Table of Contents
Executive Summary
3
Environmental Analysis
3
Market Need
4
Current Situation
5
Industry overview
5
Competitor analysis
5
Legal/Regulatory Overview
6
Target market
7
Target Audience Analysis
7
Marketing Objectives
8
Marketing Strategies
8
Product
8
Price
9
Place
9
Promotion
9
People
9
Physical layout
10
Process
10
Positioning
10
Marketing Tactics
10
Evaluation and Control
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11
Key Success Factors
11
Metrics
12
Contingency Plan
12
References
14
Sensor Stick
Executive Summary
There has been a development of an intelligent sensor stick for the visually impaired and blind people. The stick is a 21st century innovation for the blind. The gadget is rechargeable and communicates by buzzing. This helps the blind user to know if there are any upcoming obstacles on the surface. If the buzz is strong, it means that the user is very close to the obstacle (Hersh, 2009). The stick aims at making the lives of blind people more convenient by enabling them to travel and move around. The object can talk to the blind user to take the right directions. It also gives warnings to blind people if there are any dangerous depressions on the pathway and calls for assistance whenever a blind man is in danger. It generally comprises of a supporting rod, a steering caster, a control box, a handle and a scanning device. All these kits work together in converting detected signals in to voice. The message is then conveyed to the user through an earphone, which is directly linked to the handle. The device is new and friendly to the user. Unlike other previous solutions, it assists the user to make use of their hands. This is indeed a perfect solution for a mighty problem. It is predicted that the blind people’s lives will be revolutionized by the new technology (Baltes, Gopel & Hesse, 1996).
Environmental Analysis
In this section, I will identify the need, which exists currently in the market for sensor stick. I will also give a brief overview of the product and the competitive environment in the industry. Finally, I will look at the target market segment and the target audiences for sensor stick.
Market Need
Visually impaired people have been using aids to walk around freely. These aids include guide dogs and canes that require the use of one hand. The situation could be reversed by the invention of a new technology.
People who are visually impaired have been estimated to be around 45 million all over the world. In the past, these people have solely relied on guide dog and canes for aid. Different people have developed different kinds of guide cane (Hersh, 2009). Most of them are made to enable the blind person to feel obstacles around them. These sticks are not efficient, and they require the user to be active. Some of these guides have proven to be effective but have deadly disadvantages. For example, guide dogs are somewhat colorblind and thus they cannot establish the difference between colored objects. This is extremely dangerous in environments such as urban cities where street signs have different colors.
This new technology provides an alternative solution to people who are visually impaired. The sensor stick has an inbuilt electronic sensor that assists the blind user to detect any obstacles in the pathway. The blind user can detect any material using the device such as a human being, metal, and glass, wood and concrete.
This device is important for the current market because it is an excellent solution for the blind people. With the device, the blind people will no longer need the long sticks. The innovation works by detecting the obstacles around the user and sends an alarm to the user thus the person is able to avoid the obstacles. The device helps the blind people to be independent in their movements and avoid the support of aids (Baltes, Gopel & Hesse, 1996).
Current Situation
An electronic cane has been invented to help the visually impaired people to move around freely. This device works to the level of the human eye. This gadget is unique and extraordinary compared to the normal canes that only detect objects at the ground level. The device comprises of inbuilt ultrasonic sensors that detects obstacles and sends the message to the user. It helps the user to sense objects both behind and in front of them. When the cane detects obstacles in front of the user, a vibration message is sent to the grip, and when it detects obstacles that lie above the user, it will it will send a vibration message to the wristband worn by the user (Marpaung, 2006).
Industry overview
Forty-five million is the estimated number of visually impaired people all over the world. In the past years, no one has come up with alternative solutions to cane and guide dogs. People have developed different types of canes. Most of them are made to enable the blind person to feel obstacles around them. These sticks are not efficient, and they require the user to be active. Some of these guides have proven to be effective but have deadly disadvantages. For example, guide dogs are somewhat colorblind and thus they cannot establish the difference between colored objects. This is extremely dangerous in environments such as urban cities where street signs have different colors (Hersh, 2009).
Competitor analysis
Sensor stick is facing stiff competition from the Hebrew U device. As the name suggests, the University of Hebrew’s research group based in Israel developed the gadget. The gadget employs the sonar technology to assist the blind person to navigate. People who are visually impaired and the blind will not need sensor sticks because the Hebrew U device will improve their ability to see things practically. The device works by emitting a focused beam at obstacles within the user’s environment and transmitting the visual information to the blind user through a smooth vibration. The Israel-based technology company is currently sourcing for strategic partners to combine forces in the development of the device. The device is highly intuitive, its size is like that of a cell phone, it comprises of numerous sensors that help in estimating the real distance between the blind user and the obstacle. This helps the user to assess the height and the distance of obstacles on the pathway thus create an accurate image of the environment thus safely navigate (Baltes, Gopel & Hesse, 1996).
