Conclusion

       At the beginning of the course, I thought that I wouldn't learn much new things, because I didn't have motivation at all. But now when I think, what I have accomplished and found out during this course is a lot, and I realize that it really was helpful and important. I liked that I could do this portfolio, and I guarantee that it reflects my personality just like it supposed to do. I went through my assignments (and got few of them done) when doing this, and in my opinion this was really helpful. If I could do this course again now, I'd do it. I know better that this is worth investing little bit more. But in taken as a whole, I think I succeeded better than expected.

        I am sure that I will use the knowledge, that I gathered in this course, in the future. This was really useful, but difficult course. I did the portfolio as a blog, because I know that I do this better than any word documents. The best part in this portfolio is that I really told what I could do better. I evaluated myself freely and honestly. If I think that I could do something better, I tell it. 

        The most difficult thing for me is planning something on my own. If I can't find information anywhere, it is really hard for me. My classmates have done so much for me and helped me a lot. Without them, I couldn't done even half of these assignments. I can do a lot myself, but sometimes I need help that I get the whole assignment. I really tried to do this as good as I can. 

        My effort is seen at the thinking process and self-evaluation. I know that I will use all this information in the future and the best way to learn for me is to make something rather than just read or write. This blog was just the right choice for me, because I can make it to look what I want. I hope that this portfolio shows my interest and hard work that I've done. 

Marketing plan

       The marketing plan was the most difficult task that I've done in this school. I really had to think and find information about it and still I had no clue how I was supposed to do it. The purpose was to make a marketing plan for my chosen company. I chose Hesburger Pälkäne, because I have been working there for almost 4 years now and I am a shift manager trainee, so I have to know about their marketing methods. That helped a lot when doing the task, because I know everything about their products and target groups. Also I have been familiar with their campaigns and figures. I never would've done this assignment, if I wouldn't have information in advance.





















I started it by gathering information that I already know. For example SWOT -analysis was quite easy to do, because I have seen all the strengths and weaknesses at work. Also the opportunities and threats were easy to think, because it is so small, that it could have so many opportunities to expand. Pälkäne is a really small place (by population), so it was easy to think about their competitive situation (nonexistent). I had my stepdad with me all the time during the task, because he knows a lot about these things. He has his own business, so he helped me a lot with my school work. 


One bad thing in this topic is that I'm not interested in it at all. I hate my job and my working place. The only thing why I chose this, was that I know a lot about it. I think I could've done better if I would stick in my previous topics, or pick something totally new to me. I have never thought about the location or Hesburger's financial position, so now I got new perspectives to my working place. 

I am proud of my work, because I thought that it wouldn't be even that good. I really put my mind to this and tried to do it as good as I can. My motivation to do this task was a bottle of red wine. I promised to myself, that if I could do this marketing plan and really focus on it, I can open the bottle. I need this kind of motivation to keep myself interested.

Stages in developing a marketing plan

This assignment was searching the answers. I didn't have to make a plan myself. This task was quite simple, just looking for answers on the internet and materials. I learned a lot, because I didn't know much about the content and questions were quite hard for me. I tried to do this assignment in a way I would learn as much as possible.
The first question was: "How might a small company carry out its marketing planning functions."
I had no idea and I couldn't just put that question to google and search, because I had to think and search the answer in another ways. I had to find out about the marketing planning functions and then think the possible ways for the small company. I still don't have much knowledge about this, but I answered like I understood the topic.

The four stages in marketing planning process were quite easy to find and it was interesting to think what they stood for and how company uses the different ways. I explained these four stages in a simple way, because it was better for me to understand them. These stages helped me to understand the process of the marketing plan and how companies start and proceed the process.

     ·         Analysis  

Planners have to think where the company is at the moment to develop.

• ·                 Planning

Setting goals and objectives, planning how to achieve them.

• ·         Implementation

Checking that everybody knows what to do and putting the plan into action.

• ·         Control

Checking if company would achieve goals and objectives and if not, lowering the targets. Taking feedback and developing the plans from that way.

        This assignment helped me to understand top-down -planning better and understand how it works. I didn't have any idea about the top-down -planning, but when I started to look for it, I realized that I know parts of it already.  The pros and cons of top-down -planning was hard to find, but when I was searching the answers, I found out a lot more of it than I would've thought.

        This assignment was the most helpful one in the course, because I think that I learned the most when doing this. It helped me with other assignments, when I understood the most part of this. I had to think what I answer and I couldn't copy-paste (not that I would do that ever). I had to ask others also, when I didn't get the topic at all at first. But luckily I have amazing classmates and I get help when I need it.

