How to learn about business? Speak to the practitioner!
Lapin AMK and our teachers from the class International Marketing Tools, Ritva Junna and Tuija Kuisma, arranged that this Tuesday, 25th September. Students got the chance to listen to a guest speaker and alumni student by the name of Jenni Tapio. She works in the marketing department for the Lappset Group in Rovaniemi.
The Lappset Group Ltd.
The company is producing playground, park and outdoor sports solutions for a wide variety of international companies. Its slogan is “We invite people outdoors” which is on the point. It is exactly what their business is about. Founded in 1970 they grew strongly since then, employing over 400 people worldwide. Producing in three different factories they sell via 56 dealers globally. Also, they have nine subsidiaries in Estonia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, China and the USA. The consolidated turnover in 2017 was about 50.7 million Euro.
The main target audience for Lappset Group are various different 
businesses. It promotes and sells to (landscape) architects as well as professional buyers for the private sector (e.g. real estate and shopping centres) and local government boards. However, the needs of those clients always have to be consolidated with the needs of the end user. This group consists of children, teenager, parents and also the elderly. So we basically speak about families and therefore people of almost every age.
But the main question: What does a company like this marketing-wise?
The guest speaker Jenni Tapio, Marketing-specialist for the group, provided our group of international business students with deep insights about the companies approach to organise their marketing activities. Besides introducing the action plan for 2018 that consists of Lappset solutions, brand awareness, CSR issues and inclusive design, she spoke about all their marketing activities, key performance indicators and processes. Furthermore, she depicted the marketing automation system, circle of measuring and planning, lead management by explaining the conversions. Marketing tools that are currently in use include the website, blogs, social media, catalogues, seminars, trade fairs, pricing, branding and media production.
The presentation showed how Lappset seems to have a well organised and holistic marketing concept, especially in the digital area. Processes are in place for their visual marketing, events, the website, inbound marketing activities, e-mail marketing and the paid advertising. Just to name some of the most important ones.
Automation, analytics and measurement.
The mentioned marketing automation system runs ins the background of the company website. It generates information about the customers which are divided into suspects, visitors, prospects/leads, customers and references. The purpose of it is to attract, educate, convince and activate, give impulses and engage with the target audiences. The system takes place in the following areas: e-mail marketing, landing pages, campaign management, marketing programs, lead generation, predictions and data analysis.
Key performance indicators are measured at different time intervals. Digital traffic is reported monthly, digital budget twice a year and new leads at the end of every quarter. KPI’s are measured to evaluate the performance and structurize the lead management as well as conversions. Lappset, for example, measures the brochures ordered, contact forms send, downloads of different materials and quotation requests. The company wants to increase the:
- Amount of qualified leads
- Amount of new content
- Amount of marketing-generated business leads
- Traffic from social media channels and adverts
Marketing as a potential professional future.
With a personal background in communication management as well as innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership the field of marketing always seemed an attractive and potential professional working environment. What especially catches the attention are the holistic and integrative approaches to everything that happens in the value chain of companies. Anyhow the different marketing activities have to be broken down to individual task and campaign that work together like the gears of a professional racing car. Still, the strategical, tactical and operational levels can be separated and the first two seems most interesting to work in.
The wrap-up.
Many insides could be won about the Lappset Group Ltd. during this short presentation of guest speaker Jenni Tapio. She gave an introduction to the company first and subsequently showed how their marketing works. Interesting was especially which kind of processes they have in place and how they automate as well as measure their activities. It was enlightening on which KPI they focus and how they do lead management. Jenni Tapio shared different fields of marketing and therefore probably increased the interest of our course on various job perspectives.
Have a freezing phantastic week.
Best regards
DH
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