For those planning to start their own practice as an immigration consultant in Canada or expand on an existing one

Please follow the instructions carefully and use the chart provided to complete the answers. These may be in summary format as the full narrative will be used in the Final Project. This is to get you on the right track to complete the Marketing Plan section of your final project.

Part 1 - Market Research and Analysis

WHO IS YOUR INTENDED MARKET?

Where do they come from?

Think of where you are likely to target your clients: Inland (which specific communities?) or Overseas (which specific countries?) Once you identify the source, explain why you chose these sources.

What types of cases are you planning to undertake?

Think about the Classes/categories of immigration that most interest you? Consider your transferable skill sets as it may help to identify which case types you will likely have an affinity toward. The case types may also be dictated by who is likely to apply from your source or who you are likely to attract. Define the case types and provide your rationale for these choices.

Who is your ideal customer?

Think about those case types you have listed and think about who makes the perfect client in the context of those case types? What are their general demographics? Describe them.

What is most important to your ideal customer as it relates to immigration?

Think about what motivates people to migrate from the sources you have identified and why Canada is a preferred destination. Outline these observations.

What is your market segment?

Research the Facts and Figures published by the IRCC to find out how many applicants come from your identified sources in the specific categories you plan to provide service on. Look at the historical trends. Define all of these statistics.

Part 2 - Marketing Approach

How do you intend to attract your clients - what promotional/advertising/outreach methods will you use.

It may help to break this down as per case or source as the approach may differ depending on who the target is.

Who is your competition?

Based on your location and planned target who is currently operating in that same market? Research and identify by name of authorized representative or company. Ensure that they are targeting the same source and case types that you plan to target.

What are the strengths of your competition?

Research their practices. Ask in the specific community to find out the positives of the competition. What are they doing well?

What are the weaknesses of your competition?

Use that same research above and learn what they are not doing well?

What is your competitive advantage?

Based on an analysis of what you have learned about your direct competition, how might you overcome their strengths or use their weaknesses to your advantage?

Part 3 - Goals

List three distinct goals you hope to achieve in relation to your marketing plan in the first year of operation.

List the actions you envision needing to undertake to reach the goals you have listed.

Define the cost of the actions you have listed (may be time or money).

Part 4 - Contingency Planning

What happens if your initial plans don't work?

What adjustments might you make?