Campaign planning

This assignment was kind of easy to do, because I have learnt so much from this topic. I didn't have to find much information from internet. I chose our NY-company Sapphire Brushes. I think that our company was successful and if we would have wanted, we could've continue the business. I chose this, because I am familiar with it and it is one of my interests. This was easy, because I had to think a campaign plan for this company, which is my own (and two other monkeys are involved also). This task was useful, because I did it the way that I would really do in the future. So this helps me to understand better how to set goals and objectives for the campaign.
      If I had to do the campaign for this company for real, I would do it this way as I planned in the assignment. 
The message for this campaign is quite extended:

 MESSAGE:

The company is pretty new and unknown. So they need to focus the advertising to the quality and price. The message is to sell good-quality makeup brushes, which are better than others at same price range. Audience is interested to this, when you tell them the qualities and the sustainability. Also the instructions how to maintain the quality will help to sell these. The basic promise is to offer quality at a low price range.
Competitive situation is tough, because there are a lot of makeup brushes on the market. The bigger brands have really expensive brushes and their quality isn’t that good as it supposed to be. I will differ from the competitors by targeting the social media advertising and the most popular makeup video bloggers.

The most challenging part in this assignment was to figure out the message and I'm still not sure if I got it right or not. The most important part is that I tried my best. The topic was really interesting, because we had to think our campaigns and advertising when forming the company, but we never had the change to implement it. 

Planning sales promotion action

        This task was useful and I had to think myself a lot. I couldn't find answers on the internet, so I just had to use my own imagination. The assignment was nice, because I could choose the product myself and choose something that I'm interested in. I chose contest for selling mascara. I have seen many contests on Facebook and Instagram, where is totally new product in some brand line. So that the customers will guess the new product or the product's name. I think this is a really good way to promote the product, because always when someone likes the post or comments it, the post will appear on their friend's main page. So it is kind of free marketing (if you haven't paid for the ad) and the customers can join and tag their friends.

        I have noticed that almost every assignment where I can chose the topic myself, is someway related to makeup or makeup brand. That topic is interesting and keeps my motivation for the assignment. And I'm not saying that I can do makeup (second photo related), but it is same for me as art is for others and I like watching the tutorials. The best way to promote sales especially in makeup, is the social media. Because people who use makeup are finding tutorials and examples from the internet. I use social media for this use a lot. I have own experience from the contests, so that is why I decided to do the task this way. I could've make more time for this assignment, so I think this is average achievement from me.

Orientation task

        I am going to start with the orientation task, which was the first assignment we had in this marketing communications -course. I had to think and find out about company's financial management and marketing communications. The first question was about Tampere's marketing consultant offices and advertising agencies. It was nice to look for them and find out what they do. I have seen few of those companies, when I have drove through the city. Without this assignment, I wouldn't know what they do or why/to who. But now when I see them, I notice them and think of their business idea and what kind of customers they have. For example SoMe Studio is specialized to social media marketing. It is really interesting to see what kind of work they do.

        I think it was interesting and it led us to the subject of the course. I did Boston portfolio model from Urban Decay and their products. I have tried to choose topics that I know and have an interest. Here is excerpt from the task:

"Urban Decay

Stars – Vice lipsticks. Urban Decay’s latest investment. They put high expectations with those lipsticks, and they are selling great.

Question mark – Urban Decay foundations and other primer products aren’t those popular, even when celebrities endorse them.

Cash cows - Urban Decay has “Naked” eye shadow palettes. Those palettes are the most popular product and they have really stable market.

Dogs – Urban Decay has nail polishes, what isn’t selling that good and the polishes haven’t reached the popularity of other Urban Decay products yet. And I think they are not reaching it."

        It was also interesting to think what kind of changes are coming to my hometown. I live in a small place, Pälkäne. I had to think that question, and I think that I answered the easiest way. I could've had thought it more and find out what is really happening in my hometown. This topic was new to me and I had much interest in it. I have tried to do this with care, but I could've done better. I didn't focus on the important and essential things, I looked only for the bigger picture.

At this point, I think that if I'd do this assignment now, it would have more relevant matter. Meaning that if I had more info about the topic, I could've make it more comprehensive. When making this portfolio, I noticed what I should've focused and what is not relevant in the assignment.

Introduction

         This blog is made for portfolio use. I think that this way is the best to make the portfolio to look like me. So my name is Fanni Lahtinen and I am a studying business in Tampere. I wanted to make a blog, because I think that I will concentrate to this more than I would have on any other platform. This is interesting and differs from my usual work at school.
     
         The purpose of this blog is to evaluate my work and how I have evolved during this course. I will show how I met my goals and tell if there was challenging parts. I will evaluate my strengths and weaknesses, to know where I did right and what I did right. I analyze my work and tell what I was thinking during the work process. It is very interesting to see where I have evolved and how.
       
          I will be able to see my own development and think what I could have done differently. I can also show my new knowledge on the subject.