Sensor stick is under pressure from developments such as the Hebrew U device. Unlike sensor-stick, the U device can easily distinguish between a sad face and a smiling face (Hersh, 2009). Therefore, it can be used to determine in research activities how the flexibility of the brain is changing upon receiving input as well as how the blind person’s bran reorganizes itself. The invention is promising and can provide freedom to visually impaired people who will be able to move around the environment freely without the help of aids. This shows that the device has the potential of making significant enhancements to the quality of the blind people’s lives.
Legal/Regulatory Overview
As much as the sensor stick has been widely accepted as the symbol for blindness, different governments have different rules and regulations regarding what constitutes a sensor stick for the blind people. For example, in the United Kingdom, if an individual walks with the sensor stick it will imply that the person is visually impaired. If the person walks with the sensor stick plus two red bands in addition, it implies that the user if deaf and blind. In the U.S, laws vary according to the states. People who depend on sensor sticks are afforded the right to pathway or right to cross the road. They are given the freedom to use their guide sticks. In some cities, it is not legal for an individual who is not blind to carry any kind of cane (Marpaung, 2006).
Target market
This new technology provides an alternative solution to people who are visually impaired or blind. The sensor stick has an inbuilt electronic sensor that assists the blind user to detect any obstacles in the pathway. With the sensing device, the blind user can detect any material such as human beings, metal, and glass, wood and concrete (Hersh, 2009). There is a current potential market of approximately 200 million people who are visually impaired all over the world. Out of the 200 million, 40 million have been proven legally blind. All these people have both navigation and orientation difficulties. The use of ordinary sticks cannot assist them either. The blind people are facing huge challenges in their movements and daily life. This is because they cannot assess the height of diverse obstructing objects. In addition, they cannot sense or identify objects that are far away in their environment. This innovation will help the visually impaired people, and the blind to avoid walls completely and obstacles without having to bump their heads in to the obstacles.
Target Audience Analysis
Throughout the world history, visually impaired people and the blind have been using aids such as canes and sticks as their travelling aids. From the shepherd’s biblical era up to the 19th century, canes and sticks have been regarded as tools for travelling. Geographically, the product targets visually impaired and blind globally. Their lives depend on the help of aids, and they are a good target for the sensor stick. These audiences use aids such as canes and guide dogs to detect obstacles in their pathways. Demographically, the target market does not have an age limit (Marpaung, 2006).
Marketing Objectives
One of the objectives is to create a product that makes a difference in the life of the visually impaired and blind people. The manufacturers are seeking to collaborate with leading retailers and distributors by the second quarter of 2013 with sensor stick being operational fully in the first quarter of 2014. The manufacturers project to produce at least 600,000 units of sensor sticks in a year. The production percentage is projected to increase by 5% after two years and 10% in the third year respectively. The sales cost for each unit will equate to 32% over a period of five years (Baltes, Gopel & Hesse, 1996).
Marketing Strategies
Product
The sensor stick will revolutionize the blind people’s experience by making their movements safe and comfortable. The blind will no longer need the assistance of aids while moving thus they will become independent. The sensor stick comprises of sensor systems, which aims at making the lives of blind people more convenient by enabling them to travel and move around. The object can talk to the blind user to take the right directions. It also gives warnings to blind people if there are any dangerous depressions on the pathway and calls for assistance whenever a blind man is in danger. It generally comprises of a supporting rod, a steering caster, a control box, a handle and a scanning device. All these kits work together in converting detected signals in to voice. The message is then conveyed to the user through an earphone, which is directly linked to the handle. The device is new and friendly to the user. Unlike other previous solutions, it assists the user to make use of their hands. This is indeed a perfect solution for a mighty problem. It is predicted that the blind people’s lives will be revolutionized by the new technology (Hersh, 2009).
Price
The pricing strategy of the sensor stick will use an estimated cost of $ 10,000 per single production unit. An estimated price of $ 125 is charged to both manufactures for addition to existing product lines and the retailer.
Place
The sensor stick will be sold in leading supermarkets and all sensors’ outlet stores. Initially it will focus in India, New York, and California. These markets are ideal due to the vast blind population who depend largely on the country’s economy (Baltes, Gopel & Hesse, 1996).
Promotion
Multiple of tools will be used to promote sensor stick. They include mobile, web-based, social media, trade shows and both print and electronic media. As a brand new product, the sensor stick will have no brand recognition. A large number of emphases will be based on the safety experience and benefits associated with it. To promote the product, there will be a focus on interactive tactics, relying heavily on the voice of the consumer and the product’s experts. The promotion foundation will be the social media pull strategies in stress as well as the media (Marpaung, 2006).
