Shebas Target Market in Australia

Sheba is an Australian rideshare company that is for and by women. It offers its services to women passengers, driven by women drivers, so that both can feel safe and secure. The company’s key customers are: women drivers and women passengers (single or moms/moms with children). The target market of this report is women drivers, because they will serve as the backbone of the company’s growth. Sheba is positioned to grow because it offers a safe, secure and comfortable rideshare experience that is designed just for women.
2.1. Target Market and Positioning Statement.
Target Market:
Women: professional, non-professional; married, non-married; with and without kids; ages 21+ for drivers
Positioning Statement:
Sheba provides Women (21+) with an opportunity to drive for a company that caters solely to them and their needs. Women drivers will pick up and drop off Moms on the go, single women, and women who want to feel safe and comfortable knowing that they are in good hands when they take a rideshare. It is Sheba’s goal to provide all women with a safe and affordable option in the rideshare economy: thus Sheba is a unique drive service like no other—for and by women that focuses on getting there safe, without worry!
2.2. Marketing Strategy Recommendations.
The extended marketing mix consists of a combination of elements that a firm will use to enhance its ability to appeal to its target market, meet that target’s needs and ensure the fulfillment of that target’s expectations. Every element of the extended marketing mix is related to one another, and the elements that make up the extended marketing mix consist of the following: 1) Product—the good or service offered to the consumer; 2) Price—the cost to the consumer for the good or service; 3) Place—where the consumer obtains the product; 4) Promotion—the manner in which the consumer is targeted and convinced to purchase the product; 5) People—the individuals involved in the transaction when the consumer obtains the product; 6) Process—the methods used to deliver the product to the consumer; and 7) Physical—the environment experienced by the consumer during or throughout the process. The three extended marketing mix elements that will be covered in this marketing plan are: Promotion, Place, and Product.
As Johnson (2014) notes, “effective marketing depends on building and maintaining relationships” (p. 251). With this in mind it should be considered that the target market is going to be one that is connected to the Web—one that is tech-savvy and able to use a mobile phone device and app (as well as GPS technology) to get other women passengers where they need to be. Reaching out to this type of target would best be supported, therefore, by the same tech that the target needs to be familiar with: the Web. Social media and word-of-mouth are great ways to ensure that people respond to Sheba in an organic way, which is the best way for the company to enter into the market. Traditional ads (during daytime or morning TV—local stations) may be utilized to help catch the attention of moms on the go—but for the target market of women drivers, Sheba will rely upon promoting itself, asserting its place, and showcasing its product to potential women drivers by using Web technology. The Web is what connects each of these three elements, as they relate to another and reinforce one another. Because the target market is one that is niche and specialized, the marketing strategy should thus rely on the most organic methods to appeal to this target, and which can really vitalize the marketing campaign and get people interested and feeling like they are purposefully being sought out to be part of this amazing company. Social media helps generate and drive word-of-mouth and supports the implementation of a grassroots, local-level marketing strategy that will help Sheba reach its target market.
2.2.1. Promotion Strategy.
Johnson (2014) states that “the process of determining the user communities’ wants and needs, developing the products and services in response, and encouraging users and potential users to take advantage of the products and services” (p. 251). In order for Sheba to effectively promote itself to its target market, it must consider the wants and needs of its target. What does Sheba offer to potential women drivers who are 21+ years of age? Sheba can begin by listing all the incentives the company offers to women on its website and through social media posts. This will generate interest in the company among women who are looking for a job where they can exercise independence and essentially be their own boss while also contributing positively to the community by helping other women in need. Identifying the perks of the job along with the incentives offered can allow this strategy to act as the “lure and hook” approach required to get the target market to respond favorably. Women can easily share this information with other women they know, allowing a snowball effect or word-of-mouth to spread and get the company’s offerings before the eyes of more women. 68% of all women use social media, as Perrin (2015) shows, and Correa, Hinsley and Zuniga (2010) all note in their study of social media users that social media is an effective way to attract people who are open to new experiences. Since Sheba is definitely a new experience for women, social media is the best way to promote the company to its target market.
2.2.2. Place Strategy.
The Place Strategy that will be utilized will also consist of the Web. Women drivers will sign up via Sheba’s app, which they can download on their mobile device or onto their PC. They will register using this app and upload all their credentials and information via the Web to the company so that they can begin driving. There is no physical location where women drivers will have to go to be hired. The ease with which they can sign up is part of the charm. There is a lot of paperwork that the applicant will have to upload, but that is just so the company can verify that the applicant is who she says she is. The company wants to be safe and also wants the application process to be easy—which is why applicants can also call Sheba on the phone anytime to get assistance with the process. Thus the entire process of becoming a driver can take place quite easily, without the applicant ever having to leave her home—or car—if that is where she is when the inspiration to become a Sheba driver finally strikes. This place strategy combines with the promotion and product strategy by aligning with the wholly web-based approach to the target market. Sheba wants women who are virtually connected—and women who are virtually connected are ones looking for unique and new opportunities to earn a living that is hassle-free: which is exactly what Sheba wants to be for women. As Berhardt, Mays and Hall (2012) show, new media is an effective way to market and engage the target on a more personalized level—and that is exactly what Sheba wants to do.
2.2.3. Product Strategy.

