Local Threads seeks to make a cumulative impact on the buying patterns of Redwood City College students and locals through the viral effect of its marketing, growing sales and membership, and increasing visibility in the community. The marketing of the business will focus on providing value to the customers both through the products sold and information provided through online outlets.

1.1 Goals

Personal goals for the CEO include:

• Maintaining steady work on marketing after launch, including 1 hour each morning, 6 days a week.
• Establishing personal relationships with other business owners and heads of relevant associations that can help Local Threads in terms of visibility and direct referrals.
• Receiving a living wage from the business from launch, and increasing income from the business every year

Business goals include:

• Growing sales to $240,000 in the third year
• Increasing referred customers to 1,190 in the third year

Tactical goals include:

• Establishing a thorough Web resource, as shown by the number of links to other sites
• Establishing a useful email newsletter, as shown by the number of subscribers
• Sponsoring a college a cappella group every year, via a high-profile contest on the Redwood City College campus

Strategic goals include:

• Obtaining increased customer satisfaction, as shown by the growth of customer testimonials
• Obtaining increased customer input into sourcing, as shown by the growth of member participation in advisory groups

1.2 Purpose

Local Threads seeks to grow its business in order to return profits to its CEO and founder, of course, but also to have a considerable impact on the buying habits of Redwood City. Through its promotion of the importance of buying local and buying green, Local Threads hopes to raise awareness of the damaging effects of globalization and empower individuals to consider that their individual buying habits have an important, cumulative effect. This marketing plan will guide Local Threads to engage its customers beyond what a traditional clothing store can hope for.

1.3 Picture

Local Threads will be a funky and accessible store, where customers are not only treated with a smile and courteous attention, but enjoy the complete transparency of the sourcing process through prominent displaying of the story of each supplier on cards with their clothing items. A customer entering the store would immediately learn of the store's difference from the store clerk, and see this difference by reading the many profile cards on its suppliers. This experience would continue at check-out, when the customer learns of ways to share the store with others by being offered cards to take home and to join the membership program so that he/she and friends can all enjoy 10% discounts. Because buying at Local Threads means quality clothing which is unique and makes the customer feel good about their effect on the environment and local economy, it is a no-brainer for the customer to recommend to others to visit the store, especially when those others share the same political inclinations.

1.4 Gap Dashboard

Marketing metrics will be accumulated at least weekly in the POS system and a Gap Dashboard will be viewed on a monthly basis to compare against projected totals which correspond to the key goals for the business. The Gap Dashboard will provide the CEO with an overall understanding of whether the business is reaching his personal, business, tactical, and strategic goals as set, and where problems may lie. Shortfalls in these numbers will be examined for their root cause. The business will be flexible to change projections in some areas, although the net result in sales and income must stay the same for Local Threads to be considered a success by the CEO.

Gap Dashboard

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