The entrance price is quite high and not many young people can afford it, most of the visitors are Lower-Middle Class people (see appendix) The price of adopting animals and becoming a member is relatively cheap and many people are looking forward to that because they get benefits like lower entrance prices
The zoo advertises by local newspaper, Local T.V,leaflets and posters(see appendix ) The local market is saturated. It targets leaning institutions or groups of people by giving low prices, which encourages them. One of the main promotional techniques the zoo uses is the safari walks (See appendix) Influential people are used in the opening of new events like jaguar Zone (See appendix). The staff is friendly ensuring customers get the best of their visit and to re-visit the zoo. A free talk on different topics of different animals attracts people and gives them more information on the animal than they knew and is free wheel-chairs and other devices are available for free for the disabled and handicapped.
The Zoo’s location is in a good because it is only about 300 yards off the motorway making it easy for people to locate it.
Before going to the conclusion, here is the SWOT analysis of Chester Zoo
Conclusion
From my questionnaire’s results, and other research, it is clear that the 16-24 year olds are either students or newly qualified employees (therefore not having very much income, generally speaking).
Their main concern is money, and they say that they aren’t well informed about the zoo, its charges, etc.
Here are the main problems and my proposed solutions:
Price:
If their budget does not allow them to perform intensive promotion, Chester Zoo could opt simply to reduce the entrance fees. Hopefully, as a result of this, the targeted age group would feel like the new price is more suited to their limited budget.
Promotion
Chester Zoo’s advertising and promotion seems to target mainly younger people and families. As a result, 16-24 year olds feel that there is ‘nothing for them’ at the zoo.
As mentioned, Chester Zoo is already relatively popular with the other age groups, so they should now concentrate their advertising and promotion efforts mainly at 16-24 year olds. Here are a few possible ways of doing this:
-Since 16 years is considered the general school-leaving age, Chester Zoo could contact school heads and invite them to have their “Year Eleven Leavers’ Trip”- a common tradition in many schools countrywide- to the zoo. This will create more awareness among the 16 year olds.
-The Internet could be used as a very useful means of advertising. For example, pop-up advertisements could be introduced, with the adverts aimed at their age group. Websites that are popular with 16-24 year olds (such as , MSN Messenger, etc) could be contacted by Chester Zoo and asked to promote the zoo on their websites, so that more of the targeted group can be made aware.
-Just like Universities send posters, information booklets, et cetera to education institutions, Chester Zoo could do the same to increase the chances of the 16-24 year olds being more aware. These information booklets and posters could be specifically designed for that age group, with “their” kind of language.
-Chester Zoo could have certain offers especially for the 16-24 year olds. Such offers include: “One Ticket For You And Your Friend”, “25% Off for students Aged 16-24”, et cetera. Considering their general income level, this may prove to be a booster for increasing their attendance.
-If their budget allows, they could begin to advertise in the “common” places that almost guarantee to be viewed by all the 16-24 year olds. Such places include on the wrappers of popular chocolates, on the cans of popular drinks such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi, et cetera. Again, these adverts should be specific to their age group.
-SYNERGISING: Chester Zoo could take advantage of this concept to attract more 16-24 year olds. As an example, they could temporarily come together with a railway company (such as Virgin Trains) and have half-price return tickets for those aged 16-24 and travelling to Chester Zoo. Hopefully, both Chester Zoo and the chosen railway company would make more money out of the promotion. Obviously, it is a tricky way as authentication that the individuals are actually going to Chester Zoo might be difficult, but it certainly isn’t impossible to achieve.
Another qualm on this method is that it doesn’t take into account those who may be travelling to Chester Zoo by other means of transport. However, it is up to Chester Zoo to decide upon whether or not it is worth it to use this form of synergising to attract their targeted age group.
In summary, I think the zoo will be able to target the 16-24 years old more successfully if it they do as I have said.