SWOT Analysis
Strengths
● All Aspire2Group employees will have a passion for Mental Health Services & support the HEARD Campaign.
● Recognising that the services offered by Aspire2Group can bring about much needed change in Mental Health Services.
● Aspire2Group will establish strong links with Service User Groups, Service Users, Service Providers, Charities & Organisations, NHS & Private Sector Services, Secure Hospitals, HM Prisons, Armed Forces, Universities & Colleges before the launch of the Newspaper & Website.
● Employ excellent Managers & Personnel who have vast experience in managing these departments & who share the same passion for Mental Health.
● Newspapers are still everywhere & according to research 70% of the population still read them on a regular basis. Over 2.1 Million people daily read the Metro, Evening Standard & City Newspaper. These are free newspapers.
● Engage with Professional & Advertising Companies, sell them the concept about Mental Health & the benefits to their businesses if they engage with Aspire2Group by way of ‘ Corporate Social Responsibility’.
● £5.7 Billion Pounds was spent on Newspaper Ads in 2017. Aspire2Group recognise that with the right professional approach of communication & collaboration the revenue exists in both newspaper, website & social media advertising revenue.
Weaknesses
● Our competitors are simply bigger operators with years of experience, have professional & dedicated sales teams who know the commercial advertising markets.
● It will take time to build a recognised brand within this industry.
● Accepting Prejudices & Criticisms such as social stigma & social exclusion whist building the company.
● Knowledge of raising the Capital required to build and complete the concept.
● Bringing Professional Management on Board & Having the Capital to pay for them.
● Lack of Professional Fundraising Abilities to Progress Company.
● Start up Costs May Overwhelm the Company.
Opportunities
● To Re-Define the issues & debates around mental health within the UK using a dedicated media services company.
● To interlink the Newspaper, Website, Radio Station, Recording Studio & Media Pod into one recognised Brand.
● To become a leading professional, dedicated & respected voice on mental health issues across the UK.
● To campaign for and bring about better & improved mental health services, reduce social stigma & social exclusion, advance early diagnosis through public information, help reduce self-harm & suicides rates across the UK.
● To give service users a platform so they can be HEARD.
● Promote the excellent work of charities & organisations with Mental Health.
● To work with Companies & Advertisers in tackling a major public issue within society.
Threats
● Are rivals have deeper pockets & greater resources who may adapt their services to include Mental Health issues.
● Not been able to pay top salaries in order to recruit the correct personnel.
● Another Newspaper & Media Service Company on the block means advertising revenues are further hit.
● Readers may become bored reading about Mental Health all the time.
● Other Media & Broadcasting Companies may begrudge our existence.
● Making sure that running a Company does not result in burn out.
● To manage both physical & psychological security threats. Physical security must be the protection of employees and the building. Mental/Psychological security threats could come from abusive callers, letters or other social media platforms who do not support the company. A security consultant will be employed to manage these issues.
PEST Analysis
Political
We are currently in the mental health media market that is currently receiving high political, media & public interest. Government austerity measures since 2008 following the financial collapse has had an impact on spending within all aspects of all public services. Mental Health Services has not always enjoyed the same pound for pound spending on the same issue such as physical health. Aspire2Group Media will have Editorial Comment challenging the Government & Agencies on matters affecting Services, Policy, Resources, Treatment & Care for all those affected by Mental Health.
Aspire2Group will campaign openly using all media platforms such as Aspire2 Newspaper, Aspire2Website & Aspire2 Radio to improve services, funding, care, treatment and openly criticise failures when they take place fairly and impartially. This will bring the Company into conflict & dispute with Government Agencies & the Private Sector.
The issues & debates surrounding Brexit has split the Country in half. Across every aspect of society, home, family & friends, work, all media channels, universities & colleges, social, domestic & pleasure this debate has caused real tension, fears & anxiety. It has caused those who already suffer from mental health issues to be more alarmed as one side of the argument wants to psychologically outdo the other. Aspire2Group Media Services will remain neutral to the debates but support all those affected by the rising tensions of fear & anxiety.
Economic
‘Brexit’ may well cause some companies pain & hardship, especially importers if the pound continues to devalue and the exchange rates fluctuate. This effects many retailers who advertise in Newspapers, Websites, Radio & Social Media Sites. Price rises between 5 & 7% are being forecast in the UK retail market. This could dampen retail sales. Already some major high street brands are under threat. In times of austerity or recession there is a temptation to cut spending on advertising which is sometimes seen as a luxury.
Corporate Managers remain under enormous pressure to control costs and maintain liquidity at all times, advertising budgets are always under pressure. Companies who reduce advertising budgets actually put their long-term future at risk according to advertising experts. Aspire2Group will work with advertising companies who use our platforms making sure they get good value for their money & possible return. We want our advertisers to be successful & having a customer base of 20 million people is a good starting base. A good example is if your advertising a brand of coffee that helps you ‘sleep better at night’ then that advertising campaign can run all year round. it’s not a seasonable issue.
When companies increase their advertising spending they increase their share of the voice. Buying packages with Aspire2Group allows 4 routes to target market, newspaper, website, social media platforms & radio. Our target audience is 20 million plus, half of all adults.
Social
The good news is that society in general still reads newspapers on a daily basis. National & Local Newspapers still sell millions of copies each week and the appetite seems to have stayed consistent regardless of the technological advances of the www. Aspire2Group will use the Newspaper & the Website as platforms as part of its long term ambitions to promote service user views & campaign for better mental health services. The key question for this company is does society want a newspaper, website, radio station & recording studio, ten years ago the answer would be no. In social terms society has moved some way in how it looks upon mental health issues, Aspire2Group believe the time is now right & more importantly socially acceptable.
Aspire2Group believe the time is now right to offer our services on 4 platforms, this is covering all bases and making sure that the message will get across regardless of your social surroundings. By using a Newspaper, Website, Radio Station & Social Media Sites the Company believe that somewhere, somehow you will come across one of our platforms during a monthly cycle. Societies use of all social media services must be recognised, these avenues include Facebook & Twitter for example. In the 21st century it is vital any media company accepts those challenges, adopts the new social technological revolution and that is why our platforms will meet those goals.
Technological
Aspire2Group will use a professional publishing company to print & distribute 800,000 copies of our free monthly newspaper across the 8 regions of the UK. The publishing company require 24 hours notice. The advances in modern technological computer software make this a simpler task than years gone by. There is now unstoppable growth with devices and gadgets coming onto the market every year. In delivering our services as a professional media company, Aspire2Group must use all social media routes and move with the times, put simply we must make sure are message is HEARD.
As with the Radio Station the future lays with DAB Radio and this shows our commitment as a company in making sure we have all bases covered. There is a primary reason for this strategy, as a company we are aware that young adults do not often read newspapers but spend their time on social media sites. We are also aware that suicide is the leading cause of death among young men. We therefore plan to make sure that not only our platforms are up to date but make sure we can sign post people accordingly to other professional sites.
Aspire2Group will even share our information with other organisations and where we can fund the technological software making sure that those at risk have as many opportunities as possible in order to seek help & advice.