Marketing Plan - Securitas Security USA, Inc.

 Is a subsidiary of Securitas, Inc. is the largest private security corporation in the world. Headquartered in Sweden, the company operates in 45 countries on five continents.

 Securitas USA incorporates Pinkerton and Burns, two of the United States’ oldest and largest security firms, with histories dating back to 1850 and 1909 respectively.

Stresses three core values:

• Integrity
• Vigilance
• Helpfullness

Primarily provides security for other business such as

• Banks
• Malls
• Office buildings
• Construction sites
• Factories or other industrial facilities
• Gated communities
• Many more

Security needs are unique to each client, and can sometimes vary greatly from another.

 Company organization

Local branches

• Mini-headquarters
• Liaison between client and security officers
• Responsible for managing the security services for a given area.
• Size of area covered varies from branch to branch
• Organization of a branch (branch staff) will vary depending on each branch’s individual needs, but is usually lead by a branch manager

Goals

As a business, ultimate goal is to make money

Overall mission:

• To be the employer of choice
• To be the provider of choice

 Keep current clients

Attract new clients

Form relationship with clients – they will trust what we have to say about their security needs

Challenges

Not well known to those not working within the security industry, not easily found online

When searching online for security companies, security services, or security guard services, Securitas does not show up while competitors do
 

Clients (current, new, and potential alike) cutting back or canceling security services, settling for minimum services, or choosing to do business with a competitor offering a cheaper price due to the tough economic climate

Comes down to communication of security needs – making the sale

Majority of clients are businesses themselves, and are concerned about their profit—it’s all about the bottom line. Security is a business expense and is often the first thing to get cut when money gets tight.

Clients (or potential clients) are not security experts. While they may have a general idea of the kind of services they want or need, they are not trained in recognizing:

• All of the potential risks, hazards, or vulnerabilities they face
• How best to reduce, mitigate, or prevent said risks
• How to safely and/or efficiently respond if an event were to occur
• Full ramifications if an event were to occur and steps were not taken to prevent it

Need to show:

• Importance of security
• That benefits of services outweigh the costs
• That Securitas will provide better services than competing companies

 Communication between security officers and branch office
 SO’s looking for information (payroll, vacation time, change of address, etc…)

• Most SO’s never visit office, when they need forms or information they are often sent to and from the office via fax or email, or relayed through telephone conversations (which take time away from other essential office functions)
• Officers may call looking for help or information about various company policies

New Media and Securitas

By nature, the private security company is extremely competitive. Often, security companies are contracted to protect confidential information. Revealing too much of your business strategy or jeopardizing a client’s trust could severely hurt your business. Keeping these things in mind, it’s clear why utilization of new media is generally non-existent in the security industry.

However, new media can in fact be used in a unique way to help Securitas USA meet its goals, carry out its mission, and overcome its challenges while staying true to the company’s core values.

New Media Marketing Plan will focus on:

• Communication
• Outreach

Plan will include:
 

New, Branch specific web pages
 

Will tie into the company’s website

Provide ways for clients, potential clients and guards to contact various office staff (i.e. branch manager, etc)

Link to blog

Twitter feed/link to twitter page
 

Officer page

• Log into with special code; contents of this page are not visible to clients or general public
• Provide information about various corporate policies, etc
• Provide a way for guards to submit time sheets, work reports, etc if they so choose
• Blog is also visible once officers once they log in, in addition to regular blog posts visible on the main page, there are also blog posts visible from this point that are not relevant to clients or the general public – these could be newsletters or special announcements

 Search Engine Optimization & Search Engine Marketing
 

SEO and SEM will ensure that the company will be found by individuals doing internet searches for security services

Register search words and phrases revolving around security, security services, private security, private security services, security guards, security guard services, etc

Based on the location settings of the searcher, the landing page will be the web page of the local branch office for their location
 

Blogging

Blog posts will be both national/corporate wide as well as local

Corporate

• Posts will be automatically routed to the blogs on local branch pages
• Talk about the company, achievements, news, recognize achievements of individual officers, branches, branch managers, etc. from across country
• Provide some continuity of posts from branch to branch

 Local blogging

• Posts by branch managers, other leadership/office staff, officers, etc
• Share some security tips
• Recognize achievements
• Share what branch is doing to improve the service provided to clients

Twitter

Each branch will have it’s own twitter account

Tweet about news, new blog posts, announcements ect
 

Can be used to draw people to web page

Corporate will have a twitter account as well, to be used in the same way as branch accounts

• Branches will retweet corporate tweets as appropriate

Facebook advertising

Facebook ads will appear to users who are listed as owning a business that could benefit from services (or work in management for such a business or company)

Metrics of Success

Will include

• Number of new clients found through google/internet searches
• Number of blog readers
• Number of Twitter followers

Budget/Costs

Will be based upon

• Hiring a web developer
• Time it takes to set up accounts
• Cost of advertising placement
• Amount of time it takes to post blogs/account upkeep, etc…
• If a position is created for an additional branch staff member to maintain accounts, that individual’s salary must also be taken into account.