People
The manufacturers of the sensor stick will engage a mobile application development in the creation of the device. The greatest people in this process will be the consumers who will be engaged in the social media channels. Training will be provided to the retailers. This will be an ongoing process with the manufactures carrying out the training responsibility to ensure the long-term integrity of the use of sensor stick (Hersh, 2009).
Physical layout
The sensor sticks will be displayed in the shelves of the supermarkets and other outlet stores. The product’s section will have messages and signage from technology experts and some testimonies from customers.
Process
Manufactures will select retailers and negotiate premium in store. Processes will need to be designed to monitor traffic of the product. The manufacturers will also need to establish training schedules in the outlets as new employees are on-boarded. Regarding the social media marketing, guidelines will need to be established to provide best communication practices with the customers. Retailers will also need to be well versed on the marketing strategies being deployed in their stores. Lastly, a media schedule and schedule for consumer and technology industry trade shows will need to be determined to align with the product launched subsequent marketing and advertising (Baltes, Gopel & Hesse, 1996).
Positioning
Sensor stick is a brand new innovation. Initially, there has never been a product guaranteeing the safety of the blind people. The product will be positioned as the leading choice for improving safety for the blind people while moving around. The tagline will be, “when it comes to blind people, we ensure they move safely”. The selected retailers will add credibility and prestige to the product (Marpaung, 2006).
Marketing Tactics
Some marketing tactics are seen to be simple, but they generate extraordinary results for the product. One of the simplest tactic sensor stick will use is the interactive experience the app provides to the end-user. This interactive experience will be through the well-designed mobile app that helps the blind user communicate with the device. The app will comprise of video games that entertain the user in which the user will be pushing some objects while avoiding some obstacles at the same time. Through the inbuilt sensor, the user will receive a message that obstacles have been detected in the way (Baltes, Gopel & Hesse, 1996). When the players hit the obstructing objects, they lose points to the ones who do not hit the obstacles. This game will involve competing players. This will assist the manufacturers to build a marketing database.
The manufacturers will develop outlet stores where they will display the sensor sticks in a multidimensional manner. They will also design interactive relationships with the consumers of the product. This will be done by developing an interactive web-based sensor stick website featuring testimonials from people who are using the sensor stick. There will be extensive use of social media in engaging consumers. Sensor stick will design a robust public relations campaign to position itself as the leading solution to blind and visually impaired people. This includes designing blogs for sensor sticks (Hersh, 2009).
Evaluation and Control
The following contingency plan, metrics, and key success factors will be the basis for assessing the profitability and feasibility of the sensor stick and design response strategies.
Key Success Factors
Sensor stick will be considered a success if the sales targets are successfully met and if they show a potential upward trend. The manufacturers will be able to evaluate and control the success factors depending on communication with distributors and retailers as well as through interactions with the end-users through the internet. Information obtained from the end-users will be used to improve the safety of the product and increase satisfaction (Marpaung, 2006).
Metrics
All the information collected will be analyzed by the manufacturers and incorporated in their reports. There will be tracking of the following metrics:
a) Number of shipments to each retailer
b) Number of shipments to each distributor
c) Net sales and gross margin of the blind sensor sticks sold
d) Percentage of the product’s market penetration
e) Injury rates relate to the blind sensor stick
The manufacturers will monitor the customers’ feedback through existing social blogs such as face book and twitter blogs. They will also monitor and examine other external reports and news to help them in evaluating the market perception.
Contingency Plan
Assuming that sensor stick manufacturers enters in to partnership with leading suppliers and distributors, and assuming that the sensor sticks are being sold at giant retails and outlets, it is expected that sales will exceed the projections in less than five years. If manufacturers do not meet these goals in two years time, they will reconsider the partnerships with retailers and distributors. For instance, if site visits reveal that there is no sales effort by the retailers, then the manufacturers will prefer to join forces with the retailers to address the issue. Again, the manufacturers will have to reconsider their partnership with retailers. Retailers and outlets misrepresenting the brand in a way that reflects the plans of the manufacturers may be replaced. Marketing sensor stick will be a continuous job, and manufacturers are up to the task (Marpaung, 2006).
References
Baltes, H., Gopel, W. & Hesse, J. (1996). Sensors update. Michigan: VCH
Hersh, M. (2009). Assistive Technology for Visually Impaired and Blind People. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan
Marpaung, J., J. (2006). An Implementation of an Ultrasonic Device for the Visually Impaired.
Michigan: Taylor & Francis Publishers
