Trap-Ease America – The Big Cheese of Mousetraps

1) Trap-Ease really does face a once in a lifetime opportunity, they have managed to snatch up an effective and innovative concept for a mouse trap. Now that it has been developed and made into a reality, it offers a great opportunity for the company to grow and to increase profits. For Martha to take full advantage of this, she needs to understand the wants and needs of their potential customers. First, they need to broaden their market segments and target other groups outside of their current one, housewives. From there, they develop strong customer relationships and create strong customer value. They might even want to consider performing a SWOT analysis and figure out the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and growth. From there they can develop a more effective action plan to take full advantage of the opportunity. Trap-Ease really emphasizes how clean, effective and discreet their product is compared to its competitors, so the mission statement should embody all of that. If I were to write it myself it would go like this “mice are given the final eviction with a much cleaner and safer extinction.”
2) Martha has identified a very good group of people to market to, moms. The trap is advertised as mess free and safe for use around children, which are key components that attract this target market. Not to mention it has held great merit in good housekeeping magazine, and obtained advocacy on talk shows, all media outlets favoured by women. To really increase sales, Trap-Ease needs to promote to other types of people, and they can be clustered together based on similar needs. That need being an effective mouse trap. To start increasing their customer base they should target shop owners, offices, markets, or any other commercial spaces.
3) Trap-Ease has been positioned and introduced to the world through advertisements, awards and word of mouth. To really gain customer value and satisfaction Martha needs to extend her marketing strategies to more creative outlets. For instance, they should strike a deal with pest control companies. Often when pest control exterminates mice they leave behind mouse traps to catch any stragglers they might have missed. If Trap-Ease were to sell the exterminators their mouse traps, potential customers would be able to witness just how effective it really is. It also creates an un-spoken advocacy for the product, seeing a professional rely on the product will help reinforce the idea of how credible the company’s claims are. Since pest controls reaches a wide range of groups, it will help find, attract, keep, and increase customer base, just by giving them the opportunity to experience firsthand the value of Trap-Ease.
4) The Marketing Mix
Product: They need to offer more choices for the customers, such as a human trap or one that kills instantly. Some people may feel strongly against killing a mouse and may avoid buying the product in case of an accidental death. Price: Trap-Ease is an above average product that has an above average price. Although the benefits out way the costs of this product, the customers themselves may have a harder time coming to that conclusion when the competitors