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...

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…