their first time
at The Donut Experiment. Review results weekly.
● Objective 2: Increase returning customer base by 10% by May 1, 2020.
o Benchmark: Anecdotal observation that 40% of customers are returning.
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18. o KPI: Take daily notes on the frequency of customers using the purchase
punch card.
● Objective 3: Increase presence on surrounding university campuses by
participating in three or more events per year by May 27, 2020.
o Benchmark: There is currently zero campus involvement.
o KPI: Hold one event with a university RSO or club every four months.
● Objective 4: Become the client for ISU’s Public Relations campaign course for
the fall 2019 or spring 2020 class.
o Benchmark: Past client success.
o KPI: Check-in on the progress of relationship to get chosen as a campaign
client every three months.
● Objective 5: Increase awareness of menu options among professionals in the
neighboring area by 30% by September 1, 2020.
o Benchmark: There is currently no benchmark.
o KPI: Use results of order form survey to note changes in customer
presence. Review weekly.
3.4 Budget & Resource Allocations
The proposed budget is our estimation of costs allocated between the objectives stated in
section 3.1. DNS Communications did not have access to The Donut Experiment’s
income statement, so the flexible plan may be adjusted accordingly. As discussed in prior
meetings with The Donut Experiment’s owner, Ashley, the organization does not have a
large marketing fund. Due to this, DNS Communications chose tactics that require little
to no financial commitment. The total cost to implement the tactics assigned to
Objectives one through five is $23.71. The costs stated in the budget are estimated are
subject to change.
See Appendix B for proposed 2019-2020 Budget.
3.5 Timeline (beginning with the proposal’s acceptance/approval)
Upon the approval of this strategic plan, the following graph is a tentative timeline for the
implementation of objectives and tactics. The Donut Experiment must adhere to the dates
in the timeline to ensure each objective is given enough time to prosper. Each objective is
dated strategically to maximize the effectiveness of the plan. Overlapping objectives are
separated for easier viewing. Each objective is conveniently bolded in a different color
for the duration necessary to carry out the objective. The corresponding tactics are
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19. highlighted beneath the objective to indicate the dates of completion for each tactic. The
dates are tentative due to unforeseen internal and external factors that may arise.
See Appendix C for proposed 2019-2020 Timeline.
3.6 Evaluation Method & Anticipated Results
The Donut Experiment must establish a plan to evaluate the outcomes of the objectives.
At the end of each objective’s timeline, measurements will be taken to decide if the plan
was successful. The measurements include: ensuring a punch card and question on the
order form is designed and implemented, the results from the order form over time,
frequency of punch card use, and progress of relationship to become COM 377
Campaigns client. These measurements are in cooperation with the KPIs set in place for
periodic evaluation. Final measurements for this plan happen after the completion of each
objective’s own timeline date and in correspondence to the KPIs set in place. Refer to
section 3.3 for KPIs and benchmarks.
● Objective 1: Implement a customer loyalty tracking method by May 27, 2019.
o If a template for the order form is made to evaluate who is a new or
returning customer by May 27, 2019 the objective was successfully met.
o If the objective is unsuccessful, review ways to design customer loyalty
tracking method.
● Objective 2: Increase returning customer base by 10% by May 1, 2020.
o If, according to the customer loyalty tracking program, the returning
customer base and first time customer base changes to 50/50, the objective
is successful.
o If the objective is unsuccessful, continue tracking method and evaluate
strategies.
● Objective 3: Increase presence on surrounding university campuses by
participating in three or more events per year by May 1, 2020.
o If three or more events are held with university groups, the objective is
successful.
o If the objective is not met, consult with more university groups to build
new relationships.
● Objective 4: Become the client for ISU’s Public Relations campaign course for
the fall 2019 or spring 2020 class.
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20. o If The Donut Experiment is a client for the fall 2019 or spring 2020
campaign class, the objective is successful.
o If the objective is not met, continue building relationship with university
to eventually reach the objective.
● Objective 5: Increase awareness of menu options within professionals in the
neighboring area by 30% by September 1, 2020.
o If, according to the customer loyalty tracking method, more customers are
coming on their way to work than before the guerrilla marketing strategy,
the objective was successful.
o If the objective is not met, re-strategize the objective to find a solution to
reach the target audience.
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21. Appendices
A. THE DONUT EXPERIMENT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
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22. B. PROPOSED 2019-2020 BUDGET
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23.
C. PROPOSED 2019-2020 TIMELINE
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24. References
Badel, J. (2019, February 21). Illinois Minimum Wage Increases to $15 by 2025. Retrieved
March 27, 2019, from
https://www.wagehourblog.com/2019/02/articles/state-wage-and-hour-laws/illinois-mini
mum-wage-increases-to-15-by-2025/
Gentile, J. (2015, May 06). 19 Illinois Cities, Ranked by Their Food and Drink. Retrieved March
27, 2019, from
https://www.thrillist.com/eat/chicago/illinois-cities-ranked-by-their-food-and-drink
Illinois State University Athletics. (2018, October 26). Sign Up to be a Denny's Doughnut's Kid
Captain. Retrieved March 27, 2019, from
https://goredbirds.com/news/2017/11/27/reggies-kids-club-sign-up-to-be-a-dennys-dough
nuts-kid-captain.aspx
Krispy Kreme. (n.d.). HAPPINESS THROUGH DOUGHNUTS. Retrieved March 27, 2019,
from https://www.krispykreme.com/about
McDonalds. (n.d.). McCafé® Donut Sticks | McDonald's. Retrieved March 27, 2019, from
https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/donut-sticks.html
Sugar Mama Bakery. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2019, from http://sugarmamabakery.net/
Starbucks. (n.d.). Food, Drinks & Menu | Starbucks. Retrieved March 27, 2019, from
https://www.starbucks.com/menu
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