Ema O'Hara
Fall 2024
Situational Analysis
To identify what makes your health care product or service unique, a situational analysis has been conducted. The situational analysis portion of this project will focus on the internal and external environment in which the marketing plan is to be implemented.
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The situational analysis will include three specific areas:​
- SWOT, a four-cell chart containing internal and external factors of the chosen healthcare organization
- Environmental forces, research into university health centers as well as health services or programming for university students.
- Competitive analysis, an analysis of weaknesses and strengths of the competitors to the selected organization
Students in this course use real university health organizations to create an informed marketing plan over the duration of a semester
SWOT
Here you'll find a four-cell chart containing internal and external factors related to the selected health care organization.
Economic
Given that mental health services are generally expensive, our campus stands out compared to other Universities that offer the same services with a fee. Being that students are usually on a budget, this would be an effective way to attract individuals seeking yoga to improve their mental health. Organizational funding could also have a negative or positive impact on the service being offered and the marketing initiatives that are put in place. If CAPS funding is increased, there could be more resources for marketing outreach and give us the ability to expand classes for students. If the funding decreases, it could limit the number of classes that are offered as well as marketing efforts which ultimately would affect student participation.
Environmental Factor #1
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Economic
Environmental Factor #2
​Social
Social
Mental health awareness continues to grow each year, making discussions around mental health more popular and acceptable. Marketing yoga services as a way to reduce stress, enhance focus, and improve anxiety and depression will help attract students. University students often seek community engagement, marketing this service as not only a physical activity, but also a social event to interact with peers would bring in more participants. However, a significant challenge to this environmental force is the fact that not all individuals who suffer from mental illness are out in the community, or even want to seek services to improve their state of mind because they don’t have the motivation to engage in it. The biggest challenge is going to be developing strategies that encourage them to give this service a try. Overcoming this barrier will be essential for expanding the impact of our outreach efforts.
Competitive Analysis
An organization that is a competitor to Indiana University of Indianapolis’s CAPS program is Purdue University’s CAPS. Considering they are the same program, they provide many of the same services to university students. With that being said, there are distinct features that set them apart from each other.
Some of Purdue’s strengths include having a well-designed website that is detailed with the services they offer such as group therapy, individual therapy, psychiatric services, workshops, and telehealth options. They also highlight the importance of providing specialized care for diverse populations, including the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, individuals facing substance use challenges, and international students (Purdue University, 2024).
However, there are Some weaknesses regarding Purdue’s CAPS services. For instance, they do not include set prices for how much each session is, what is covered by insurance, or when you will have to start paying out of pocket. They also do not advertise as many wellness programs as Indiana University of Indianapolis does.
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Purdue’s biggest competitive advantage is that they offer telehealth services to their students. These telehealth services will bring a lot of students out of their comfort zone to maybe one day come to see what CAPS has to offer in person.