Parthenon Books
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
• High Instagram activity • Older/uninterested staff
• 10% Student Discount o “Not a five star because the
• Space available to rent for book staff wasn’t particularly
clubs, and other events friendly or interested in
• Gen Z targeted sections ie. female helping” - from google
rage, Valentine's Day set-ups review
• Author readings and signings - as • Not a large enough book selection /
per google review does not fill the space enough
• Empty shelves where books could
be displayed - as per reddit review
• Empty shelves, lacks variety
• Older, stand-off ish staff
Opportunities Threats
• Post photos of the store • Other competitors - Golden Bee
• Create a TikTok account to cross- bookstore, Barnes and Nobles,
post with Instagram Books & Melodies, Books End
• Attend community events like • Other books stores have better
Syracuse Winter Fair, CNY regional prices
market, Syracuse University
Farmers market
• Invest in cozier furniture
• Attention-grabbing window displays
1
Parthenon Books
Design Persona
Lindsey Anderson is a happily married wife with
no children. She is currently 34 years old. She has a
bachelor's degree from a university, which has landed her
a full-time job. Lindsey makes at least $90,000 annually.
She often enjoys going downtown to events like live music
and having a cup of coffee at least once a week. But most
importantly, the highlight of her long work weeks is when
she casually strolls through a small bookstore, looking for
a pick-me-up book to end the day with.
Her friends describe her as a creative person who
is very open-minded. Lindsey tends to stray away from social media, as she prefers to live in the
moment.
Lindsey is the kind of person who finds joy in the small moments in life. After a long
workweek at her full-time job, she winds down by strolling around a small bookstore with a
coffee in hand, searching for the newest novel release to lift her spirits. She isn’t glued to her
phone, so a traditional social media campaign will be brutal to reach her. Instead, she is more
influenced by thoughtful sponsorships and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Lindsey is more drawn to businesses that make her feel like part of a community. She
buys from brands she finds reliable, authentic, and innovative. She values brands that feel more
personal and authentic and that sell experiences, not just products. She especially loves her
loyalty rewards programs, where she can get points for a free coffee.
2
Parthenon Books
Communications Brief
Objective: To get Syracuse locals to visit Parthenon Books over chain bookstores by increasing
brand awareness.
Target Audience: Married people with no kids aged between 18-55 interested in literature and
live events.
What they currently think:
The environment can be sterile and unwelcoming; prefer other bookstores where the books have
more variety, the staff is kinder, and books are cheaper. Additionally, the customers believe that
Parthenon does not deliver consistency regarding book variety and availability. However, some
love the decorations and layout of the bookstore, as well as the cafe being right within the store.
What we want them to think:
Parthenon Books is where everyone can find their favorite new mystery novel or just hang out
and act as a safe haven for all. It's more than a bookstore; it's a place to feel included and seen by
all and a place where you can interact and meet others who share the same interests as you.
Parthenon is also a place where you can relax with a cup of coffee after a long day.
Proposition: Parthenon is more than just a typical bookstore, it's an experience that
connects you to your local community.
Support:
• 45% of consumers want to feel valued at places they shop at, Parthenon Books can offer
that experience to them because
• 71.9% of consumers like reliability in the places they shop. Parthenon books can offer a
reliable selection of books and services.
Tonality: The advertising should be authentic, personal, community-oriented, and comforting
without being too serious.
Moments of Receptivity: Since our target audience is full-time workers, we want to aim to
reach them during their lunch breaks or after work. We can target them through paid media, such
as TV advertisements or sponsored posts on social media.
3
Diversity and inclusion considerations: We want to speak to readers of all races, ethnicities,
sexualities, ages, etc., looking for a place to feel included and appreciated by all. All readers
deserve an inclusive space to read their favorite novels and feel comfortable and supported.
4
Parthenon Books
Media Plan
When and where will they be most receptive?
They will be most receptive when they are scrolling on Instagram Reels looking for new
places to buy books. At night, when their kids are asleep, and they have time to themselves, they
could find the ads on reels and plan to go to the bookstore at a later date. The reason we are
targeting them on Instagram reels is because 35.7% of our target audience uses that platform.
Media Plan:
Use Instagram to spread awareness of events, promotions etc. Our target audience trust
reviews from other customers on social media 42.3% and comments on social media channels
like reels 18.6% percent. By building brand awareness and brand preference on Instagram reels,
trustworthy reviews and comments will influence our target audience more than other forms of
media placement.
We should also use TikTok to expand on the local bookstore feel of the advertisements
and participate in trends by showing new / popular books with trending sounds (booktok). This
would be a great way to appeal to the Gen-Z target audience.
80.3% read articles online on their laptops. This is another space where we can target our
audience. 42.4% of readers engage with news sites like CNN and 38.2% engage with the NYT
website. We would translate this interest to a more local level by placing ads on websites like
The Daily Orange, Syracuse.com, and CitrusTV, where they get their news and will be open to
looking at more information. These are also individuals who are avid readers and will be inclined
to seek out more information at a bookstore like Parthenon Books.
Device → Laptop, smartphone, smartwatch, tablet
Channel → Social media, streaming services
Platform → Instagram reels, Facebook, YouTube Shorts
Media Placements
• Social Media
Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Facebook Ads
• Print
Posters / Flyers
• Sponsorships
Events
5
Parthenon Books
Measurement Plan
Business Challenge: Lack of Brand Awareness and Conversion
Marketing Goal: Increase brand awareness
Marketing Objectives: Increase repositioning awareness, Increase social media following by
20% in six months, Increase website traffic by 10% in the next six months, Increase reach by 5%
in the next six months
Campaign Objective: Drive traffic through social media platforms
Communications Goal: Push consumers to engage on social media and online website to
explore its local bookstore feel
KPI’s
• Increase Impressions garnered via paid social media ads by 40% by October 2025
• Increase conversion rate via improving customer experience online and in-store by 3% in
October 2025
• Increase positive brand sentiment amongst the target audience by 21% by October 2025
• Increase customer activity within the hosted events by 15% by October 2025