The Product Strategy of Sheba is simple: this is a service by women for women. It is designed to unite women so that they feel safe, comfortable, and cared for. The service allows the company to position itself separately from all other rideshare services by specializing in catering only to women. This offering makes the target market much more selective and it means that it will appeal to a certain type of woman: one who wants to feel empowered and able to help other women. The framework for this strategy is based on the findings of Downes and Mui (1998) who show that using the “killer app” approach can actually boost a company’s business in the Digital Age, as more and more future generations will turn to apps for information, services, and opportunities. The app in this case is part of the product—and the service that is obtained through the app is the other part of the product. The target market will appreciate this nuanced approach to business, as the Digital Age has arrived and transformed the way people shop, communicate, and work. Women who want to be part of the Digital Age will immediately latch on to this idea and undoubtedly share it with their friends who want a safe, affordable way to travel using rideshare.
2.3. Conclusion.

This report has provided a brief overview of the rideshare industry. Sheba faces competition from other companies like Uber and Lyft—but it sets itself apart by being a rideshare service exclusively for women by women. That means it connects women riders with women drivers so that both can feel safe and secure. Since Sheba has identified a need in the market place for safety among women who require rides, this business is perfectly positioned to meet that need.
Sheba aims to target female drivers first and foremost because they are the ones who will provide the service and they must be obtained first. These women will be independent, tech-savvy, and over 21. Sheba is aware that this target may require assistance with the application process and is available to provide assistance over the phone. Sheba should position itself via social media to promote itself, showcase its product, and offer an easy online “place” for the process to be completed.
Sheba’s key marketing objectives are to be achieved through its promotion, place and product strategies, which combine to create a user-friendly experience for all women involved. The performance of this strategy can be measured by monitoring the number of times the app is downloaded, the number of drivers enrolled, the number of sales, and consumer and driver satisfaction (women will be able to take a survey and/or send comments to the company at any time). Each of these metrics is important in helping to gauge the growth of the company. The effectiveness of the promotion strategy will be measured by “likes” on social media and number of “shares.” The performance of the product strategy will be measured by number of downloads of the app. The performance of the place strategy will be measured by number of enrollees.


Reference List.

Bernhardt, J.M., Mays, D. and Hall, A.K., 2012. Social marketing at the right place and right
time with new media. Journal of Social Marketing, 2(2), pp.130-137.
Correa, T., Hinsley, A.W. and De Zuniga, H.G., 2010. Who interacts on the Web?: The
intersection of users’ personality and social media use. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(2), pp.247-253.
Downes, L. and Mui, C., 1998. Unleashing the killer app: digital strategies for market. Harvard
Business School Press, Cambridge, MA.
Perrin, A., 2015. Social media usage. Pew Research Center.
Johnson, P., 2014. Fundamentals of collection development and management. American Library
Association.